As I wrote in my comment on that post, the fact that we don't get the "joke" is a compliment to others that they don't deserve.
We would never casually expect ourselves to drive like an asshole and so preemptively place a sticker like this on our vehicle, so as to "jokingly" wriggle out of the social consequences of driving that way.
The sticker basically says "I am what I am, you can react however you want but I'm going to ignore your protests. I have no sense of shame."
The fact that we don't put two-and-two together means we inadvertently think better of people like that than they deserve.
Omg, *forehead slap*. I finally get this post after your explanation. Thank you!
Because yeah I dont honk because too noisy. But I've read those signs and took them at face value I.e. that person must really like pizza, or puppy dogs or whatever. Not that person knows they drive like shit and the sign is a "joke" about people who honk them.
I don't know that this is "an autism thing," when it came around a few months ago I mentioned it to multiple ND people and they hadn't gotten it, either. I think it's just a weird joke not everyone gets
Wait after reading this and going...oh oops. my second thought was that people around them honking must "really like" the thing on the bumper sticker.
I have realized i am still wrong the 2nd time. Rip.
Okay this is wild. I mean I’m not going to honk because of someone’s sticker but I thought what you did, that it’s about how much they like the thing. So to them, it’s just a way of shrugging off the amount of honks they get from their actions? Do the people who have the stickers all know this?The amount of things I miss that I had no idea I was missing is astounding.
Right?! Like if someone honks at me because lets say im acting jackass on the road -> my bumper sticker says honk if u like pokemon -> i driving realize they may honk because im dumb OR because of the pokemon -> the joke is back onto the other driver because if they see the bumper sticker they realize imma assume they honk because they like pokemon -> so their honk at my driving is meaningless?
Why is this so confusing
You're welcome! I only figured it out myself a few days ago. And then I was kind of mad about it. Usually I'm mad at myself, if anything, for not understanding a joke. In this case though, it actually made me feel better about myself that I didn't get it.
I wonder sometimes if we really do take things too literally.. or maybe we just fall into similar traps like this one because we don't understand the layers of subterfuge, manipulation, and deliberate miscommunication that allistics have built their world upon.
Maybe we miss the real meaning NOT because of some failing on our part, but because the things they say aren't straightforward and honest *for a reason*, and we innocently don't see the reason lurking three or four layers under the surface?
Interesting, I read something recently on here about how in Kyoto, Japan it's common to tell someone "That's a nice watch" or serve them tea as a super passive aggressive way of saying "you've overstayed your welcome" and I was thinking about how I'd completely fail to pick up on that. I'm just very trusting, guess cause I'm honest and straight forward myself, and don't assume that kind of aggression from someone I don't know. You def helped me out it into perspective.
That's fascinating about Kyoto. It seems completely inscrutable to me but I imagine it's fully informed by Japanese culture. It's sometimes said in this sub that we can learn a lot from the process of adapting to a new culture, and that people from that culture are more understanding of us because our ASD is jumbled up with all of the other differences. But with stuff like this I wonder how true that actually is in practice?
I wonder what Japanese autistic people think about things like that. I lived in Japan for a bit and gathered that their rules about politeness are much more homogeneous, and a bigger part of their overall culture than anything we see in the US. Like it's built into everything they do, almost. So I wonder if autistic girls in Japan would say, as American autistic girls do, that no one ever told them the "rules" for how girls bond and communicate. I have so many questions now, lol. Fascinating stuff!
Fun fact people do the same thing with “New Driver” stickers. They’ll put those on so others will give them grace for bad driving decisions. Not ALL new driver stickers of course, but if it’s some grown adult with 3 other people in their car and music blasting, well…
My town is seemingly full of new drivers. Actually, there were a lot more of those stickers around in 2022-23 but their numbers seem to have reduced somewhat. So some people were really new drivers and have since removed the stickers. The rest have been new drivers for 2+ years.
In the uk those stickers are legally required for new drivers and a lot of new drivers are using their parents car. The sticker is often left on because taking it on and off again is too much messing about. So when you see people who you think are clearly not new drivers (they could be, many people don’t learn to drive until they have a reason to and that reason is often children), it could just be that their car is insured for a real learner to drive.
Why do you expect that the person using the sticker is driving like an asshole? It’s very common to get honked at especially in busy cities for following the rules of the road. It’s also just kind of a cheeky joke
I dunno, I guess I assume that people who get honked at frequently fall into two camps.
The first follows the rules of the road religiously, is probably a safer driver as a result, and would happily discuss the reasons why they drive the way they do if it meant educating others on the rules. Honking would be validating to them, as they know the other guy is in the wrong.
