Borderline violent reaction to prius

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Christina @ Aug 19 2007, 06:02 AM) [snapback]498592[/snapback]</div>

I had the cop thing happen actually. Came around corner with three vehicles behind me, and saw down the street maybe 15 cars going waiting to go through a stop sign. The last vehicle behind me was a big SUV. So, I did a glide at 30 mph (the speed limit) for 1/4 mile till I came to a stop behind about 6 cars now waiting to get through the stop sign. Meanwhle Mr. SUV is all upset and pulls out into the oncoming lane to drive about 50 yards to get into left turn lane, from a no-passing zone, just as a cop makes a right hand turn into that lane. So the SUV and Cop car are head to head about two car lengths from the left turn lane, on a two lane road, with a line of cars in the other lane. The cop just sighed and put his lights on. Justice was served!

 

Follow them to a gas station and when they are taking so darn long to fill up that gas hog, you gan say to them, what was that about 60 bucks you just spent, how long is that going to last, now look who's the slow poke.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(4n6 @ Aug 19 2007, 09:56 AM) [snapback]498640[/snapback]</div>

I've thought about a bumper sticker that says, "You can pass me now, I'll pass you at the pump" :lol:

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DaveinOlyWA @ Aug 18 2007, 09:29 AM) [snapback]498308[/snapback]</div>

I had plans to do just that but he moved to the next lane and I could never catch up enough to get his license plate. :huh:

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(patsparks @ Aug 17 2007, 03:35 AM) [snapback]497702[/snapback]</div>

LOL!!!! That was my first thought too!

:lol: :lol: :lol:

 

My other vehicle is an F350. Just because I own a rather large truck, dually crewcab powerstroke diesel, doesnt mean I have to ride someones butt. It is usually those who just like to drive fast that have to be assholes. I can tell you this, I like to play with those asses, especially those driving their fancy BMW or Mercedes cars thinking they are all big shots, so when I get one of those riding my butt in my truck I slow to the speed limit and when they attempt to pass I lay on the coals and leave them sitting. I usually let them waste gas trying to pass by forcing them to get up and going with the pedal down, knowing they are dumping a huge amount of fuel to get around me while my truck uses very little to speed up. Once it is in its sweet spot I can shoot ahead with a tap on the pedal.

When in the prius, if they want to pass and waste gas while being an nice person go right ahead, but beware, if they do it in a no passing zone as I have a camera going at all times and I know where to mail the video!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(tekn0wledg @ Aug 17 2007, 05:23 AM) [snapback]497733[/snapback]</div>

No, but they do it to Explorers. I drove our Explorer for 4 years and got the same reaction from cars as large or larger who thought I wasn't going fast enough.

My husband drove the Explorer for the last 2 years, and now drives our Prius, and has noticed a definite change in how people drive around him. Since I've driven smaller cars for most of my life, it wasn't a surprise to me, and I don't put it all down to Prius-haters, although there is a special breed of them around.

 

I travel about 150K miles a year on business, mostly domestic US. What is shocking to me is that this is a common occurence regardless of the geographic location, its very widespread. It also seems to run across socio-economic groups as well: big new expensive luxury SUVs and Bubba-Trucks as well as old beat up PU trucks alike as well as the odd enormous sedan thrown in for good measure. (I used to own a 1999 Silverado Z71 4x4 extended cab myself, but never felt obligated to resort to that kind of driving.)

The very idea that you can run up on someone's tail and goad them into moving seems to me to be nothing more than a post-adolescent power thing. Bullies have always been bullies. "I'm bigger, so watch me make you move." My own thinking is that if you are in such a hurry, maybe you should leave a bit earlier next time...

I stay in my lane, usually in the middle, I'm clocking about 5mph over the limit and they fly around me like I am standing still. It is sometimes a joy to see speeders and other discourteous drivers pulled over by the authorities somewhere up the road. Truly, it brings a smile to my face. That and the fact that I am getting more than double the gas mileage they do. Smug? Maybe.

