# Why every commercial I see on Drunk Driving single out men? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 31, 2009, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-every-commercial-i-see-on-drunk-driving-single-out-men/508309 "2009-08-31T01:36:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2009, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-every-commercial-i-see-on-drunk-driving-single-out-men/508309/81 "2009-08-31T22:19:33Z")
> [@MyFootsZZZ](#): > > Yeah, that’s why later in the post I acknowledged it… I should have edited it, instead of adding to it. :smack: > > Sure, if men drink and drive more, they should be the primary target, but not an exclusive target. As I said, there were four or five scenarios, plus all the other PSA commercials I’ve seen. It makes it seem like women don’t drink and drive at all. They SHOULD throw in a female. Just like the Swiffer commercials, (and others like it), could use a guy in one or two of their ads. I’m not asking for it to be female-centric. That’s a pretty reasonable request, and something tells me you’ll get your wish pretty soon, especially after the linked study showing an increase in DUIs for female drivers. ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2009, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-every-commercial-i-see-on-drunk-driving-single-out-men/508309/82 "2009-08-31T22:24:55Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > Okay, and in my experience, I just don’t really see how that’s possible. Yes, I’m sure a few women do lie but based on just how great the stigma is when it comes to reporting sex crimes where the woman hasn’t lied, I would tend to doubt that there’s no risk for a woman who has lied. A woman lied about me trying to take advantage of her. It was the worst acussation I’ve ever been accused of. She didn’t report it, but she told mutual friends. Luckily my friends know me, (and knew her), and didn’t pay attention to her. I wasn’t even making moves on her! The kicker… The week after she was practically begging me to have sex with her. YEAH! I was like… “get the fuck out of my life” That is NOT cool. For the men, AND women who really are victimized. ---
**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-every-commercial-i-see-on-drunk-driving-single-out-men/508309/83 "2009-09-01T00:05:53Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Nor do you have for yours. I wasn’t especially interesting in spending hours searching for a cite for a casual comment of mine; one that you’d just dismiss out of hand. You never have cites for anything on this particular topic. This is just the latest example of you talking out your ass because you have a major axe to grind with the female gender. > [@](#): > > I’m saying that the statistics in question are distorted by prejudice. Poor you. What a victim. All the distortion that takes place is against men, I’m sure. > [@](#): > > No; it’s more that you wildly exaggerate any position that doesn’t portray women as angels and men as scum. If it’s reasonable to say that men don’t care about men, it’s if anything more reasonable to say that women don’t care about men. But everyone nods their head when you bash men, and calls me a “Neanderthal” when all I’m doing is saying that women are no better than men. Show me where I bash men. I claimed that men are harder on other men than women are, whereas you tried to blame all this oppression of men on women, even though I offered a cite that men run the ad agencies that makes these ads that so offend you. I don’t think women are angels and men are scum. You have forgotten those child support threads where I was on YOUR side in the debate and was accused of being unfair to women. So, you’re full of shit, bottom line, when you try to depict me that way. Anyone who dares contradict your paranoid persecution fantasy about men MUST hate men and deify women. It’s just not true, since some of us are capable of having a nuanced stance on gender. > [@](#): > > I didn’t say that. That’s just your insistence that anyone portraying women as anything but morally superior is a sexist with a persecution complex. No, dear, it’s you that insists that anyone who disagrees with your thesis about how oppressed men are at the hands of women hates men, and thinks that women are perfect. FAR FROM IT. But you will not admit that men oppress men just as much as women do, if not more, and that men are also victimizers, not just victims. It’s ALL women’s fault, in your paradigm, which is bullshit. I don’t know why I bother to argue with you, because you have a totally wrong idea about me and my views of gender. I think everyone’s fucked. No one’s perfect, and no one group of 3+ billion can be viewed as a monolith. So really, cram your bullshit about how I think women are morally superior up your ass. That’s something you made up so you can feel self-righteous when you don’t have a leg to stand on. ---
