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How proud am I?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by Amyshubby, May 10, 2006.

  1. Amyshubby

    Amyshubby 2017 Prius Prime Advanced

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    My five year old is going through kindergarten orientation. He goes to the elementary school once a week for an hour each time and they introduce him to something he will be doing next year.

    Last week was an art class and music class.

    This week was Gym class.

    The kids were told to use their imagination and pretend they were cars. They had to drive themselves around the gym.

    My son told the teacher he is being quieter then everyone else because he is running on battery power! :)
     
    #1 Amyshubby, May 10, 2006
  2. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

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    LOL

    that is so cute!! :lol:
     
    #2 galaxee, May 10, 2006
  3. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    That is awesome!!! I love kids! My kids have been well brainwashed about hybrids too!
     
    #3 efusco, May 10, 2006
  4. busyrosy

    busyrosy New Member

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    I can see that your kid will grow up to be someone very special one day.
     
    #4 busyrosy, May 10, 2006
  5. darelldd

    darelldd Prius is our Gas Guzzler

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(efusco @ May 10 2006, 03:31 PM) [snapback]253132[/snapback]</div>
    Of course my kid still thinks of the Prius as "the stinky gas car" but I've had some good school responses from her as well. I was in class one day when they were reading a story about daily family activities. About half way through the book, the teacher reads, "We pull into the gas station because all cars need gas to run." My daughter quietly held up her hand, and while the teacher already knew what was coming (I drive the kids on field trips in the EV as often as possible) she called on my daughter who politely explained that NOT all cars need gas; that "her" car runs on sunshine.

    I about burst, I was so proud. :)
     
    #5 darelldd, May 10, 2006
  6. daniel

    daniel Cat Lovers Against the Bomb

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(darelldd @ May 10 2006, 03:36 PM) [snapback]253136[/snapback]</div>
    Sometimes we get a bit too cocky because our Priuses are cleaner than average and burn less gas than most. Let Darell be a reminder to us that we are still consuming gasoline and polluting the environment and adding carbon to the atmosphere.

    Yes, Virginia, cars can run on sunshine. And if greed was not the de facto religion of this country, most of our cars would.
     
    #6 daniel, May 10, 2006
  7. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel @ May 10 2006, 06:37 PM) [snapback]253160[/snapback]</div>
    Well, I don't think it's quite that simple. Some people have to drive 100+ miles per day and have little or limited ability to recharge the car and/or need to be able to drive on freeways at 75mph for 3-4 hours or more on trips.

    I think Darell's purchase of a Prius is defacto proof that EV's are not yet up to the task of being the family vehicle for most Americans. They simply can't afford to own, operate, insure and maintain the extra vehicles that would be necessary.

    But, as you say, part of the problem is the 'greedy' corporate world.

    If I could have a nice reliable EV for my daily commute I'd love it, but I just can't justify the cost of the solar charging system necessary + the car + insurance + my current vehicles.

    I think the day is coming...PV efficiency is getting better and then will get cheaper. Batteries both for storage of the PV collected energy and for the EVs themselves is getting better and cheaper. But even for someone who can see the utility I can also see the inconveniences and the reasons why this isn't going to be widely accepted any time soon.
     
    #7 efusco, May 10, 2006
  8. Amyshubby

    Amyshubby 2017 Prius Prime Advanced

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(darelldd @ May 10 2006, 06:36 PM) [snapback]253136[/snapback]</div>

    This is why I annoy everyone at work- they all had to listen to the story about my son (we all love to brag about our kids). Now I'm going to go back to the same people and tell them what your daughter said! :)
     
    #8 Amyshubby, May 11, 2006
  9. Miss_Taz

    Miss_Taz New Member

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    That's a classic... Would have made the cut on "Kids say the darnedest things..."

    Funny what they pick up, isn't it?

    Anyway, I think it's totally awesome. Maybe he'll become an engineer someday and implement all these enhancements we've asked for on PriusChat!!!

    :-D
     
    #9 Miss_Taz, May 11, 2006
  10. daniel

    daniel Cat Lovers Against the Bomb

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    A professor at UND (Grand Forks, ND) has calculated that wind power is economical NOW in ND without any subsidies. There are two problems: convincing investors, because it takes capital; and politics:

    In ND the power grid is owned by Big Coal. The state legislature is also owned by Big Coal, so has defeated all attempts to force the grid operators to accept wind power onto the grid. That means that a massive wind project would have to build its own power lines to get its power to market (probably Minneapolis or Chicago) and that means more investment, for redundant transmission lines. And they'd have to convince the Coal-controlled legislature to authorize the building of the power lines!

    Alternative energy is feasible and economical now. All that's standing in the way are entrenched interests and corrupt politicians.
     
    #10 daniel, May 11, 2006
  11. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel @ May 11 2006, 02:23 PM) [snapback]253656[/snapback]</div>


    Again Daniel, ND is not NY or CA. It has vast expanses of undeveloped space and a small population--hence lower energy needs. Ok, yea big coal's going to fight it...wouldn't you? But there's nothing stopping individuals from independently taking on the task for their own needs....once the majority of people do this business for big coal will go down, they'll start going broke, legislators will 'see the light', etc. The thing is that this must start on the individual level and blaming big gov't or big business is the easy way out. Federal subsidies still exist for using alternative energy and the individual energy users can choose the wind power or not.



    I'm as anti-gov't control as anyone, but to blame this all one one easy target isn't going to fix the bigger problem. AND it has nothing to do with EVs.
     
    #11 efusco, May 11, 2006
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