I don’t mean as drivers, but as people. I read an article in the newspaper today about this issue. Apparently Prius drivers as a group are quite happy with their cars, but seem to be persecuted by the remainder of the automotive public. Not all of the other drivers, but there are more people tailgating and otherwise menacing Prius drivers than any other vehicle. I’m not sure how Prius drivers would know this if they don’t drive other vehicles too. But that was the gist of the story. If you have access to Tribune newspapers (Chicago Tribune, LA Times, Baltimore Sun, Allentown Morning Call and others), you might read the story. The LA Times is free on line and it is probably in there. I read it in the Sun. Do any Prius drivers that post here think they are targeted? Does anyone think Prius drivers deserve the poor treatment?
I don’t know, does anyone even notice a Prius anymore? They’re everywhere you look around here.
Maybe there are a lot of Prius drivers who have a persecution complex and see hostility every where they look.
Here in the San Jose Calif area Prius’s are one of the most common cars on the road. Probably goes numbers wise the sequence is 1. Corolla, 2. Civic, 3. Prius, 4.Toyota and Honda mini-vans. I don’t notice other drivers paying Prius’s undue att’n. I’ve never heard anyone that I know comment one way or another about them.
Both my mom with her 2010 Prius and a co worker of mine who recently got a 2005 Prius have experienced more hostility and “gee, i didn’t see you there” than with their previous non hybrid vehicles, A 90 Mazda Protoge sedan for mom and a Toyota T100 for my co-worker. I’ve seen posts on the Priuschat website wondering how to turn off the invisibility feature. If you hate the Prius then you don’t have to buy one.
Given the number of posts on this site claiming that Prius drivers are smug environmental show-offs, I’m not surprised at all about that article.
Here in LA they are so common I doubt they get much attention. Most of the owners are ex-guzzler drivers that have gone from one extreme to another.
Perhaps those Prius drivers are experiencing some kind of “road revenge”.
Over the past couple of years, in my area I have observed that Prius drivers often tend to be the most aggressive ones on the road. It’s almost as if they were driving a BMW!
I have no idea why this observed phenomenon should be so, but I know that I have been seeing it more and more lately. Perhaps they have developed a feeling of superiority over their “environmentally superior” vehicles, and this has led to an overall obnoxious attitude on the part of some Prius drivers.
Although I do not endorse “road revenge” any more than I endorse the driving style that may be leading to that revenge, perhaps this is just a case of people retaliating for what they have experienced from Prius drivers.
I don’t notice the Prius very much because I’m not a big fan of their styling. Besides…I’m usually at the head of the pack on roads or interstates. That habit is left over from my racing days. I’ve tried to break it but so far…no luck. BTW…I haven’t received a speeding ticket in almost 40 years because I drive with the flow of traffic.
Most of the owners are ex-guzzler drivers that have gone from one extreme to another.Well, many of them anyway, I actually know people that have gone from huge luxury gas guzzlers to the Prius. My boss bought himself one because he rode in a friends Prius and was so impressed that he got himself one. This was back when you had to get on a waiting list to buy one, he bought one in a city 150 miles away just because the waiting list was shorter there.
You know, maybe it’s just as simple as any of us trading down to some thing that doesn’t eat a hole in your weakly expenses like…gas prices. Why do we have to attach something negative to any hybrid owner. Maybe, they are cheapskates just like the rest of us who have done a few gazintas and like the idea of not whole heatedly supporting Exxon. When they make one with 4 wd and 12 inches of ground clearance, count me in. I think I’ll be the same jerk I always was.
You spelled it incorrectly, it is “Pious”. The “holier than thou while running 80 in the left lane” attitude because they are saving the planet sets people off.
It might also be that they are small cars and all seem to be silver, white or light blue in my area of Florida so they are pretty much invisible either in bright sunshine or rain. Which leads to another issue; Why don’t drivers of light colored cars obey the law (and common sense) when its raining and turn their headlights on?
Why don’t people turn on lights when raining? I don’t have a blanket answer but people like my neighbor has auto lamps and he has never used the lights on feature and basically forgot he can turn them on anytime. I have daytime running lights and have to remind myself in rain that the tail lights are not on unless I use the lights on switch.
Re: the Prii, (Priuses?), I think it’s just another group who’s found something to claim persecution about. In short, the idea that others have something against them is pure, unadulterated BS.
Volvo, I’ve long advocated that the lighting circuit be on (headlights AND taillights) automatically whenever the engine is running. DRLs are, IMHO an extra cost and unnecessary partial solution to enhancing visibility. A simple wiring change would be much more effective.
TSM, I agree with the auto lights-on with wipers as well as auto-on with DRL’s too. I see tones of cars running DRL’s only at night without taillights.
As I said in my post, if its raining, it always seems like the light colored cars have NO lights on while the darker reds, blacks, bright blues, orange (the easy to see cars!) have theirs ON. I can’t understand it.
“Tones”? Mustangman, are you in England? I LOVE England!
I know three people with a Prius. One also has a truck, one is a retired person who only travels very short distances and the other got it because she had to travel a lot with her job and the gas was "killing " her. None think they are any more special then anyone else. They are just saving money on gas and like the idea they won’t give them trouble. All three didn’t even consider their positive effect on the environment…or even if there is one (doubtful) with such few numbers. They just like their cars and what they offer. Now, if Ford Chrysler and GM made enough of their models with hybrids and the were identifiable on the road, you wouldn’t have this many with “Prius Prejudice”.
In my neck of the woods, the drivers of pickup trucks are the worst offenders when it comes to refusing (or forgetting) to turn their headlights on when it is raining. I used to try to give a friendly reminder, via a quick flash of my high beams, but after seeing that the pickup drivers never responded by doing the right thing, I no longer even try to provide a reminder for them.
I have observed that more than 50% of the car drivers do turn their lights on when given a reminder, but unfortunately the pickup drivers in my area score a zero in this regard.
That’s because the average pick up driver, including me, has the mentality of a mature cucumber. They think you are signaling cause there is a cop car monitoring the road ahead for speeders.
“he bought one in a city 150 miles away just because the waiting list was shorter there”
Ah, the power of marketing!
If T had started with a hybrid Corolla it would have been a whole different ball game.
p.s., it tons (US) or tonnes (Europe, UK)
I don’t know about the Prius drivers. It would be an interesting personality study though to see if there is any difference. I used to see a guy on the road though with his straw hat that didn’t like to be passed (not past) at all. If you were in the left lane to go around him, he’d speed up so he could stay in the lead.
I absolutely agree with having DRL include the tail lights too. A silver or white car is nearly invisible in the fog or snow without their rear lights on. People just don’t realize it. Its a Minnesota law too but I even see Police cars without their (not there) lights on.