Why Prius gets tailgated? I found an unexpected answer!

I took Physics in college, from a text where in every single problem, someone died. Very weird.

"A car massing 1500 kg is traveling north at 90 km when it is struck by..."

 

Now I bet that guy will never tailgate again and flip the bird!
and
Some people have a Hot Temper.

 

What I notice about big truck owners is they just like to be bullies on the road. I've seen this countless times as a driver or cyclist. They use their size to intimidate. Though this isn't saying ALL of them are, I've seen and heard so many incidents with people who drive big trucks, it's hard not to notice. From what I have seen, they purposely tail gate and intimidate. It's understandable that if someone is driving slow but I've seen time when they are accelerating up to 80-85 mph just to do it. Then on my bike, in group rides or solo, they purposely slow down so they can punch the throttle and blow soot all over me/us. I've even heard of them trying to push cycling off the road.

I try my best to not stereotype but when it's true, is that still stereotyping? Sorry, but I can't stand bullies!

 

To clarify, I'm referring to pick up trucks NOT semi-trucks. The only limited visibility they have is due to tailgating..

 

Many of the non owner operated trucks in the UK have a sticker on the back with a phone number to call to report on how that particular truck is being driven.

I think that when we get tailgated by a truck it is rather more intimidating than being tailgated by a car. Therefore there is a tendency to think that truck drivers are the main culprits. In my observations I would have to say i see far more cars being badly driven than trucks and probably the worst driven vehicles I see are the small delivery vans.

I should add that in the UK when we say truck/lorry we refer to large 40 tonne type vehicles

 

^Perhaps that's true in some cases but we all have to be careful when we cast labels. Most OTR trucks have either governors or GPS/Cellular black boxes.......or sometimes both. This is because the same phenom that is killing the single family farm is also killing the independent hauler.
Most mega companies mostly monitor their drivers very assiduously....and I really don't have any problem with that. Their company....their rules.
Tractor trailers are BIG.
I don't have any heartburn with the ICC monitoring their activities.
I have a black box on my Prius (fairly new---the box not the Prius.) If I go 5mph above the speed limit, my boss's boss's boss immediately get an email notification.
It hasn't happened to me (yet) but a co-worker got pinged on one time before she got to her destination.

This gives me a perspective from both both sides. I don't get tailgated very often because if I'm on a multi-lane road, I drive close to the PSL in the correct lane!!!
If I'm on a two lane road, and some little boy racer starts chewing on my stern...I either ignore them, or try to find a pull out to let them pass safely.
Sometimes....rarely.....I have to use "Tailgater Pulse and Glide" until they buy a vowel and solve the puzzle.
PSL....PSL minus 5.....PSL....PSL minus 10...

Unfortunately, the Prius is an iconic car. This means that we have to bear the sins of all of the other Prius drivers on the road. There are certainly more buttheads driving Hondas than Priuses. This isn't because Prius drivers are better people (we're just a helluva lot more self-righteous! ) but rather there are a LOT more Hondas out there.

We just stick out more!!

I try too.
We all fall short in that area. Just remember that we Prius drivers also have our ambassadors on the road. They're also working very hard to perpetuate some VERY unfortunate stereotypes...



Be safe!

 

Here's a clip showing fairly typical "white van man" behaviour we see here in the UK

 

I'm not a Prius owner.. well just yet.. but point is, bullies regardless of what you are driving shouldn't be tolerated.

Once again, I am referring to big pick up truck NOT semi trucks. I do not notice tailgating from small pick ups just typically, as the stereotype fits, larger lifted pickups.

BTW, As a cyclist, I have to be safe..

 

Never tell a parent how to father his own child. Just some food for thought guys!