Golly, I bought a Prius in Colorado and then had to move to Dallas. (Glad about it, since Colorado had a special rebate incentive for Prius - unlike Texas). Anyway, I am surprised to find that there are fewer Prius in a city like Dallas then a small town of Fort Collins in Colorado. Even though the gas was cheaper in Fort Collins, then it is in Dallas. All I see are the monster trucks. What is wrong with Texas?
Polar Bear, Last year I went to visit some family in Houston. This was my and their first Christmas there. Like you, I was astounded at how few Prii I saw in Houston and the outlying suburb areas (Nassau Bay, Galveston, etc.). I think the entire time I was there, I saw one Prius, and it happened to be the same color as mine.
It's probably because they have the major sources of the domestic US oil supply. You probably don't see many Prius' in Saudi Arabia or Venezuela either I would imagine.
Now... Now.. don't give me that ....he is just another Damn Yankee (Tongue-in-cheek) that came down from New Haven, Connecticut (as I found out on the internet)... Some say you come from where you are born... some say you come from where lived the longest... your choice. Me; Texan by Mom's choice... From Andrews. Tx... yes that makes me Oil Field Trash... and damn prowd of it. I have lived in Texas all my life. Texan but drive a 2004 Prius and a 2002 Prius before (geeky toys, I am not a tree hugger ) :focus: ... I saw three Prii today (in San Angelo) and on ave. see about 6 or 7 (in Austin) without even trying to look for them. It all comes down to form to function... you don't see many Prii in the rural areas ... Trucks rule the day.. BIG trucks... I have a Prius and a Chevy s-10 Truck... Ever tried to get a "Washer" home in a Prius... or have how about a yard of dirt... I think that weights more than a PRIUS
“You know the good part about all those executions in Texas? Fewer Texans” - George Carlin. For the record, I have nothing against Texans, but George's comment was funny...
I think Texans get confused about what is a BIG truck. This is a big truck This is a good size truck And this is a toy truck that Texans drive And here is a toy truck for a person with self image issues
I would not mind those monster trucks and their drivers, only if they did not have a problem about me driving on the same road (even if I was on the left most lane). They just cut in front of me as if telling me to get off the road along with my slow moving snail car.
They *are* telling you to get off the road with your slow moving snail car. You just aren't listening. Tom
Down here in San Antonio, I see quite a few. Probably not as many as in say, California, but I see at least one every day (excluding mine of course). Having said that, in general, Texans do seem to love their pickups and suvs. The higher they can jack them up, the better. And get out of their way. Intimidation is part of the game. I'm willing to bet that only a tiny percentage of these jacked up 4x4's have never seen anything but asphalt. I heard a comedian once say that no real man will drive a station wagon. But raise it up 3" and slap "4x4" on the side and every man wants one.
"Everything is big in Texas" is the attitude that permeates the culture. At a risk management conference a Texas farmer spent the week bragging about how big everything he had is. An Oklahoma farmer sitting at the table at lunch listened carefully to the Texan's powerful, confident voice. The Texas farmer commented that his ranch was so big he could drive all day and never get to the end of his property. The Oklahoma farmer listened, then commented, "Yeh, I had a pickup like that once." Take a look at Peter Menzel's Material World [ame]http://www.amazon.com/Material-World-Global-Family-Portrait/dp/0871564300/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1229960034&sr=1-1[/ame], where several families are featured from around the world - each shown with their material possessions in front of their home. The photograph of the Texas family is embarrassing to most of us. A large sprawling home, multiple large cars, televisions, furniture, etc. In contrast to the rest of the world, this is pure ostentatious consumption with little regard for any long-term thinking or consequences. These attitudes permeate the Bush administrations - live for the moment. Claim to be conservative, but only perpetuate provincial attitudes and values with little regard for others. With Peak Everything, everyone, including Texas, will now begin to pay for our Affluenza and excess consumption. The future belongs to those who are energy efficient and conservative. Not those who spend old sunlight in the form of fossil fuels.
Many old-time non-Hispanic Texans are descended from failed Kentuckians, and they are often insular idiots. But things are changing.
Looks like you're in the wrong part of the state... When we bought ours, the salesman told us that Austin was the number one city in Texas that sold the Prius. Lots of Earth-friendly people here. Dallas, Houston, etc. not so much.
What's wrong with Texans? Well, if I lived in a climate like that, I'd need something to make me feel better.
FYI - I live in Houston and just bought a Prius a few days ago. I see quite a few of them in Houston proper - River Oaks, West U, etc., though I do agree with you that there are quite a few "big trucks" in Texas. There are those in Texas, myself included, who see the value and purpose in a hybrid, and they are a small but strong segment of the population. Plus - don't tell Dallas I said this, but - there are more hybrid sympathetic folks in Houston than in Dallas I think.
