Prius drivers don't get any respect!

Maine is one of those states where going slowly is a way of life for a lot of people. It sounds like Cali isn't. (Maine also happens to be the state with the oldest average age population.) That's not to say, though, that there aren't aggressive yahoos to make driving "interesting." As others here have written, I too have learned to drive the PiP in a much more relaxed manner than I drove previous vehicles - the high mileage and great efficacy is just too persuasive and 63-64 mph is a nice, comfortable speed. And since it is Maine, I can almost always count on coming up on an even slower driver on the interstate OR, conversely, I'll be the slowest but others will slowly draw near from behind and then stay there until we'll be a group of 4-5 cars just tooling along, just fast enough for me to use EV-boost without hammering the accelerator and everyone else in line seemingly content to follow. There's sort of a Zen feel to the experience, in spite of the high-energy aggression just to your left in the passing lane. Oddly enough, a lot of the passing vehicles are Priuses.

 

I drive nearly the same in my PiP, my wife's hybrid pathfinder or Leaf (with slight adjustments to exploit each cars strengths). I also drive in the same manner when in my dad's EcoBoost, or 6.6 Duramax. Not even the leaf attracted the tailgaters and otherwise a**hole drivers that the Prius does. It's hard to fathom.

 

Other drivers usually have no idea that their acceleration phase can eat up more gas than a mile of steady driving. I try to keep my bar in the ECO region during acceleration onto freeways, but even though that's about the same as what the metro trains do, that's not good enough for that Escalade or Navigator or Suburban behind me on the ramp. I say screw 'em if they want to use up precious resources. I wish the DOT would mandate a limit on acceleration in cars. It would sure change car commercials!

 

I've had the reverse effect. I always drove right around 65 mph in my truck so that I would maximize my mileage. Lately I've noticed really poor mileage in the PIP, it seems I'm driving 75+ mph all the time. I do drive very smooth and within the speed limits on city streets and noticed really poor mileage? Seems this all started after the dealer changed out the Catalytic converter. I've got to slow down on the highway to really figure out what's happening.

 

No, it's not just you, lots of people get that. That's why I got the SEMA Launchpoint© Triceratops horns kit. They're only foam rubber, but they look like steel, and *Nobody* cuts in front of me any more. You'll need a weekend and a metric socket kit for the install.

 

Funny you should mention that, because I've occasionally found myself needing to employ the same tactic to prove a point, or just get out of trouble. Even here in the UK, it's not uncommon to find people driving some miniscule econobox wantonly cutting a Prius driver off, just because they perceive the Prius as a "slow electric car"......a.k.a. "Milk Float". The worst situations arise on motorways where while you're comfortably hypermiling at 65mph in the slow lane, some beat up banger of a vehicle, engine straining on its last legs, will strive to catch up with you (this taking quite a while), overtake you (again quite slowly as it really is on its last legs), and then, critically, as soon as they manage to slide (quite dangerously) in front of you, they not only abandon accelerating, but SLOW DOWN to something like 63mph!!!
Seriously, the same vehicle did this to me twice during my last trip up a motorway. This strange person seemed obsessed with ensuring he stayed in front of me. Perhaps he was trying to stage a "Crash for cash" scam. I'm not sure, but the driving style was quite irrational.
When the demented twit driving the old clunker tried to do this again a third time - and crucially, created a potentially very dangerous situation, I decided enough was enough.

There was nothing behind me, so I activated my "electromagnetic retro thrusters" and decelerated out of his view drastically, just as he had painfully slowly drawn level with me once more.

Then, making sure that all three lanes behind me were clear, I lit up full thrust (and torque) from the 67hp electric propulsion system, slid smoothly into the fast lane, and "went to warp speed".
Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of 5 astounded faces rubber necking at the sight of what had hitherto been a sedate red Prius T Spirit, suddenly, and smoothly decelerate, slide across three lanes (there was no traffic behind me), and then, much like an aircraft lighting up its afterburners (but with almost no sound), suddenly, literally leap forward and flash towards the horizon in front of them.
I was crossing into 95mph territory before I eased off the throttle - and seriously, this took barely a few seconds.

Having cleared the group of dangerously bunched together traffic which I strongly suspect included some criminals who were about to stage another "Crash for Cash" scam, and having left them about at least half a mile behind me, I slid back into the slow lane, re-engaged cruise control and continued my fuel sipping journey at 65mph.
Guess what? They stayed put after that. There were no more attempts to catch up with me or overtake me after that little display of "Bat Out Of Hell" acceleration. Perhaps they were shocked and awed. And humbled.

I guess they learned right there and then that the Toyota Prius is NOT really a slow car at all. I was cruising at 65mph only because I wanted to. The look of sheer wide eyed shock on their faces when they saw this "sedate metallic red hump shaped object" first decelerate hard, then suddenly do a hyper-jump and flash towards the horizon was well worth it.

I'm pretty sure from that moment their perceptions of the capabilities of any Toyota Prius were changed forever. I do not normally subject my pride and joy to such extreme speeds, but every once in a while, I am forced to "go to Warp speed". Often to avoid trouble, and once in a blue moon, to humble some demented show off who keeps cutting me off while I'm driving normally. I'm usually given a wide berth after that.

 

...like the kid who's always picked on at recess, finally delivers a blood nose to the bully.