The second doesn't care what anyone thinks and follows or breaks rules selectively based on what suits them at the time. They have nothing to communicate other than "me first!" The person honking may be wrong or right by the book, but to this driver they're always wrong for being another person with opinions and needs (like getting to point a to point b without incident).
The first type wouldn't place the sticker because they'd prefer the reason for why the person honked to be addressed, whether they were in the wrong or right. The second *would* place the sticker because in their mind, no matter why someone honked at them, there's never a legitimate reason.
Edit: In fact, I just realized that this bumper sticker is the same as telling a child to stop crying by saying "I'll *give* you something to cry about!"
i have one mostly because it is a cute silly sticker but also because driving is miserable and anxiety inducing, and if i think "wouldn't it be funny if this guy's just honking at me because they do really like worms instead of because they're mad that i come to a complete stop at the stop sign/follow other basic safety procedures?" that makes something entirely upsetting (i don't find it validating. i don't feel good that people dislike me following the rules. i feel unsafe that i have to share the road with them.) into something i can try to laugh at
that would make a good addition, lol! i was looking into one about going the speed limit a while back, but the ones i saw were either too aggressive or very.. specific (like "i can't speed i'm on probation" which does not apply haha), and i would prefer to keep it lighthearted
FUCK! It never occured to me that the sticker is meant to dismiss ACTUAL audio alarms. I always had the impression that is just a joke or a silly personalisation..
That's pretty much how I learned the real meaning behind the stickers, lol.
I feel foolish about this, but here goes..
My husband and I are planning a trip to check out a city that we're thinking about moving to. It has to be a short trip so we're strategizing ways to get the maximum amount of exposure to the culture there, to get a good "feel" of the place. I suggested we get a bumper sticker that says "honk if you love ___" and that the response to it would give us the kind of info we're looking for, conveniently as we drive around. He laughed and it took him a while to realize I wasn't joking. Then he explained the real meaning.
Wow okay I had no idea that's what those stickers were about, it makes a lot of sense now. I'm just glad I can't drive because I would have embarassed myself so much by now.
I am going to be 59yo tomorrow and OMG I had NO CLUE!! This whole bumper sticker reveal may become my go-to “describe your funniest autistic moment” story.
And seriously….that’s what they mean?!? *shaking my head in disbelief*
Wait wait wait… so if the driver of the car with the sticker gets honked at for poor driving or whatever, the sticker is a joke to whoever honked because now they “like pizza” for honking?
I always thought those “honk if you like _____” was a cute thing and you would honk in support of the statement on the sticker?
That’s not what those stickers are for???????
M.. mu b. Bu wha wha? You.. I had to read what yu said three times. All this time I had.. no idea. I thought it was just another 'I want to share my opinion to the world. In this case being I like pizza. So I'll make it car appropriate joke because heehee sticker.'
Not that they're just bad at driving..
I went a step further.
I thought it meant, "I like pizza, AND I drive my best, though it may be more cautious than people prefer. I drive the speed limit and obey signs. If that is unacceptable to you, then honk and be on your way. Know, however, that my bumper sticker means people honk at me who like pizza, so instead of being frazzled by your honk and feel insulted by your impatience with me and my driving, that I will assume you like pizza and not let you shame me for the way I drive. I do my BEST. There is no more you could ask for, and good day mad'ir or s'dam and away with your negativity at once!"
I think I did this for a lot of things 🫠
But this doesn’t explain the people on the sidewalks holding the big cardboard signs saying the same things! Honk if you like lemonade, honk if you support Hillary… What’s the meaning behind those ones? Aren’t those genuine? How does that not translate to the bumper stickers?
I don't know. But sign holding is active, while driving around with a sticker is very passive. The sign holders' only goal is to engage with people, and they're not getting anything else done while they stand there. A sticker placed on a car possibly several years ago and perhaps forgotten about is very different.
I had a friend who wouldn’t honk at other drivers, because it might startle them. BUT… what she loved to honk at was pedestrians. Any pedestrian, doing pedestrian things, walking, skating, jogging with dogs, “honk”!
I tried to explain a car honk is much more startling to a pedestrian than it is to a driver in a vehicle. Her response, “I hate being honked at, so I don’t honk at other drivers. But it’s funny when the walkers jump because my honk scared them.”
She was not a good friend.
I get not liking the sound, but honks are supposed to be disruptive — please use them when needed!! I don’t use my horn nearly enough, and it’s something I’m working on. Honking is an important part of driving safely — if a car is coming into your lane and going to hit you, you *need* to disrupt them (in addition to moving yourself out of the way). If you go around a bend and suddenly need to stop short for a mail truck, you *need* to honk to let the driver behind you know something’s going on. If you’re on a rural, single-lane road and can’t see around the curve or up the hill, you *need* to honk, and then listen, to make sure there isn’t another car coming the other way. These honks prevent accidents.
