Why Priuses annoy me

1. Prius owners are "smug."
Evidence: accuse them of getting "perks" and watch as they smugly defend themselves with justifications of holier-than-thou emissions and next-generation mileage.

2. Non-hybrid owners are "haters."
Evidence: tailgating and rude SUV drivers, individuals posting to Prius user groups to complain, occasional acts of vandalism

Stereotypes abound, people, and this thread backs both arguments. It also contradicts them, depending on which posts you choose to read or ignore. There are some "smug" Prius owners here, but there are a lot of humble people here, too. It'd be silly to post an "inflamatory" message on a Prius group and not expect the owners to defend their four-wheeled family members. I'm not saying that's your true intent, bluntguy, but keep it in mind if some of the readers snap back at you.

I do want to ask you: Do you agree that hybrid vehicles are good vehicles to promote? Do you support reducing our impact on the environment? Do you think that America should try to consume less fossil fuel?

Your opinion is your own, but if your answer to any of the three questions above is "yes," then please consider redirecting your animosity to something other than the Prius and its owners.

I don't go around preaching to people about the Way of the Hybrid (unless asked, of course) I don't flip-off Hummers when I see them next to me, and I don't feel that I'm better than the person driving any other vehicle. I don't use your HOV* lanes, so forgive me if I'm a little put out when I see anti-hybrid sentiments (from you, others, and the media) applied to me in broad strokes simply because of my choice of vehicles.

For goodness sakes, I bought the car because of the technology -- have you seen how many buttons are on the friggin' steering wheel?!

* Political comment: It'll be a cold day in Austin when the State of Texas decides to encourage fuel efficient vehicles.

 

Well Bluntguy, your "hatred" is misplaced, and engendered by all the wrong reasons. First, HOV lanes were instituted as a measure to reduce pollutant emissions, not as a measure to improve traffic flows (an earlier poster quoted the background). Secondly, the reason for the mess on our freeways is not that all employers require that people work 9 to 5 (mine doesn't). or that people choose to live in a particular area and may change jobs several times. It exists because people simply do not know how to drive. Ever notice those idiots that weave in and out of traffic? Or the nut that rides the left lane until a few hundred yards short of their exit and tries to move across 4 lanes of traffic to get off? The fool that tailgates so that any vehicle braking results in the "accordion" that stops everyone? The complete morons that have to carefully observe every stopped vehicle, crash or ticket writing incident?

Sorry, old engineer here who at one time did a good bit of traffic engineering - we have no one to blame but ourselves for the mess on the freeways. Don't blame hybrid drivers for being in the HOV lanes. They are satisfying the intent of those lanes, whether they are alone or with someone. If you do any of the things I mentioned - look in a mirror for the culprit.

 

If you lived in Georgia, you (alone) could use the high occupancy lane (two people is "high occupancy?") any time you wished, driving anything you had. We have a 24/7 law, but no law enforcement, so people regularly use it as a passing lane on "no acess" portions, or just cruise there. I estimate about 10% of the vehicles in the lanes are single occupancy!

 

This has been an interesting thread. It's clear that people have purchased their hybrids for varying reasons.

I've been very clear (and unapologetic) about the fact that my purchase was made so I could get on the HOV lane and get an extra 30-60 minutes with my family in the morning and evening.

The ability to not only avoid traffic but to actually bypass it has changed my entire outlook on life. Its amazing how much happier I start my day when I haven't wasted all that time going 5 MPH.

For me, the improved gas mileage and lower emissions are ancillary benefits, but benefits nonetheless. Other benefits, like the SKS system and back-up camera, are also items that I would not have appreciated had I not purchased the Prius.

I'm sure for most people it is a combination of all these things.

Getting, back to the original post, I don't understand why the act of going in the HOV lane would cause you to label someone as smug. Someone mentioned that many Prius drivers are smug and its true, but that has little to do with the HOV lane.

If the law says you can go in the lane, you can go in the lane. Is someone who decides to carpool just so they can use the HOV lane being any less smug then someone who decides to buy a Prius to go in the HOV lane?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(MadHungarian @ May 23 2006, 05:49 AM) [snapback]259642[/snapback]</div>

I'm not sure what the % would be, but driving in the Los Angeles area I see single occupancy all the time. Almost daily I get cut off by someone using the HOV lane as a passing lane. A few weeks ago I actually saw a highway patrol watching for illegal HOV users, I don't see this very often but was nice to see. Do I feel bad using the HOV lane ? Nope not a bit, it's allowed by law so I use it to my advantage. At least in my area, hybrids in the HOV lane make up a pretty small percentage.