**Author:** ![athelas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@athelas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/athelas)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-every-commercial-i-see-on-drunk-driving-single-out-men/508309/84 "2009-09-01T00:45:26Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > Okay, and in my experience, I just don’t really see how that’s possible. Yes, I’m sure a few women do lie but based on just how great the stigma is when it comes to reporting sex crimes where the woman hasn’t lied, I would tend to doubt that there’s no risk for a woman who has lied. [http://www.ipt-forensics.com/journal/volume6/j6\_2\_4.htm](http://www.ipt-forensics.com/journal/volume6/j6_2_4.htm) > [@](#): > > ABSTRACT: Empirical evidence does not support the widespread belief that women are extremely unlikely to make false accusations of male sexual misconduct. Rather the research on accusations of rape, sexual harassment, incest, and child sexual abuse indicates that false accusations have become a serious problem. The motivations involved in making a false report are widely varied and include confusion, outside influence from therapists and others, habitual lying, advantages in custody disputes, financial gain, and the political ideology of radical feminism. > … > The McDowell team studied 556 rape allegations. Of that total, 256 could not be conclusively verified as rape. That left 300 authenticated cases of which 220 were judged to be truthful and **80, or 27%, were judged as false**. In his report Charles McDowell stated that extra rigor was applied to the investigation of potentially false allegations. To be considered false one or more of the following criteria had to be met: the victim unequivocally admitted to false allegation, indicated deception in a polygraph test, and provided a plausible recantation. Even by these strict standards, **slightly more than one out of four rape charges were judged to be false.** ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-every-commercial-i-see-on-drunk-driving-single-out-men/508309/85 "2009-09-01T01:02:11Z")
**Der Trihs** what’s your deal? This is not ‘us against them’. If anything, it’s about how poorly people in advertising represent people of both sexes. Why are you singling out women for any of this? Like someone said up-thread, it’s not as if women see some of these ads, (the ones with male stereotypes) and say; “Score one; Us!” \*\*Rubystreak \*\*never said anything offensive about men as far as I’m concerened, or anything supporting that there aren’t double standards when it comes to how men are betrayed in the media, despite the fact that women are also victims of this too. In other words; she could have just as easily had a knee jerk reaction, but she’s too mature for that. You on the other hand are making crazy charges. ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-every-commercial-i-see-on-drunk-driving-single-out-men/508309/86 "2009-09-01T01:35:40Z")
> [@MyFootsZZZ](#): > > Mild rant. Why is this? There hasn’t been one female in these anti-driving drunk ads that I’ve ever seen. In my whole life, I can’t think of one and I know they exist. What’s the deal!? > > (Not sure if the BBQ Pit is the right place for this). Do a youtube search for “Let’s Go See Daddy New Zealand” [(also here)](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2xbUllH2mo&feature=PlayList&p=DE7DE3BD29B74B11&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=103). ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-every-commercial-i-see-on-drunk-driving-single-out-men/508309/87 "2009-09-01T01:40:26Z")
> [@bengangmo](#): > > Do a youtube search for “Let’s Go See Daddy New Zealand” [(also here)](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2xbUllH2mo&feature=PlayList&p=DE7DE3BD29B74B11&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=103). IMHO, that’s pretty damn affective. ---
**Author:** ![StaudtCJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@StaudtCJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StaudtCJ)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-every-commercial-i-see-on-drunk-driving-single-out-men/508309/88 "2009-09-01T01:50:18Z")
> [@bengangmo](#): > > Do a youtube search for “Let’s Go See Daddy New Zealand” [(also here)](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2xbUllH2mo&feature=PlayList&p=DE7DE3BD29B74B11&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=103). Wow. We need that airing here in the U.S. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-every-commercial-i-see-on-drunk-driving-single-out-men/508309/89 "2009-09-01T07:57:24Z")
