Well, today, me and Brad Horton aka (brad_rules_man) were in his 2010 Prius V w/ blizzard perl that has Prius decals on the side, front, and back that say "gas-ELECTRIC HYBRID. Then we were trying to pass this truck to get over in the right hand lane and he seen that we were in a Prius and wouldn't let us pass him. We drove at 115 to 116 mph (mph would vary, go up to 116, then drop back to 115) and finally he got over, but when we were passing him at about 116, he was doing about 110 i'd say, and came over in our lane and almost ran us off the road! We swerved over into the rumble strips and passed him, and he, along with a black Chevy Cobalt, kept on behind us at about 107-110mph. It was creepy. WHY DO PEOPLE HATE US!?!?!?!?!? YOU GUYS. THIS TRUCK WAS A: FORD F-150 NOT AN 18 WHEELER.
A trucker doing 110mph?!?! jeez. I'd report him to his superior. Most trucks here are limited to 100km/h even if the limit is 110km/h. Those that are limited will have a sticker at the back saying 100km/h is the limit they'll drive.
Not for nothing. The times I find myself in a position where I have to over take to change lanes, I find it to just be easier to slow down about 2-3 mph and let the car pass. You were better off doing that. The speeds you were going make it evident this has nothing to do with your car and more to do with a pissing contest. In my neck of the woods that sort of behavior might get you a baseball bat fight or worse.
Same here. A truck has a maximum limited speed of 60 mph on highways. You should lobby your local politician to get truck speeds limited as they are in Europe. Use the excuse that it's for safety and environmental reasons - that would wipe the smile from the truck drivers face I guess you've never watched the movie "duel"? If you haven't I would. Replace crappy 1970's american car with a Prius and I think you get the picture. Also, I have a little motto "Always give way to the vehicle bigger than you". It doesn't matter if you're in the right, if they're bigger you'll always come off worse.
I guess indicated speed is always a little higher - as much as 10% i've found on other vehicles. This just doesn't happen with the Prius. When the Ford Puma was new over here in Europe I was passing an Alfa Romeo on the M25 (the London Ringroad). We were going uphill and realised I wasn't passing him as quickly as I thought I would and I put it down to me going uphill and losing speed (I previously had a very much less powerful car). It's only as he suddenly dropper back I realised that he must have seen me coming and matched my speed to avoid me overtaking him - I was doing 110mph without realising. I've always considered speed in itself is not the issue. It's people not leaving enough space in order to react that causes accidents. I've driven at 120-140mph on German Autobahns (not in a Prius I hasten to add!) and felt perfectly safe. then again the Germans are used to these speeds and are much more aware of other traffic. Given some of the inconsiderate and blinkered driving I've seen in the UK those kinds of speeds would be completely inappropriate. I have noticed, however, that since I got the Prius I don't try and gauge the success of my journey by the length of time it's taken, but by my overall mpg. I don't take as many rrisks, though I do get annoyed when people brake in front for no reason and I can't glide to a stop, or I have to then rebuild momentum.
Yep, I encounter the same treatment on I-77 doing my Princeton to Beckley and back commute Monday - Friday. Totally uncalled for behavior on the truckers part.
Got a little trick that really upsets a trucker who may have been bothering you - when approaching a hill with the said truck behind you, wait until you get to the hill and then slow right down. They then lose their momentum, have to change down into crawler gear and you can whiz away. Just make sure they don't catch you though! Now I would never recommend you do this and I have never done it myself - I've just heard about it second hand
I get the same thing every morning on my commute. 115 - 120 mph on the wooded county roads with semis pushing me onto the rumble strips. Yep, every morning. Oh wait, that's right. Im too concerned about dieing to do something that stupid. I'm trying to get my head around how a semi even accelerated from xx to 115 at the same rate of speed as the Prius. I know the Prius has a startling passing ability at interstate speeds. That semi's got some pep. Good for him.
My thoughts exactly Tony. Maybe the trucker is a butt-hole, but driving at those speeds is stupid, illegal, unsafe and counter productive. Slow down to the posted speed limit and settle in behind the truck and make your turn off from behind him. IMO, someone driving at those speeds is a butt-hole whether he be the passer or the passee.
Jerk drivers are jerk drivers, it probably didn't matter that you were driving in a Prius, those type of drivers would have done it even if you were driving something else.
+1 When 2 vehicles of any type are doing 100+ ... and one complains? ... the pot is calling the kettle black. I'm surprised anyone would bother admitting it. That'd be like me saying ... this guy threw a rock into my windshield after I almost ran over him while driving drunk. Reckless is as reckless does. .