Bear behind the wheel, takes Prius for a drive

Nissan's polar bear is jealous because it didn't get to drive a Prius.

 

A car thief in a bear suit!

 

Must have been a black bear, or young brown. A cousin's friend visited Yellowstone, and a Grizzly there ripped a door right off the car.

 

"Yogi, Ranger Smith isn't going to like this."

 

Black bear only. The only brown (i.e. grizzly) bear remaining in California is on the state flag. The last live one was killed in 1922.

Grizzly bear range.

 

When I was at Yosemite (California) last summer, we saw a mother brown bear and two brown bear cubs. We took photos with our cameras. I'm not sure if a brown bear and a grizzly bear are the same, but I would recommend contacting the Park Ranger Station via telephone at Yosemite to inquire.

If you would like me to search all my folders and files and try to find the photos, I will look if you want.
I go camping a lot and I am very familiar with what a black bear is. These were not black bears.

 

They are not open this late at night, so I'll just visit Yosemite National Park's own Bear Mangement web site:

"Basic Biology

• Color: Most are not black but brown or even blond or reddish brown ..."

"American black bears (Ursus americanus) in Yosemite National Park have long been of intense interest to park visitors and managers. Seeing one of the approximately 300 to 500 black bears in Yosemite can evoke excitement, awe, and fear. "

"But, if the brown bear, also known as the grizzly, is on California state flag, why not look for it when in Yosemite? This is because, in California, there are no more grizzlies. ... The last California grizzly was killed south of Yosemite in the Sierra foothills in 1922, ..."

See also: Yosemite Bear Facts:
"Yosemite is home to an average of 300 to 500 black bears in its 750,000 acres. Despite their name, about 95% of bears in the Sierra Nevada are not black but rather various shades and blends of blonde, auburn, and brown. Black bears with black fur are more common in the Pacific Northwest and the eastern United States. Grizzly bears are not found in California though they did originally inhabit the area before settlers exterminated them ..."

If you have picture proof, please send it to the Park Service. It was a very big deal up here this spring when a hiker got pictures of a Brown Bear (i.e. Grizzly) up here in the North Cascades.

Wikipedia has lots more information:
[ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grizzly_bear"]Grizzly Bear[/ame];
[ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_bear"]Brown Bear[/ame];
[ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Black_Bear"]Black Bear[/ame]

 

Don't they test the bears for driver's licenses in California? That's pretty irresponsible.

 

You sure it wasn't the Nissan Leaf Polar bear out riding around in the Prius?
That's what I'M thinkin' . . . .

 

The Grizzly (Ursus arctos horribilis) is indeed extinct in California. It is a subspecies of brown bear but definitely the same species as those found in Alaska only with slight differences. They are much different than the black bear which is very common in CA. I've seen black bears in all the various shades of black to light brown. I've yet to see a blonde one yet though.

Here is a pic of a sow and cubs at one of our Preserves. It's right next to a major Hwy! Notice the light color and lack of a shoulder hump? Brown bears have a prominent shoulder hump.

 

Without the (smart) key, how can the electronic parking brake be switched off ???? Is it different on a first gen. Prius??

 

Alaska? You don't need to travel THAT far - Just a couple weeks ago, day after my birthday, they relocated Grizzlys that were encroaching on local apple / cherry orchards.

Yearling Grizzly Captured, Three Bears Released Near Sullivan Creek | Flathead Beacon

They were on the small side - but nevertheless they can eat a lot of fruit. How much? As much as they want
Back in the 1990's our Montana home was about 15 miles out of town ... and the town itself is pretty much in the boonies. I'd go out to the jacuzzi at night and put the 357 next to me on the deck (170 grain rounds). If I came up from under water and had a visitor .... I'd be preparred. The 357 wasn't meant for the grizzly - but rather me - because that'd be the quicker way to go. That said, the local black bears are WAY more common than the grizzly population, thankfully.

.

 

Bears don't see very well, so they'd never pass the vision portion of the test. They tend to do better in automatics, though the controls still need to be adapted for their large clumsy limbs.

I've seen a blonde bare.

I've seen grizzlies, too, thankfully always from a distance. Mostly hiking, and some from the water. Huge, magnificent animals.

 

According to the video, the bear shifted the Prius into neutral. Is this possible on a Gen I?

According to the video, no glass was broken. So, the bear entered through a door. Did the bear close the door while trashing the interior and honking the horn? Was the door still open when it rolled to the neighbors' home? The article says, "That impact must have freed up something to allow the bear to [escape].." which sounds like the doors were closed.

Really?

 

Well THERE'S a different kind of unintended acceleration story for you!

 

I've made blondes mad enough to tear my Prius up like that



.

 

Too bad, their sense of smell would make them better than most human drivers on the road.

In situations where you don't expect them, like crossing a road on the edge of town, you might mistake a black bear for a large dog at first glance.

You just need a cat. IIRC, the Turkish Van likes water. It seems they are the bear's natural enemy.

 

On my first Prius road trip ever (!!) my brother and I were doing a climb/hike in Kananaskis, Alberta up to Mt. Joffre and there was a Grizzly with her cub in the area.

We climbed with a buddy who also owns a Prius - so the whole climbing party was Prius friendly!

I am happy to report that the bears did not choose to test drive our vehicles back in the parking lot!

As an aside, saw a Parks Canada corporate vehicle - also a Prius!