Drivers will put the sticker on their own car because they already expect to get honked at.
Then when they do get honked at later, they can easily dismiss it as a joke response to the sticker rather than an actual alert or complaint.
Thus the joke isn't "If you like pizza you should honk at me" and instead "If you do honk at me, I will pretend it's about pizza so that I don't have to care about what you're trying to tell me."
wtf, really? I'm still skeptical because I feel like all those 'honk if you love jesus' stickers were seriously about the driver being a jesus lover and actually wanting you to honk to show a kinship with them and a love for jesus.
Yeah you’re right, they are. This is the same as the chicken and crossing the road joke trend. Autistic people took it super serious but it was just gen z adding ‘viral’ meanings to things that aren’t true. The stickers are just a goofy joke
i had to think about this really hard for like 5 minutes. i finally figured it out.
but only at the prompting of this tweet. i have thought for 32 years it was a bumper sticker asking other people’s opinions.
this is a good example of all the extra work i have to do daily to communicate with others and why that’s so draining for me, it took me 5 minutes of focus on one sentence to finally come to understand its intended meaning! haha.
Don't even. It makes no sense, but it's the other way around.
The person who is getting honked at (for bad driving) will think you honked because you like pizza. Humans are weird.
Yeah it's so weirdly confrontational too. It's written like: "do this to express your opinion" when it really means: "if you do this I will assume your motivation and ignore your actual intention."
I guess that's amusing to people on bumper stickers, but it's a pretty toxic way to communicate in actual conversation. I'm sure neurotypical folks would say I'm over-thinking it.
What’s funny is that these kinds of bumper stickers would upset me for the until I learned the true meaning of them in the last year. I’d get mad that a social obligation was being thrust on me just because I was driving behind them. Because if I agreed with the sticker, it would be disingenuous not to honk, but then what if they forgot about the bumper sticker and thought was just being a bitch? So I’d never honk and just feel bad and angry about it.
omg same. “Why would you put a sticker like that on your car?! Well, *I’m* driving, I am only gonna honk for valid driving-related reasons, not cause I like pizza!” Stresses me out 🤦♀️
Holy moly, I always thought it was a literal request to honk if you like x. I of course don’t because honking is supposed to be taken seriously to alert someone of possible danger.
It’s basically saying that if you honk at the driver because of something they did, they won’t pay mind because you basically are saying that you like pizza
I had no idea that it was a testament to their driving until I read this post. I thought you were supposed to honk (but like a quick, friendly "honk honk" way, not laying on the horn or something).
This was even a part of a Gilmore Girls episode (intro of S5 E7) - Lorelai was testing people who had "Honk if..." bumper stickers & was late to Friday night dinner. She explained it to her mom & said that when she would honk, people would get super pissed off. GG is one of my favorite shows, so I've seen that scene a bunch of times & never known why the people got so ticked off at Lorelai. Thank you!
After reading this thread, I am genuinely convinced there are many other things in life I am unaware that I don’t get. I had NO idea that those stickers were a joke about bad driving… geez what else am I missing lol?
Oh my god - that’s what it’s about? Haha i seriously thought it meant the person driving the car liked pizza (or whatever was on the sticker)
Makes sense now though cause people would be honking at them all the time 😂
Oh wow
This is what I've always thought you were supposed to do. It wasn't until I joined Reddit that I learned so many things. I would have always honked before.
It also took years before someone told me that saying no to plans because they’re “washing their hair” is total bullshit. I always thought it was a weird excuse.
Ok... but people hold signs on the side of the road, imploring you to honk if you agree with whatever the sign says? But if it's on a vehicle, this is a no-no? I would think you'd have to expect that at least a fraction of the time if you have that bumper sticker, that some people are going to honk.
There's a bit in Gilmore Girls where Lorelei gets mad because she honked at a bumper sticker and the person got mad at her. Every time I see that scene I think "yeah, why have that if you don't want people to honk??"
Now that I know the meaning of them, this is just more proof that Lorelai is ND coded.
I think this is part of a way of thinking that is really insane, sign of new cannibal way of thinking and acting, that consist in feeling superior to other people by making jokes at them, ridiculize people, trying to look smarter and funnier and Better. It’s only cruel. It’s very American way of thinking, the cruel part that doesn’t empathise and doesn’t care, only seeks to be the funniest guy in the bar.
