I'm Gonna Get Passed!

Let's see. We have one traffic light in the county, and that one is 25 miles away. How do I figure light to light distances with only one light?

Tom

 

Nothing to do with Prius. Apparently you should go as fast as possible on a freeway i.e. you shouldn't leave any space between you and the car in front. But if you do, someone will pass and try to occupy that space.

On city roads (atleast in Seattle metro) it is a little different. If you go 5 above speed limit, they will just follow. Anything below, they will pass.

 

i had to "teach" people on my daily commute that they don't just cut in front of a prius because it's slow......it ain't that slow....and it seems like less people don't try to do it anymore.

 

haha. i try to be the slowest hybrid driver whenever i hit the roads...without interrupting the flow of traffic of course.

 

I recently got my prius after having a zoom-zoom mazda3. I miss being able to hop through traffic, but now every time I see someone else doing it, I look at my 57mpg and laugh. Suckers.

Whenever people pass me out of spite, instead of tailgating them, I fight them with the xenon headlights. I don't know if everyone hates how bright they are when shone directly in the rearview mirror as much as i do, but it makes me feel a little better =)

 

:welcome: Glad to see you here! Most people that pass us, at least, are smiling, though we occasionally get the "salute" or the "Wth" looks...

Instead of defensive driving classes, I think that "inoffensive driving" classes should be required in some places :huh: That way, people might learn that it's NOT NICE to cut across traffic to hit exits at the last possible moment, etc.

 

I've seen 2010 Pri's cruising the highway about 80 mph ahead when I've been in a lumbery old F250 with V8 and 14 MPG's economy ...

I won't try to catch up to the Prius, they are too sleek. F250 with shaky tires makes more noise than forward motion, too jittery.

Prius' aren't quick with acceleration, but they are not slow either.

 

It bothered me at first...now I just realize that they are burning even more fuel to stay ahead of me...It's kind of like they are throwing money out their window's because of me...perhaps its flattering.

 

I had a nasty tailgater on me today... *sigh*

Driving into work with my 7 year old daughter in the RIGHT MOST lane, cruise control set to 62mph and still keeping up with traffic. A car pulls up behind me and is tailing me for about 5 minutes. I pulled over the middle lane and she speeds up to the other car in front of me 2 car lengths away also doing about 60ish mph...

She then pulls over three lanes to the left almost hitting another car in the left most lane nudging her way in and making the other car slam on his brakes and HONKING his horn at her. Once she is in this lane, she illegally hops onto the HOV.

Long Island expressway 8:24am between exits 39 (Glen Cove Road) to 38 Rosyln Road all heading westbound into the city.

Since she hopped onto the HOV lane you probably already guessed it, she was driving a PRIUS 2010 White with HOV stickers.... Mirror image of my own... *sigh* and I thought PRIUS owners would know better than to drive like this, Mercedes, Audi, non hybrid owners tailing is one thing but sheesh!

 

Your Prius is NOT UNABLE to hop through traffic. It's just that you don't want to do that anymore. Looks like the psychological reward for your driving experiences had changed from zoom-zoom to "looking at your 57mpg".

Instead of treating driving as what it is: travelling from point A to point B, you are making it like a win-lose game, with the rules of the game set by yourself.

Excuse me but I think you need to grow up a little bit.

 

It is funny. I recently had to drive 120 miles round trip on the highway and then make the same trip the next day. We took the Lexus one day, the Prius the next. People definitely tailgate and pass more in the Prius. 80MPH and people still tailgate and pass whereas 75 in the Lexus everybody stays away. Funny.

 

'cause it hurts their EGO, a lot, if they were "seen" following a Prius generally percepted as "whimpy". Following a Lexus even at lower speeds, on the other hand, can only boost their EGO for "keeping up with the big league."

A lot of crazy driving behaviours are the outcome of the psychological reactions in their subconcious. Mostly these are related to keeping their "image". If only they know that the kind of "image" their subconcious are trying to keep are actually generally seen as bad images.

