Prius -- not a car for the fragile male ego

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ghostofjk @ Jun 19 2006, 04:46 PM) [snapback]273680[/snapback]</div>

The Prius is a car. Not a 'girlie car', or a 'lesbian car', but just a car. If anybody wants to say that it is, or that the male ego is fragile, I suppose that is their choice.

Yes, it is a hybrid car. That does not automagically identify it with any sex or sexual preference. But then there are those that think that a 'real man' must have a muscle car or a sports car. Having owned a muscle car in the past, I can say that it did not make me feel any more 'manly'. Faster, maybe. Ticketed more often, yes, I have to admit that. But not more manly.

 

The way I look at it, good old economics will eventually dictate who buys and drives emerging high fuel-efficiency technologies and push the question of, "how do I look driving this car?" or the statement, "That's not a man's car!" further into the back seat.

Far too many people live right on the edge of their financial capabilities and exist in a situation where one burp could send them into the abyss. Holding on to a low efficiency vehicle because of its looks, or because of the way they PERCEIVE they look in the driver's seat may be the very thing that brings down the house of cards.

My question: Does image eclipse the potential loss of material gains accumulated through hard work over many years? At what point will a man (or woman) say, "You know, I really love my truck (or SUV) but I can't go on paying $75 or $100 every time I fill up. This is insane and it's getting to the point where I can't pay my other bills. I need to get a car with better fuel mileage - one of those hybrids that gets 50 miles per gallon, maybe. I don't like how they look, with that funky rear end, and I wouldn't have been caught dead driving one a year ago, but hey, I have to get more efficient if I'm going to survive."

To me, the answer is plain and simple. The survivors are going to have to get more efficient - much more efficient - if they want to prosper in the future. That's going to be the issue, not whether a man or a woman looks better in this car or that.

 

Driving a prius leaves me with more money for firearms. Funny..people see me driving a Prius with an http://www.ar15.com license plate frame and do double-takes.

 

Seems to me that more than 1/2 of the identifiable PCers are NOT female--or maybe they just type butch...

Well, and there are lotsa Prius hackers, which IS a predominantly male avocation...

 

A car for those of us who are not insecure about our masculinity.....now a Beetle on the other hand....

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DougSlug @ May 28 2006, 10:41 AM) [snapback]262020[/snapback]</div>

I have seen about 5 Prius's in my area and 4 drivers were guys. In my case we have 2 daily drivers. My wife takes the Prius to work every other day. Today I have it. All 4 of the men drivers were well dressed like sales people maybe.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Capt132 @ Jun 21 2006, 06:11 AM) [snapback]274599[/snapback]</div>

My wife and I had the best (and mulitple) sex we have had in months the night of the day I got my Prius...coincidence? I think not.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(powrfuel @ Jun 21 2006, 09:19 AM) [snapback]274602[/snapback]</div>

Not in the car, I hope!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(larkinmj @ Jun 21 2006, 06:25 AM) [snapback]274607[/snapback]</div>

Yes. We were testing the reclining abilty of the seats...lovely

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DougSlug @ May 28 2006, 09:41 AM) [snapback]262020[/snapback]</div>

Here in LA most seem to be drive by men.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(bee13 @ Jun 20 2006, 02:16 PM) [snapback]274160[/snapback]</div>

Sorry, but that paragraph (especially the final statement) is nothing short of hilarious. Gas prices are trivial to anyone who doesn't spend 40 hours a week flipping burgers... not to mention the fact that there are much better looking cars with comparable mileage. There are several cars that make me laugh when I see a guy driving them, especially the Prius and the mazda Miata.


edit: Oh and for the guy talking about his "dojo" and wanting to "spar" answer one question for me... how well do your fists work against a .40 caliber hand gun from 5 yards away?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Explorer Limited @ Jun 21 2006, 12:14 PM) [snapback]274681[/snapback]</div>

Seeing ppl drive in Explorers makes me laugh too. We are all entitled to our opinions. What's your point?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ScottY @ Jun 21 2006, 12:19 PM) [snapback]274684[/snapback]</div>

The topic of the thread is other people's opinions of the Prius, especially concerning men driving them... I know more than a few people who find it odd when they see a guy driving a Prius. Oddly enough, the ones who find it to be funnier happen to be girls even though you would expect guys to be more judgmental of vehicles.


Edit: ...and I'm sure you probably think you save a lot more money on gas than I do, when the truth is I have a company card that pays for 100% of my gas

 

Shoot, that's it--if we all get someone else to pay for the gas, it'll never run out. How can we have missed that? Give ol' Limited a Nobel or something for figuring out the answer to supplying fuel for our kids and grandkids. Dang. I wish I'd'a thoughta that! Who needs dinosaurs anyway?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Explorer Limited @ Jun 21 2006, 12:23 PM) [snapback]274687[/snapback]</div>

hey, at least my emission is a lot cleaner! B)

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Rufaro @ Jun 21 2006, 12:45 PM) [snapback]274696[/snapback]</div>

You're aware there's still enough oil on this planet to supply the entire world for centuries to come right? And as techniques for retreiving oil are developed and refined more oil becomes obtainable. They don't include oil in 'reserve' figures if it is so far below the surface of the earth that the price to obtain it would be astronomical... methods for drilling into the earth are always advancing and soon enough they will be retreiving oil from places that were once thought to be impossible to reach. By the time we run out of oil everyone will be in a hydrogen powered car... if not some sort of flying vehicle B)

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Rufaro @ Jun 21 2006, 12:45 PM) [snapback]274696[/snapback]</div>

I'd be careful about using the word "shoot" in response to a guy who boasts about having a handgun!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Rufaro @ Jun 21 2006, 12:45 PM) [snapback]274696[/snapback]</div>

Good answer...LOL

 

I took mine to the sprint car dirt races in Bakersfiesd a few weeks ago. I got a front line parking place among all the jacked up trucks and suv's. My brothers were kinda embarassed to ride in it to the races, and kinda slunk down to not be recognized. It was no big deal, though I expected some hassles from the truckey crowd.

 

My "fragile" male ego gets a boost from owning and driving a Prius. And having a sexy wife riding with me makes it all the better.