Ken

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(remaxmanager @ May 22 2006, 05:36 PM) [snapback]259419[/snapback]</div>

yeah, too bad the new fullsize GM SUVs are selling like crazy, and there is a waiting list for the solstice and sky.

 

I live in Houston, if I could drive in the HOV with just me, I would. If it incents people to buy fuel effective cars, great. Anything that gets people off there butts and lowers our dependence on energy sources that we do not control is a move in the right direction in my book. Here, the hov's are very underutilized despite high traffic loads.

 

To hate all Hybrids because of lane issues :blink: :huh: :mellow: :lol: :lol:

Here in Fla we have the diamond marked carpool lanes, but I guess they didn't want to enforce the NO single driver rule for that one lane the whole project only lasted a year.. I like the fact other states have lanes designated for truckers and slower traffic keep to the right & its enforced!

 

Hey BLUNTGUY, I hope your new FIT comes with a big fat BLUNT, sounds like you need to chill.

GO BIG ED ON AIR AMERICA!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(bluntguy @ May 23 2006, 01:06 PM) [snapback]259756[/snapback]</div>

Depends on what you consider "the same type." I find it very annoying that news articles frequently compare the Prius to a Corolla. The Corolla is a compact and so was the 1st gen Prius, and I wouldn't have bought either of them. The 2nd gen Prius is a mid-size like the Camry. Comparing a fully loaded Camry to a fully loaded Prius last year, the Camry was significantly more expensive.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(bluntguy @ May 23 2006, 01:18 PM) [snapback]259765[/snapback]</div>

When I buy my Prius in 2005, there was no HOV laws in NY. This year they do, but only on the LIE. I personally do not use the LIE to work, so it doesn't matter to me. I bought the car because of other aspects that other posters mention before (gas mileage, cost of ownership, technology, environmental reasons, etc.), not because of HOV access.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(bluntguy @ May 22 2006, 01:24 PM) [snapback]259262[/snapback]</div>

Did you also happen to also count how many cars in the carpool lane were also carpool violators? In the only HOV stretch between my home and office (680 between Concord and the Benicia Bridge) I would say that on average at least 30-50% of the cars violate the 2 occupant minimum. I've yet to see any enforcement of the rules on this stretch of freeway.

For the record I have carpool stickers for my Prius. I only ever use them when the regular lanes slow below 60MPH and the HOV lanes are not full. I wish they would create 24/7, controlled access carpool lanes like they have in southern California.

Where did you get the idea that all folks who drive Prii are smug about it? Do you personally know all of us? If your mother bought one would you hate her as well?

Regards,

-- Ian

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(bluntguy @ May 23 2006, 10:18 AM) [snapback]259765[/snapback]</div>

I too doubt there are studies which would show percentage change in hybrid sales due strictly to having access to the HOV lanes, but this >>>PriusChat thread<<< kind of touches on the subject. Especially interesting is post #11 where Tempus does a Hybrid Ratio by Metro Area Population conparison.

We have had many people here on PriusChat attest to the fact that the overriding reason they purchase a hybrid was to gain HOV access. So, on that count, the law HAS caused the sale of more hybrid vehicles.

BUT equally important, the HOV laws have raised public awareness of the fact that there are vehicles currently on the market which obtain great mileage and pollute less. Because of this increased exposure and success of hybrids, greater pressure is now being placed on the auto manufacturers to produce vehicles to - if not necessarily compete head to head - at least fill in the performance gap to overcome the publics' newfound expectations for their next vehicle.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sufferin' Prius Envy @ May 23 2006, 01:15 PM) [snapback]259800[/snapback]</div>

Not from a nationwide perspective. Demand was just higher in the HOV states. All the Prius would have been sold anyway, only the locations would have been different.

Some people aren't interested in Prius simply because they have to endure a long delivery wait.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(wrprice @ May 23 2006, 01:12 AM) [snapback]259580[/snapback]</div>

They'll never have carpool lanes in Michigan either. If they did, it would signify that the American auto industry is no longer significant here. If Prius owners here have anything to be smug about, it sure hasn't anything to do with fringe benefits like carpool lanes.