> [@athelas](#): > > [http://www.ipt-forensics.com/journal/volume6/j6\_2\_4.htm](http://www.ipt-forensics.com/journal/volume6/j6_2_4.htm) Quite the impressive paper in a respected journal, no? Actually–no. Frank Zepezauer has no scientific background; he was trained as a writer & has taught composition. He joined the Men’s Rights Movement in the 70’s and has published **one** book: [The Feminist Crusades: Making Myths and Building Bureaucracies](http://www.amazon.com/Feminist-Crusades-Making-Building-Bureaucracies/dp/1425972861/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1251791077&sr=8-1). Published by a “subsidy press”–a new name for Vanity Press. No reviews yet! The respected journal? The article was published by the [Institute for Psychological Studes](http://http://www.ipt-forensics.com/): > [@](#): > > The Institute for Psychological Therapies is a private practice of clinical psychology. IPT’s primary work is related to allegations of child sexual abuse, but also deals with cases of sexual harassment, claims of recovered memories of childhood abuse, accusations of rape, allegations of improper sexual contact by professionals, forced and coerced confessions, false confessions, personal injury claims, mitigating factors in sentencing, custody, and medical and psychological malpractice. False accusations are dreadful–but I’d like more data to determine just how common they are. And from a source that isn’t in the business of denying accusations. ---
**Author:** ![alexandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e68b1a/32.png) [@alexandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alexandra)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-every-commercial-i-see-on-drunk-driving-single-out-men/508309/90 "2009-09-01T14:14:43Z")
> [@Bridget\_Burke](#): > > I actually agree with many of **Der Trihs** ’s opinions. He’s a bit farther to the left than I, but I definitely tend in that direction. > > But when Women come up, he goes all Neanderthal. There must be a story there. Thank you! I’ve noticed exactly the same characteristic. Except when it comes to abortion rights, because I guess in that area feminism wins over Godbothering, he’s always there to provide the anti-feminism POV. A lot of lefty men who I otherwise agree with don’t care too much about feminism, but he is a consistent asshole about it. ---
**Author:** ![Oredigger77](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oredigger77/32/3181_2.png) [@Oredigger77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oredigger77)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-every-commercial-i-see-on-drunk-driving-single-out-men/508309/91 "2009-09-01T15:13:10Z")
I just saw a drunk driving commercial for the first time last night with a women driver. The tag line was that ‘women drive drunk too’. > **[Albuquerque, NM News, Weather and Sports - KOAT Channel 7](https://www.koat.com/)** > > Stay in the know with the latest Albuquerque news. From the top local and national stories to the latest Albuquerque weather, KOAT has you covered. So at least one state agrees with the OP. ---
**Author:** ![athelas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@athelas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/athelas)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-every-commercial-i-see-on-drunk-driving-single-out-men/508309/92 "2009-09-01T15:26:31Z")
> [@Bridget\_Burke](#): > > Quite the impressive paper in a respected journal, no? Actually–no. Frank Zepezauer has no scientific background; he was trained as a writer & has taught composition. He joined the Men’s Rights Movement in the 70’s and has published **one** book: [The Feminist Crusades: Making Myths and Building Bureaucracies](http://www.amazon.com/Feminist-Crusades-Making-Building-Bureaucracies/dp/1425972861/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1251791077&sr=8-1). Published by a “subsidy press”–a new name for Vanity Press. No reviews yet! > > The respected journal? The article was published by the [Institute for Psychological Studes](http://http://www.ipt-forensics.com/): > > False accusations are dreadful–but I’d like more data to determine just how common they are. And from a source that isn’t in the business of denying accusations. Well, if you’re so skeptical, why don’t you go find a cite yourself? Afraid of what you might dig up? ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-every-commercial-i-see-on-drunk-driving-single-out-men/508309/93 "2009-09-01T19:26:14Z")
> [@Nzinga\_Seated](#): > > The reason the men are shown as buffoons is because they are the _star of the show!_ I think this is a really interesting, and believable, point. Bob Newhart tended to play the straight man while the people around him were goofy, but many (most?) of the more recent shows have the main or title character as the goofy one. ---
**Author:** ![alexandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e68b1a/32.png) [@alexandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alexandra)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-every-commercial-i-see-on-drunk-driving-single-out-men/508309/94 "2009-09-01T19:41:58Z")
jsgoddess and Nzinga - Reminds me of Ricky Gervais saying, rather pretentiously, that _The Office_ was about women as adults and men as boys who never grow up. Meaning, the male characters are funnier, more pathetic, more emotionally engaging, go on absorbing ‘journeys’, etc. And so there was only one fleshed-out female character in the show and she wasn’t particularly funny (though nor was she particularly mature). This is why I love Liz Lemon and Tina Fey. ---
