Comments on: Bumper Sticker Mystery

Question: Bumper Sticker Mystery

Plutor — Thu, 20 Jan 2005 05:40:04 -0800

I've seen a bumper sticker on a significant number of cars, and it's been bugging me for a long time. It's (very roughly) 15x6cm. It has the letters "ET P" in blue on a white field, and there are very small symbols to the left of the E and to the right of the P. I've never been able to get close enough to a sticker to see what they are, nor has googling really been much help. The sticker is almost always on the left of the rear bumper. I can only recall seeing the sticker on my commute in Southern CT, USA, so it's possible it's a regional thing. What is this sticker for? What does it mean?

By: geekyguy

geekyguy — Thu, 20 Jan 2005 06:30:44 -0800

Maybe this.

I googled "ETP" "bumper sticker".

I'm just guessing as I am no where near Connecticut. I hope that helps.

By: bh

bh — Thu, 20 Jan 2005 06:55:58 -0800

Possibly a parking sticker of some sort. Maybe for a large employer or large residential area? Is it more common in any particular area?

By: isotope

isotope — Thu, 20 Jan 2005 07:05:09 -0800

This is something I've wondered about too. Being in southern CT, I see these stickers all the time, but I can't say if it's a regional thing - I don't think it's an employer, school, or town sticker because I can't think of anything around here that goes by "ET P".

Googling hasn't helped, so I might have to ask the driver of a car that has one.

By: Plutor

Plutor — Thu, 20 Jan 2005 07:45:23 -0800

geekyguy: e-thepeople just happens to have the right acronym and some posts about political bumper stickers on their site. I don't think that's it.

bh: The parking sticker was my best guess, also. It's not really common enough that I could really tell you if there's some sort of important distribution. I see the sticker probably once a week. It's possible that this it's a New York City phenomenon, since I live only an hour or two from there.

But I've never heard of a parking lot with a rear-bumper sticker. It's usually a rear-view mirror tag or a window sticker, both easily removed.

By: brad!

brad! — Thu, 20 Jan 2005 08:17:06 -0800

Is this it?

It fits your description well, and is apparently for residents of Easton, CT.

By: emelenjr

emelenjr — Thu, 20 Jan 2005 08:22:10 -0800

"Officer's." Sigh.

By: Plutor

Plutor — Thu, 20 Jan 2005 08:23:45 -0800

Brad! Amazing! That's exactly it. Thank you so much.
(And that explains why Googling doesn't help. That stupid page's text is all images!)

By: widdershins

widdershins — Thu, 20 Jan 2005 08:33:26 -0800

brad! has it right - it's Easton Police Dept. It took me forever to figure it out.

Off-topic: I had no idea there were other active CT MeFites!

By: grouse

grouse — Thu, 20 Jan 2005 09:09:23 -0800

And why would it matter that you are a resident of Easton? Shouldn't the police be applying the laws fairly to all?

By: bshort

bshort — Thu, 20 Jan 2005 09:34:36 -0800

Grouse - It's probably so that they can employ more effective racial profiling.

By: thanotopsis

thanotopsis — Thu, 20 Jan 2005 09:46:48 -0800

Shouldn't the police be applying the laws fairly to all?

Having lived in CT for 8 years, I can safely say that your comment has no meaning there.

By: isotope

isotope — Thu, 20 Jan 2005 10:09:34 -0800

And here I was thinking it was some exclusive skull-and-bones society thing.

Kinda strikes me as strange that this is coming from the Police dept and not from Parks & Rec, which most other towns would have issue stickers for residents. But then I've lived in CT for most of my life, so it really shouldnt strike me as strange.

By: Plutor

Plutor — Thu, 20 Jan 2005 10:24:44 -0800

Isotope, I had the same thought initially. I think I'll get my first full night's sleep in a long time tonight.
(Anyone else up for a CT Mefi meetup?)

By: spock

spock — Thu, 20 Jan 2005 13:01:31 -0800

That is flipping brilliant.
No one could possibly fake such a bumper sticker.

By: ikkyu2

ikkyu2 — Thu, 20 Jan 2005 14:42:30 -0800

I imagine Easton is one of these speed-trap-financed towns and they prefer not to impose their freeway levy on their own residents.

By: Mid

Mid — Thu, 20 Jan 2005 14:57:18 -0800

Some states do basically the same thing by putting your county name on your plate (FL and OH, for example).

This helps the fuzz determine that you've strayed from your appropriate neighborhood when they are deciding whether or not to pull you over.

I betcha Easton is a nice suburban town near some not-so-nice area.

By: dness2

dness2 — Thu, 20 Jan 2005 15:02:07 -0800

Or it could just be that Easton has residential parking rules and/or different admission rates to public parks and beaches. Local taxpayers may have benefits.

By: sacre_bleu

sacre_bleu — Thu, 20 Jan 2005 22:27:23 -0800

Eddy was the only full-time cop in Canterbury, N.H. If he pulled you over for speeding and realized you were one of the 1,500 or so town residents, he's apologize and let you go. Except if you were drunk. Then he'd make you get out of your car, and give you a ride home.