What's the deal with Prius Hate

Older I get the more I ignore people acting like idiots on the road. This is because:

1) I know that people are often in bad moods. I cannot explain why, nor should I take it personally. Just ignore it, they don't know me and are simply looking for an outlet.
2) Replace 1) but put me in there instead of people!

If you want you could put stickers on your Prius talking about gun rights and hunting and things like that, though

 

This may just be plain old road rage. You can tell it's Prius hate when they talk about how awful NiMh batteries are or how Hummers are more environmentally friendly.

 

On the "Prius Hate" issue ... I haven't noticed it for the most part, but then I go out of my way at times to make sure people who might THINK they're stuck behind me really are NOT stuck behind me, but that I'm stuck behind the "guy / gal" in front of me. If I'm the lead car at a red traffic light AND there are cars behind me ... that's when I accelerate on green the most briskly. If there's fairly heavy / stopped traffic and I see a driver trying to get from a parking lot or side street to the main street, I'll let him / her in. If there's heavy, flowing traffic, I try to drive posted speed limit +3mph or so ... and if THAT'S not fast enough for some moron behind me; oh well!

On the "Buy American" issue ... when I bought the Prius, Toyota of JAPAN received perhaps $1500-$2000 in one-time margin / profit from the sale. At the same moment, the state of Indiana received $1837.33 in sales tax. Since having purchased it, Indiana has received some $375 in revenue from registration fees and an additional $135 from the "personalized plate" fees I've been paying. Farmers' Group has received about $1350 by virtue of insurance fees. The Toyota dealership where I bought it has serviced it for two-and-a-half years ... helping them to keep American mechanics employed ... and, yes, Toyota probably makes a FEW bucks along the way for parts'n'such. I sometimes get the tires rotated at a local Tire Barn rather than at the dealership, but Tire Barn ALSO also employs Americans. Every time I buy gas, it's at a station that employs Americans, AND I usually try to buy SOMETHING from the store itself rather than only buying the gas. Every time I buy gas for the Prius RATHER THAN for our 1997 Stratus, I'm saving this country several gallons of imported oil from nations that don't like us very much; approximately 450 gallons "saved" so far. Every time I purchase car wax or soap or upholstery cleaner or window cleaner or ...

I believe the vast majority of you who frequent this site understand very well what I've been saying. If only there were a way to get such information out there to all those "Buy American" folks who, for whatever reason, can't seem to grasp the bigger, more complete picture ....

EDIT ... a PS for TonyPSchaefer: Incidentally, I live about 6 miles from that plant you visited.

 

Unfortunately, many new PRIUS owners may have been that guy. Times have been rough and perhaps he experienced an awakening. So he's probably driving a PRIUS now.... thanks to you!

 

There is a website that breaks down by percentage the labor or parts that goes into each vehicle. I recall something like the Toyota Tundra being the most American vehicle. Ford and others make plenty of vehicles in Canada or who knows where else. Buy American is almost a meaningless term now unfortunately, in many industries. And in some it's quite simply impossible.

 

Yes GSW,
I'm also thinking the same way. The guy is probably driving a Prii now.

 

So, I'm having a smog check done on my '88 Toyota pickup at local gas station. chatting with service mgr here and there while he's going check.

Told him I sold the Prius, but how good the gas mileage was, like 48.

First thing he says is 'those are $30,000'. I said, can get basic one for under $25k total.

He's like 'yeah, but you have to wait to get going anywhere, it's so slow. And there only good in the city, too slow on the highway.'

I said, actually they're not bad and the new one is even better. He's says might as well get a Corolla and save money. I said, Prius is a whole lot nicer than a Corolla.

While later, I'm telling - they got that new Nissan Leaf all electric out now.

He's like, yeah, but, few years ago they had all the rolling black outs, now they want to charge up electric cars everywhere.

I said, some of those cars could feed back power onto the electric grid. Or they could expand the grid. Then I start capping on conventional cars - 20 years later and they still have the same fuel economy as before. They just have more airbags and stuff.

Anyrate, what a knucklehead. I was thinking he's like Garth in the first 'Wayne's World'.............. we fear change. ... bam, bam

Oh brother.

 

(Usually when someone hates something so much, it matters to them somehow. That's why you have haters becoming owners. )

 

I had a co-worker recently tell me how slow my car was on the highway (he drives the same model Sierra as I do) untill I pointed out that my Prius is actually quite a bit faster than his Sierra, since his truck is speed limited to 98MPH. Anybody who has ever driven a G3 knows it will never be confused with anything beginning with the words sport or race, but it is quite capable of pulling interstate duty. Of course anybody who is reading this already knows that...

Caveat: I haven't done a terminal velocity run on any vehicle that I've owned since I was in my 20s---but I happen to 'know' that Priuses are indeed capable of three digit speeds. Just sayin....

 

Obviously he's been listening to right wing radio since those are all the points that they banter about on their radio shows. They can expand the grid for car charging, but ask him this, are they still building new houses out in the suburbs? They use way more electricity than an electric car and they aren't shutting down the grid.

 

Are people like him sent leaflets to study? Sounds like he had all the talking points going. The rolling blackouts one is great.

 

Most hate is irrational. 'Nuf said.

 

I *think* I experienced my first hater this morning at the kids' school car loop:

Someone pulled out from behind me not waiting their turn and cut me off. I couldn't help but think outloud "HATER!!!!", but realized *maybe* they're just in a rude hurry and my vehicle has nothing to do with it. :noidea:

 

I hate it when people say things like this.

Tom

 

"I hate it when people say things like this.

Tom"



LOL! (As the coffee flies all over the *%#place).

 

most of the prius hate i think stems from driving too slowly. i'm not saying all prius drivers drive slowly.. i certainly don't. But.. it is disconcerting to see a long line of cars backed up because the front car is a Prius driving 10 under on the highway.

Truth is.. there are plenty of other drivers in other cars that drive slowly too, but it seems that there are more of these drivers in Prius. Prius can definitely move at a fast velocity, but the question is, will the driver actually drive it that fast?

I tend to drive 5 over or with the speed of traffic and have no issues with Prius hate. I live in the same city as the OP too.

Update: Just as I was driving home a few minutes ago.. was stuck behind another prius. Not as slow.. around 5-2 mph under the speed limit. But just saying.. most people drive 5 over on that road.

 

You can drive slow just at least be courteous and get out of people's way. Prius or not.

 

Those are the hypermilers. The HUGE irony with that strategy is that hypermilers cause density waves in traffic, and other drivers have to slow down as people pull out from behind the hypermiler, and then they usually have to stomp on the gas to get back up to speed. Their hypermiling saves them a few pennies, but forces other drivers to burn tons more gas to compensate for their impeding the flow of traffic. I always keep up with traffic and I get 50mpg or so. Good enough for me. I also don't find many haters in my commute.

 

As a culture we have been groomed to substitute oil for knowledge. We are now in Peak Everything and must apply the knowledge. The "hate" means that we must now think and act long term, not on impulse. This requires patience and forethought.