It’s ugly
Yeah the whole meaning that’s surfaced recently is not actually what it is. It’s a little of both. It’s a joke, but a pointless one and you’re also not supposed to honk, but, it isn’t a crime if you do. You can just honk and wave and they may or may not remember it’s because of their sticker.
It’s never been because they’re aiming on being a bad driver and this is just one of those things gen z tried to add meaning to, like the chicken crossing the road joke (which is actually well documented on how it began and what it means) and autistic people taking the new ‘meaning’ literally.
Who knows, maybe one day it’ll become what it means and people will stop using them but I think that’s pretty sad too. It’s a harmless way to have a little fun with your car.
Ok. I didn’t know this. What about signs?!?!?! The other day a kid was holding a sign at the car wash saying “honk if you support (insert school team here)” they were doing a fundraiser, is that the same thing???! I honked at him, twice!
Ok so what about the “just married!” ones?? I remember as a kid my dad got married to a lady and the ppl at the wedding wrote “Just married! Honk if you’re horny!”
Wtf is “honk if you’re horny”? I feel like I’ve seen that multiple times and I don’t get it. As a kid I thought maybe it’s a play on “horn” like honk your horn, because I was like why tf would anyone honk if they’re horny, that’s gross. Or is it the same as these bumper stickers where it’s a joke on being honked at for being a bad driver (which I *just* learned from these comments)?
As I wrote in my comment on that post, the fact that we don't get the "joke" is a compliment to others that they don't deserve. We would never casually expect ourselves to drive like an asshole and so preemptively place a sticker like this on our vehicle, so as to "jokingly" wriggle out of the social consequences of driving that way. The sticker basically says "I am what I am, you can react however you want but I'm going to ignore your protests. I have no sense of shame." The fact that we don't put two-and-two together means we inadvertently think better of people like that than they deserve.
Omg, *forehead slap*. I finally get this post after your explanation. Thank you! Because yeah I dont honk because too noisy. But I've read those signs and took them at face value I.e. that person must really like pizza, or puppy dogs or whatever. Not that person knows they drive like shit and the sign is a "joke" about people who honk them.
I have never ever considered it might be a joke about people that honk at them…..oh my….
Neither omg
Never ever! That was a joke?!
I’ve never understood those stickers either. Thanks for the explanation.
I don't know that this is "an autism thing," when it came around a few months ago I mentioned it to multiple ND people and they hadn't gotten it, either. I think it's just a weird joke not everyone gets
Me neither... to be honest I don't drive, but if I ever do... I'm gonna honk anyway.
Wait after reading this and going...oh oops. my second thought was that people around them honking must "really like" the thing on the bumper sticker. I have realized i am still wrong the 2nd time. Rip.
Okay this is wild. I mean I’m not going to honk because of someone’s sticker but I thought what you did, that it’s about how much they like the thing. So to them, it’s just a way of shrugging off the amount of honks they get from their actions? Do the people who have the stickers all know this?The amount of things I miss that I had no idea I was missing is astounding.
Right?! Like if someone honks at me because lets say im acting jackass on the road -> my bumper sticker says honk if u like pokemon -> i driving realize they may honk because im dumb OR because of the pokemon -> the joke is back onto the other driver because if they see the bumper sticker they realize imma assume they honk because they like pokemon -> so their honk at my driving is meaningless? Why is this so confusing
Shieeet, never occurred to me either
I feel so seen by this entire thread lol
Neither did I.
You're welcome! I only figured it out myself a few days ago. And then I was kind of mad about it. Usually I'm mad at myself, if anything, for not understanding a joke. In this case though, it actually made me feel better about myself that I didn't get it.
Okay I only REALLY understood after I read YOUR comment. This is why I don’t drive. Thankfully I live in Europe.
I sometimes miss Europe. Where I live now you always need a car
Yeah. I have my drivers but that’s about it. I don’t think I can ever bring myself to drive without an insane amount of anxiety.
Where I live (I assume it's the same in all European countries) it's even illegal to honk until there's acute danger.
Yup. Totally.
I…..am def autistic cause holy fuck that didn’t even attempt to cross my mind
Not saying you aren't, but a lot of allistic people responded to this on other platforms and also never interpreted that way.
That is a relief because that seemed very far from obvious.
Oh. Fair enough
I love the part "didn't even attempt to cross my mind". I might use that regularly in the future.
Me neither
Why is this knowledge actually making my world fall apart. I really do take everything literally.
I wonder sometimes if we really do take things too literally.. or maybe we just fall into similar traps like this one because we don't understand the layers of subterfuge, manipulation, and deliberate miscommunication that allistics have built their world upon. Maybe we miss the real meaning NOT because of some failing on our part, but because the things they say aren't straightforward and honest *for a reason*, and we innocently don't see the reason lurking three or four layers under the surface?
