"Why Aren’t Black Folks Driving Electric Vehicles?" Because of articles like this

That's just a poorly written article on almost every level, almost every sentence. From choice of headline...to using phrases like "Enviromentally Safe" vehicles....

In my opinion- it reveals itself so utterly unresearched, so tainted by it's own unfounded opinion and it's own subconcious stereotypes about "black folks" and "enviromentally safe" vehicles that it is only worth commenting on as a statement about it's Hindenburg like failure.

The only thing I can give it credit for? The fact that in it's failure it unabashedly pulls no punches. It basically doesn't know what it's talking about...and does so confidently...

The funniest line? "I hate to generalize".....

 

Charging centers? For the Prius and Insight? Wow, amazing that that myth still makes it into journalism of any sort.

 

Plain and simple, this is an article that was just poorly researched and was not properly proofed before it was published. The most egregious error was her statement that the Insight started at $33,000 - that is what the Leaf starts at so it is likely that she simply confused the Leaf and the Insight. The fact that she is lumping the Prius and Insight in with the Volt and Leaf when discussing charging and tax credits shows that she really just does not understand the subject at all. Too bad because there might have been an interesting premise as to why hybrids so not appeal to African Americans.

Not to beat a dead horse, but this was the same point that I was trying to make in the posts where I mentioned the podcasts and the fact that hosts did not seem to have direct knowledge of many of the topics discussed but that did not stop them from forming opinions.

 

I honestly cannot believe you just compared the podcast to this article. The amount of misinformation in this article is a few magnitudes larger than any of the podcast errors. When are you going to start contributing useful information and entertainment for us Prius Chatters?

 

just found out the newest member of the new england patriots, chad johnson aka ocho cinco, drives a prius. all we need is more role models!

 

I've seen posts even on PC about how some people can't deal with their friends (peers) comments about the Prius, not sure about other hybrids. Many people like to emulate a strong, proud persona etc. on the outside, but on the inside have very fragile egos, etc. and are not mature enough to handle the Prius or a hybrid's social image. I'm sure culture has plenty to do with it as well.

 

I grew up with a mix of races and cultures. My nickname for years was Shae Whitey (White-A).

I also sold car stereo equipment for over a decade and I can honestly say that it is all about image. The people in my "hood" would never drive a Prius. It's all about looking cool and swingin' Ds in a sideshow. Gas mileage be damned. This applied to all races that lived in the area. It was more about the culture than the race although there is a direct relationship between "ghetto black culture" and the folks in my area. Pretty much everyone listen to rap and tried to act like a gangster so it didn't matter what color you were as long as you got the scrapper or whip maaaaaain...

This sums it up. People watch this stuff and those are the cars they want.

 

Another reason to hate Atlanta (I live here). The biggest wannabe important city full of wannabe important people.

 

Didn't we have a youtube video showing a black dude driving a black Gen II acting all cool?

 

That was from the show "WEEDS".

 

You're right!

 

Al did more research than this guy.

 

Perhaps this had more misinformation than the podcasts but I think it was simply because it was a relatively low-word count article. Had this been covered on the podcast the panelists would have talked about it for 5-10 minutes and then would have covered another 3 to 4 topics in a given podcast. Honestly the way that I look at it both are at the very least sloppy.

I think it is a great analogy - in both cases you have folks that are making opinions in public without the help of knowing the facts - in this case you have a blogger and another you have a podcast.

As for your comment as for when I'd start to contribute useful info I do not really follow. I do typically check and post to Prius Chat once or twice a day. As for anything more I have not been asked, and frankly I do not think that I'd volunteer for anything more. I made my posts not looking for any other stress in my life, rather looking to prod the panelists into putting their best foot forward. This is a great example - when someone is sloppy about their research it is easy to dismiss their entire argument.

 

I agree with your post. PC members here constantly complain about what their friends think of them, the jokes and the shame of being a Prius driver. Anyone who is not an adolescent should not have to deal with these issues.

Since alternative advanced vehicle sales are less than 3%, Well, guess what, Black folks are in the 97% of Americans who still don't get, they have not adapted hybrids/plug-in hybrids and EV vehicles for probably the same reasons; misinformations, what will my friends think of me, where do you plug it in? etc...

 

What about the Jewish folks
what about the Latin folks
What about the gay folks
What about the straight folks
What about the middle eastern folks
What abou the rich folks
what about the small minded, who group humans under an umbrella so the can use the word 'folks' in a derogatory fashion. Excuse me .... but THAT author can go 'folk' himself. wait ... he already did, by opening that ignorant yap. Here's to hoping the ignorant humans like this one are not going to be glommed onto OUR groups of humans.

 

I usually see this coming from outside the group being stereotyped, not from inside.

Herself, if one follows the links.

 

That makes the mental image so much sexier! Thanks.

 

I agree.

The article was a crock of **** if ever there was. One of the reasons I like this forum is the wide variety of people of all backgrounds from all over the world brought together because of an interest in a car.