obchuck

I just typed a long rant that was erased when I mistakenly pushed the back button on my browser. Now I'm too lasy to type it over. Long and short of it, I see Priuses EVERYWHERE (I live in Bay Area, Ca) and all I can think of is the South Park episode where all Prius owners are so content w/themselves, feeling high & mighty (STEREOTYPE ALERT!!! ) Maybe it's just because I always pull up behind them on the freeway and they never seem to move over to let me pass. I can hear them now behind the wheel cursing my excessive speed and therefore "inefficient" oil consuption. I'm part of the problem, they're the solution!! Don't get me wrong, I'm all for saving mother earth - very much so. I just shudder to think of what the world would be like if we all are forced to drive around soulless (spelling?) golf carts as opposed to our wonderful, historic, iconic, passionate 993s!!

I guess I had a bit of rant left in me

As always, no intent to offend...

Toddimus

+1

I wrote a similar rant email to all of my friends a few months ago.

John Velasco

I am with you bruder….. I only bought the most inefficient auto I could find to be a selfish *** in the car pool lane as a single person. The cost of building this thing was far higher then building a normal gas auto. And think of the disposal cost…. (Honda Highbred Golf Cart),

jv

Joe S.

Smug alert! That SP episode was hilarious!

2Many Cars

Well I might as well fess up. My wife drives a Prius. Just to show you that the stereotype doesn't always apply she isn't trying to save the Earth but rather likes the fact that she fills up the tank half as often and enjoys the 15+ minutes she saves on the Bay Bridge everyday thanks to her carpool sticker. I must say I'm quite impressed with the technology of her car, if you haven't driven one you should, they're pretty neat. As to her (and her Prius driving friends) not pulling over, I'm afraid she'd do that regardless of what she drove and how many times I tell her to pay attention. There are a number of cars out there that you generally don't want to get behind: Honda Accords, old Toyota Cellicas, Chrysler anythings, etc., that seem to always be too slow so I guess you can add the Prius to the list. I for one am glad she has the Prius because it pulls our average fuel consumption (with a 993, an Aston and V-12 E-Type in the motor pool) almost to a reasonable level. Less gas for her is more gas for me!

luvmy356

When I'm not in my P-cars I drive a Toyota Hybrid. The Prius wasn't big enough for our family, so I have a Highlander Hybrid. It seats all 6 of us and the dog, perfect for the mountain passes and skiing, has awesome acceleration (0-60 in 7 sec) and we usually get about 28mpg in town. Our Hybrid as well as our Biodiesel powered MB wagon allows me to offset my impact on the enviroment when cold starting the RS and the MFI is dumping extra fuel to the motor, or when I'm taking my other old cars on a drive to nowhere. Its also nice to get more than twice the MPG of our previous family hauler.

I agree that most Hybrid drivers like to go slow to maximize their MPG, but there are plenty of other cars that go slow in the fast lane as well.

I always laugh at the rightous tree hugger that drives a Prius. If they were seriously passionate about the environment, they shouldn't drive any kind of car as they are still burning fossil fuels. But the funniest are those that drive a beat up old Toyota or Volvo with a bunch of save the enviornment bumper stickers, and are blowing out smoke when they drive as their car has worn valve guides or rings.

Butzi

They're all over my neighborhood...even my tenant just bought one, the same day my 993 was delivered. I guess there's my offset!

Toddimus

I agree, not all Prius drivers suck. But SOME of them sure do! Being an engineer, I also agree that the technology is pretty cool.

You don't want to get behind one playing the video game of trying to keep the average MPG high. The reason they don't see our headlights flashing them to move over is that they're staring at the MPG display on the dash. I guess that means you don't want one of them right behind you either. They might not see your brake lights either!

In the bay area it seems like its the "hog the carpool lane because I've got a sticker and I can hybrid cars" and minivans that really clog things up. Don't get stuck behind a minivan. It really sucks.

Ah, don't get me started on other drivers. How can people drive cars that are so sloppy?

Just wait until they come out with automatic braking systems that brake for you when you get too close to cars in front of you. At first it seems like a great safety idea, but you know some will become dependent on it and consequently pay even less attention to their driving. Have you seen the new Volvo S80 commercial? This is just one small step away from this auto braking feature.

Just like George Carlin says (poorly quoted here, but it goes something like this): "You ever notice that you're the only one driving the right speed? The rest are either f^#%ing maniacs driving too fast or they're d*&n morons going to slowly." Can't you just hear him saying this?

f8vr993

I was thinking of buying one as replacement for my daily car...

jangobox

They are everywhere in the DC metro area. I hated the Prius too until I bought one to commute in. They're such babe magnets! I drive on average 25000 miles a year just commuting to work. I get about 450 miles per fill up and spend about 14 dollars to fill it up. I commute with the wife to work in the express lanes in it. It easily does 80 to 85 mph. Best money I ever spent plus, Uncle Sam gave me $3500 back just for buying it.

95 C4 993

+1

From an environment standpoint, its a great car. As for a person like me with my lifestyle, it isnt my cup of tea.

People just need to get off the road , work out of the house like me, and quit smogging up my air!

TD in DC

As you know, a lot of the people who buy priuses in the DC area don't give a rat's *** about the environment. They buy it solely to qualify for access to HOV and commuter lanes. As such, many around here drive a Prius in a way that totally negates the benefits that a Prius has to offer. In fact, I think I have only seen one prius being driven as it "should" be driven. The even funnier part is that I have seen many, many cases of Prius "road rage" There is nothing funnier than a raging prius owner. It reminds me of an angry kitten or child.

Now now, I will give you your pacifier back . . .

The car itself is fine (I like the Lexus hybrids better). It is many, but not all, of the drivers that bug me. Here is an e-mail that I sent to a few friends awhile back (based on a true story):

"Don't Go Back To Rockville"

2002 Porsche 911 Targa = $105,000

Accelerating Spiritedly With Top Down Along Montrose Road = $10 Gas

Thinking quickly enough to respond to nasty comment by snotty woman in Prius at a red light by calmly saying with a serious demeanor: "Why yes, having personally funded the planting of 5 million trees in the Brazilian Rainforst last year, I am actually carbon negative, thank you for asking." = Priceless

I may go to hell, but the look on her face truly was worth a little lie

I "think" she may have actually believed me

cabrio993

Move to Georgia and you won't feel as bad. I feel that I drive a very eco-friendly car when all of the other ones next to me are huge trucks and SUV's runing big block V8's. Priuses are used here as golf carts.

Boeing 717

The prius is the biggest POS ive ever seen and to all those arrogant greenpeacers who snub their noses at the rest of us for driving real cars you are sorly mislead into thinking that you are saving the earth by driving that thing read this youll get a kick out of it.....turns out a hummer is more energy conservative over the life of the car...

http://clubs.ccsu.edu/recorder/edito...asp?NewsID=188

JERRY

Boeing 717

Oh yea one more thing #$% you Al Gore!!


JERRY