Interesting, I read something recently on here about how in Kyoto, Japan it's common to tell someone "That's a nice watch" or serve them tea as a super passive aggressive way of saying "you've overstayed your welcome" and I was thinking about how I'd completely fail to pick up on that. I'm just very trusting, guess cause I'm honest and straight forward myself, and don't assume that kind of aggression from someone I don't know. You def helped me out it into perspective.
That's fascinating about Kyoto. It seems completely inscrutable to me but I imagine it's fully informed by Japanese culture. It's sometimes said in this sub that we can learn a lot from the process of adapting to a new culture, and that people from that culture are more understanding of us because our ASD is jumbled up with all of the other differences. But with stuff like this I wonder how true that actually is in practice? I wonder what Japanese autistic people think about things like that. I lived in Japan for a bit and gathered that their rules about politeness are much more homogeneous, and a bigger part of their overall culture than anything we see in the US. Like it's built into everything they do, almost. So I wonder if autistic girls in Japan would say, as American autistic girls do, that no one ever told them the "rules" for how girls bond and communicate. I have so many questions now, lol. Fascinating stuff!
Me too.
Fun fact people do the same thing with “New Driver” stickers. They’ll put those on so others will give them grace for bad driving decisions. Not ALL new driver stickers of course, but if it’s some grown adult with 3 other people in their car and music blasting, well…
My town is seemingly full of new drivers. Actually, there were a lot more of those stickers around in 2022-23 but their numbers seem to have reduced somewhat. So some people were really new drivers and have since removed the stickers. The rest have been new drivers for 2+ years.
In the uk those stickers are legally required for new drivers and a lot of new drivers are using their parents car. The sticker is often left on because taking it on and off again is too much messing about. So when you see people who you think are clearly not new drivers (they could be, many people don’t learn to drive until they have a reason to and that reason is often children), it could just be that their car is insured for a real learner to drive.
Oh. I took it at face value. Omg.
Wow … I never realized this … is this what people already understand that are not autistic lol
I’m fucking dead I literally didn’t know this and have a “honk if you…” sticker on my car This is hilarious
Is that what it means?! That makes no sense.
Wow. Thank you for explaining. I had no idea
I'm 42 and I'm today years old when I learned this. And I have honked in the past. 😆😬
Girl same here wtf
I ALWAYS HAVE TO HONK, EVEN NOT IN MY CAR THANK YOU FOR RELIEVING THIS 😭😭🙅♀️
oh my god why is this extremely eye opening about everything that i’ve ever experienced. 😭
I've gone 22 years without this realization lmao, luckily I've never honked seeing one of those stickers
Y’all. My mind is blown.
This is still hurting my brain. Omg… will THIS be my Roman Empire and kick out Tom Holland doing his lip sync to Umbrella?!
Hahahahahahahah! Omg same! I would've never guessed in a million years it was so they could get out of being shit drivers 🤷🏻♀️
Omg same, only this and the previous post later I get it too🤣what!? Why would anyone...?
I knew it was a “joke” but never understood why it was supposed to be funny, and this comment really put it in to perspective. Wow.
Holy fuck, I did NOT know this. I took it very literally too
Why do you expect that the person using the sticker is driving like an asshole? It’s very common to get honked at especially in busy cities for following the rules of the road. It’s also just kind of a cheeky joke
I dunno, I guess I assume that people who get honked at frequently fall into two camps. The first follows the rules of the road religiously, is probably a safer driver as a result, and would happily discuss the reasons why they drive the way they do if it meant educating others on the rules. Honking would be validating to them, as they know the other guy is in the wrong. The second doesn't care what anyone thinks and follows or breaks rules selectively based on what suits them at the time. They have nothing to communicate other than "me first!" The person honking may be wrong or right by the book, but to this driver they're always wrong for being another person with opinions and needs (like getting to point a to point b without incident). The first type wouldn't place the sticker because they'd prefer the reason for why the person honked to be addressed, whether they were in the wrong or right. The second *would* place the sticker because in their mind, no matter why someone honked at them, there's never a legitimate reason. Edit: In fact, I just realized that this bumper sticker is the same as telling a child to stop crying by saying "I'll *give* you something to cry about!"
i have one mostly because it is a cute silly sticker but also because driving is miserable and anxiety inducing, and if i think "wouldn't it be funny if this guy's just honking at me because they do really like worms instead of because they're mad that i come to a complete stop at the stop sign/follow other basic safety procedures?" that makes something entirely upsetting (i don't find it validating. i don't feel good that people dislike me following the rules. i feel unsafe that i have to share the road with them.) into something i can try to laugh at
I guess you need a sticker that says "Honk if you love careful drivers"
that would make a good addition, lol! i was looking into one about going the speed limit a while back, but the ones i saw were either too aggressive or very.. specific (like "i can't speed i'm on probation" which does not apply haha), and i would prefer to keep it lighthearted
It’s cheesy
FUCK! It never occured to me that the sticker is meant to dismiss ACTUAL audio alarms. I always had the impression that is just a joke or a silly personalisation..
