The person who suggested pulling over with the road rager did not. Whoops that was you. Thought it was one of "carriers".
Whoa. Too many prejudgments and preconceptions to deal with. Back to the topic of people tailgating Prius. There is a type for whom Prius symbolizes science and the environment. Rush Limbaugh has regular Prius rants and you see it repeated on all the Red State blogs. Pretty much documenting those who advocate tailgating Prius and those who do it. You might want to discuss your preconceptions with them.
We drove our Prius to the gun show last week and I was surprised to see 3 more leaving when we did. So don't judge a book by its cover on that one! BTW tailgate me and eat LED tail-lights, especially when I am doing 10 over. Nothing turns me into a "typical" Prius driver quicker than some idiot following too close.
Yeah....that'll work I guess. I don't get tailgated very much, but when I do I usually just take my foot off the gas. They almost always back off, and then I resume my previous speed. Works every time. Easier on the brakes. Might even save some fuel!
I did have that thought the other day, a trucker did something I really didn't expect and don't usually see truckers do. I have no idea, they can be a little nuts sometimes. But I see so much inexplicable driving that I hesitate to blame it on anti-Prius feelings.
For lack of another thread I'm going to insert this here as it's on subject. Just got a hi-miler 2004 ... owned less than a week so far. One woman at work was told by her husband to not park close to the Prius because it "blows up other cars" when beside it ... something to do with reflective glass?! I was smiling but she was serious as a heart attack as she is currently parked at the other end of the lot! The husband also passed on the "common knowledge" that the battery is $20K and every owner is on egg shells for the fear of when it quits.
If you find out how that 'blows up other cars' thing works, I have a little list... (mind you, if you don't debunk it, you may never get a ding in a door again) If the HV battery was worth $20,000 no Prius with a working HV battery would ever be worth less than $20,000 as it is a rolling battery charger. In reality, it is why your Prius should never be worth less than $2,000.
I am driving my second Prius in the Republican stronghold of Greenville, SC, and can't say i have ever noticed the things you describe, but maybe I'm just oblivious.
I tend to think the "maybe not" part is more likely. IF it is true that there's a lot of "animosity" aimed at Prii at only $3.75 per gallon - that's the approximate, current nationwide average - I can only begin to imagine how much MORE there might be if the price of gas doubles-and-then-some ...
Both of the above sound a bit like me. ESPECIALLY if I'm going a bit OVER the speed limit - which I will do ... usually in moderate-to-heavy traffic such as around the Indianapolis "loop" and such - I just start slowing down incrementally; from 59mph in a 55-zone to 58 ... to 57 ... to 56 ... They usually figure out what all those other lanes can be used for by then! UN-like the above, however, I usually don't resume my earlier speed until AFTER the guy / gal that was riding my you-know-what to begin with gets around me.
Well, if history repeats- there will be less of them on the road to hate us. Last time gas prices spiked and reached their all-time high (summer 2008) there was a noted drop in traffic on our major roadways here. Less drivers on the road =less hate for Prius
I just give 'em a tap so they see them (hopefully...if they aren't texting, reading a newspaper or "having relations" on their morning commute). I'm not going to put my beautifully finished rear-end in danger!! (Bumper replaced after Christy got t-boned).
