Anti-Prius Motorists

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(rockefella @ Feb 28 2007, 11:01 AM) [snapback]397867[/snapback]</div>

Good point. I did not do that in 2000 and 2001, but I've made sure to leave as much space to the left as possible. It reduces the tailgaters, but it does not eliminate them. Again, I suspect some want to take it out on hybrids and/or people that go slower than them.

 

Who in LA hasn't been tailgated, or been guilty of tailgating? The traffic here is so dense (as well as the drivers) that if you leave reasonable space following, 3 or 4 cars jump in front of you; Instant tailgating! If you can't beat them, join 'em. Its just a fact of modern life, get over it.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(catsbox @ Feb 28 2007, 12:18 PM) [snapback]397878[/snapback]</div>

Good rebuttal to the battery disposal issue:

http://john1701a.com/prius/prius-misconceptions.htm#Harmful

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(rockefella @ Feb 28 2007, 12:01 PM) [snapback]397867[/snapback]</div>

Well, there are two sides to this stroy, and it also depends on your fefinition of "slowpoke"
If I am driving 5-10 mph over the speed limit in the fast lane, I don't feel like I should have to duck in behind every driver going 5 mph under the speed limit in the right lane, in order to let those that want to go 20 mph over the limit go by freely in the left lane.

Almost every time I move to the right to let a faster driver go by, they take their sweet time in passing me, and I get stuck behind someone going under the speed limit and then no one will let me back over. This is why I almost always drive in the left lane. I am usually going about 5 mph over the limit. If a faster driver comes up on me, and cannot pass me on the right becuase the right lane is also going 5 mph over the limit, then I will speed up to about 10 mph over. I find that if I let people pass me on the right, they are more motivated. If they pass on the right, they almost always slow down to about 1/4 mph faster then me and trap me behind the real slowpokes.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(NoMoShocks @ Feb 28 2007, 10:47 PM) [snapback]398248[/snapback]</div>

Unfortunately you could actually be ticketed for that in a lot of states, including mine. Travelling in the left lane for any purpose other than passing is illegal here. Even if you're over the limit, and even if the people behind you want to drive even faster. If there is room for someone to pass you on the right, it should be you moving to the right. Not forcing them to do it.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mondie @ Feb 27 2007, 03:08 PM) [snapback]397496[/snapback]</div>

Finally a place to vent.

I live in the Los Angeles area and yes you guys drive too slow and have no respect for people who drive regular cars. Seriously you guys should have your own roads or lanes because you guys drive like you are the only people on the road. I avoid freeways during rush hour and could care less that you guys get to use the HOV lane. So don't think my frustration is from that issue. Sometimes I think you guys only see hybrids too because you guys pull out in front of people and slowly accelerate up to 5mph below the speed limit. it is very frustrating getting stuck behind you guys. No wonder you get tailgated, honks, yells, middle fingers, etc. I am a golden rule type person. If I drove a prius I would try to drive like everyone else on the road. I mean even if you guys drive like us, you should still be able to save gas. Are you guys that cheap? I know gas is expensive but come on. If you guys really care about the environment you would take public transportation. So don't even go there. In my opinion you are all just very selfish people! Please stay to the right or put your foot on the gas or whatever you guys put your foot on. Thank you.

Respectfully,

Frank (the guy behind you with a V6) :angry:

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mondie @ Feb 27 2007, 06:08 PM) [snapback]397496[/snapback]</div>

I have had the same thing, almost as though folks get upset if you pass them in a hybrid, especially SUV's. I know that I was always amazed when a prius would pass me in my suburban climbing a long interstate hill, didn't make me mad. But I have noticed that people definately drive with more aggression around me, tailgating, cut-off's etc. I am from NE Pennsylvania.

 

I drive my Prius like I drive all my other cars, and I pretty much get treated the same regardless of what I'm driving. There is a small difference in how I'm treated that seems to be based on the size of the vehicle, but I haven't experienced any anti-Prius behavior.

I don't try to be a left-lane cop, and when I am in the left lane, I'm going 85mph just like everyone else.

I think those of you who are getting the finger and being cursed at and cut off and tailgated may need to examine your driving habits. If you're driving only 5mph over the speed limit you should probably be driving on the right shoulder (ok, an exaggeration, but you get my point).

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(NoMoShocks @ Feb 28 2007, 07:47 PM) [snapback]398248[/snapback]</div>

If that's how you drive, then you're a sh*tty driver. You'd rather create a dangerous situation and drive in the lane you believe you're entitled to, rather than move one lane over and make it safer for everyone. A**hole.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(priusenvy @ Mar 1 2007, 04:30 PM) [snapback]398776[/snapback]</div>

I wish there were more prius drivers like you priusenvy. I have nothing against the car itself. It's more the way people operate them, like they are the only people on the road or something. It has nothing to do with the size of the car because I have never been pissed off at a Mini Cooper. It's people driving like they only have one drop of gas left in there tank and choose to use the fast lane. And if you guys have to use the fast lane to get over to the left turn lane, don't forget how to use the accelerator pedal. Sometimes I wonder if the other advantage to owning a prius is not having to get a drivers liscence.

 

I get it - totally.

