I hate Priuses, or Prii, or whatever....

[newtogolf]

It's an acquired taste, I personally refuse to take my vehicle into Manhatten as the chances of escaping without a new scratch or dent are close to zero with the way the taxi cabs drive.

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

You know what is really fun?  Driving in Manhattan.  I've done it a couple of times, and I don't know why, but I really enjoy it.  Almost like it's a sport ... I like the challenge.

If I had to do it all the time, probably not.  But once every year or two, especially in somebody else's car, I get a kick out of it.

[mdl]

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

This is the part of the thread where we all start talking about how our towns drivers are worse than yours ... but I am going to go in a different direction.

I live in OC now, so I have the joy of dealing with LA/OC drivers and traffic all of the time now.  I contend that drivers down here are much better than a lot of other places (specifically Fresno, where I grew up)  Yes, you have lots of crazy, reckless drivers.  People not paying attention, people driving way too fast, weaving in and out of lanes, etc, etc.  But those kind of drivers exist everywhere.

The main difference I've seen is that in places like Fresno/Bakersfield, when it gets near rush hour and there are more than 10 cars on the road, everybody panics and slows down.  In LA/OC, people actually know how to drive in traffic.  We can have a car every 50 feet in every lane and still be moving at 60 mph.

Absolutely.  I grew up outside of Philly, but have been in SoCal for 12 years.  Whenever I go back to the east coast I realize I've forgotten again just how AWFUL east coasters are at driving in traffic on the freeway.  LA drivers can maintain 60 mph traffic with something like 2-3x as many cars on the road as D.C., Philly, NYC, or Boston drivers.

Side streets is the opposite, with much worse driving out here than back east.  And in the rain.  If 2 drops of rain fall, everyone in LA starts acting like they're driving with slick tires made of teflon and can't go faster than 10 mph...

[LuciusWooding]

Originally Posted by newtogolf

It's an acquired taste, I personally refuse to take my vehicle into Manhatten as the chances of escaping without a new scratch, dent or bump are close to zero with the way the taxi cabs drive.

If driving in NY is a sport, manhattan is the super bowl. The farther west on LI you get, the worse everything is. Upstate driving is usually emptier, but no better if there are people.

On the plus side, once you've learned to drive here, you can drive anywhere and never be surprised. But I still take the LIRR and subway over my car in the city, and I don't make a habit of going often.

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by mdl

This point is so obvious.  The Prius looks distinctive, so when one is driving in a way you don't like, you notice both "a**hole driver" and "Prius".  If it's just an a**hole driver in some more generic looking car, you just get pissed in the moment but have no idea a day later exactly what car it was.  If a Prius near you is driving totally normally, you don't notice it at all, just like you don't notice ANY car near you driving normally unless it's some ferrari or whatever.

Also might have something to do with your internal biases.  When I'm down in SD I only notice the giant (often raised) trucks driven by huge a**holes.  But then I'm biased towards looking down on guys who buy ridiculously huge trucks that will never be used for anything that requires anything bigger than a Vespa with a side surf rack, so I probably remember the a**hole overly large truck drivers more than the a**hole generic sedan or Prius drivers.  Maybe you're biased towards assuming Prius drivers are pansy stoner hippies "off in their own world" who you can look down on?

Exactly.  Maybe the thread should be titled "I Hate A-hole Drivers, And I Sometimes Happen To Notice That They Are Driving Prius' But Maybe Sometimes They Aren't But When That Is The Case I Don't Notice The Car So I Guess I Should Apologize To Prius Owners For Generalizing, But Not All Prius Owners Because Some Of You Are, In Fact, A-hole Drivers."  I don't know ... doesn't have quite the same ring to it.

Speaking of people who drive noticeable cars; I saw a really nice white BMW 650i (according to cars.com the cheapest base model is 90k!!!) pulling out of a Wal-Mart parking lot yesterday.  Huh??

Originally Posted by newtogolf

It's an acquired taste, I personally refuse to take my vehicle into Manhatten as the chances of escaping without a new scratch, dent or bump are close to zero with the way the taxi cabs drive.

Yeah, and I should also clarify that the few times I have driven there I have not had to deal with street parking.  That, by itself, would make me crazier than the actual driving.

[Beachcomber]

I laughed out loud today... And literally thought of this thread...

