I love my Prius but sometimes I wish I had a big car to vent my road rage with.. Today, on the way to Ikea (aka swedish maze hell) I was driving along my merry way. I drive fairly normal, verging on too fast when I get a good stretch of open road because the Prius is fun to drive. As I coasted up to a red stop light, out of nowhere, a driver in a big silver truck jerks his steering wheel to the left and into my lane, dangerously cutting me off. I was too surprised to honk or react other than going for my brakes. I had to make a left turn anyway so I switched lanes, turning my head to see the guy who cut me off -- no hostile actions on my part and I'm wearing sunglasses so you can't see even if I was giving him a dirty look.. just curious to see what kind of person would be so inconsiderate. The light turns and the forward lanes go past while I wait for my light to change. I might mention at this point that his little manuver seemed to be for absolutely no reason. I could understand if he needed to get into the left turn lane.. but.. no. The guy flips me off as he drives by! Just hand out the window, right by the side-view mirror. I tried very hard not to let it affect my mood but jeez! I'm soooo sorry I dared to drive on the same road as you. I figure if I'm still pissed off when I think about it, I needed to vent a little. I don't think it was because my car choice but the weird negativity out of nowhere makes me a little paranoid.
He was having a bad day for whatever reason and you got the brunt of it. He probably just filled up his gas tank and now he's broke.! Don't let him rent space in your head.
Whenever I have been given the bird in the past, I have either waved, picked my nose, or both. It's pretty surprising how many people are shocked into laughter when they get a completely unintended reaction.
Hm. The same thing happened to me yesterday ... only the person was driving a Focus. Happened the other week, but it was a Buick. I have come to the conclusion that most people on the road pretty much suck, and I will one day die as a result of it. C'est la vie.
So many people who wish they had bought a Prius and now are angry at themselves but take it out on us.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(snowdog650 @ Oct 7 2007, 12:34 PM) [snapback]522486[/snapback]</div> Not while driving a Prius! Have you seen the crash-test dummy results? it's probably the safest car to get smacked into in... Of course, keep driving defensively, and use your ability to dart quickly out of danger's path, to avoid the collision in the first place... but, the Prius may be your very best bet out there!
He's one of those type-A personalities who will die of a heart attack before 45. Just keep repeating to yourself "My traction battery will outlive him. My traction battery will outlive him. My traction battery will outlive him."
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(abq sfr @ Oct 8 2007, 08:08 AM) [snapback]522523[/snapback]</div> You know you are probably right on the money. People drive like that no matter what you drive, I give em plenty of space when I see them in traffic. It's tough when they are behaving normally then you are victim 1 for the day.
Ummm.. Please pardon my ignorance--what's a "trunk driver?" Is that the same as an Urban Lounge Chair?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(skguh @ Oct 8 2007, 09:29 AM) [snapback]522539[/snapback]</div> You aren't ignorant your just acting that way Refer to this: - "a driver in a big silver trunk jerks his steering wheel ..." So you fully understand the word trunk" was a typo of the word "Yugo", right? After all Yugos are all big aren't they? Maybe it is truck driver, you know a driver of a storage box {on wheels}? I wonder why no one else had a problem with it?
I bet it was my favorite Priuschat poster Malorn, I think he hates Toyota's and all of us who drive them.
I have noticed it more in the Prius also. It is a strange mentality, wanting the old fuel wasting ways to live forever, and you are hated for disagreeing. It is sick behavior. It is best not to react at all, get away, never honk, look, or gesture. There was a topic in the San Jose CA paper about road rage recently. Don't provoke anyone is what they concluded. You may be chased, hurt, or killed for just a beep of the horn. It is hard to not react, but it is right thing to do.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(patsparks @ Oct 7 2007, 07:21 PM) [snapback]522543[/snapback]</div> Yeah, it was supposed to be truck.. (i actually almost typed "druck".. having issues, obviously!) I think I may have put "truck" and went back to incorrectly change it to "trunk." Just a momentary brain blank. I think I was annoyed at myself for letting him affect my mood. After posting and reading all replies, I have to say, I feel much better! Thanks, guys, the replies really made me laugh, especially the "My traction battery will outlive him." mantra! :lol:
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(patsparks @ Oct 7 2007, 08:21 PM) [snapback]522543[/snapback]</div> I had trouble with it, but then got it from context when I read some of the replies. I often skip postings when the subject makes no sense. I either don't know what it means, or figure the poster didn't care enough about the posting to get the subject right, either of which is not very promising. Tom
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(brick @ Oct 7 2007, 09:50 AM) [snapback]522419[/snapback]</div> Darvon & Soma w/ a little wine are my prozac, but no driving the Prius for the next 4 hours I've been cut off by a fellow (maniac) Prius driver ... so there's no accounting for drivers and the vehicle they drive.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Christina @ Oct 7 2007, 05:11 AM) [snapback]522390[/snapback]</div> If he was a driver for large well known company (and I'm betting he wasn't because they usually act much more professional) you could take down his trailer number and license plate, look up his company on line and complain. Many of the over the road carriers have web sites or phone numbers where you can report a bad driver. They do listen and pay attention to complaints. However, many of the "bad apples" are owner operators who hire themselves out to various carriers and don't have a "name" painted on the tractor. Those are the ones who are likely anonymous and hard to pin down and more likely to be jerks.
I live in Los Angeles and I have never been harassed by another driver. If anything, I get looks of gratitude from other drivers, almost like "because you are driving a Prius I can burn more gas to make up for the difference." kinda twisted I know, but seriously that's the feeling I get......
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(patsparks @ Oct 7 2007, 07:21 PM) [snapback]522543[/snapback]</div> Hey smartiepants, not everyone reads minds. Nice to know I can find a Mensa if I need one. People around here push their seats all the way back and barely can see over the dash. Their faces can be seen in the rear window sometimes. Trunk drivers. Duh-huh.