 

While reading the thread of this post made me think of this observation. While driving to work the other morning, I noticed that the vehicles without ang headlights or drl's on were SUV and PU trucks. Then I observed these people are also the least likely to be wearing seatbelts.
I have also noticed young ladies smoking cigarettes are also not wearing seat belts. I know its not scientific, but just my observations.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(kettledrum @ Aug 17 2007, 12:05 PM) [snapback]497901[/snapback]</div>

Been driving the Prius for only 9 days... and whoa... I can totally relate... Driving on the freeway (210 Freeway - 4 lanes) late Saturday night, and despite the other lanes being free to merge into, this Dodge Caravan stayed so close to my tail for about 10 miles. I'm not going to speed up if they can simply merge into another lane and pass me. BTW, I was in the second lane next to the slow lane.

If traffic is really busy though, I tend to do otherwise. When its safe, I just get out of the way. I figure this is safer.

I've never experienced this on my previous car... a Highlander V6... but I think I drove pretty differently back then to take advantage of the V6.

 

I just figured these folks were following me because they wanted to get good mileage too, and were relying on me to set the pace.

 

why do we as prius drivers have to be so self-conscious? SUV drivers tend to be really aggressive but it's not only towards Prius drivers, we might have a shorter leash in their minds becasue of the stigma placed on Prius drivers but why do we have be so self-conscious about it? Will a corrolla or civic driver go home and post about it online if the same thing happened to them? I doubt it, it will just be written off as an idiot driver.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(bigj3347 @ Aug 19 2007, 04:42 PM) [snapback]498776[/snapback]</div>

I don't believe it's paranoia to think that other drivers see a Prius and assume it will be driving exceptionally slowly. When my friends first heard I was getting a Prius, an almost universal comment was regarding how slow it would be; thing's like "it's a brick!", and "how will you merge onto the freeway?" Two of these comments were from my insurance agent and a friend who's a car salesman.

I've also noticed that when I get to a stoplight where there are multiple lanes, often many of the drivers will line-up in the other lane, even if there are more cars there, apparently not wanting to get 'stuck' behind the Prius. Often in those situations I'll burn a few extra drops of gas just to let them see how very wrong they were.

 

Chris Robson,

Don't sweat it. Their lives are miserable and they want to share that misery with you. Don't give them the pleasure. It has nothing to do with having a PRIUS. Asses will be asses regardless of what car is in front of them.

In a million years, I would never trade my life for theirs.

Here is a funny story. On my relocation back to Nebraska, I was towing my motorcyle (on a Uhaul trailer) behind my Ford Tempo. It was starting to snow as I was driving through Iowa (past midnight). I was traveling 55mph on the highway (speed limit then was 65mph). My speed was resonable given the amount of snow that was falling. Later, two huge SUVs came screaming up behind me. They passed me creating a wake of blowing snow and zero visibility. I decided to slow down a little more because the weather was getting worse. Within 5 minutes, I notices tail lights flashing frantically. It was the 2 idots that had just passed me earlier. The ice on the roads were too slick for them to climb up the IOWA interstate hills.

Since my TEMPO had the trailer on it, my front wheels were being pressed down onto the ice as the trailer tilted backwards. With caution, I slowly passed the SUVs. They actually were spinning their wheels and sliding backwards and getting sideways.

I laughed my nice person off as I passed them. They were S.O.L. and I was damed if I was going to stop and help. I felt like KING OF THE ROAD in my cheap but practical TEMPO just cutting throught the snow and ice. To add insult to injury, I was towing a motorcycle. Ha... Ha...

For this trip I shoul have kept track of all the trucks and SUVs that were stranded on the Interstate. It would have been interesting to see how may were trucks and how many were cars.

I made it to my destination with no problem. Ice all over my motorcycle, removed easily at the $2.00 car wash.