Prius Haters Abound

[PotomacCyclist]

@ShawnoftheDread 58868 wrote:

See, the Prius didn’t even stop at the crosswalk with kids waiting. If that’s the pro-Prius propaganda, imagine what reality is like.

The cyclist was friendly though. You can see him at the very beginning of the ad.

[PotomacCyclist]

[DismalScientist]

@vvill 58862 wrote:

We have a “microvan” Mazda 5.

Me too. But the original post would have lost the zing had I admitted that.:p

[DismalScientist]

@dasgeh 58832 wrote:

You need a different type of minivan.

Can it fit three fairly large and lazy kids weighing a total of 250 pounds?

[Dickie]

@DaveK 58872 wrote:

Now, in the ’60’s, there were only two other cars made in America that had positraction, and independent rear suspension, and enough power to make these marks. One was the Corvette, which could never be confused with the Buick Skylark. The other had the same body length, height, width, weight, wheel base, and wheel track as the ’64 Skylark, and that was the 1963 Pontiac Tempest.

That quote made my heart flutter in a really good way for once.. thanks Dave!

[Dickie]

I make sure “my other vehicle is a bicycle” sticker is very visible on the back of my Sherman tank when I’m driving over Prius’… or is it prieye?

[mello yello]

Toyota did an ad campaign when they rolled out the V, and there was a ‘public vote’ on the plural of Prius… it is now Prii.

Add another to the ranks of the minivan jealous. I just drove one around Washington State for a week, with 6 passengers and luggage, and it got better gas mileage than my Subaru, fully loaded, on mountains (yes, the trips up Mt. Rainier were awful for the overall average).

I can fit 2 bikes in the back of the Subaru without removing wheels, but it’s a PITA. I can’t wait until it dies completely and I’m forced to get a new car. Here’s hoping it kicks it before 200k.

Oh, and I am also surprised that the cars w/ bike racks aren’t any more courteous to bicyclists. Not that I see that many…

[Tim Kelley]

@Dickie 58898 wrote:

I make sure “my other vehicle is a bicycle” sticker is very visible on the back of my Sherman tank when I’m driving over Prius’… or is it prieye?

In Soviet Russia…or Lithuania rather…

[dasgeh]

@DaveK 58871 wrote:

confirmation bias

Thank you! I couldn’t think of the term and it was killing me. I need sleep.

[jabberwocky]

Theres probably some confirmation bias with certain models/types of cars, and its also probable that certain models are more popular than others (Priuses are ridiculously popular around here) so you just see more of them. But there is also definitely truth to the perception that certain models are more problematic than others.

But don’t worry Prius drivers, I won’t hate you just because you drive a Prius*.

*I’ll hate you because I hate everyone.

[JeffC]

Two reasons I hate the Prius car, not the drivers, but the cars.

First, frequently you cannot hear them from behind you which is very dangerous as a bike rider, assuming you don’t have your earbuds blasting music.

Second, at least in VA, we reward smug wealthy people that can afford a new Prius the right to drive on HOV lanes alone. HOV lanes should be about rewarding people to car pool not rewarding wealthy people who can afford a new car. Moreover, on the freeway, the Prius is engaging the gas engine so burning about the same amount of fuel as other compact cars. Even though I obviously ride my bike to work many days, while riding on the Custis and when I do take the Orange Line, I see plenty of selfish Prius drivers alone and afraid to car pool doing nothing more for the environment than a solitary driver in a compact Ford or Honda would.

Now mind you, I cannot really blame the Prius drivers for taking advantage of the HOV perk, I’d do the same in their shoes. It still irks me that they are so rewarded.

[DaveK]

@JeffC 58933 wrote:

Second, at least in VA, we reward smug wealthy people that can afford a new Prius the right to drive on HOV lanes alone. HOV lanes should be about rewarding people to car pool not rewarding wealthy people who can afford a new car. Moreover, on the freeway, the Prius is engaging the gas engine so burning about the same amount of fuel as other compact cars. Even though I obviously ride my bike to work many days, while riding on the Custis and when I do take the Orange Line, I see plenty of selfish Prius drivers alone and afraid to car pool doing nothing more for the environment than a solitary driver in a compact Ford or Honda would.

This isn’t strictly true anymore – hybrids with a “clean fuel” tag issued after 2011 (don’t recall exact month/date) aren’t exempt from the HOV restrictions on 395 or 66. Those from earlier years are grandfathered in.

[Subby]

@JeffC 58933 wrote:

Two reasons I hate the Prius car, not the drivers, but the cars.

Second, at least in VA, we reward smug wealthy people that can afford a new Prius the right to drive on HOV lanes alone. HOV lanes should be about rewarding people to car pool not rewarding wealthy people who can afford a new car. Moreover, on the freeway, the Prius is engaging the gas engine so burning about the same amount of fuel as other compact cars. Even though I obviously ride my bike to work many days, while riding on the Custis and when I do take the Orange Line, I see plenty of selfish Prius drivers alone and afraid to car pool doing nothing more for the environment than a solitary driver in a compact Ford or Honda would.

Smug and wealthy? Not exactly how I would characterize most drivers of alternative fuel cars. Sure, maybe some are one or the other, but my guess is that most folks just want to save a few bucks on gas every month. Wealthy folks are driving Audis and BMWs and Range Rovers and MBs. NOT Prii.

[jrenaut]

@Subby 58940 wrote:

Smug and wealthy? Not exactly how I would characterize most drivers of alternative fuel cars. Sure, maybe some are one or the other, but my guess is that most folks just want to save a few bucks on gas every month. Wealthy folks are driving Audis and BMWs and Range Rovers and MBs. NOT Prii.

It depends on where you draw your “wealthy” line. The point JeffC is making (I think) is that it’s better for the environment to carpool in a 7 year old Honda Accord than it is to drive by yourself in a brand new Prius.

[ShawnoftheDread]

@Subby 58940 wrote:

Smug and wealthy? Not exactly how I would characterize most drivers of alternative fuel cars. Sure, maybe some are one or the other, but my guess is that most folks just want to save a few bucks on gas every month. Wealthy folks are driving Audis and BMWs and Range Rovers and MBs. NOT Prii.

Perhaps not wealthy, but able to afford a premium of $10K or so to get a hybrid over a non-hybrid of similar size. And they may think they’re saving a few bucks on gas, but they won’t actually see that savings for several years because of the initial price increase.

[Author]

Posts