If we are able to see through this, as the intellectually knowagable ones, we should be able to giggle at those people in our mind. No need to get into your own nerves anymore. But please do not deliberately do anything trying to "get back" at them or just to enjoy making them more agitated, 'cause then you become one of the monsters on the roads looking for fights.

 

This phenomenon happens. It's not just limited to Prius either. I went from my 1993 Accord to my 2010 Fit and noticed almost immediately that people seem to want to pass me, regardless of what speed I'm going and/or if I pass them? They'll take it personally and blow a piston rod trying to overtake me....

I think it's just a "small car" hatchback thing....and with The Prius you can probably add...I'm following a Prius Hybrid to the psychology mix.

As long as I'm going the speed limit (usually- admittedly I'm above the speed limit) I just laugh now. If someone is so emotionally fragile that they are going to waste gas, and strain their engine just because they've noticed they are following or have been passed by a Honda Fit- or a Toyota Prius....let them....it's their problem.

But it does happen all the time.

 

Given the (to some extent true) stereotype of Prius drivers as hypermilers, I think part of the reason that people don't want to end up behind a Prius is because of their expectation that they'll eventually be pinned in behind some hypermiler. This is true whether the Prius driver is driving particularly slowly at that moment or not.

On a related note, I've never quite grokked this attempt to avoid being passed at any cost that some people show on the road. It's as though some people take being passed as a personal affront or smack down that has relevance to their more general worth as a person or some such. Bottom line: sometimes one is in a hurry and sometimes one isn't. If I'm passing you on the road, it has nothing to do with you *as a person.* It simply means that I want to go faster than you at that moment. Tomorrow, you may be in a hurry and pass me as I'm out for a cruise. What's the big deal?

 

I agree... Even if I'm doing 90MPH, if someone wants to go faster, I make sure I move over soon enough that I don't impede their progress or cause them to have to slow down. I expect the same courtesy from others but it is seldom reciprocated.

When I'm traveling at extra-legal speeds, I actually prefer to be passed by somebody because the cops will usually snag the faster person. So I'm actually quite happy to be passed as I'm cruising along at 90MPH because they provide a safety shield for me.

Since I just took delivery of my new Prius 2 days ago I have already notice this phenomena. Glad to take advantage of it too as long as they don't slow down after they pass and block the flow of traffic. I always tell people, getting somewhere in a timely matter is not about driving fast, it's about not getting stuck behind the slow people. If everyone drives in the correct lane for their desired speed, we would not have any traffic!

 

I have been next to people on local roads (state highway with lights) where they do try to race ahead of you at the lights because it is a prius. You can hear their engines revving much much higher than they should be because it doesnt want to shift and loose power. Then when they shift with a huge jerk motion fall behind then creep forwards, the next light is there. Prius is more than enough car for anybody. You dont need 500hp when your average speed is 20mph and there are only 30m `free` sections of road.

 

I drive too fast and no one passes me.

I use to blow by people at 90-100 in my 2006 Gen II, when passing THEM, and still got 38-40 mpg doing that. Just picked up my 2010 Gen III and haven't taken it that high yet, but I have been cruising at 80-85 on the Interstate (as usual) and NO one has passed me yet (who I didn't let pass me).

PS: Yes, I'm a chronic speeder. I only drive at speed and pass when the road is clear and it's "safe" to do so. I don't weave in and out and I don't tailgate. I also don't have any tickets, because I'm always looking but, if I get a ticket that's my penalty. So, please no lectures.

 

I tend to exceed the speed limit by 9 mph. So I love it when people pass me 'cause I want them to get out there and find those cops for me!

 

+1, if there is traffic I always make sure someone else is going ahead of me to shake the cops out of the bushes. That's often only 5 over.

 

Anyone notice where this aggressive driving is leading to? When most people get passed (esp. us guys), what happens? Those that speed, remember to put yourself in the shoes of the ones getting passed....does that seem hostile? This goes back and forth - pack speed has gone faster and faster.

About fifteen years ago late after work a light came on - I'm not going so fast now that there is nobody to pass.

Some are saying speeding is safer, but pack speed has been increasing - it's really safer?