Difference between revisions of "1837: Rental Car"

Explain xkcd: It's 'cause you're dumb.
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(Explanation)
(Explanation)
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* The other has a defective GPS that incessantly gives instructions to go somewhere the driver usually does not want to go.
 
* The other has a defective GPS that incessantly gives instructions to go somewhere the driver usually does not want to go.
  
The comic suggests that, given the choice between the persistent low-level annoyance of the GPS on one hand, and the (low) probability of being murdered on the other, some people will choose the latter option because, after all, they might survive.
+
The comic suggests that, given the choice between the persistent low-level annoyance of the GPS on one hand, and the (low) probability of being murdered on the other, some people will choose the latter option because, after all, they might survive murderous ghosts but they feel they will not survive long having to listen to the broken GPS.
  
 
According to the title text, the murderous ghosts only haunt the one car because even they cannot stand the broken GPS for long.
 
According to the title text, the murderous ghosts only haunt the one car because even they cannot stand the broken GPS for long.

Revision as of 11:05, 15 May 2017

Rental Car
Technically, both cars are haunted, but the murder ghosts can't stand listening to the broken GPS for more than a few minutes.
Title text: Technically, both cars are haunted, but the murder ghosts can't stand listening to the broken GPS for more than a few minutes.

Explanation

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In the comic, the couple wants to rent a car. The rental agency has only two vehicles available:

  • One puts its occupants into mortal danger; the danger, however, is abstract and befalls only "maybe one in six".
  • The other has a defective GPS that incessantly gives instructions to go somewhere the driver usually does not want to go.

The comic suggests that, given the choice between the persistent low-level annoyance of the GPS on one hand, and the (low) probability of being murdered on the other, some people will choose the latter option because, after all, they might survive murderous ghosts but they feel they will not survive long having to listen to the broken GPS.

According to the title text, the murderous ghosts only haunt the one car because even they cannot stand the broken GPS for long.

Transcript

[A Cueball-like guy standing behind a desk looking at a computer screen services Megan and Cueball on the other side of the desk.]
Guy: We have two rental cars left.
Guy: One is the murder car. But don't let the name scare you!
Guy: It's definitely haunted. But most drivers don't get murdered.
Guy: Maybe one in six.
[The guy lifts his hand and looks at Megan and Cueball.]
Guy: The other is a regular Sedan.
Guy: But is has a GPS that's stuck trying to navigate to Seattle.
Megan: ...I can ignore it, right? That's fine.
[In a frame-less panel Megan and Cueball drives in the Sedan.]
GPS: Turn left
GPS: Recalculating
GPS: Make a U-Turn
GPS: Recalculating
GPS: Turn right
GPS: Make a U-Turn
GPS: Recalculating
[Megan and Cueball walk back into the the guy behind his desk. Megan holds out the car keys in one hand.]
Guy: Back already?
Megan: We'll take the murder car.
Guy: Popular Choice.


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Discussion

Started with a bare-bones explanation. Please elaborate further. Nialpxe (talk) 09:28, 15 May 2017 (UTC)

It looks like the "one in six" figure might be a reference to 795: Conditional Risk? 108.162.229.244 09:34, 15 May 2017 (UTC)

Added a transcript (that ip is mine, was not logged in)PMR GO (talk) 10:01, 15 May 2017 (UTC)

Maybe the murder car is a reference to Christine? See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christine_(1983_film) 162.158.88.128 14:45, 15 May 2017 (UTC)

Seems like a stretch. Christine killed like 6 out of 8, for starters, and wasn't a rental... 162.158.74.51 20:38, 15 May 2017 (UTC)

Is the Trivia section meant to be a joke? Otherwise, the paragraph "That equates to a reduction in risk..." should be deleted, as it is totally meaningless. Comparing two entirely different figures (number of deaths per vehicle sold worldwide one year, number of deaths per vehicle on the roads in the US the next year) makes no sense. If it's a joke, it should be made clearer. Zetfr 08:19, 16 May 2017 (UTC)

Could this joke be about how a broken GPS has higher odds of getting you killed than playing Russian Roulette?

Don't tell me the odds. 141.101.107.30

Doesn't it actually say only 1 in 6 drivers DON'T get murdered? 162.158.90.223 04:49, 24 December 2023 (UTC)

It is stated that "most drivers don't get murdered", which means that it is surely an elided "one in six ((are the ones that actually) do)" rather than "one in six ((enumerates those aforementioned that) don't)". O r a huge error of statistical understanding (by the in-universe character, at least) that doesn't understand/convey odds correctly that I can't really see being the case - even if that could also be funny. 172.71.242.185 16:58, 24 December 2023 (UTC)