FINAL WORD TO ALL THE BAD TALK ABOUT PRIUS's

It's more than even that. I suspect many of the people who spread FUD about Priuses and hybrids have never even BEEN in a moving Prius (and gotten a proper demo) based on so much of the misinformation they spew out.

To top of it off, those that criticize the gas mileage of the Prius probably don't calculate their own gas mileage on a regular basis esp. on short city drives.

 

Well...

You are preaching to the choir here...

Have you ever contributed a response (when you can) giving your point of view?

Of course it makes us angry because what they say is not true and we know it. But lots of people are voting with their money to own Prii. It is not like it is an engangered species.

It would be worse if no one noticed. This is a form of flattery reserved for rising stars which is what the Prius is.

Be cool. Life is better that way.

 

One thing that I beg you all to keep in mind is how closed-minded PRIUS drivers can be to such wild ideas as all-electric vehicles. As much disinformation you hear about the Prius from non-Prius folks... multiply that by about 100, and you've got what I deal with in my promotion of EVs.

Right here on these very PC forums, I hear some amazingly inaccurate information regarding EVs. So every time you think about how the "unknowing" like to dis the Prius... please consider how you deal with your own ignorance regarding other forms of transportation. If you expect open minds from others, the least we can do is expect it of ourselves.

This has been a public service announcement from the EVnut.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(darelldd @ Mar 3 2007, 03:20 PM) [snapback]399639[/snapback]</div>

I am very grateful that you a quite a few others use this forum to tell the story accurately and respectfully. I
have learned a lot about EVs and the Prius that I never would have without that. That is a big time contribution!

Sadly there are others who seem to prefer to misinform. I completely agree with the OP. But what good is done by protesting? It just reveals that they got under our skin.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(darelldd @ Mar 3 2007, 08:20 PM) [snapback]399639[/snapback]</div>

Damn your EV propaganda, damn it all to hell!

(If you believe in hell that is.....since this isn't FHOP ).

 

Excuse my pedantism, but PRIUS's what? I thought we've agreed that the plural of Prius is either Prii or Priuses, NEVER Prius's, unless you are speaking of the Prius's wheels, or lines, or engine, or battery, or anything else that "belongs" to the Prius!

(Sorry, but this is one of my pet peeves...)

OK, with that off my chest, I will say that no one has, in my hearing, dared to suggest that I was mistaken to buy a Prius. They may have been thinking it, but I haven't gotten word one of criticism about it. Maybe I've been lucky. Perhaps I will yet experience this from a "friend" in the near future. I think that, if so, I will simply say that I've had no problems, and that I love the car. I cannot predict what will happen if that doesn't end the discussion, but I plan to stay calm and put it down to ignorance and ill-breeding. Smug? You bet!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(darelldd @ Mar 3 2007, 05:20 PM) [snapback]399639[/snapback]</div>

We all know you love it here, Darrell.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(darelldd @ Mar 3 2007, 06:20 PM) [snapback]399639[/snapback]</div>

Darell, I love the EV, too, but am not that knowledgeable about them. Unfortunately, and perhaps I'm ignorant, from a price perspective, I can't afford one. Are there EVs out there that a regular ol' middle class person can afford, and that can haul around a toddler and dog? Just curious.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(micheal @ Mar 3 2007, 07:18 PM) [snapback]399695[/snapback]</div>

I do - it's spelled H2.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DFWPrius @ Mar 3 2007, 05:34 PM) [snapback]399616[/snapback]</div>

Don't take it so personal. It's all relative. Most of bought the Prius because of the obvious fuel mileage increase as compared to a similarly sized automobile. But for someone that fuel costs is not of importance, then the Prius may be "bad" for them. Perhaps they are used to only driving high end BMW's, pickups (for the utility), or SUV's (large interior and heavy trailer capacity). Many of us on this board have no need for high performance, hauling 4 x 8 sheets of sheetrock, or have more than 3 children.

However, I do own other larger vehicles which allow me to run to the big box store and get building supplies when needed or take long trips with the entire family. Ever try to travel more than 5 hours in a Prius with three kids crammed in the back? Doesn't work. However, fortunately, my income level also allows me to own a Prius for the daily commute.

