Are people out to get us

The parking lot thing is always a good idea. It is highly probable that the vast majority of parking lot prius injuries are not malicious as this happens to all cars. Besides, the extra walking to and from BFE is great exercise.

Conservative, defensive and polite driving keeps you out of most altercations with other drivers. Even if they cut you off or piss on your tires at interstate speed, confronting them is inevitably dangerous to you, them and the drivers around you. Unless of course you are parked and then confrontation is perfectly acceptable.

 

As someone who drives either a Prius or a 4x4 Suburban depending on what job needs to be done, I'm utterly confused at the hostility on both sides of the issue. Should I hate myself because I drive an 'econobox'? Or should I hate myself because I drive a 'Stupid Ugly Vehicle'? No need to call myself names for either, I would think.

/me adjusts her rose-colored glasses.

 

So, they either let you into both parties or neither?

 

My car is ok so far, but people I talk to are running about 90% or more very anti-Prius.
And I am in a blue state!

I get the usual questions about how to plug it in, and even more about how bad is the lack of power.

Then as I was discussing my mileage with someone who does like the car, a lady came up and asked it that was the wierd car with a big display in the center of the dash. Then she went on to say that was the car where the drivers are so busy watching that display thing, they drive around causing accidents, not looking where they are going.

 

you know, the police can test the paint and compare.....

bet ya he would pay the damages if he knew that.

that guy sounds like a weasel.

 

I have never received as much as an evil-eye from someone because I drive a Prius. Certainly being a healthy 6'1" 200lb male doesn’t hurt. But I wonder if there is also a correlation between the color of Prius being driven and being accosted/cut-off?

I drive a Salsa Red . . . so that may also dissuade some morons who perceive a red car as an admonishment to the world to be aware of the driver.
I would also think that black Prii get the same “respect.â€

As for you who are driving White, Silver, Driftwood, Tideland, or Seaside Prii . . . you may be advertising a certain amount of wimpatude to these morons. Be safe and drive your Prii in pairs . . . or at least carry some mace!

[totally a joke . . . not Prius clan infighting. :wink: ]

 

My last car was a Ford Explorer and I do notice that people cut me off more in the Prius. Some of it is that they don't see me, I think. I try to say well back from big trucks SUVs and the like so I am sure I am in their mirrors. Some of it is that it is a smaller car and aggressive drivers know I will have to yeld to their size. There are a lot of rude people out there. I have never had some one yell at me. I have gotten the questions and the dumb remarks that I will die in a crash because the fire department will not cut me out of my car, and my battery will cost 5000 and I will have to replace it in 2 years. The usual ignorance. I did have a Hummer pull up next to me at a light and race his engine. Wanted to drag race. Looked like a kid driving his dad's car. I guess that is the worse thing that I have seen. He took off down the road through a notorious speed trap. Where are the cops when you need them?

 

I haven't gotten any negative reactions from people, confrontations, etc.

I am in liberal North Seattle, so that may have some effect; but when I travel to other areas in the PNW, just as many people seem curious and interested in what I'm driving; even though they're definitely not liberals.

As on PriusChat, I've discovered that the Prius attracts people of all political leanings. (I.e., smart people. :mrgreen: )

I have been cut off on the highway -- say when I'm going 59 MPH in the right hand lane. But that happened to me when I was in my Civic.

 

Wow. I have only had my Prius for 3 weeks but I haven't experienced any negativity at all here in North Texas. Of course I don't have any inflammatory bumper stickers (yet), but most people of all ages love the car. I usually make an effort to park defensively just because people in parking lots are often unthinking about swinging their doors open, etc., especially when many parking spaces are much too narrow to accommodate some of the behemoth vehicles that try to squeeze in them. One other possible explanation is that there may be a certain amount of envy for any new car, which will bring out the vandals. I'll be glad to get my temporary dealer plate replaced.

I did drive my dad to a funeral last week to an outlying town which had probably never seen a Prius before and I did notice folks staring at me like I was from another planet. I jokingly told my dad that at first I thought they had never seen a Prius, but upon reflection decided they had never seen a Toyota

There are a lot of unhappy folks out there driving around in their guzzlers, so try and act sympathetic if you can

 

The only negative response I've gotten to my car (other that from my 83-yr-old father-in-law who doesn't count) was a 'thumbs down' from a teeange boy when I drove by. I just considered the source.....

Did some calculations this weekend and realized that I have saved about $360 in just 6 months of ownership. Adults (those drivers who have to pay for their own gasoline) are impressed and a little jealous. I try to be sympathetic and I am, really.

 

I briefly considered putting a "My other car is a Prius" sticker on the Suburban, and a "My other car is a Suburban" sticker on the Prius. That way I'd be sure to tick everyone off! :lol:

 

I don't know how many occasions I have the "other half" say "What the HELL is he staring at?!?" To which I chuckle and reply, "The car, dear." "oh, yeah" hehe Everyone I've seen has been interested, I think the general local attitude helps, I bet drivers in Seattle get along OK.

Many people just need something to be angry about, and hybrids remind them of issues they don't want to think about, especially since there aren't many of them on the road yet. If it wasn't your car they'd be angry about something else.

 

No negative comments since I started driving my Prius in Dec 2003. I used to get a lot of questions by interested people, and they either liked the car or didn't but nothing rude or overtly negative.

 

I only got one negative comment from a car behind me on the lane to the righ of me. Said that was the ugliest car he had ever seen. If he had met up with me, I was going to ask about his mileage.

lately though, everyone is admiring and asking about my car. And yes, I am in the conservative side of town.

 

I do occasionaly get the "don't you know those are dangerous to emergency personnel" bit. My father is a captain in the Raleigh fire department and has received no instuction to avoid cutting into hybrids and has no intent not to if need be. Where is this misinformation coming from, some news article or rumor or what.

 

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From scary borderline psychotic people who have somehow figured out how to use a computer.

Actually, that's where a lot of Urban Legends come from.

Without fail, if I ask the nut to *prove* it, they run away screaming.

:roll:

 

Here in San Francisco, Prius envy seems more common than hostility. But after 3 months my Prius has two nasty scratches and a bumper dent, none of which happened while driving. Each seems to have happened while the car was parked at a curb or in a lot. Being charitable, I prefer to assume that this is because the Prius is so much smaller than the average guzzler that their owners don't notice it till it's too late. I don't want to assume these were intentional - there are too many people driving monster cars out there, and if I think they're out to get me I'll just keep the car in the garage!

And, by the way, the number of Priuses in SF has grown to astonishing proportions in the last few months. It's hard to go more than a few blocks without seeing one.