Aggressive Drivers Towards Prius???

After 150K miles over the course of 8 years I've not noticed it... But I mostly travel the west coast and there's so many Prius for Prius-haters to choose from out here that there's just not enough time in the day road rage on all of 'em. Round these parts if you want to blend in and not get noticed, a Prius is a good vehicle to drive.

On the other hand, my buddy who was stationed in the deep south said Prius was much more rare around those parts and he'd get coal-rolled on often.

PS: Looks like you're about 1/2 hour north of me... Hit me up in a private message if you ever need help with your car?

 

Does that mean that you were in the left lane (#1) and NOT doing at least 10 over the posted limit ?
If so, similar things will happen no matter WHAT you are driving.......well except maybe for a semi or motorhome or cop car.

Speeding aggressive drivers will take it out on anybody who is in the way.
I had a "bad assed" pickup truck pass me using a left turn lane while doing about 50.

 

Before I bought my Prius, I read threads (There are many) about this issue.
I felt it was just Prius Owners feeling unnecessarily self persecuted. Blown out of proportion.

But then....I got my Prius.
And yes, I think some people driver aggressively around Prius. I noticed people *usually but not exclusively in big trucks, while I was going the speed limit, would pass me like they had just heard the Emergency Broadcast announcing a Zombie Apocalypse.

Conversely, to underline the point. I now own a Honda Fit. 4 cylinder, hatchback, sub-compact, NOT a powerful machine. Driving same speeds, same routes, same roads as with the Prius, and I honestly do not notice the same behavior.

So once again, I answer the question...YES...some people hold preconceived concepts about The Prius, and sometimes it manifests in them unnecessarily driving aggressively around the Prius.

I would look at the bright side as they pass you. Look at is the idiots are running away from you.

Trying to purposely drive you into a divider...call 911 because that's a crime.

 

What I do to minimize idiots:

On two lane roads, I try to drive fast enough I am passing half the vehicles, and half are passing me. On 55 MPH roads, that is often 61.
On multi lane roads, I try to stay right and glacially slowly pass semis. Marked 70, I usually go 73. If you are tucked behind a semi, most drivers ignore you.

‘There are ways to slow down that don’t warn other drivers that you are slowing. Don’t do that.

Stay right, don’t be slower than trucks. Signal your intentions. Slow using brake lights.

 

+1

 

they hate us cause they ain't us

 

More often I run into the "brain dead and on cruise control" types - the ones that religiously stick to the speed limit and never leave the fast lane. I have encountered only one of the obnoxious types that you refer to, so my answer is "no"... ...unless you count tail-gaters. But those are not necessarily obnoxious or aggressive. That's just the way they drive.

 

Sounds like the norms out there. maybe a few see you are a Prius and take it to the next level tho.

 

I do my best to keep an eye out in my rear view mirror for stuff like this and try to give them impression that I'm doing everything possible to get out of their way. Sometimes that's not possible, but other times it makes people grateful... Some don't realize how helpful you can be for those behind you... For example if there's two lanes and I'm in the right lane heading to a red light and I see in rear view that person behind me is signaling for right turn at intersection and I don't have anyone in front of me, I get in the left lane so they can make their turn without waiting for light to turn green.

I also enjoy watching reddit's r/IdiotsInCars ---> You can learn alot about avoiding crazy drivers by watching that everyday...

 

How funny. Whether I'm driving my Prius or my ZR1...I still encounter idiots. Whether they manifest it driving aggressively, or trying to save the planet...there will always be people that think there's is longer and their Wife is prettier.

 

being one of the few people that drives the speed limit doesn't make me or my car very popular

 

I was coal rolled today for going 68 in a 65 on 80 heading toward SF.

I was in the second from the right lane too.

Some things never change.

 

I watched five “Mega Driving School” videos on Facebook earlier today. There was at least one Prius in every video. Not always the cause of the accident or near miss, but still somehow involved in the video. What are the chances of that. LoL

 

I voted no. I probably have a higher tolerance for ignorance on the roadways since I've seen all kinds. I've mentioned before in posts of this nature that I almost always avoid eye contact with occupants of other vehicles. I only watch for motion and behavior in the traffic patterns I encounter, and almost all of that is interstate or limited access driving. I just added up 8 years of commuting miles on my 2008 and current 2011, an amazing 292,763. Around the moon and on my way back. A couple things that will get me heated. Someone that pulls up to pass you in the left lane and then parks his headlights in your rear view mirror for miles and miles. Why would someone do this? I've had vehicles try to play with me at highway speeds, coming up fast, passing, changing lanes and slowing down causing me to pass, then accelerating again to repeat. On both occasions it was at night, so even more mysterious. I always keep my insurance rates in mind

 

One answer for going slow, then when you pass riding your bumper, is wildlife.

Here in MS, the deer are down on low ground this time of year looking for forage. They are notoriously bad at avoiding traffic.

When I travel at night I will collect drivers following me at various distances, so the I hit a deer first and there is no time for any deer to get between us. I am running high beams and my v high beams seem to pick up the reflection in deer eyes pretty well.

 

yep... slow may be good for MPG and saving a little bit of money, but slow for the sake of not killing humans or wildlife or damaging your car is where the real savings is! Best of all, if you drive slow in a Prius, most people are already familiar with this habit and simply go around and don't get mad because it happens so often, at least on the west coast.