Prius hate? [Serious question]

Oil industry has lots of workers in your region that have lost their jobs and many more will lose their jobs soon. That a good thing no matter how stupid and angry these soon to be unemployed might be. Their value system is not sustainable and is dying and they blame you for being smart enough to do your part to get us off the fossil fuels they produce.

 

yes, but albuquerque is surprising. give it a little more time. if it keeps happening, get a tesla pickup

 

I haven't really seen hate like that towards our Prius but I have been asked by a number of people why Prius owners drive like a bat out of hell! Since then, I've watched for other Prius' and, for the most part, it seems to be pretty accurate here in Colorado!

 

I think it has more to do with 'truck culture' more than anything else. The fact that the 'culture' still actively pushes coal rolling mods, etc....can give you some inclination of how they think.

Personally, we have been coal rolled in our 2010 liftback and have noticed some 'strange behavior' from other drivers over the years. But really not too bad. Unfortunately, the 2010 liftback was recently totaled in an accident ( daughter was not at fault is ok ).

We also own a 2012 Prius v wagon. I 'debadged' it and have noticed MUCH less 'strange behavior'. Coincidence? You be the judge.

We also just acquired a 2012 Prius c ( which I think of as a mini Prius v wagon ). I debadged the rear of this one as well.

Personally, I don't really think 'debadging' makes much of a difference...but I like the clean look. However, MANY more people recognize the Gen2/Gen3 Prius liftback shape than the Prius v and Prius c station wagon shape. Of course there are many other ways to go 'stealth hybrid' these days as well...almost too many hybrid vehicles to count at this point....just from Toyota/Lexus!

 

Oh the hatred was there all along. You are surrounded by jerks, and always have been. When they notice your car, a little more comes up to the surface. And because the car is new to you, you're noticing every little detail. That's all.

It happened to me about 2-3 days into owning one and to be honest it just made me laugh. Has not been a problem since.

I've been out of the type 2 scene for ages, but once upon a time I knew some of the people at Roamin' Holiday there in Albuquerque.

Welcome to priuschat!

 

This pattern varies strongly with geography. It had pretty well died away from my region before I bought my first Prius a dozen years ago.

While I live in a politically deep blue zone, my family roots are in a deep red zone, and I get back there very often. And travel a lot throughout the various red zones of the Pacific Northwest, and don't encounter Prius-specific issues that you describe. Yes, there is a general level of dangerous idiots out there, and it has been worse since the pandemic began, but I witness the same level from both my Prius and from my other vehicle.

 

I've had drivers nearly rear-end me, try to swerve around me, beep, yell, even throw food scraps at my car for going the speed limit.

Then again the "hatred" was there even when I had an SUV.

Most amusing is when a redneck in a giant pickup sees my hybrid. Said redneck lets out a cannon of soot, then accelerates off to follow the next slowpoke. I just think to myself, "Gee, you made yourself look like such an idiot," then I smile like this:

 

For your next trick, try finding a place to complete the EGR monitor confirmation drive, which (for Gen 3 anyway) requires maintaining a speed between 25 and 37 MPH for five straight minutes.

 

Well it is a little bit the car. But what you described as happened is an "Extreme," level of psychotic behavior! If that toll would have pulled that crap on a Tesla, he'd have been caught on "Tesla, Cam" and would have been "explaining," himself before a judge!

It does sound like you have had a couple of extreme A-Hole, encounters pretty early on? But I don't think that is the norm and certainly not in Parking lot's? And being chased is a big much also. But it should get better I would think.

 

Some, not many, thankfully, are jerks.

does not matter if you drive a prius or a Dodge SuperDuty, someone, somewhere, probably has a grudge against it.

In the PacNW, have experienced all of it, whether I am driving a dump truck or a Ford F-150.

I just think some Prius drivers are too sensitive....Then again, I think there are probably differences based on region. Or not.

And, I am also guilty of a bit of it.

If I see a Subaru, I figure they are going to drive slow, brake for sunbeams and essentially be a PIA if they are ahead of me -- full confession, I drive a Subaru.

