Everyone behind me hates me

[PriusOwner004]

Never.

Note, the guy is from New York... I think that explains the other drivers' attitudes. I used to live in NY and if you don't drive exactly like everyone else, you will be subjected to lots of harassment, including being shot at.

Now, I realize why this New Yorker I met a few months ago is averaging 38 mpg. You just have to drive it like it's a race car over there, otherwise.. well read what the OP says...

[priusFTW]

Not I.

[qbee42]

Not any more than with any other car I've owned. Once in a blue moon I'll get someone who is going crazy because the traffic is driving the speed limit, but it's a rare thing.

Tom

[judymcfarland]

I'm with Tony on this one - don't try hypermiling in heavy traffic. Never had a negative reaction.
But where in NY? It's a big state & drivers/attitudes vary widely.

[gazz]

No problem where I live.

[Ichabod]

I've also never felt hate from other drivers that I wouldn't have gotten if I were driving a different car.

I've gotten waves from a few, and I've been approached in parking lots by people with questions about the car. They're usually still friendly half an hour later, after I finish my rant about how much I love driving it!

[daniel]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(frame2finishny @ Sep 6 2007, 08:06 PM) [snapback]508319[/snapback]</div>

Ever since i got my prius i been curst at giving the middle finger had my car spit on and ect.. Why are people in such a rush to get to the red light frist. Has this happend to anyone else.
[/b]

Your comment about other drivers being "in such a rush to get to the red light" makes me suspect that you are "gliding" a lot. There is a saying, that "everyone who drives faster than me is a maniac and everyone who drives slower than me is an idiot." If you are driving pulse-and-glide or doing long slow coasting in traffic, you will make some people angry.

The MFD gets a lot of Prius drivers going to extreme lengths to post high mpg numbers. This is odd, because in terms of actual gallons of gas saved, extremely conservative driving saves less gas in a Prius than it would in a conventional car. For some reason, driving a car that burns half as much gas as any other makes some people want to burn even less yet. But what's worth noting, is that coasting in traffic saves you gas, but causes the cars behind you to burn more gas.

And one final note: While most of the time driving slowly will get you where you're going at the same time, there will be a small but finite percentage of the times when it causes you (or the car behind you!) to miss a green light and be held back. You may not care, but when this happens, you (and the car behind you!) loose a minute or two. Small, yes, but this kind of driving does cost cars behind you time.

Be courteous: If there are cars behind you, drive with the flow of traffic where safe. Use your P&G and/or coasting to lights when there's nobody behind you.

And to answer your question, I've never had negative or angry signals from other drivers. Most people see the Prius as just another car. Now, when I drive my Xebra (which is almost always) I get tons of positive reactions, and it's a lot slower than my Prius is. The Xebra will not work for everyone, but if 40 mph and a 40-mile range (with added batteries) will work for you, consider switching. Then you'll really see happy faces looking at you. (And curious ones as well.)

[hill]

How long have you had your Prius? Interesting 1st post. What part of NY are you driving in. If down town, why not take the subway, and see if the folks in the car behind you are doing it. It may be unrelated to the Prius :P

[MegansPrius]

I also have never had negative reactions from other drivers specific to the Prius. The same idiots in SUVs or beaters will still zoom up and tailgate just like they did when I drove a Subaru Outback; I don't even need to pulse and glide to elicit this behavior--evidently these sorts of tailgaters suffer from some kind of separation anxiety.

We have had friendly inquiries from people (a neighbor when parking and a cop who pulled alongside) regarding what kind of mileage we get and whether we like the car.

[Delta Flyer]

I've had nasty tailgaters, but I've gotten rid of at least 95% of them by doing one thing:

Turn on the emergency flashers as they approach.


Then generally "get it" and pass - I'm happy - they are happy.