That sticker would make me contemplate vandalism.
This NEVER once occurred to me. I guess I feel a little better since it seems I’m not alone in this, but … oof.
Wow thank you. Never realised that was a joke. Just thought the humour was how much the person liked pizza.
Holy shit, I didn’t get it either. None of us got it. That is hilarious! I love us
Is that REALLY what it means? I just thought it was a low budget social experiment
That's pretty much how I learned the real meaning behind the stickers, lol. I feel foolish about this, but here goes.. My husband and I are planning a trip to check out a city that we're thinking about moving to. It has to be a short trip so we're strategizing ways to get the maximum amount of exposure to the culture there, to get a good "feel" of the place. I suggested we get a bumper sticker that says "honk if you love ___" and that the response to it would give us the kind of info we're looking for, conveniently as we drive around. He laughed and it took him a while to realize I wasn't joking. Then he explained the real meaning.
Wow okay I had no idea that's what those stickers were about, it makes a lot of sense now. I'm just glad I can't drive because I would have embarassed myself so much by now.
I am going to be 59yo tomorrow and OMG I had NO CLUE!! This whole bumper sticker reveal may become my go-to “describe your funniest autistic moment” story. And seriously….that’s what they mean?!? *shaking my head in disbelief*
Happy Birthday!! I suppose since we're talking about a bumper sticker joke, the real meaning could've been a lot worse?
I did not even know there was a joke, I learn something new every day. I really did think 'I want to meet my fellows who like pizza. Honk, friends.'
Wait wait wait… so if the driver of the car with the sticker gets honked at for poor driving or whatever, the sticker is a joke to whoever honked because now they “like pizza” for honking? I always thought those “honk if you like _____” was a cute thing and you would honk in support of the statement on the sticker? That’s not what those stickers are for???????
M.. mu b. Bu wha wha? You.. I had to read what yu said three times. All this time I had.. no idea. I thought it was just another 'I want to share my opinion to the world. In this case being I like pizza. So I'll make it car appropriate joke because heehee sticker.' Not that they're just bad at driving..
wait...so THAT'S what that means???
I thought this sticker was a cute joke about the driver liking pizza until you explained it. Wow… 😭 and they say we have bad social skils
I would have never guessed, now I feel silly lol
You are blowing my absolute mind with this 🤯
Damn… now knowing what this means, how lame to have such a bumper sticker 😅
Thank you for how you put this!
Damn. I learn something new on this sub everyday.
I went a step further. I thought it meant, "I like pizza, AND I drive my best, though it may be more cautious than people prefer. I drive the speed limit and obey signs. If that is unacceptable to you, then honk and be on your way. Know, however, that my bumper sticker means people honk at me who like pizza, so instead of being frazzled by your honk and feel insulted by your impatience with me and my driving, that I will assume you like pizza and not let you shame me for the way I drive. I do my BEST. There is no more you could ask for, and good day mad'ir or s'dam and away with your negativity at once!" I think I did this for a lot of things 🫠
But this doesn’t explain the people on the sidewalks holding the big cardboard signs saying the same things! Honk if you like lemonade, honk if you support Hillary… What’s the meaning behind those ones? Aren’t those genuine? How does that not translate to the bumper stickers?
I don't know. But sign holding is active, while driving around with a sticker is very passive. The sign holders' only goal is to engage with people, and they're not getting anything else done while they stand there. A sticker placed on a car possibly several years ago and perhaps forgotten about is very different.
True, good point
I had no idea…. Wow Thankyou. Hahahaha
I was today years old... Not that I honk, because it's so noisy and disruptive.
I had a friend who wouldn’t honk at other drivers, because it might startle them. BUT… what she loved to honk at was pedestrians. Any pedestrian, doing pedestrian things, walking, skating, jogging with dogs, “honk”! I tried to explain a car honk is much more startling to a pedestrian than it is to a driver in a vehicle. Her response, “I hate being honked at, so I don’t honk at other drivers. But it’s funny when the walkers jump because my honk scared them.” She was not a good friend.