**Author:** ![Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e56c9b/32.png) [@Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harriet_the_Spry)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-every-commercial-i-see-on-drunk-driving-single-out-men/508309/95 "2009-09-01T21:16:05Z")
Aside from the point that has already been made, that 3/4 of DUI arrests and 5/6 of DUI fatalities involve male drivers, making them the largest and most obvious target for such ads, consider that your personal media diet probably reflects the fact that you are male and will overall see more ads targeted at men. When I see ads related to drunk driving, they’re more likely to portray grieving mothers and promote support of MADD. Still, that reinforces the message to me that drunk driving is bad. Through empathy, ads like that reinforce that you wouldn’t want to put someone in that position. That’s the kind of drunk driving ad that’s going to run in women’s magazines or during women’s programming. I’m guessing you guys aren’t reading or watching stuff like that, though. I also commend **StarvingButStrong** for the point about women seeing themselves in men, but men not seeing themselves in women. ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-every-commercial-i-see-on-drunk-driving-single-out-men/508309/96 "2009-09-02T03:10:04Z")
Well, there’s seemingly some attention given to women driving under the influence. Maybe not as prevalent as I would like, (compared to men in national PSA’s), but it’s more than I’ve seen in a lifetime. If it’s more a problem with men, I see no reason why they shouldn’t be the \*\*primary \*\*target, (just not \*always \*the only one). ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-every-commercial-i-see-on-drunk-driving-single-out-men/508309/97 "2009-09-02T04:44:52Z")
> [@athelas](#): > > Well, if you’re so skeptical, why don’t you go find a cite yourself? Afraid of what you might dig up? **Bridget** showed how your cite was full of shit, so now the burden is on her somehow? Jackass. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-every-commercial-i-see-on-drunk-driving-single-out-men/508309/98 "2009-09-02T05:20:25Z")
> [@MyFootsZZZ](#): > > **Der Trihs** what’s your deal? This is not ‘us against them’. If anything, it’s about how poorly people in advertising represent people of both sexes. Why are you singling out women for any of this? I’m not. I’m just not giving women a pass, which is getting warped by the likes of \*\*Rubystreak \*\*and **Freudian Slit** into a “persecution complex” and being a sexist Neanderthal. But that’s a standard reaction; say men and women are just as bad ( or good ) and it’ll be interpreted as a slam against women by some people. Only portraying women as superior is “equal” to some people. This is all extra amusing since most people I actually know in real life call me a feminist and assume I’ll take the female side in any dispute. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-every-commercial-i-see-on-drunk-driving-single-out-men/508309/99 "2009-09-02T05:29:14Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > I’m not. I’m just not giving women a pass, which is getting warped by the likes of \*\*Rubystreak \*\*and **Freudian Slit** into a “persecution complex” and being a sexist Neanderthal. But that’s a standard reaction; say men and women are just as bad ( or good ) and it’ll be interpreted as a slam against women by some people. Only portraying women as superior is “equal” to some people. Neither **Rubystreak** nor I has said anything to the effect that women are superior to men. What I object to (can’t speak for her) is that false claims of rape are not some get out of jail free card that women can use with no reprecussions. It’s not like you get to scream rape and torment some poor innocent guy. There’s still a pretty huge stigma associated with rape even when the accuser isn’t lying. In my experience, there are definitely people who will still try to take the man’s POV automatically, or assume the woman is lying or asking for it. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-every-commercial-i-see-on-drunk-driving-single-out-men/508309/100 "2009-09-02T14:47:36Z")
Advertisements for home alarms show white males kicking down doors . The alarm companies knew they would not have to fight against an organized group who would fight how they are portrayed on TV if they showed white criminals.They would not have to fight the NAACP and potentially face boycotts. They did not have to face suits from a Latino organization. It is an easy solution. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-every-commercial-i-see-on-drunk-driving-single-out-men/508309.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-every-commercial-i-see-on-drunk-driving-single-out-men/508309.md?page=6)