If you thought Prius drivers were slow...

Roflol

I guess when one drives Prius the message is: Look, I care (about environment, gas price, or whatever)

When ones drives Avalon, the message is: Look, I'm retired and in no hurry for anything.[/quote]

 

That's funny..watch out for those avalons !! now you will pass and Avalon and think to yourself" figures"

 

When rolling up to an intersection and there are two lanes to choose from, I most always make a decision on who to stop behind based on the make / model of car and what I see through the rear window:

- Large 2000s sedan of any brand, pick the other lane
- Prius, Leaf, or other hybrid / electic, pick the other lane
- Driver wearing a hat other than a baseball cap, pick the other lane
- Can't see driver's head above the seat, pick the other lane.

 

Boy you sure are in the other lane allot!

 

In a recent review of the new Avalon, Car&Driver's headline was "Something's Shakin' At The Senior Center".....

 

Yup in my neighborhood, if you see a white Toyota sedan in front of you, pick another lane. Doesn't matter if its a Corolla, Camry, or Avalon, you can be sure they will refuse to make a right turn on red even if its legal. Unprotected left turn? Forget about it, just make a right and bust a U-turn instead. If you arrive at a 4 way stop 1 second or even 2 seconds after them, you might as well go unless you want to wave hands. They also drive Lexus ES sedans but the slow ones tend to be beige instead of white.

 

Ok, so its bash the geezers thread that I came across. Just remember that if you don't kill yourself first, you will eventually be a geezer yourself. Some of us enjoy the luxury of a nice drive and therefore are found in the right lane. We drive hybrids for the economy not the sport. Today the world is in such a rush, few can recall being on the road with just half a dozen other drivers. Personally, I prefer the slower speeds and better reaction times. Slow down, enjoy the ride and the view - you'll live longer and have less stress. Besides, I like getting 53 MPG in my 2006 Prius or 44 MPG in my new Avalon Hybrid!

 

While we are on the subject, let us not forget the Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac STS, Ford Crown Vic, and all the other retirement sedans.

 

Wait! You're looking through your REAR window when coming up to an intersection?? Huh?
Ah, ok, maybe you mean the rear window of the car ahead of you, right?

I am usually looking AHEAD, maximizing regenerative braking, and staying in the right or "slow traffic" lane, especially if it has a tractor-trailer. I can keep up with semis! (Usually. Depends on how heavily loaded they are loaded, I guess.)

 

Tractor-trailer drivers care about fuel efficiency. I've found that cruising among the semis I can get by with just D/B modes without using the break pedal at all.

 

Um yea that's what the BMW's and Mercedes drivers do when they pull up behind me... they choose the other lane. That's before I introduce them to the PWR button and make em eat some dust kicked up by this Eneloop-powered 4-banger

 

Gotta watch out for those rocks they kick up thou. Plus you loose sight vision.

Stick with following another Prius'es haha.

 

Agree. On Interstates the tractor-trailer drivers in the right lane seem to drive much more steadily, with gentler acceleration and deceleration. On New Jersey Turnpike in dense traffic the left lane often has accordion-like waves or pulses of traffic that alternate speeds of 70+ with suddent dead stops, and that's nerve-wracking compared to following the slower but steadier semis in the right lane.

 

Are you saying you brake by shifting to "B"? Seems inappropriate use of B. Far as I know, B invokes engine braking, and decreases charging. It's intended to avoid overcharging battery on long downhill grades.

 

The service manager at the dealership was under the impression that engine braking means "motor as a generator" braking. He told me that B mode was the key to exceptional MPG figures.

However, your remarks got me thinking...

Questions about B Mode

This page looks like it comes from an informed point of view.

 

When we test drove ours the salesman mentioned to shift to B on a steep downhill. But as far as I know that's not a good idea, at least not for a short downhill, or as a breaking aid. It's only to prevent a battery getting charged to the point that it refuses to take more charge, and car switches over to conventional braking (with a long downhill still in front of you).

With a typical auto transmission it typically is a good idea, to pick a "low" setting on the shifter, so I can see where the confusion comes in.

 

I find it inconceivable that the Toyota engineers would build a system that could potentially overcharge (and damage) the traction battery. Surely the charging controller disregards excessive charge, or better yet disables regen braking when it's not needed.

That being the case, there would not be any sense in making it the driver's responsibility to use B mode to prevent excess charging.

I think 90% of people working at dealerships know 90% less about the cars they're selling & servicing than do the enthusiasts.

 

It won't overcharge. But it MAY stop charging and leave you using only friction brakes, with a long stretch of downhill still in front of you. The car will resort to engine breaking to some extent, without intervention. B mode just allows you to get the jump on the situation. But in normal conditions it's not warranted

 

Exactly that sequence occurred on multi-mile long down-mountain grades in Rocky Mountains in Utah and Colorado last spring. I had constant moderate brakes applied to maximize regeneration, and the The SOC indicator ramped up to the maximum number of bars, stayed there for a short while, and then it cancelled the regeneration and began engine compression braking, which was a completely different sound (low staccato rumble) and quite noticeable. I cannot remember dash display as was focused on keeping car on road at the time. Since then I have always just used normal braking and depended on that automatic switchover process, but have not had it happen on East Coast terrain.