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Prius victim mentality

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by Marlin, May 29, 2007.

  1. Marlin

    Marlin New Member

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    I've noticed that many Prius owners here on PriusChat, upon getting their new Prius, seem to think that the whole world is out to get them. It's like you all need to feel like a victim in order to be a part of the Prius club.

    Get over yourselves.

    People are not tail gating you more because you have a Prius; rather its because you are finally traveling the speed limit. People are not cutting you off more because you have a Prius; rather its because you are no longer tailgating the car in front of you and are leaving a nice inviting space for someone to pull into. SUVs are not tail gating you any more than they do any other car. In fact SUVs are not tail gating you more than sedans are tail gating you. It's just a lot more noticable and intimidating to see an SUV grill in your rear view mirror than what you see when a little BMW is tail gating you. People are not glaring at you any more than they were before. People are not jealous of you.

    You are just desperately looking for someone to slight you so you can defend your Prius' honor.

    Get over yourselves.
     
  2. natureboy9

    natureboy9 New Member

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    You don't live in East Texas. I've hypermiled and driven a small car for years. There are 10 times more large vehicles on the road in Texas than in the North East. Having lived in several parts of the country I can see why (as the guys who cut me off, ride my nice person and flip me off would call you) a "yankee" would think some of us are searching for "victimhood" you don't live in the dirty south. We've got secrets down here and one big one is our hospitality is a passive aggressive front for hate and mistrust of anything "difernt".

    Sorry to everybody who was showing passive restraint by not responding to this taunt. I'm just not that kind of guy.
     
  3. Marlin

    Marlin New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(natureboy9 @ May 29 2007, 12:20 PM) [snapback]451468[/snapback]</div>
    So, in your years of driving small (non-Prius) cars, were you never tail gated and cut off?

    My point is that there are a lot of posts here from people who seem to think the world is out to get them because they own a Prius. It is mostly in their heads.

    And just in case you think I'm a Prius basher or something, you should know that I own two of them and I'm quite happy with them. I've had one for over two years and the other for almost two years.
     
  4. tanglefoot

    tanglefoot Whee!

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    I agree about the part that we should not believe people are out to get us.

    We should just relax---we are driving more or less the same thing as everyone else.

    We should continue this ethic and not make disparaging remarks to or about those who are driving vehicles that are not fuel efficient.

    Also, tailgating, aggressive passing, and other behavoir should not be interpreted as insult. I've ridden with people who drive like this. They're often happy, well-meaning, good people who just happen to tailgate and drive aggressively.

    We should also take gestures and comments lightly and not personally. It could just be someone having fun. If the need arises to have a discussion, we should allow everyone to have their opinion, acknowlege it, and not be disparaging or confrontational.

    I respect freedom of expression, but I'm a little wary about displaying opinionated or political, or environmental stickers. They can bring out unfavorable behaviors, which are not something you want when you're in your car. I like to personalize, but I stopped at a Hawaiian honu turtle and a sticker of Stitch.
     
  5. Charles Suitt

    Charles Suitt Senior Member

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    :huh: This OP has the 'flavor' of a troll.
     
  6. slair

    slair Ubër Senior Member

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    lol. Now we're turning on ourselves. What have the gas prices done?!

    brainwashed

    If people are tailgating you, breakcheck. If your getting cut off, find your gas peddle and cut them off.

    You drive a car too, just because yours is superior in every way to theirs (options, MPG, etc.) dosent mean you have to take $h!t from everyone else. Stand up for yourself insted of going on the internet and crying about it.
     
  7. Marlin

    Marlin New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Charles Suitt @ May 29 2007, 12:41 PM) [snapback]451484[/snapback]</div>
    Nope, just someone who has read one too many "people yelled at me because I drive a Prius", "People tail gate me because I drive a Prius", or "People cut me off because I drive a Prius" posts.

    Seriously, there are a lot of "The world is out to get me because I drive a Prius" type of posts on this board.

    It's getting quite nauseating.
     
  8. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    Marlin,

    I agree and disagree with you. Yes there seems to be a lot of these kinds of posts but I completely disagree that there are no people on the highway who show a bit more attitude to Prius drivers. Just like in every day life, if you look like a tree-hugger you will elicite stares or open scorn from NRA members or devout "Neocons" or Raider's fans etc. Do you assume this will not happen on a freeway when people are notoriously at their worst due to annonymity?

