Ha, I thought I was the only one that always notices this, but only because I have done some reading about flag etiquette and find it very interesting. I don't think it's disrespectful, at least not intentionally. I think Americans are just patriotic and like displaying the flag. And flag etiquette isn't exactly common knowledge and most people don't even know it exists (other than perhaps that the flag isn't supposed to touch the floor). I was relieved when I got rid of my last car that my parents gave me, which they had put an American flag sticker on that I didn't even illuminate at night.