Prius Haters are at it again.

I honestly don't think there are that many drivers doing that....most people driving to push their mpg are not going to take it that far and flamewars have started because it seems to suggest all Prius drives, hypermilers, etc do this. They don't.

 

Didn't say or suggest all Prius drivers do this. In fact I never mentioned the Prius or Prius "only" drivers. Personally I have experienced more "Haters", if you will, in other vehicles. This thread is nothing more than a pity party.

 

that's why it's safer to fly than drive...

 

I was attempting to see if you would clarify this is just a few Prius drivers and avoiding the broad brush.

Yes, we all suffer rude and aggressive drivers. Some of them are nasty to everybody, regardless of what they drive. But some go a little farther to people who drive cars like the Prius.

This is not a pity party, based on my experiences, people I know personally that alternately drive a Tahoe or Prius, and occasionally reading posts in gearhead forums.

 

It can also be said, and I have experienced, that some drivers show more aggression towards VW Beetles and Minivans. This would then imply that men (and that is the target victim/aggressor here) that drive what are considered masculine vehicles make fun of or pick on those that drive what are considered more feminine vehicles...not just the Prius. There are also political implications, assumptions and differentiations made by the public at large which can be very polar at times. As to your observations made on gearhead forums, should one of them actively visit this sight they would think members here are showing prejudiced aggression to them, and I know for a fact some Prius drivers intentionally and knowingly drive in ways that p-ss them off. These attitudes in reality only reflect peoples insecurity, perceived superiority or disregard for others...from both sides of the spectrum. Some drivers are just assholes. This is a pity party plain and simple. YMMV

 

^ We agree that hostility is targeted to not just Prius drivers, but various vehicles - no problem with that.

And rogue drivers.

I disagree with the pity party thread....sooting is not just a rude driver, but an offence they could be arrested for.

 

So, self hatred or??


This thread started with some silly comics of stereotypes of Pri, which I'm sure most of us have seen at one time or other online or in real life. If you haven't you are very sheltered. And honestly who has not had a joke cracked at them about the Pri, it's....if that makes you really mad that's the problem.

It shouldn't, as who cares. Your the one laughing all the way the the gas pumps.

Smile, wave, and nod to the haters I say, unless they try to kill you then flip em the bird...

 

Sooting happens to who ever they feel like targeting at that moment. I know two people that have the set-up (for off road use only of course) and they do not have the sticker or target Prii. The u-tube everyone references is like having others reference the fat lady going off on the truck drivers family in the parking lot for anti-Prius causes. You can always find an exception to make a point...or pity party as is being done here.

 

If you consistently and routinely get cut off or treated like crap on the road in a prius where you would not have in your past car then yeah that's prob prius hatred...

That or your a terrible driver and or have anxiety.

Either way....

I can honestly say my old Charger garnered respect on the road. I don't recall being pushed out if my rightful lane or intimidated with it...

 

frodoz737, you can post until the cows come home, but myself and other posters know that some of the road hostility is more than the norm. Someone I know drive both a Chevy Tahoe and Prius - we know which vehicle he suffers more road abuse.

The actual root problem is the proliferation of people that buy personal vehicles that are huge and/or fast simple for "respect." That's been exploited by marketers. People that often drive alone and have a payload of under 100 pounds. I could elaborate on the size and performance of vehicles 1980 vs 2015, but people here understand that if they have an open mind.

The guys buying coalers are not the smartest bunch....it's a personal vehicle sometimes used to harass other drivers.

 

Tahoe, Charger...Yep, I drive my V10 Dodge PU sometimes too. The little guy at the beach is always more likely to get sand kicked in his face by bullies than is a muscle man is. Still a pity party.

 

So what's your solution?

I suggest just shrug it off and keep on keeping on, be aware and drive defensive. You suggest nothing except that folks that feel victimized by angry overly aggressive drivers are a "pity party"? How does that work....?

You are not contributing much by repeating the same mantra when most here disagree....

 

My solution is drive correctly, safely and handle aggressive drivers like you would any, regardless the vehicle you command at any given time. One of the reasons I believe this forum has less problems than most is the "average age" of Prius owners (and the membership here) is more mature...say around mid 40's to mid 50's...and "usually" with mature sights on life. My being on the upper end of that, and with a few more miles than most compared, might contribute to the fact that I call it like I see it...whether "most here disagree" or not. While we do agree there are a lot of donkey drivers out there (including myself and most of us here at times), I do not agree there is a conspiracy to gang up any more so on poor little Prius owners specifically...making them "special victims" in there own right. Feel content and confident in your personal "special-ness" knowing that we/you have a well built, very reliable vehicle that pretty much gets better mpg than most cars out there. That's why most of us bought one. If you cry every-time someone picks on you, then your just showing you have thin skin...hence this Pity Party. Man up people...and learn to laugh at yourself as well. That's my take...YMMV.

 

^ So voicing objections to DUIs, distracted drivers, drivers up to no good like in the thread that can potentially kill is "crying?"

No, I don't get too upset at other drivers these days, but I'm not as generous as you on the types discussed on this thread.

 

Chuck I have no problem with you, I just see things different on this one.

To quote myself as it pertains to your statement,

...and I am far from generous when it comes to handling aggressive drives. I treat them the same regardless what I'm driving, but that discussion might loose me favor with the membership as well...not that I would care.

 

Frodoz737,

Can you in good conscious honestly say that in my incident with the semi maniac, that if I was driving a crewcab F-350 it would have escalated as it did. NO fault of mine at all!

Possible but very unlikely I think.

I'll give you that maybe it's not prius hatred but small car hatred.

I have no doubt that there are a lot of folks out there that really do get pissed at us people driving prius just because of the "stereotype" that the ill informed have of us.

Driving "correct", "defensive", without fault. Lol. Sometimes you can do it all "right" but still get taken advantage of.....

Whatever. Live in denial.

I'm not going to change my driving style as I strive for safety and drive defensively already.

Take care folks. Be safe out there.

 

The root problem is not enough law enforcement, with vehicles that enable bad drivers to do thing they might not do a generation ago. Cars are much safer ... Time to demand better driving

 

They will be NICE when this thing goes back up: Most aggressive gas price hike ever recorded in California - KUSI News - San Diego, CA

 

Darn it! That might piss em off more!!! Getting passed by a little ol prius getting 45-55+mpg while "they" aka "stereotypical haters" are getting 10 mpg.

Lol.

 

These "feel sorry for me", "it's not my fault", "I'm not changing the way I drive" and "they pick on me only because I drive a Prius" type threads only enforce public perceptions that the owners are weak and thin skinned...and it's embarrassing. Calling this a pity party and some cry babies was actually being polite.