A prius -- they are going to try to hypermile and do all sorts of strange things to boost that MPG -- confession, my wife drives a Prius and never does any of that

A Buick -- if it is beat to S***, I figure it is a 20-s0mething that is going to drive it hard, slam on the gas and slam on the brakes. If it looks to be mostly well maintained and all I see are small knuckles on the steering wheel, it is going to go 10 mph under the speed limit and brake WAY before coming to an intersection.

Meh. I don't think the Prius gets any more or less prejudice than any other rig on the road.

 

This is true. We give 'jacked up truck guys' a lot of heat around here....because it sure fits a certain stereotype.

I also find it amusing how 'truck guys' constantly bicker amongst themselves regarding which truck brand is the best. I'd imagine there are quite a few road rage events regarding that as well.

 

The past +2 years I've been driving a Tesla Model 3 which unlike our earlier Prius, can easily shame and escape from a 'road rage' idiot. Yes, I have a small dimple on one door and probably more that I haven't really looked for. 'Rolling coal' still exists but the Tesla cabin filters are very effective and I smile as the other drivers have to suffer the dirty diesel exhaust ... what a great 'sales' technique.

Bob Wilson

 

are you camping in the left lane ?
doing 10 under the speed limit ?
turning on your hazards when rain starts ?
asleep at green lights ?
texting through green lights ?
do you have a bunch of political/controversial stickers ?
all of the above ?

if you are, yes, people will get pissed at you. yes, they'll mess with you. it doesn't have anything to do with the brand/model of car you drive.

the second day we owned a Prius a lifted truck tried to roll on us, but I changed lanes and denied them.... at the next light we both had a good laugh, I knew what he was doing and he knew what I was doing.

if you're being chased, you've done something wrong.

 

Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight....

 

I got "mine" in 2010 as a work car.
It wasn't love at first sight, BELIEVE ME!

Having lived in the Deep South for over 30 years now I feel that I'm pretty familiar with the folks hereabouts....and even when Prius Smug was a thing in the 2010s, there just hasn't been much Prius Hate down here that I've witnessed in the last 10-1/2 years, 2 Priuses, and some 200,000 miles behind the wheel.

Believe it or not....people don't really give a rats WHAT you drive.
HOWEVER (comma!) they MIGHT be interested in HOW you drive, and if you're "no stranger to drama over what you drive" then I would strongly recommend that you get a couple of dash cams and put your local po-po and insurance agency into your phone contact "favorites" because I have a feeling that all of the 'Vee-Dubbaya Hate' and 'Prius Hate' that you've experienced might somehow follow you to whatever you replace the Prius with.

Besides, sedans are the 'minivans' of the 2020's, which is why most of the newer ech-chic vehicles are CUVs or even trucks.
You wanna know what they have a LOT OF in the South?
Used car lots.
This is because cars that can't pass their smog tests in more "progressive" parts of the country are usually auctioned off and sold down here - which means that Priuses are just not that much of a rarity in the South.
Lately we have experienced an in-rush of clean, well maintained, G2s with brand new catalytic converters, for example....

LOTS of Priuses down here.
NOT a lot of "Prius hate."

Perhaps it's a cultural thing.
NASCAR has deep roots in the Southeast, and you may rest VERY WELL assured that every other driver is armed.

Good Luck!

 

Note that some 'progressive' states don't have smog tests. Minnesota did away with that a long time ago..I'm thinking due to the cost of doing the tests. Thus, we do have lots of 'smog-mobile' diesel trucks around..at least in southern MN.

 

Didn't you know, it's always the woman's fault.

 

The hussy.

 

LOL ... I luv the hazard light's in the rain bit! .
I luv driving in the rain. When it starts to rain heavy, tool's tend to get out of the way. Back in the day in my Merkur xr4ti, once on may back to San Jose Ca to San Jose on 280 there was a monsoon blinding rain, the wipers could just barely keep up! That was an awesome little car and a good time! We did 100 mph+ for 40 miles. It threw up hugh rooster tail's of water from the tires! Good times, Good times ...

But back on point, we don't know the details of why the OP was "chased?" Sure he may have given the offending truck some "perceived slight?" Or maybe not, out here in Dayton NV, there are ton's of Silver Gen Two's.
And one look's just like another?

It could have been a different Prius, doing something that ticked the Truck Guy off? Under dynamic condition's one Silver Colored Prius, look's the same as another? Just saying.