Rick
#4 2006

 

well mis-information is not hard to spread. we frequently take in information, digest it, reformat it, put it in our own words and then regurgitate it.

that is a complicated process i just described and lack of stringent quality control processes can yield wild results.

case in point. happened to see a used Prius on a lot in western WA. they will remain nameless. stopped in, price was good, wanted details. salesman comes out, sees my Prius, tells me crap. i cant honestly believe that he would lie to me since i already have one, so he must believe it. dont believe he was lied to either, so its his interpretation of what he was told.

instead of trying to correct him, i just related my experience with the car. he flipped out when i told him about CANVIEW and the EV switch and practically called me a liar when i told him that a Toyota certified master mechanic would install one with the dealership's blessing.

but that warantee non-issues are not his forte, so i let it go. still a good deal. but miles a bit more than i would prefer. may end up doing plan A and waiting for a PHEV.

 

If someone wants to find fault they will find it - real and imagined.

I've been very pleased with my hybrid, as the vast majority of the Prius drivers. Reliability, lower emissions, exceptional gas milage, dashboards that make a video game of driving well.

When I hear someone that is not pleased with their hybrid experience, I'm taken back. It seems like the many objections are not hybrid-related. It's people that were looking for a different class of vehicle. Prius - it's a mid-sized sedan. It's not a sports car - it does not have the room of an SUV. One car can't possibly be all things to all people, although the Prius meets a lot of needs and desires.

Another thing is people expecting hybrids to overcome poor driving habits. We as drivers have a big say in determinging our fuel economy. This is any vehicle - not just hybirds. The ScanGage creator came across his invention when he realized his F150 was OK, but his driving needed improvement.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(darelldd @ Mar 3 2007, 07:20 PM) [snapback]399639[/snapback]</div>

I think it's great you champion electric vehicles. They're a big step in the right direction and could solve many of our transportation problems. You've also told us you do a fair bit of cycling, which is probably even better for the environment, but you don't seem as vocal about that. And am I the only one here who walks to work?

 

i bicycled to work one day to show my willingness to user greener methods of commuting (and to get a free t-shirt@!!). i would love to bike more often, it took much less time than i thought it would, (about 35 minutes) but to be honest with ya, it is not something i would do daily.

the morning commute was awesome, morning light just over the horizon, crisp morning air, it was great. (this is at 5 AM). but the ride home was at 5 PM during the height of rush hour and i had about 6 near misses with cars. i ended up on the sidewalk (when there was one available) for more than half of the trip simply because i did not think i would survive.

until they make it much more safer for bikers, i will continue to drive to work and keep all my biking to the nature bike trail that we have here. if you are in an area the gives even the slightest consideration for bikers, you are envied.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DaveinOlyWA @ Mar 4 2007, 12:33 PM) [snapback]399903[/snapback]</div>

Kudos to you for trying, but it's highly unlikely you found the best route by yourself on the first try. Cars can be a problem, but there are ways around them. You didn't give up driving the first time you had an accident, did you? Did you swear off sex after the first less-than-wonderful experience? When you're willing to try again, check out a cycling map of your area. Most bike shops will have them, as will some tourist kiosks, and you may even find one online. Ask about local cycling organisations, bike to work week, or chat up a lycra-clad patron at the coffee shop. Where there's a will, there's a way.

 

where i live, there is only one bike route to work. i cross over one of 2 bridges (they are a block apart) to the other side of Puget sound. routes around here are controlled by water. i live in a town that has 5 main peninsulas. so different routes are not an option. bridges and overpasses that have no sidewalk or bike lanes cannot be avoided.