I was pulling out of Starbucks parking lot today... To turn left... I'm stopped at the stop sign and there is no one coming from the left or right... But directly across the street was a car facing me - a Prius.  The Prius just pulled up and was at it's own stop sign.  No blinker.  Just sitting there.  I wasn't sure if I should turn left - because I was afraid the person in the Prius was going to turn right - and then I would hit them.  So I hesitate for a few seconds with my left turn signal on.  Then I grew frustrated and went - hoping that the jerk without their turn signal across the way would see me and not turn into my front passenger fender / door side.

As I'm pulling out - the Prius starts to turn right - again with no signal... So I just accelerated and kind of moved to the left of center to avoid them.  Thankfully no traffic was coming either way... So it was a pretty safe move.  But again... I just laughed because I immediately thought of this thread.

[LuciusWooding]

Originally Posted by Beachcomber

I laughed out loud today... And literally thought of this thread...

I was pulling out of Starbucks parking lot today... To turn left... I'm stopped at the stop sign and there is no one coming from the left or right... But directly across the street was a car facing me - a Prius.  The Prius just pulled up and was at it's own stop sign.  No blinker.  Just sitting there.  I wasn't sure if I should turn left - because I was afraid the person in the Prius was going to turn right - and then I would hit them.  So I hesitate for a few seconds with my left turn signal on.  Then I grew frustrated and went - hoping that the jerk without their turn signal across the way would see me and not turn into my front passenger fender / door side.

As I'm pulling out - the Prius starts to turn right - again with no signal... So I just accelerated and kind of moved to the left of center to avoid them.  Thankfully no traffic was coming either way... So it was a pretty safe move.  But again... I just laughed because I immediately thought of this thread.

Did he shout fore? Did you hit your tee shot at him at the next intersection, or throw his ball into the lake?

[misty_mountainhop]

Can't really comment on the Prii(???) in California but re. bad driving, has anyone ever driven in Malta? Even worse, ever driven in Malta's capital, Valetta? The worrying thing is that after a week there with a hire car, you end up driving as madly as the locals. One of my favourite driving episodes there was seeing people drive on the wrong carriageway (because "it's in the shade") and ducking out the way of oncoming traffic as late as possible.

Neopolitans apparently drive like lunatics as well although I haven't had the dubious pleasure of experiencing that.

Was told that Madeirans are the best drivers in the world by a local - if you've seen some of the precipices either side of the roads there, together with some of blind bends, you'd appreciate this local's comment that, as a Madeiran, you're either the best...or dead.

[phillyk]

Ok, I need clarification.  What constitutes being a good driver?  Is it a flawless record, meaning no accidents or tickets or police encounters?  Is it being able to weave into and out of traffic without harm?  Or is it driving the speed limit at all times, making smooth transitions and turns?  Or is it all the above being able to adapt to the conditions which are necessary?

It seems that there will be "good drivers" with a bad police record and "bad drivers" without one.  So how do you determine the difference?

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by misty_mountainhop

Can't really comment on the Prii(???) in California but re. bad driving, has anyone ever driven in Malta? Even worse, ever driven in Malta's capital, Valetta? The worrying thing is that after a week there with a hire car, you end up driving as madly as the locals. One of my favourite driving episodes there was seeing people drive on the wrong carriageway (because "it's in the shade") and ducking out the way of oncoming traffic as late as possible.

Neopolitans apparently drive like lunatics as well although I haven't had the dubious pleasure of experiencing that.

Was told that Madeirans are the best drivers in the world by a local - if you've seen some of the precipices either side of the roads there, together with some of blind bends, you'd appreciate this local's comment that, as a Madeiran, you're either the best...or dead.

No, but this reminds me that I have driven through Tuscany once.  Through the countryside and on their freeways (whatever they are actually called) was heavenly.  Everybody there actually follows the rules that make driving go smoother for all - only pass on the left, and don't drive on the left unless you are passing.

On the other hand, it was pretty nerve wracking trying to drive through towns.  Not so much the other drivers as it is the streets that are a pain.  In Siena, right after picking up the rental, I pulled up to a stop sign or light, and I don't remember exactly, but it was something like a 7 or 8 way intersection.  Talk about anxiety.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by Beachcomber

As I'm pulling out - the Prius starts to turn right - again with no signal... So I just accelerated and kind of moved to the left of center to avoid them.  Thankfully no traffic was coming either way... So it was a pretty safe move.  But again... I just laughed because I immediately thought of this thread.