When I'm in the rightmost lane on the freeway (before rush hour) and there are 2-3 lanes on the left, it's not enough to do your own thing. Instead of just passing by, some of you have the urge to be an intimidating a-hole and the posts below support that premise.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(priusH8R @ Mar 1 2007, 06:17 PM) [snapback]398765[/snapback]</div>

I let you by but some you you linger to tailgate like you are the only ones one the road - telling me and the police how to drive. I agree - there are narcassistic drivers that have zero respect for others and vent contempt at them. To see one of them - look in the mirror, priusH8R.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(NoMoShocks @ Feb 28 2007, 09:47 PM) [snapback]398248[/snapback]</div>

Again, aggressive and semi-aggressive driving proponents trying to impose their will on the rest of us while calling everybody but themselves arrogant, disrespectful.....Hello?

Sounds like a cultural war of the roads.

 

I realize my last post may have been a bit broad, but this is my point...

If I'm going at or just under the limit before rush hour and there are 2-3 lanes to pass - it's the tailgaters that have the issue. While they are claiming I'm some smugista trying to push my way on them, it is actually them that are intimidating.

If I'm truly in the way, I'll go at a different time or take another route.

As a recent post revealed, a lot of contempt was made for hybrids and those that drive them.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(priusH8R @ Mar 1 2007, 05:47 PM) [snapback]398804[/snapback]</div>

OK, that's just crap. Unless you're being cut off, please don't tell me you can't wait the extra tenth of a second for me to get out of the way.

I do agree that people should not be doing 50 in the leftmost lane, but I don't agree that people should be going way out of their way to accommodate those who insist on driving quickly. Slow people don't own the road, but the fast people don't, either.

 

Don't feed the trolls, Delta Flyer Frank said "you guys" enough times to prove that he's got a thing against Prius drivers.

I drive at or above the speed limit on all roads, and while there's always a nutcase going 25 over, there are always the grannies (no offense to all you grannies out there) going 15 under, so I'm passing and getting passed constantly.

If Priustoric drivers are feeling angst against Prius drivers, I guarantee you it's not about how we drive, because we all drive as differently from each other as from other cars on the road. It's those few people like Mr. Troll above who don't like us because we think our purchase is progressive, and could actually make sense for us financially, and the world ecologically.

Now my aggressive a-hole driver story of the day: I was driving 50mph on a curvy 2-lane road with a 40mph limit, in my Camry. This Jerkwad in an Audi came flying up behind me and must have been doing at least 65. I'm 10mph over the limit, mind you, and there was traffic to my right so I'm not going to speed up for the guy, and I couldn't pull to the right because he's on my bumper... He starts honking and flashing his lights at me, like I should be ashamed for only going 10mph over the limit around blind curves. And I wasn't in my Prius. Here in MA you'll get tailgated or honked at for driving like you value your own life.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Delta Flyer @ Mar 1 2007, 09:06 PM) [snapback]398810[/snapback]</div>

If you're in the right-hand lane and somebody is tailgating you, they're being an idiot.

If you're in the left-hand lane and somebody is tailgating you, you're being an idiot.

I don't see what's so hard about that to understand.

 

I agree completely.

In multi-laned freeways, I drive in the lane in which most of the cars are going my speed, and I always try to pass on the left. If I'm getting passed on the right consistently, then I change right one lane and repeat as needed.

I really don't understand why people insist on cruising in the left-most lane (or even 2nd lane). On the multi-laned I5 between San Diego and Los Angeles, there are people who routinely drive at the speed limit or 5 mph over in the left or middle lanes, leading to people passing on the right. Heck, even the trucks pass these cars along the right. In fact, during certain stretches, the fastest way to get through traffic is to be in the rightmost lane, where one only has to pass trucks -- this is a bad habit that too many California drivers are developing. Passing on the right is dangerous, especially for those of us who routinely switch lanes to the right to adjust for speed patterns or those who are trying to exit. I would rather have a fast-moving car flash lights at me and wait for me to pull right rather than have her/him drift right and clip me as I'm switching lanes.

This has nothing to do with hybrid drivers specifically -- it's a general phenomenon that has developed with the advent of multi-laned freeways and poorly enforced speed limits.



<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Stev0 @ Mar 1 2007, 06:20 PM) [snapback]398821[/snapback]</div>

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(quagmire0 @ Feb 28 2007, 11:20 AM) [snapback]397838[/snapback]</div>

I think the law is "You can go under or as high as the speed limit, but not over. Limit means that's the highest you can go, and remember, speed kills.
Mary

 

I'm in central NY. No one here cares about having a Prius in front/back of them.* Of course I consider it rude to interfere with other people who are trying to drive. If someone wants to get past me, I let them. It's not a hardship. I used to do the same thing with my non-hybrids too.

Regarding the traction battery, they recycle quite nicely. With a bounty of $200 (US) each, none of them will make it to the landfills.

If someone tailgates, and there just isn't any place to go, the simplest thing to do is ease back and gently rest your car against Franks bumper. He is used to this and doesn't mind. Then you put it in low gear and the battery will top up in no time. You can get astonishing mileage doing this.





*Well, OK, one guy did. He wanted to know if them hybrids are any good, and where I find hybrid fuel for one. I told him it was fine for a four-banger and it ran pretty good on gasoline.