Prius Rage- Your stories

I drove to work in my wife's Honda Odyssey last week and noticed a difference in how I was treated from driving a Prius on the DC Beltway for 52 miles.

The big van is more intimidating I think.

 

For those of you who have experienced the so called "Prius-Rage" -- I have a question. How do you know when someone flips you off? Are you specficially turning to look at the passing driver so they can flip you off/give you a dirty look/etc.? Why? And if you are, why are you giving that driver the satisfaction of looking? If you just keep your eyes on the road, then you wouldn't know they were flipping you off, right?

Granted, if someone yells something at you and you have your windows down it's harder to ignore, but I just can't understand why ANYONE would look at another driver if you can see they are being irrational, i.e. weaving, flashing lights, beeping, etc. Is it just me?

 

that's because you live in NJ where there is a healthy fear of being shot...

 

Brad, I'm sorry you have such a problem with reading comprehension. I said nothing about not wanting cyclists on the road. I never said or implied that "therefore" all cyclists are at fault all the time. That's your own mistaken inference.

If cyclists have the same rights, they also have the same responsibilities to observe the rules of the road. If they do not, they are certainly a hazard to other drivers, but moreso to themselves, because they are much more vulnerable.

Is that clear enough for you?

Paul

 

Here, too. And they always rev their engines when they gun around me to pass me. It makes me laugh to realize that a little blonde girl in a Prius can make them feel inferior. That, and they obviously don't know their audience if they think that roaring a gas engine is going to intimidate a Prius owner.

 

My only hypothesis is that the driver is blind...and perhaps a little slow (mentally, I mean!). I used to live in California, and you can't miss the large HOV stickers that get plastered on all sides of the car. That, and it's been common knowledge for years that hybrids can purchase HOV stickers irrespective of the number of passengers. <sigh>

 

If I do make eye contact and the "driver" is mouthing,gestering,etc. I simply smile and wave-drives them NUTS!!

 

What??!! You're not impressed by big cars making loud noises???

My daughter & I always laugh and say "compensating for something":tea:

 

Yes, this is probably the most effective way to piss off a road rager - just smile and wave. :wave:

 

Ahhh, but you see, you are in the UK where people are used to smaller gas saving vehicles. It is a different mindset in the U.S. we are the greedy ones (not all of us) with our big SUV's, and V8 monsters driven by Soccer moms.

I know when I was in Ireland this past March it was very different. Mostly small cars on the road and hardly any SUV's or trucks, so a prius is a normal sight in Europe. Not so for the U.S.

While walking to work downtown from the train I walk along a very busy street and when all the cars are stopped at stoplights I take notice now of what cars are on the roads and I would say over 75% of our cars are all huge monster size gas guzzlers. So the people driving them are pissed when they see the Prius since it is the most fuel efficient car right now on the road aside from a totally Electric Car.

 

This is the type of mentality that drivers, like you, need to realize is detrimental for cyclist/motorist relations. That cyclist has every right to that lane and road as you, as a motorist does. In California, a cyclist has the full use of the right most lane, and can take the lane if he or she feels the need to for safety reasons. There is no reason to believe that a cyclist should take another route simply because it inconveniences motorists. They are vehicles, like your Prius, and like the Hummer behind you. They have full access to that road and they can choose any route they wish. If you feel that it's unsafe; that's your opinion, but they are free to choose any route they want and you simply cannot restrict such freedom.

 

arty:

OK,
I have been reading these back and forth posts for several days.
First,this thread is supposed to be related to PRIUS road rage.
Second,if California law gives bicycle riders the same rights as a motor vehicle all I can say is they are NUTS!
Many various forms of vehicle taxes pay for our roads,not sure if any bicyclist pay taxes for building and maintaining roads.
That said,if a particular road has a bicycle lane all is fine,just don't cycle down the road 3-4 abreast outside of mentioned lane when I am going by.
I will not throw anything,spit or yell,but I will say a prayer that you arrive safely.
All the while muttering to myself "stupid is as stupid does" arty:

 

And you should also be thanking cyclists for using their two legs as a means of utilitarian travel, instead of spewing out CO2 in a Prius. I am sure your grandkids will.

Give them a brake, give them at least 5 feet while passing, and no honking or spitting -- cyclists will appreciate this very much.

As for me, find me in the rightmost lane, using my 2 cylinders, 1/2 horsepower, and accelerating 0-20 in 5 seconds 5-6 days a week. BTW, I fill up my Prius once every 6-8 weeks.

 

MN nice?

I actually haven't had any "haters" either, just the normal tailgating morons. I think more people are just inquisitive about the car. After getting crap from a bunch of friends - I let one drive it, who ended up liking it another rode in it yesterday and was surprised at how "roomy" it was.

Actually last winter driving home in a snow storm, where there was already a small amount of snow accumulated on the road, a large pickup driver decided to PASS me (one lane each way). In a frickin snow storm. Granted I wasn't going the speed limit because it was unsafe to even go that fast, but my god is saving 2-3 minutes on your drive home that important that you would risk going into the ditch?

 

Sure wish all cyclist stayed far over,around here they will take the whole lane.
Not sure about their saving the planet by cycling vs driving a car as it is almost always a group simply doing it as a hobby.
Very rare indeed for running errands,etc.
Now how much extra motor idling (CO2) is caused by making a long line of cars go sloooowwww?

 

I hoped never to be entering a post on this thread, but alas, an event of Prius rage happened to me.

I was driving to work at 6:30AM with light traffic on the surface roads and lighter traffic on the highway.

I was about to enter the on-ramp of the highway when a white pick-up truck pulled out of a parking lot on to the road behind me.

He sped up and caught up to me as I was on the on-ramp of the highway.

His grill was so close to my back bumper I couldn't see his bumper at all. The driver looked dishelved, about late twenties, early thirties, red hair and expressionless (not angry looking).

I thought he was going to tap my back end on the on-ramp (I was up to about 60 mph at the time).

When we were on the highway there was plenty of open road for him to pass while I was in the right lane, but he stayed glued on my back end. I used the cruise which I normally don't do only because I thought if slowed down he would have very little reaction time to avoid hitting me.

After about half mile of this, he moved the left lane to pass me. When his truck was next to me, he swerved toward me suggesting to run me off the road! He kept his truck on his side of the white line, but his maneuver was ovbiously intentional.

I did not react to any of his shenanigans but was left totaly miffed at what incited his rage. The only thing I can come away with is Prius rage.

 

Damn can't belive the stories. I have heard stories about hybrid owners snubbing suv drivers..but not the other way around. Maybe I just could care less what others drive. It is (at least here) America, and we can drive what we want.

Where does all this attitude come from?

I don't have a hybrid (or have a need for one) but don't give attitude to hybrid owners.

I haven't had any issues getting attitude when I fill up my Rover. I do get some sighs from co-workers when I tell them about the H2's that I have test driven..lol.

Is this drama that widespread?

 

Puuhhhhleaze. Blaming cyclists on causing higher CO2 emissions whilst driving a car slow is a damn lame excuse.

 

Don't you have a cell phone? Call 911 and give them his license plate #. You're like my kids... they didn't call 911 either. The convict who road raged them was later arrested for pointing an Uzi at some other drivers. And none of them were in a Prius.