2010's Not Jumping Off the Lots Everywhere

Just another reason the Prius is better. It is the ONLY (one of the few??) car with 'gauges' where they SHOULD be - NOT hidden behind the steering wheel.

 

No, better a glance slightly down to the side than moving your hands on the wheel and moving your head around to see the various gauges hidden behind it. The other thing (maybe not thought of by younger folk) - the 'change of focal distance' between 'on the road and at the dash/windshield line' is less than 'on the road to on the dash behind the wheel' PLUS those with bifocals or multifocals, need a head tilt to see the dash gauges behind the wheel, those at the dash/windshield line are still 'upper lens'. That is ONE of the reasons I am very unhappy with tossing the climate and radio controls off the MFD (which they also tossed unless you get NAV). I can see the MFD screens with a glance to the side and little head movement in the Gen IIs. To see the climate controls on the Gen III arch requires major head movement and therefore more 'eyes off the road' time (both finding the buttons and refocusing from far to near then back to far).

I don't understand why the whole display isn't shifted left (at least to the extent possible) so it is centered on the wheel.

 

You are confusing the issues with facts.

 

If it was set at steering wheel height in the center, it would be a problem. For example, my MINI Cooper speedo was pretty much useless.

Having it up near the windshield makes a big difference. In practice, my new Prius speedo/display does not bother me at all. And, while driving you glance slightly to your right constantly to look at other cars/lanes/scenery, even if you don't realize it.

It might not be perfect, but it didn't take any time to adjust to this.

 

Time seems to move real fast when you have a Full size Ford F150 or a Big Chevy Truck tailgating you for that 10 minutes!
As far as times go there is no excuse in my mind even if there is one car behind you that is obviously in a hurry, to slow them up so you can save some gas! Times look real good when you estimate them but it still doesn't justify the "I own the road, because I'm in front of you." mentality.
Don't think those big trucks are going to worry about hitting you either. Due to the bad economy people are on a hair trigger. Ask yourself is it worth going 5mph under and risk road rage, just because you are in front? If you're so anxious to go slow, fine, just let others by, slow down a bit and wave them past . Then you can continue on at your own pace and they can get to work.
If I'm in a hurry, I'll certainly go over the speed limit. If I'm not I let others pass me unless it's very late at night and I can't see the edges of the road very well.

 

Has anyone noticed much glare on the windshield from the digital gauges at night? That's been a slight problem in Gen 2 Prii ... I just turn down the brightness, but I was curious what new owners have to say about this in the Gen 3.

 

Steve, I think you are exagerating a wee bit. I live in a state with a large number of Prius and I rarely if ever see someone hypermiling. Do you just happen to live in a town that contains everyone from CleanMPG.com? Or are you just really unlucky?

As for the road rage stuff. Been there done that. I can't count how many times I've been involved in roadside fights or shouting matches. People are indeed stupid, selfcentered and have very little control over their emotions so I generally just continue to drive without doing things like brake-checking them, slowing down, or waving em over to the side of the road anymore. I've come to realize I've been lucky all these years that no one had a gun....

Tom, your pet peeve is my pet peeve. It drives me nuts when that happens. I usually just give it enough gas to pass the person merging, then get back in the rightmost lane and make them go around me so I don't hold up the people behind me in the left lane.

 

Well, now this is different, you were commenting on being late, so I did the math to show that.....while extremely aggravating.....someone going slow doesn't cost THAT much time. And you can't argue against the math, it is what it is.

But, I absolutely agree that if a slower car is holding up a line of cars (4-5 in CA) they need to pull over. In practice, it would be best to pull over and wave over a single car if they are holding them up. But I find that people can be a rather clueless lot when driving.

By the way, I sometimes take a "rural" esque road home, about 4-5 miles of 45 mph, tree lined bliss. When I have someone coming up on me at 50+ mph, I pull over and wave them by.....I don't want to rush through my bliss. But there is a section, about the last mile or two, where there are no good turnouts. I'm driving the speed limit (cruise control) and I'm not going to speed up to appease someone behind me who's in a rush. This isn't an ego thing, I do accomodate when I can, but I'm not going to take unnecessary risks when it isn't required, they can chill for the 1+ miles until the road becomes a 4 lane road. If they want to go aggro on me, tailgate and flash their lights, they're the ones with an issue. If they opt to break the law and pass over the double yellow line, I'll SLOW DOWN as they pass so they can get back over to the proper side of the road as soon as possible....I'd hate to have some poor, unsuspecting slob turn the corner to see a F-150 on their side of the road.

 

Worse, my city is the State capitol.
We have as many Prius as we do SUV's. People here do make a statement with their Prius since many of them are doctors, lawyers and indian chiefs.