bike lanes are a rarity, but i dont care. i gladly take the sidewalk although it is illegal to ride a bike on the sidewalk (i have been warned a few times but never ticketed)

and i dont ride because of near accidents. i have had two in my two Priuses in less than 6 months. i will not stop driving for that. i guess you have to be here to understand how it is here. dont get me wrong, i ride and ride a lot. my 6 days a week at the gym drop to 1-2 days week because i'd rather ride 10 miles a day instead. (my rt work commute is 11.4 miles so distance is not a factor either) most of my riding is on part of the 35 mile nature trail we have here (over 100 miles if you count three other connecting trails that run to Lewis county) but i do ride around town. i perform most of my errands in the summer by bike and i do live in a great residential neighborhood that is excellent for pleasure riding.

there is just certain areas in town that is simply dangerous to ride in and that area cannot be avoided by me in my commute to work. we probably have an average of 1-2 bike-vehicle collisions a month in this area including two fatalities in the past 6 weeks which are not uncommon here.

 

Gosh - thanks for all the nice words, folks! Wasn't really expecting much when I came back to this thread to check. Warm fuzzies all around.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(livelychick @ Mar 3 2007, 07:50 PM) [snapback]399737[/snapback]</div>

livelychick - Please take a few moments to poke around my EV site (in my sig). There are FAQs there that'll get you started. You will find that the main reason my EV proponentry (good word, yes?) is so hard is because it is focussed on HAVING CARS AVAILABLE. Currently, there are no production cars that you can just go down and purchase and drive home. You can get on some lengthy waiting lists for some fantastic cars - and that's a start - but sadly you cannot just go buy one today. At ANY price. My whole push is to have the option to drive gasoline free. My job pays nothing, is endlessly frustrating, but may some day pay off. That day has never seemed closer than it does today when we finally have positive press about electric propulsion.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hyo silver @ Mar 4 2007, 08:22 AM) [snapback]399901[/snapback]</div>

Hyo - Indeed I do bicycle far more than I drive ANY automobile. My wife drives the EV to work daily, and I may drive it in the evenings when we all go out to dinner, or for large shopping expeditions of when it is pouring rain. But the car at my disposal is the Prius these days - and it only gets driven once or twice a month. I ride my bicycle every day, and in a given year, I end up with more bicycle miles than automotive miles. Oh, and I walk to work as well. All the way downstairs to my office. The good news is that my wife is slowly working up to riding into work herself. No small task for somebody who doesn't bike regularly - about 24 miles each way. When I have the time, I'll often hitch a ride into work with her and ride myself home.

The only reason I'm more vocal about EVs than bicycles is that everybody already knows everything about bicycles that can possibly be known. We all rode them as kids. We all see them every day. We know they're clean transportation (if you don't count the sweat or chain lube), and we know their strengths and weaknesses. And they are of course dismissed by the vast majority of motorists as a non-viable form of transportation. For the short term, the private automobiles is here to stay. My goal is to give people what they think they need (high-speed, high capacity, long-range transportation with all the creature comforts) while lessening the footprint that the vehicle leaves. We'll always need powered trasnportation to enjoy the society we've come to depend on. We just need to figure out how to power it! Using oil just ain't gonna cut it much longer.

Short story: We live 1.5 miles from my daughter's school by bike trail. By automobile road, it is 2.75 miles. Of the 12 children who live in our neighborhood, my daughter is the only one who is NOT driven to school. And most vehicles are Escalade-sized. I kid you not. We pass them on the way to the path, as they exit the neighborhood by road. By the time we've locked up the bikes, and are entering the classroom, the cars are all out circling the parking lot looking for the nearest space. By the time I'm home and taking my helmet off, the automobiles are just pulling back into the neighborhood. What a GREAT use of gasoline. :blink: Makes me ill just talking about it, actually. What saddens me is that the Prius is the best car we can buy today. Why, when I need a car to cross town in a down-pour, do I NEED to burn gasoline? Just crazy. The Prius is great, for what it is. I love it. I just wish we didn't have to go so far backwards from all the great EVs that all of these companies made back in the early 90's.

It is late, and I'm babbling. So I'll stop.

Whoa! I'm WAY OT now!

 

If you don't like Prius's don't buy or drive one. But, don't knock the cars based on personal biases. I believe in protecting the enviornment. I am 100% satisfied with my Prius and will buy a 2nd one when I can afford it. Each to his/her own.