MK5 Golf GTI

General => Random Chat => Topic started by: smokey on March 02, 2012, 10:45:24 am

Title: Dolls hanging from rear bumpers
Post by: smokey on March 02, 2012, 10:45:24 am
Hiya Guys

Just wondering if anyone else has noticed the tredn of having a small toy hanging from the rear bumper?

In the Bristol area i'm seeing this more and more and was wondering why?

Well a quick search and i found this:

Quote
Driving around on the streets of Bangkok you might spot an interesting phenomenon, a car with a stuffed animal or doll dangling from the back of the car. Many of the hanging dolls are dirty and ragged from being dragged around on the city streets. There is something eerie and morbid about the sight of a child’s toy looking so disheveled.Taxi drivers seemed to be the first group to adopt this practice and it has since spread to the average motorist. Even on a short drive in Bangkok, you are bound to spot one of the hanging dolls. Taxis still comprise the largest number of cars that hang dolls on their bumpers.

The question that you are probably thinking is “Why?” For awhile I pondered this myself and although I asked around, no one else seemed to know either. Finally on the Thai news I got my answer.

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.

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.

Next time you take a drive through Bangkok, keep your eyes open for this quirky sight and we’ll see how long this trend lasts.

looks like it has caught on?

Has anyone else seen this?
Title: Re: Dolls hanging from rear bumpers
Post by: Tfsi_Mike on March 02, 2012, 10:47:26 am

I may be talking gash but would it help earth cars with a sh*t earth to stop you getting a belt everythime you touch the door
Title: Re: Dolls hanging from rear bumpers
Post by: rich83 on March 02, 2012, 11:03:31 am
(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nissansilvia.com%2Fforums%2Fuploads%2Fmonthly_03_2011%2Fpost-77590-1299487027233_thumb.jpg&hash=dc4453c130ec58b902ce27019f1f48f917532f6f)
Title: Re: Dolls hanging from rear bumpers
Post by: skard on March 02, 2012, 11:09:23 am
There's a lot of kids around my area with blue Smurfs hanging from the rear tow eye.

Were they not meant to represent drifters in Jap cars?

Seems like one of those things that younger folk do now to be 'random lol'.
Title: Re: Dolls hanging from rear bumpers
Post by: JackG on March 02, 2012, 11:14:02 am
Yes it's typical "scene points" over here in the UK, don't get it myself  :stupid:
Title: Re: Dolls hanging from rear bumpers
Post by: nezquick on March 02, 2012, 12:07:21 pm
I think its quite big in the jap scene, seen it many a time at santa pod jap fest.

 
There's a lot of kids around my area with blue Smurfs hanging from the rear tow eye.

might be a club or group thing  :confused:
Title: Re: Dolls hanging from rear bumpers
Post by: skard on March 02, 2012, 12:16:03 pm
Maybe but my mates 17 year old has it, and he thinks it 'looks cool' - no other motivation for it.

He also has a Corsa B  :laugh:
Title: Re: Dolls hanging from rear bumpers
Post by: Tamiyoman on March 02, 2012, 12:16:40 pm
Spirits?, ghosts?   :scared: ahem less said the better  :signLOL:, possibly some kids thinking it looks good  :stupid:, bit like in the 80's having a Neon Acid House smiley face stuck to your car or possibly a "Splat" stuck to your car (Guilty on both counts)  :ashamed: oh to be clueless and 17 again  :P
Title: Re: Dolls hanging from rear bumpers
Post by: jimojameso on March 02, 2012, 12:21:52 pm
I have a jap car as well as my golf and i think they look stupid!!!!  :fighting:
Title: Re: Dolls hanging from rear bumpers
Post by: Andy on March 02, 2012, 12:32:36 pm
 :stupid:
Title: Re: Dolls hanging from rear bumpers
Post by: jameelno1 on March 02, 2012, 08:16:00 pm
all the chavy boy racers around my end have got the stupid smurf thing going on  :stupid:
Title: Re: Dolls hanging from rear bumpers
Post by: jhtrophy on March 02, 2012, 08:20:51 pm
I think on the drift stuff it looks pretty cool, not seen on anything other than them to be fair
Title: Re: Dolls hanging from rear bumpers
Post by: Russ_leeds on March 02, 2012, 08:23:49 pm
yeah they're definately drift charms, just idiots put them on non-drift cars :stupid:
Title: Re: Dolls hanging from rear bumpers
Post by: perky85 on March 02, 2012, 08:34:18 pm
It seems smurf hanging is popular.

I thought it was just to show that they had just eaten a happy meal from maccy's  :grin:
Title: Re: Dolls hanging from rear bumpers
Post by: sideshowfred on March 03, 2012, 09:07:26 am
On my old mk4 estate and polo I had a pair of dice hanging off. Only because I thought it looked good and they used to scrape/bounce off the road due to the lows.  :ashamed: I'll probably never do the same again though no matter what car i've got.
Title: Re: Dolls hanging from rear bumpers
Post by: Hurdy on March 03, 2012, 09:42:21 am
It seems smurf hanging is popular.

I thought it was just to show that they had just eaten a happy meal from maccy's  :grin:

I'd like to hang a smurf......not from my car, I'd just like to hang a smurf!  :evilgrin:
Title: Re: Dolls hanging from rear bumpers
Post by: John GT140 on March 03, 2012, 11:52:08 am
There's a lot of kids around my area with blue Smurfs hanging from the rear tow eye.

Were they not meant to represent drifters in Jap cars?

Seems like one of those things that younger folk do now to be 'random lol'.
All the kids drive corsa's and hang out at mc d's ive seen them
Title: Re: Dolls hanging from rear bumpers
Post by: VC on March 03, 2012, 12:22:09 pm
common to see magic tree air fresheners hanging from the rear of cars down my way

....i have a new hatred for them (magic tree fresheners) since they attempted to take me to court for copyright.... and lost...  :evilgrin:

that said, some of them do stink pretty  :smiley:
Title: Re: Dolls hanging from rear bumpers
Post by: mvb12 on March 03, 2012, 08:23:15 pm
if the guys in the far east do it due to cultural reasons fair enough, but in the U.K its just plain retarded.  :stupid:

never seen this in south london as yet but tbh don't thinnk it would get the time of day.
Title: Re: Dolls hanging from rear bumpers
Post by: rich83 on March 04, 2012, 04:45:24 pm
There is a trend of Muslims (i think, maybe seekhs) of hanging a black piece of cord on the rear toe hook.
Title: Re: Dolls hanging from rear bumpers
Post by: LouCyffer on March 04, 2012, 05:32:34 pm
There's a lot of kids around my area with blue Smurfs hanging from the rear tow eye.

Ah, this should do the job...
(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.freakingnews.com%2Fpictures%2F15000%2FMike-Ditka-Preparation-H--15193.jpg&hash=913a19e133101d087b386f6771612ae9b9e960dc)