Although I personally do not display any bumper stickers on my car, I love reading those on other vehicles, even if they only announce that the car’s occupants are “The Proud Parents of an Honor Roll Student at Muskrat Middle School.” Of course there are bumper stickers that are much more cynical and border on rudeness, such as “My Kid Can Beat Up Your Honor Roll Student.” I wouldn’t want to live next door to that family.

Bumper decals can proclaim a humorous religious philosophy (“Jesus Saves, But Moses Invests”) or a long-ago political leaning (“Bush-Cheney”) on a very old car. Because there is no shortage of issues in the United States, and no shortage of bumpers, there, consequently, is no shortage of bumper sticker manufacturers. Strangely, for the first time in decades, there are fewer people, like me, who will plaster a sticker on their car, especially one with an in-your-face message. But those who do display bumper stickers are multiple users, plastering more than one on the bumper.

There was a time when you couldn’t drive around the block without catching an eyeful of the latest rant or witticism attached to the rear end of someone’s car. The messages commented succinctly on politics, the environment, social issues and even how to operate a motor vehicle. An example is “Keep Honking. I’m reloading.”

Carol Gardner, who wrote “Bumper Sticker Wisdom: America’s Pulpit Above the Tailpipe,” believes that politics and sex are the two most popular issues in sticker discourse.

While bumper sticker companies saw booming sales during 2008 and 2016, there has been a slight decline in recent years. The aging and maturation of baby boomers is blamed for some of the decline. Boomers, the enormous demographic block of

80 million Americans born between the end of WWII and 1964, were once highly issue-oriented people who spoke their mind. Bumper stickers provided a perfect vehicle for their expression. But, as the years pass, they are less inclined to spout an opinion.

Other observers offer more practical reasons for seeing fewer bumper stickers on automobiles. The way cars are designed now, with bumpers and bodies made of the same materials and in the same colors, makes it hard to know where the bumper begins and the car ends. Volkswagens are a good example. Years ago, the Beetles, with their detached silver bumpers, seemed to lure bumper stickers. Today’s VW bumpers are barely distinguishable from the rest of the car, and less likely to attract stickers.

Others, especially those people with highly controversial beliefs, (“Real Feminists Don’t Kill Babies”) run the risk of being cut off, being shouted at or having a digital finger communication flashed in their direction. Decals in rear windows, especially those that proclaim loyalty to a college or fraternal organization, are often the most prevalent means of sending a message while racing down the road.

With the upcoming national election in November, we might expect to see a plethora of “Biden-Harris,” “Trump-Haley” (or someone else), or “Kennedy-(fill in the blank) stickers. They will compete for our attention with “Bush-Cheney.”