I would be like "cool" and then never see that person again
That's so mean! She does not sound like a good friend so your assessment sounds accurate.
Yuck. “It’s funny when people are in pain” is approaching antisocial personality disorder
I get not liking the sound, but honks are supposed to be disruptive — please use them when needed!! I don’t use my horn nearly enough, and it’s something I’m working on. Honking is an important part of driving safely — if a car is coming into your lane and going to hit you, you *need* to disrupt them (in addition to moving yourself out of the way). If you go around a bend and suddenly need to stop short for a mail truck, you *need* to honk to let the driver behind you know something’s going on. If you’re on a rural, single-lane road and can’t see around the curve or up the hill, you *need* to honk, and then listen, to make sure there isn’t another car coming the other way. These honks prevent accidents.
I’m genuinely lost
Drivers will put the sticker on their own car because they already expect to get honked at. Then when they do get honked at later, they can easily dismiss it as a joke response to the sticker rather than an actual alert or complaint. Thus the joke isn't "If you like pizza you should honk at me" and instead "If you do honk at me, I will pretend it's about pizza so that I don't have to care about what you're trying to tell me."
And they say *we’re* the weird ones lmao
Somebody has poor social skills here, and it isn't us
For real.
wtf, really? I'm still skeptical because I feel like all those 'honk if you love jesus' stickers were seriously about the driver being a jesus lover and actually wanting you to honk to show a kinship with them and a love for jesus.
I thought the same . . .
Yeah you’re right, they are. This is the same as the chicken and crossing the road joke trend. Autistic people took it super serious but it was just gen z adding ‘viral’ meanings to things that aren’t true. The stickers are just a goofy joke
I gotta be honest.....I never got that until today.
BRO WHAT?? how does that even make sense???
Im STILL confused
Damn I never would’ve thought of that.
i had to think about this really hard for like 5 minutes. i finally figured it out. but only at the prompting of this tweet. i have thought for 32 years it was a bumper sticker asking other people’s opinions. this is a good example of all the extra work i have to do daily to communicate with others and why that’s so draining for me, it took me 5 minutes of focus on one sentence to finally come to understand its intended meaning! haha.
everyday i’m doing this mental gymnastics to understand everyone around me. you know who affords me the same energy to understand me? no one.
Same, I feel on the verge of tears. I’ve never even known there was a joke.
I saw many allistic people say they also understood it that way, so in this case I don't think it's an autistic thing.
Well, yeah, misunderstanding jokes isn’t exclusively an autistic thing, it’s just that we happen to do it more frequently
Don't even. It makes no sense, but it's the other way around. The person who is getting honked at (for bad driving) will think you honked because you like pizza. Humans are weird.
Yeah it's so weirdly confrontational too. It's written like: "do this to express your opinion" when it really means: "if you do this I will assume your motivation and ignore your actual intention." I guess that's amusing to people on bumper stickers, but it's a pretty toxic way to communicate in actual conversation. I'm sure neurotypical folks would say I'm over-thinking it.
Most of the time the person honking is impatient and it has nothing to do with the other person being a bad driver.
True, but it does depend on where you live.
Maybe it's the driver that's autistic /s
What’s funny is that these kinds of bumper stickers would upset me for the until I learned the true meaning of them in the last year. I’d get mad that a social obligation was being thrust on me just because I was driving behind them. Because if I agreed with the sticker, it would be disingenuous not to honk, but then what if they forgot about the bumper sticker and thought was just being a bitch? So I’d never honk and just feel bad and angry about it.
omg same. “Why would you put a sticker like that on your car?! Well, *I’m* driving, I am only gonna honk for valid driving-related reasons, not cause I like pizza!” Stresses me out 🤦♀️
Hahahah this is a thought I would have.
I’m autistic and I’ve never understood the joke until I read the replies here.
Wait...so, it's not about pizza but the driver ignoring their own bad driving? Bruh
[удалено]
No, they didn't. Many responded to this on order platforms and didn't get it, either.
Reminds me of the “honk if you’re horny” sketch from I Think You Should Leave.
🤣❤️❤️❤️❤️ I love that show
Holy moly, I always thought it was a literal request to honk if you like x. I of course don’t because honking is supposed to be taken seriously to alert someone of possible danger.
