Constantly being Bullied on the Road ...

Try driving with your headlights ON. I think it helps with the dullards.

 

From personal experience, I will have to agree with alot of what you have stated. My other vehicle is a full size truck. I drive the Prius and the truck in just about the same manner. I am not a slow driver and will pass when being held-up. I'm not a dedicated hypermiler, but do toy around with it when traffic and conditions allow. Anyway, I have more people riding my nice person in the Prius, regardless of what speed I drive. Perhaps it is envy or curiosity, who knows, but it still pisses me off. That is the main reason why I tinted the rear window 5%. It's kinda like an 'out-of-sight, out-of-mind' therapy for me. I know it's wrong, but there have been a few times when I almost 'lost it'. Oh well, I guess it comes with the territory.

 

Do you drive in the right most lane on the highways? A lot of people recommend doing that to get out of the way of traffic, but I think its wrong; that lane is used to exit and enter the highway, and to have ANY vehicle putting along there effectively blocking up the lane is dangerous. Go to the lane just to the left of the rightmost lane, and you should have MUCH better results; as well as leaving the exit/enter lane free for those exiting/entering the highway, it is also a psychological relief of sorts, since people behind you see that there is a lane on either side of you which they can use to pass. Has helped me a lot in the situation you describe.

 

In addition to visibility, people get aggravated at other drivers not moving close enough to the speed of traffic. Plus, presenting yourself as something others must go around implies you are creating hazards, by motivating others to make lane changes. Granted, they could have chosen to slow to your speed, but I don't feel I can expect them to do that.

 

Just remember this: [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pujtw4-S2js"]the first rule of italian driving[/ame].

Rumple

 

Ah, you have experienced manifest destiny ala 2009. Do NOT be surprised. I too just purchased a Prius & get to enjoy the exact same attitude/experience. People are always in a hurry to go nowhere. Turn on your TV & think about people watching that for hours......then put that same mind in a vehicle............

Here's my approach, having driven an 18 wheeler a few thou, I feel right & safe in simply driving smart. I try to go with the flow up to slightly over the speed limit. I try to stay out of the fast or slow lane. I demand my space. I will accelerate slightly faster & drive slightly faster than I would prefer. That's it.

Most people feel their vehicle is an extension of themselves, so you are dealing with ego & too often combined with stupidity. Many are caught up in the rat race. I drive a 4wd extended cab chevy for my other car, drive the same, but the respect & attitude is noticeable. I just do the best I can & have the satisfaction that I am getting 50mpg, which is my goal. Point A to point B in relative comfort & safety in the most economical manner I can. However, you can never change the fact that if they are bigger than you, or perceived to be, you will NOT demand the same respect on the highway. Period.

Honestly, many people resent others with a new car. Some people resent those being environmentally friendly out of guilt feelings. Many people are frustrated & unfullfilled & take it out on others around them. Here is the attitude of many as expressed by my son when I told him I had just bought a Prius, " Oh, great, that's all we need is another nerd driving 50 mph in the left lane." I think that is pretty much the attitude of most drivers.

Me? I'm not going to give up my Prius for any reason. I thoroughly enjoy mine, including the mileage.

 

if you drive sensibly, watch the speed limit, keep good following distance, etc, you're going to get the shaft. I watch folks pull out in front of 18 wheelers and Prii indiscriminitely. People are idiots on the road

 

Typical driving in this area is 5%-10% over the speed limit, and those doing just the speed limit either get passed, or are used for a draft.

I do notice though, that people will pull out in front of me more, while driving the Prius. A few observations why I think these may be some of the reasons.

1 - I think many people have a general misconception that Hybrids are slow, and can't keep up with traffic. Kind of like following a dump truck, or Semi.

2 - Hybrid drivers using the pulse and glide technique to max. out their mileage, are very annoying to other drivers using the standard cruise control, so they simply don't want hybrids if front of them.

3 - Some people just plain don't like Hybrids on the road.

I just drive the Prius like a regular car, going with the flow, no problems here.
Anything else, is just annoying to other drivers.

 

If someone tailgates me I just take the foot off the gas and let the car gradually slow down. Eventually they will make a pass and stop tailgating.

 

I get tailgated daily. I take one road at 35-40mph and the speed limit is 30mph. Daily someone is literally inches from my bumper. Last night I was doing 32 in a 25 and this slob in a minivan was so close I was afraid I was going to get bumped. We stopped at a no turn on red light in the turning lane and I see her waving her arms around and looking at me with psycho eyes like she wanted me to turn because there was no traffic.

I don't know, when I drove a v6 I never felt the need to tailgate a Prius or anyone else. I just take comfort in knowing she won't be able to afford her 2 bags of potato chips a day habit when gas eventually swings in the other direction.

 

This morning while cruising at a sedate 75 or so, I was passed by at least 6 Prius, one zooming in and out of lanes, no signal, etc. I was in my Impreza, red, big rear wing and hood scoop, etc.! My wife has "my" Prius this week, while her old Outback is in the shop, and I am driving my weekend playtoy, the Impreza. Anyway, I wouldn't say I was "bullied" by the whizzing Prius attack, but it did make me long for my own, to join the "crowd". The way to not be bullied, is to step on the pedal on the right, and move with, or preferably, faster than the general traffic. Try it, I do, and still get double the mpgs of most of the other road bullies. If you are intimidated by a few neanderthal road bullies, you probably shouldn't be driving where they drive. You won't change them, all you can change is how you react or deal with it.

 

The best way to fight a tailgater is "washing your windshield".
The vehicle behind you would get the water also because it is just too close.
The wind will carry the water to the next vehicle behind yours.

There is no excuse for the tailgater to blame you anything when you find your windshield "dirty".
If you let go your gas pedal or even stump on the brake, the tailgater will certainly not be happy.

Try it and see if it works. Don't blame it on me if it doesn't....

 

These bad drivers do that to anyone they come across, not just you. Watch them after they get around you...they'll be doing the same thing to everybody else.

Whether I'm in the CRX or the truck, it get tailgaters all the time. They don't feel as menacing when I'm in the truck, but they are still annoying. Kinda like buzzy little flies.

 

You don't get no respect in a Prius? Try riding a bicycle. Or walking.

 

I agree, there does seem to be a perception out there that Prii are slow cars. I drive in Southern California and regularly drive in the left lane between 75-80 mph. Don't have any empirical evidence to back this up, but it seems that I get more people now who gun their engines to cut into my lane in front of me....and then proceed to slow down to 70.

Now this has been happening since the beginning of time, but it seems to be more common in my Prius. My solution? As soon as I get the chance, I switch over a lane, gun my engine and get in front of them where I can resume my normal driving speed. And the world has one more person who knows a Prius can go fast.

P.S. I especially love it when that person's in a giant SUV.

 

Don't do this, it will make him/her even madder.
He will pass you and do the same thing and dirty water on your windshield.

 

i was bullied by... another PRIUS! this jerk in beverly hills decided that me going 45 in a 35 on a curvy road is not fast enough, not to mention we were coming up on 25 mph construction zones... he/she was on my tail and flashed the brights at me for some reason! what a total jerk. i slowed down to make a right turn and of course the prius was on my bumper zooming by ready to go nowhere fast.