I think they were afraid of using the extra electricity to operate their blinker lights.

[Leftygolfer]

I don't hate the car, I just hate the attitude of the drivers.  Buddy, you really aren't saving the earth.  I love saving something, and thats called money and thats all your doing.  It makes me kind of want one.  But I associate arrogant people with that car so I couldn't do it.

[dak4n6]

Originally Posted by Leftygolfer

I don't hate the car, I just hate the attitude of the drivers.  Buddy, you really aren't saving the earth.  I love saving something, and thats called money and thats all your doing.  It makes me kind of want one.  But I associate arrogant people with that car so I couldn't do it.

If 50% of people drove hybrids or alternate fuel cars, the demand for oil would be significantly lower, as would emissions, and wouldn't that count as 'earth saving'?

BTW, it's not really the earth we need to save, it's us. The earth will recover relatively quickly after we have destroyed ourselves.

[mchepp]

I am not going to try and defend bad drivers, and the Prius is a bit of a special category because there are so many of them. That being said, I recently bought a Nissan Leaf. It is all electric so not a hybrid, but it is a slightly higher powered golf cart. So when attempting to reach cruising speed on the freeway it is going to take us a while. I usually realize this and try my best to get out of the way of drivers like the OP as not to upset them, but the reality is sometimes it cannot be avoided.

I get to use the carpool lane but I have yet to use it much because I don't want to hold up traffic. Traveling in the Leaf over 70 is a MAJOR battery killer. 60 is really the max that you should go, that is too slow for the carpool lane so I rarely travel in it.

So on behalf of us slow alternative car drivers, I apologize for our slow driving.

P.S. Some of the things you mentioned, like no crossing traffic like a lunatic I cannot apologize for. Mostly I am apologizing for the slow acceleration and slow driving on the freeway.

Hope this makes you feel better.

[jamo]

I've never driven a Prius (nor do I find their drivers to be particularly bad), but I have to say I love the commercial. Without even thinking I hum it every time it comes on. [VIDEO]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_M8aCqmHr3o[/VIDEO] [quote name="mchepp" url="/t/62597/i-hate-priuses-or-prii-or-whatever/30_30#post_781843"]I am not going to try and defend bad drivers, and the Prius is a bit of a special category because there are so many of them. That being said, I recently bought a Nissan Leaf. It is all electric so not a hybrid, but it is a slightly higher powered golf cart. So when attempting to reach cruising speed on the freeway it is going to take us a while. I usually realize this and try my best to get out of the way of drivers like the OP as not to upset them, but the reality is sometimes it cannot be avoided.  [/quote] I know this is kind of off-topic, but how do you like the Leaf? (Maybe if you reply, a PM would be best.)

[Lihu]

If 50% of people drove hybrids or alternate fuel cars, the demand for oil would be significantly lower, as would emissions, and wouldn't that count as 'earth saving'? BTW, it's not really the earth we need to save, it's us. The earth will recover relatively quickly after we have destroyed ourselves.

Yes, the earth is 4 billion years old, gone through 5 mass extinctions over 400 million years. What's a million years give or take? Also noteworthy, is that there are not too many materials like petroleum based plastics. Starch based ones are really not as good. Golf balls made from those would really be bad.

[BuckeyeNut]

My daily driver has a HEMI.........I figure I'm OK until Obama policies double current gas prices.

[Clambake]

I thought of this thread again this morning driving into work.    In my 35 mile drive, I saw 3 different examples of egregiously bad and dangerous driving.   The first was a woman running a 3-way stop just a block from my house; she was driving a new Prius with dealer plates.  Didn't even slow down for the stop sign.    A little later a guy slashed across 4 lanes of traffic on the freeway to exit at the last second, leaving a trail of cars slamming on brakes to avoid hitting him.   He was driving a jacked-up Ford F150.      Further up the freeway the traffic ground to a a halt and crawled for a mile until we came upon the scene of a prior accident, where the cars were now on the side of the road.    One was a Chevy Malibu with the trunk bashed in, and the other was a car with the front end smashed up, obviously the one that did the rear-ending.    It was a Prius.     So just on today's drive, 2 out the 3 examples of dangerous driving were a Prius.       My opinion remains unchanged!

[iacas]