Truck nuts

Truck nuts, also known as truck balls, BumperNuts, BumperBalls, or Trucksticles, are accessories for pickup trucks and other vehicles.[1] They appeared in 1998 in the United States, and were first sold on the internet in 1999. Truck nuts are usually hung for humor or amusement. They are attached under the rear bumper of the vehicle so they are visible from behind.[2]

Contents

Manufacture

Manufacturers use HDPE, ABS, and PVC plastics to create truck nuts; hollow aluminum and solid brass can also be found. They are sold in different colors and metallic coatings.

Reaction

Reaction to these accessories has been mixed. A columnist from Metro Silicon Valley wrote that she was "actually not sure whether or not this is a joke product, or if someone would really proudly display them".[3]

Attempts at prohibition

In 2007, a proposal was made by Maryland delegate LeRoy E. Myers Jr. to "prohibit motorists from displaying anything resembling or depicting 'anatomically correct' or 'less than completely and opaquely covered' human or animal genitals, human buttocks or female breasts".[4] He referred to the testicles as "vulgar and immoral," and stated that his proposal was made at the request of a resident who was offended by the accessory.[4] On January 15, 2008, Virginia Delegate Lionell Spruill proposed Bill HB 1452, which would prohibit truck owners from displaying or otherwise equipping their vehicles with devices resembling human genitalia.[5][6] In April 2008, Florida lawmakers have launched an attempt to ban truck nuts, making their display punishable by a $60 fine.[7]

In 2011, a South Carolina woman was ticketed for adorning her truck with truck nuts. The case is pending trial.[8]

References

  1. ^ Blair, Zachary, "Junk in the Trunk: A Queer Exploration of Truck Nutz as Contemporary Material Culture," paper presented at Queertopia, Northwestern University Graduate Student Conference, Chicago, IL, 2009.
  2. ^ Rein, Lisa (February 23, 2007). "Fake Private Parts Are No Joke". Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/22/AR2007022201426.html. Retrieved 2009-04-06. 
  3. ^ Carpenter, Novella. "Stranger Than Fiction". Rev. http://www.metroactive.com/papers/metro/07.27.05/rev-0530.html. Retrieved 3 September 2007. 
  4. ^ a b Rein, Lisa (2007-02-23). ""Fake Private Parts Are No Joke, Myers Says"". Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/22/AR2007022201426.html. Retrieved September 3, 2007. 
  5. ^ Delegate Lionell Spruill, Sr. (December 2008 2008). "HB 1452 Display of offensive objects or devices; prohibited on any vehicle.". Virginia General Assembly Legislative Information System. http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?081+sum+HB1452. Retrieved 4 December 2011. 
  6. ^ Lewis, Bob. ""Watch what you put on trailer hitches"". Tri-City Herald. http://www.tri-cityherald.com/24hour/weird/story/3789192p-13323967c.html. Retrieved January 16, 2008. 
  7. ^ Peltier, Michael (2008-04-25). "State moves to ban fake testicles on vehicles". Reuters. http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSN4O32105020080425. Retrieved 2009-03-11. 
  8. ^ http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43916124/ns/us_news-weird_news/