 

everyone has something to bitch about, especially if they are under the impression that it will cost them ONE SECOND OF UN-REIMBURSED PERSONAL TIME.

i guess you could be stuck behind someone and be delayed 10-15 minutes, if you followed them for 30 miles, then again, that would be like a 20 mph difference which would mean that you were either BOTH speeding or one of you were not moving at all.

when following someone who is driving slower than you are, time speeds up. trust me. a 10 second delay is actually a minute to the person in the back. so your "10-15 minute" delay is actually 2½ minutes. now is that really all that bad??

i drive a Zenn to work. it max'es out at 37 mph. i drive about 70% of my commute on a road that is double lane 40 mph and every day and i mean

EVERY

FRICKING

DAY!!

i will be coasting up to a stop light a few blocks away...now why so far back? because i am not stupid enough to think that the light will turn green and the 7 cars sitting there will all synchronize a jack rabbit start and be out of my way before i get there right?...iow, even though i am coasting, i know i will still have to brake to not hit them.

i will have someone come up from behind, going flying around me to cut back in front of me just to slam the brakes on to keep from hitting the line of cars.

so here we have a driver who has not been following me because there are two lanes, or he feels that being 8th in line will get him home "10 to 15 minutes" earlier.

so you need to take your indignation, reduce it by 90% and then feel self righteous in your beliefs because then you will be close to having a point

 

HOLY COW !!!!!
You really are upset.
Steve, you need to buy this guy a Coke or some ice cream.

:argue::caked::grouphug:

 

nope, not upset. i personally dont care about traffic behind me especially on double lane roads. confused, exasperated maybe but mad?? nah... i think its funny when people drive that way... reminds me of "keystone koppers" or something like a chinese firedrill (not sure of the terms)

i sometimes want to make a poster to stick in my window stating my monthly commuting costs wondering if that would make headway to other people. i also live in a state capital that is probably very similar in size and layout and also have a TON of Pri's in this area, but the drivers around here are just the opposite. they all drive as fast as they can most of the time mostly because major traffic jams especially on the freeway or simply a part of life here.

every once is a while i will run across a very slow driver, but it aint no hypermiler, its a senior citizen who is most likely running out of time on the last drivers license they will own because they will no longer be able to pass the eye test

 

Not because he is upset but because he is a pretty cool cat.

:tea: <... tea because I cannot drink alcohol right now.

Steve, I bet the Indian chiefs are the worst too. lol You're pretty funny.

 

Dave, we get the same sort of behavior around here. Our best roads are twisty two lane state roads, most often containing tourists and senior citizens. If you get behind someone going 50 it doesn't make sense to pass. All you do is move up to the next driver going 50. Even so, there is always some jackass riding my rear end, who eventually makes a dangerous pass to get around. Without fail I always end up right behind them when we get to the first traffic light in the city. All they gained for all that aggravation was one car length.

Tom

 

I get stuck behind slow drivers all the time up here. I usually just pass them. These people are generally the same ones who will speed up so that you can't pass.
As far as being upset, well I get upset when people are hypermiling and slowing everything down. I also don't use a cell phone while I'm driving. I hope they make that illegal soon.
It's not my fault this guy is upset. maybe he should ask why he's upset since he doesn't know me.
I do know many people are sick of hypermilers. I hear it all the time at work and it's a common topic. The gas they save is lost by people passing them. I have no problem going fast if I have to and I don't always have the luxury of going slow. I give myself ample time to get to places.
Hypermilers drive slower than the speed limit, take much longer to pull out into traffic especially if there isn't a light. It's not like you are driving down a runway at 35mph and they are going 28mph and that's it. There are a lot of other variables. I don't gesture at these people but I will pass them if I can if it's a long road with no passing areas.

 

We all have our pet peeves.
It's easy to spot the Indian Chiefs, they have State rep license plates.

 

Yes, we get a lot of that here as well but many of these roads there are no other cars or very few. The touristy roads get inundated during the Fall foliage season.
They all drive slow then.
We also get a lot of elderly people who are on their last chance for their license as someone said.
My point was that Prius owners have a reputation for hypermiling in an annoying way and this is one of the things that bugs people. I am already hearing about this at work and people ask me if I intend to drive that way when i get mine. I said No, I don't park in the far left lane and I do go at least the speed limit or faster if no cops.
Lots of articles written on this online as well. Usually when I pass someone on these roads here, keep in mind I am driving a blazingly slow Honda Fit 118hp. I don't see them for daylight and I just wave people by if they are in a hurry and I'm not. if I'm not in a hurry and I am in front of them why make them wait?
I don't get it...

 

ya well just like there are all types of people, good and bad, there are all types of drivers, fast and slow... so i guess we can make another obvious statement or we can ignore the corollary and move on.

i, like EVERYONE here (whether you admit it or not) has had a few choice words regarding fellow commuters in my past, so i'm not blameless. i will say my actions are almost always tied to my level of "togetherness" i am experiencing that day.

i pride myself on never being late to anything, but that does not always work and no matter how unimportant something is, if i say i will be there at 2 PM and it looks like i will not make it, it still creates apprehension in me. i personally hate that about myself, but at the same time, i realize that fighting that feeling is simply futile because in the general scheme of things, being 5 minutes late to a BBQ is hardly the end of the world but... anyway. onward.

frequently, i feel that one of my biggest reasons for getting a Pri was to force myself to drive slower because of the the competitive side of me wants to show that i can beat the EPA as well (now that they have watered down their standards, its not much of a challenge anymore) which in turn, either makes me more organized and prepared or helps to calm me down. not sure which it is, but i am not there. still have work to do and yes Cebo, i too do and feel what you feel occasionally as well. i probably dont dwell on it since these episodes only last a few seconds but what ya gonna do??

move, run em down, take another way? i think, just grin and bear it is much easier. change is not always what we want. lets face it. we all have issues with that...be it talking on cellphones in public, texting someone else while in a face to face conversation, etc. these are all things that many people take great offense to, but its happening and the more you fight it... and well lets face it, when you fight it, you are in a solo battle that you will lose.