Life in the slow lane Hybrids like the Toyota Prius are just too efficient with fuel, too stingy with emissions — in short, just too environmentally lovable — not to be the object of some legislative kissy-face. It's all about feeling good, not doing good. Read more. Also this from from Great Britain: Smug Alert: are 'green' drivers choking the freeways? The effect hybrids have on car pool lanes is to be investigated. Meanwhile it remains to be seen if LA will go the way of South Park - destroy the hybrids and lower the "smug" level enough to save the town - or San Francisco, which, as a result of its devastating "smug", is sadly lost and disappears "completely up its own a******". Read more.
What most of these expert "journalists" don't get is that the Prius is a pretty cool car, that just happens to get excellent mileage at low emissions. Every day I'm amazed at how quiet and comfortable it is, and the gadget factor is off the scale from cars I'm used to. Its the quietest, roomiest, most space efficient, and one of the most fun to drive cars I have owned. Its also my first 4 door, automatic. I expected to hate the auto tranny, but it is so responsive that I don't miss my 5 speeds. Oh by the way, it also gets 48+ mpg. Life in the slow lane? Hardly. If this sounds like smug, oh well.
Or maybe the resentment comes from that other socially conscious habit among hybrid drivers: keeping within the speed limit (yes, even in the carpool lane). It's so annoyingly safe and legal. The problem could be that, having been the object of so much public approval, hybrids were due for a comedown almost presidential in scope. Or it could simply be those glaringly self-satisfied little mustard-yellow carpool-lane access stickers that practically shout "neener-neener" as they slowly recede into the distance. Sounds like Prius Envy to me. Not that I like the stickers, but hey, we are the ones that are bothering to actually do something about the environment, even though it does cost.
I actually found this paragraph pretty funny: I have advocated the same many times (half in jest). After all, wouldn't you want all the cars stalled in traffic to be hybrids? Think of all the pollution you'd save. Give the yellow stickers to the nastiest, smoke-belching cars and SUVs on the road, so they'll keep moving and pollute less.
Actually, if california were serious about reducing polution, they would make the cars exhaust directly into the passenger compartment or at least in front of the car. That way, when a car has an emissions problem, the driver and their passengers will be the first to know about it. The problem will be fixed or the owner will die. Either way, problem solved!