    If you drive a Prius you ARE generally labeled as "different" by most people. IE they automatically assume you are a tree-huggin', dirt worshiper. That has been my experience anyway.
     
  9. pingman

    pingman New Member

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    Seriously, there are a lot of "The world is out to get me because I drive a Prius" type of posts on this board.

    It's getting quite nauseating.
    [/quote]

    so leave then or remain quiet!
     
  10. Marlin

    Marlin New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(pingman @ May 29 2007, 01:10 PM) [snapback]451507[/snapback]</div>
    I seem to have hit a nerve. Particularly among the under-a-handful-of-posts crowd.
     
  11. RobertG

    RobertG New Member

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    Do not attribute as malice what can be explained as ignorance.

    We want to take offense when someone seems to ignore the rules of polite merging and insists on going ahead of you. It's happened to me twice in the past two weeks. I didn't see either instance in any way related to the type of car I was driving.
     
  12. livelychick

    livelychick Missin' My Prius

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(F8L @ May 29 2007, 01:00 PM) [snapback]451502[/snapback]</div>
    Hey--I'm a tree hugger AND a Raiders fan! Cut me some slack! :p
     
  13. carleric

    carleric New Member

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    "Particularly among the under-a-handful-of-posts crowd."
    Ah, yes. That tired old newsgroup idea that, because I'm new here, my opinion counts for less.....<sigh>
    Sorry that I only bought my Prius recently. I only recently arrived at a financial place in my life that the Prius was an option.....
     
  14. tanglefoot

    tanglefoot Whee!

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    Don't worry about it.....someone's just in a mid-life crisis. :D

    *runs away really fast, screaming, waving arms in the air*
     
  15. lupin..the..3rd

    lupin..the..3rd New Member

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    Many people are just bad, careless, jackass drivers. Guess what? Those same people are careless jackasses in person too! You just get the opportunity to see it first hand when you're on the road.

    They are not tailgating or cutting you off more than anyone else. Those types of drivers are doing it to everyone on the road, that's just how they are. They act with no regard for anyone else around them.
     
  16. pingman

    pingman New Member

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    i used to get angry when other people race by me when i had my 05 tacoma with K&N intake Magnaflow exhaust 20 inch wheels getting like 15 MPG the way i used to drive. Now i just laugh when then they are still at the next red light when i roll up getting 51 miles per gallon :lol:
     
  17. tanglefoot

    tanglefoot Whee!

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    hmmm Okay, I'm ready to do some nerve-striking too now. <_<
     
  18. Marlin

    Marlin New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(carleric @ May 29 2007, 01:29 PM) [snapback]451526[/snapback]</div>
    Actually, I just found it curious that the two who struck out with venom were those with 2 and 11 posts. I would assume that those low post numbers correlate with new Prius ownership. As such, it would seem to lend support to my observation that new Prius owners seem to have a "The world is out to get me because I drive a Prius" mentality.

    Have you ever noticed that when you buy a new car (or decide to buy one) you start seeing that model of car everywhere when you never noticed it before? It's like suddenly thousands of people in your town bought the same car yesterday.

    I think a similar phenomenon happens to many new Prius owners. However, instead of their consiousness being attuned to seeing a particular model of car, they are instead attuned to seeing any insult against the Prius, real or imagined. Because, after all, those other people should be jealous about the Prius.

    And it's all blamed on those big, bad, nasty SUV and pickup truck drivers, who quite frankly probably don't even know or care what a Prius looks like. But we all know that they are all just jealous of Prius drivers and secretly wish they owned one. Or that because it costs them $100 to fill their tank, they're angry at Prius drivers. They're mad at us because they know that we're special.

    Again... Get over yourselves.
     
  19. slair

    slair Ubër Senior Member

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    haha, this thread is halarious. People who stand up for themselves vs. whiney pitty people.

    And now we go after low posters, bwa ha ha ha.
     
  20. Proco

    Proco Senior Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Marlin @ May 29 2007, 01:58 PM) [snapback]451550[/snapback]</div>
    And I find it curious that you've ignored F8L's reasoned & rational response. It appears that, rather than engaging in a dialogue, you'd rather engage in pissing matches.

    That may not be the case, but it certainly looks that way.