I would have rolled down my window at the stop and calmly told the asshat: "Your truck may be bigger than my car, but I bet my GUN is bigger than yours!"
Frayadjacent, about your comment:"I would have rolled down my window at the stop and calmly told the asshat: "Your truck may be bigger than my car, but I bet my GUN is bigger than yours!" Well your post was from the heart. And in best of circumstances it would be fun to be able to that. But before doing that just a couple of things to consider: 1) I think that the encounter occurred in West (by god) Virginia. When was the last time you encountered a herd of Hillbillies in pick up trucks? (no disrespect intended for the good people in W Va that don't harass Prius drivers)? 2) Do you really think you could have a bigger gun than these rednecks? Like Clint Eastwood said, “A man needs to know his own limitations”
I thought he was talking about big truck compensating for small something else. Oh, you aren't talking about that kind of gun.
Okay, all together now: "This is my weapon, this is my gun. This is for killing, this is for fun." Tom
The LAST thing you ever want to do is to try to outrun any vehicle which is trying to push or intimidate you. I remember an episode of "America's Most Wanted" where somebody tried to outrun an idiot trying to push them. They died in the wreck when they left the road at about 95 ... and the perp got away. It's like Forrest Gump said, "Stupid is as stupid does." Sounds like you encounterd what Forrest was talking about.
I can't say I've personally encountered "Prius hate" in the almost two years since I bought mine. Most people who I have talked to seem genuinely interested in the car, but of course there are always those who will disparage it, usually based on some really bad misinformation, I have found. I don't argue, I just state facts as I know them and let them draw whatever conclusions they like. I have been in situations where aggressive drivers were acting out or appearing to harass me. When that happens I am inclined to slow down or even pull over, never speed up. They typically go on their way. If the conduct is extremely offensive or dangerous I will try to get a license plate number. Otherwise, I generally just try to drive my drive and not worry too much about the motives and errant thought-processes of other drivers on the road.
The hard right fellas talk about the "feminization" of America. What's one of the more ubiquitous symbols of this to them? Our little Prius. It's between them and their court appointed therapists to figure out why we frighten them.
Several posts in this thread have implied that the OP should expect that kind of driving because, after all, the OP is from West Virginia. Well, if the truth be told, West Virginia is no worse than anywhere else in regard to aggressive driving. I've seen it in many different locations: Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Kentucky, Georgia, Florida, Virginia, Texas, and on and on and on. Tailgating is VERY dangerous and can lead to road rage and a violent confrontation - where one or more involved end up dead, and others face long prison terms with tragic consequences for the children who will no longer have needed adult support. Folks, you are NOT going to get someone to speed up by tailgating them. If you want to go faster, pass them when it is safe. Better yet, think about why you are in such a hurry. Will you get to your destination any quicker? The way modern traffic is, that's not very likely. Jim
>"Folks, you are NOT going to get someone to speed up by tailgating them. If you want to go faster, pass them when it is safe. Better yet, think about why you are in such a hurry. Will you get to your destination any quicker? The way modern traffic is, that's not very likely." I like the ones pass you on the interstate like a 1/4 to 1/2 mile from the exit they are about to take. They save like what 1/2 a second, maybe 1 second.
i don't really understand the "hard right" comment is it possible you are actually referring to the "ignorant," regardless of their core beliefs or political philosophy?
I laugh at the clowns who scream past when I am slowing for a red light which has only recently changed. What are they going to save? Nothing.
Even better is the satisfaction of driving past them in the open lane when the light turns green just as I approach it and they had to stop.
read through this entire thread. yeah, there are idiots everywhere on the road. i seriously think the best way to handle a situation with THREE vehicles is to diffuse it by NOT making the confrontation worst. get the license plates and pressing full charges to the extent of the law. brake checking them or doing other things will only add fuel to the fire. about the few that mentioned GUNS....................here is my 2 cents on firearms. BY THE TIME I EXPOSE MY HANDGUN TO SOMEONE, they're already dead. I never bring it out to "SCARE" or "INTIMIDATE" anyone or anything. this is a serious matter. if i bring it out, i intend to terminate. NOT to play around.
I myself lean heavily to the far right. Yet I have been accused of being a tree hugging liberal for driving a Prius. I am also a car enthusiast, and have some good old American gas sucking cars I love dearly. I drive them to car shows, cruise nights, and for enjoyment. Also have a 96 Ram Pickup, gets about 14 mpg. I bought my Prius to get good gas mileage going back and forth to work, and to take on vacations. Drive it almost daily. But ever since I've gotten it I have had some heated discussions with friends, relatives, and strangers over the car. Mainly from those who have lost their jobs in the auto industry or have had friends or relatives that did. While I understand their point to a degree, I don't hink my buying a Prius put anyone out of work. In fact, in my opinion it was the US auto industry that created its own demise.........but try telling that to someone else as you drive around in a Prius!
I received a lot of the same type comments from my coworkers when I used my C4C to buy a foreign car. Some thought that was wrong to be able to use C4C to buy foreign cars. I also explained my similar feelings about the US auto industry creating their own demise. I went on to explain that I have owned two Ford vehicles, one Windstar and one Contour, in recent years and their reliability records were horrible. When I went to both the local dealer Service Manager and then District Service Manager and asked for some assistance I was merely brushed off. After completing the explanation of Toyota's reliability record in general and the Prius in particular, along with the gas mileage I was experiencing, most opinions began to change or at least tone down a little.
And because they had to come to a full stop -- in the 'fast' lane, no less -- they cannot arrive at the merge to a single lane, just past the light, before I do. (I was driving the Subaru yesterday, so this didn't trigger any Prius rage.)
If some of these supposed far-righters are going to gripe about american jobs and how the Prius is somehow antithetical to that, ask 'em why they shop at wal-mart. Which has taken over just about every pocket of redneckitude in the southeast. . _H*
Yep, I don't think anything or anyone was preventing the US auto industry from going head to head competition to do a better car than the Prius, or an equivalently reliable car than the Honda and Toyota brands. Who held them back? Hang and blame them But, as you said, nothing will convince them.
This happens to me all the time in my VW Beetle. (I'm saving up to buy a Prius.) I can't even count the number of times a large truck or SUV has tried to run me off the road. Several times I've been run off onto the shoulder. They seldom allow me to merge onto a freeway. Most cars allow me to merge, but large trucks and SUVs rarely do. I've spoken to other Beetle owners who go through the same thing and we feel it's politically motivated because Beetle owners are assumed to be democratic. It's really scary knowing your life and safety mean nothing to a stranger who disagrees with your views. Looks like I'm not going to fare much better once I get my Prius. BTW: I had to rent a car (it was a Ford) when I broke some toes on my left foot and couldn't use my clutch. I didn't experience the road rage when I was in the Ford. I remember thinking how un-stressful it was to drive the Ford, and then I realized it was because no one was tailgating me, trying to run me over, or force me off the road.
