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Prius driver demographics?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by AJP, Jan 25, 2012.

  1. AJP

    AJP Member

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    I know there are several threads on demographics, but I've I've been studying Prii drivers of late, and have noticed one interesting trend: 90% seem to be single occupants. I see people whipping around town in their Prii with no passengers in the front or back. Age and gender seems to have no bearing (all over the map), although I would say the majority of the drivers are male. Pine Mica and Driftwood are seem to be the most popular colors in PA with only one Spectra/Blue Ribbon sighting (my favorite color, I would have died for it). Nor have I ever seen a Prius at a gas station pump. Hmmm...wonder what that means. ;)

    Anyway, just curious if the "single occupant" thing rings true for other states/areas as well?
     
  2. kornkob

    kornkob New Member

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    It's notable that absent some sort of methodology that controls for it, confirmation bias (observations confirming a conclusion that one has already come to consciously or unconsciously) is a powerful force. The human brain is fully capable of helping you not notice multiple occupancy cars.

    That being said it seems likely that *most* cars in the US are driven for a majority of their mileage with a single occupant making the occupancy of the Priuses you see not terribly unusual.

    To determine how 'serious' a problem single occupant Priuses is, you'd have to include some sort of comparison to other cars.
     
  3. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    How does this differ from other vehicles?
     
  4. GrumpyCabbie

    GrumpyCabbie Senior Member

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    lol I was gonna ask that one too. Saying that, I don't think I have ever seen a woman drive a Prius and I must see loads of Prii every day. Most seem to be driven by retired men with beards which is a rather worrying trend ;)
     
  5. xpcman

    xpcman Senior Member

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    In the SF Bay Area there are so many Prius cars on the road that there is no single demographic that you can identify. It's so common to see two or three at a stop light that I don't even keep track anymore. I have seen three of the same color traveling in the same direction. Silver is the predominate color in California.
     
  6. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    well, i fit the profile, although, i keep pulling over and asking random people if i can give them a lift, but strangely, no takers.:confused:
     
  7. kornkob

    kornkob New Member

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    I respectfully submit the 'free candy' sign on the door is not helping your success rate.
     
  8. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    right. i should start charging?:p
     
  9. Britprius

    Britprius Senior Member

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    Maybe there's some truth in the saying older but wiser.
     
  10. GrumpyCabbie

    GrumpyCabbie Senior Member

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    lol, that means you're retired and have a beard doesn't it? :D

    To add balance I saw a rather nice 20 something blonde woman in a black gen2 today. I don't have a beard either but unfortunately a lot of the Prius drivers I see are more like Noel Edmunds clones than human beings ;).
     
  11. Britprius

    Britprius Senior Member

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    Wright on one count, sorry no beard.
     
  12. steelcityuk

    steelcityuk Junior Member

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    The wife drives mine but usually when I'm with her. Neither of us has beards!
     
  13. ItsNotAboutTheMoney

    ItsNotAboutTheMoney EditProfOptInfoCustomUser Title

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    Some people would say that since you're a man driving a Prius your wife is your beard.

    Fortunately, since those people are unlikely to own a Prius it dramatically reduces the neanderthal ratio in the Prius demographics.
     
  14. oldasdust

    oldasdust Member

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    Depends on the day here. Weekdays single occupants middle age. Weekends and holidays 2 or more and older. Beards yep you got me .Dress me in red and santa is driving ,unless i let Mrs. Claus drive, then i grab the dash close my eyes and hold on.
     
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  15. redrockprius

    redrockprius redrockprius

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    Well, I'm one of those old retired, bearded, Prius drivers. However, there are two other Prius owners/drivers in my extended family: my ex-wife and a cousin, both of whom are women and beardless.
     
  16. sdtundra

    sdtundra Senior Member

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    22 year old FF/EMT soon to be Paramedic. No beard.
     
  17. El Dobro

    El Dobro A Member

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    No beard, but I do wear glasses.
     
  18. AussieOwner

    AussieOwner Active Member

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    I see far more women driving than men. I am definitely seeing more Prii in Sydney than I have over the last few years, but nearly everyone of them is being driven by a woman.

    Snap!! Even my children are starting to call me santa, and my missus is definitely a lead foot - absolutely ruins the good fuel figures that I try to build up.:mad:
     
  19. sidecar

    sidecar Member

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    wow!
    we dont even have stop lights :)
    but silver is common here too
     
  20. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    We don't have stop lights either. Well, wait a minute, we do have *one* stop light at the other end of the county. I can go see it if I am willing to drive for 40 minutes.

    As for silver, it was the most popular color. Why was it the most popular color? Because Toyota made more silver Prius than any other color. It was a chicken and the egg sort of thing. Toyota's marketing people determined that silver was the most popular car color, which made it self-fulfilling with the Prius, since they were not made to order.

    Tom