# stuffed animals hanging from car bumpers?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuffed-animals-hanging-from-car-bumpers/608529>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [January 5, 2012, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuffed-animals-hanging-from-car-bumpers/608529 "2012-01-05T18:57:09Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\
**Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuffed-animals-hanging-from-car-bumpers/608529/1 "2012-01-05T18:57:09Z")

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Okay, I’ve seen this several times, and I’m wondering what’s up. Some sort of stuffed animal hanging from the rear bumper or tailpipe or whatnot under a car. Anybody know what’s up with this trend?

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**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\
**Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuffed-animals-hanging-from-car-bumpers/608529/2 "2012-01-05T19:05:10Z")

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I sort of figured it was just some attempting at being super cutesie. Per a Google search, [in Thailand](http://iluvthailand.wordpress.com/2007/06/09/hanging-dolls-on-bumper-of-cars/) it means:

> [@](#):
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> The hanging doll or stuffed animal is an offering to the spirits of those that died in a traffic accident. It is hoped that the spirit will play with the toy and leave the car’s driver alone. This superstition is thought to have originated in Korea. Since Thai people believe that ghost hang around near the location of their death. They also believe that the ghost are waiting to be reborn and may provoke an accident by tricking a driver, especially at night. In light of such superstitious beliefs, it makes sense that some Thais would readily adopt a practice that seeks to placate these devious spirits.
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> Interestingly enough, the news report stated that many people have been adopting the practice of hanging a doll on their bumper without even knowing why. They simply saw others doing it and wished to do it as well. Other drivers get even more morbid and stick disturbingly real-looking fake arms out of their car trunks to shock fellow drivers.

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**Author:** ![Stelios](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Stelios](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stelios)\
**Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuffed-animals-hanging-from-car-bumpers/608529/3 "2012-01-05T22:30:57Z")

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I have one, but I’m just really into taxidermy.