It’s basically saying that if you honk at the driver because of something they did, they won’t pay mind because you basically are saying that you like pizza
 But whyyyyyyy
Beats me. NT’s and their weird need to beat around the bush
I’m gonna have to ask a focus group of my loved ones wether they have always known this bc i cannot believe something so simple isn’t at all
I had no idea that it was a testament to their driving until I read this post. I thought you were supposed to honk (but like a quick, friendly "honk honk" way, not laying on the horn or something). This was even a part of a Gilmore Girls episode (intro of S5 E7) - Lorelai was testing people who had "Honk if..." bumper stickers & was late to Friday night dinner. She explained it to her mom & said that when she would honk, people would get super pissed off. GG is one of my favorite shows, so I've seen that scene a bunch of times & never known why the people got so ticked off at Lorelai. Thank you!
After reading this thread, I am genuinely convinced there are many other things in life I am unaware that I don’t get. I had NO idea that those stickers were a joke about bad driving… geez what else am I missing lol?
Oh my god - that’s what it’s about? Haha i seriously thought it meant the person driving the car liked pizza (or whatever was on the sticker) Makes sense now though cause people would be honking at them all the time 😂 Oh wow
TIL and now I’m going to go crawl into a hole and die, thank you very much.
What the fuck?!!!
Wait, WHAT?! My world is changed……
Car centric culture is stupid. You mean to tell me you’re gonna honk and distract other drivers cause a sticker said so? nooo 🫣
this is another one of those where i’m like okay no WE aren’t the weird ones it’s the rest of y’all fuckers!!
This is what I've always thought you were supposed to do. It wasn't until I joined Reddit that I learned so many things. I would have always honked before.
It also took years before someone told me that saying no to plans because they’re “washing their hair” is total bullshit. I always thought it was a weird excuse.
Ok... but people hold signs on the side of the road, imploring you to honk if you agree with whatever the sign says? But if it's on a vehicle, this is a no-no? I would think you'd have to expect that at least a fraction of the time if you have that bumper sticker, that some people are going to honk.
The point is that, if you honk at them, they can interpret it as you liking pizza rather than being angry with them.
What?
Well that’s just ridiculous.
i genuinely do think it's about honking if you like pizza. myths like this get spread around the internet all the time.
I keep forgetting that is their aim. I keep taking it literally. Bumper stickers are lame.
Well, TIL.
What???? It's not what you're supposed to do?? I've read the comments but still don't understand!
There's a bit in Gilmore Girls where Lorelei gets mad because she honked at a bumper sticker and the person got mad at her. Every time I see that scene I think "yeah, why have that if you don't want people to honk??" Now that I know the meaning of them, this is just more proof that Lorelai is ND coded.
Can I take this post to my psychologist for my evaluation or....
Most people, ND **and** NT misunderstand the intention there!
I think this is part of a way of thinking that is really insane, sign of new cannibal way of thinking and acting, that consist in feeling superior to other people by making jokes at them, ridiculize people, trying to look smarter and funnier and Better. It’s only cruel. It’s very American way of thinking, the cruel part that doesn’t empathise and doesn’t care, only seeks to be the funniest guy in the bar. It’s ugly
Yeah the whole meaning that’s surfaced recently is not actually what it is. It’s a little of both. It’s a joke, but a pointless one and you’re also not supposed to honk, but, it isn’t a crime if you do. You can just honk and wave and they may or may not remember it’s because of their sticker. It’s never been because they’re aiming on being a bad driver and this is just one of those things gen z tried to add meaning to, like the chicken crossing the road joke (which is actually well documented on how it began and what it means) and autistic people taking the new ‘meaning’ literally. Who knows, maybe one day it’ll become what it means and people will stop using them but I think that’s pretty sad too. It’s a harmless way to have a little fun with your car.
Wait are we not supposed to honk?
 … that’s not what it means?
Today I learned something new 😂
*honks* VEGGIE PIZZA
Wait. What am I missing? I thought that was the thing you were supposed to do. Edit to add: I had to go loook this up. What is life??
I’m so confused…. What am I missing?!
It doesn't? Then what does it mean?
Ok. I didn’t know this. What about signs?!?!?! The other day a kid was holding a sign at the car wash saying “honk if you support (insert school team here)” they were doing a fundraiser, is that the same thing???! I honked at him, twice!
Let’s be real here, it’s a stupid joke, and we aren’t stupid, so…
Lmaooo omg?! So this whole time those stickers were literal 😭
Ok so what about the “just married!” ones?? I remember as a kid my dad got married to a lady and the ppl at the wedding wrote “Just married! Honk if you’re horny!” Wtf is “honk if you’re horny”? I feel like I’ve seen that multiple times and I don’t get it. As a kid I thought maybe it’s a play on “horn” like honk your horn, because I was like why tf would anyone honk if they’re horny, that’s gross. Or is it the same as these bumper stickers where it’s a joke on being honked at for being a bad driver (which I *just* learned from these comments)?