oh, prius...

[Cat Max]

So I was behind this Prius, and the guy was accelerating INTO a red lighted intersection and was in general not driving how one in a hybrid would be expected to do.

 

Leadfoot driving in a Prius is incredible to me.

 

Like...why?

 

All hybrid owners should take a class in hypermiling.

 

Scratch that, all drivers should take a class in hypermiling.

 

...

 

And here is my Max, throwing some serious shade... LOL

[drdiesel1]

Most Prius "drivers" ( I use that term loosely) that I've ever encountered have been rather piss poor drivers, IMO.

Most of them out here are the typical self entitled type that drive in the left lane without a clue and hold up the

flow of traffic. When you pass them on the right, they're just like bumps on a log and never get the hint to MOVE

over to the right. It's been a real problem out here since the very first Prius was released.  I have yet to encounter

a C-Max driver doing this. Most C-Max drivers are keeping up with traffic or just not blocking the left lane.

Edited January 11, 2015 by drdiesel1

[SPL Tech]

I love seeing drivers get pissed off about other drivers in the left lane. Funny thing is the guy in the left lane is doing the speed limit, so while breaking the law (speeding) drivers are complaining about others breaking the law... Pretty ridiculous. If the dude in the left lane is driving the speed limit, you have no grounds to get pissed off as you are asking another driver to help permit you to break the law by speeding.

[plus 3 golfer]

I love seeing drivers get pissed off about other drivers in the left lane. Funny thing is the guy in the left lane is doing the speed limit, so while breaking the law (speeding) drivers are complaining about others breaking the law... Pretty ridiculous. If the dude in the left lane is driving the speed limit, you have no grounds to get pissed off as you are asking another driver to help permit you to break the law by speeding.

It's likely won't be funny when the driver impeding traffic in the left lane gets a ticket even if driving the speed limit.  Many state (probably 1/2) have codes like the AZ law:

 

"B. On all roadways, a person driving a vehicle proceeding at less than the normal speed of traffic at the time and place and under the conditions then existing shall drive the vehicle in the right-hand lane then available for traffic or as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway, except when overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction or when preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway."

 

The speed limit is irrelevant in this case   If one is impeding the normal speed of traffic, they must drive in the right hand lane.  

[Marc Smith]

nice thing about the prius..  you can drive it like a jackass and still get nearly 50 mpg...

 

not sue about the gripe with prius drivers....There are plenty of other drivers  camping out in the left lane oblivious to the world around them...

 

Plus 3,  the speed limit is never irrelevant.  police are more likely to ticket people for speed, rather than left lane camping.  speeding is a quantitative measurement  while left lane camping and more subjective.  IE  if the person shows up for court, its more likely to get tossed.

 

http://www.mit.edu/~jfc/right.html

 

I'm am not in favor of left lane camping.  and folks cite that people who camp out in the left lane incite road rage.  the same could be said for the folks who want to travel at speeds (+10) in excess of the speed limit and tailgate every drive on the road.  Its the agressive driver that is getting angry at the passive driver...

 

Speed doesn't kill or cause accidents,  speed differential does.

 

if I'm doing 60 in the left lane, passing  a cars in the right doing 55 (speed limit), and a guy comes up behind me at 70 and starts popping his highbeams...  That's the surest way to get me to start slowing down.

 

and yes  when  possible I will drive in the left lane when other cars around in the right lane.   Why... i want to see as much of the road in front of me as possible.  and the left lane is usually smoother.  I will come back tot he right when i notice drivers coming up behind me. but  generally i'm doing speedlimit or +5  so i'm usually in the right lane watching the world go by makes for a much more enjoyable drive.

[plus 3 golfer]

Irrelevant applies to "this case" which is the quote from the law.   Nowhere in this law is the speed limit cited.  If you don't like the word irrelevant, change it to not applicable. ;)  One is getting a ticket for failure to move to the right not speeding.

 

But I agree I doubt very many tickets are written for the law quoted.

Edited January 12, 2015 by Plus 3 Golfer

[Cat Max]

this thread was hijacked! LOL

[plus 3 golfer]

this thread was hijacked! LOL

Probably because there are many HEV, PHEV, and EV drivers who believe they deserve privileges for owning such a car like special parking, car pool lane access, not paying their fair share of road use tax, accelerating like a snail, and driving in the left hand lanes to facilitate their hypermiling.

 

There now it's back on track - I included hypermiling. I'm happy to see not every Prius owner and every driver is a hypermiler. Please drivers hypermile on your time not mine.:)

[Cat Max]

There is responsible Hypermiling, and douchey Hypermiling but as I was saying, just learning a bit about hypermiling has made me a better driver overall. Especially where I live a lot of urban driving a lot of lights and stop signs and everyone rushing to be in pole position for the next, accelerating into a stop, braking at the bottom of the hill... 

 

And I used to do all of that, call me former Princess Leadfoot... now I realize how stupid I, and the majority of drivers, are. 

 

But I will hit the gas if someone is behind me and will go in the right lane, I am not going to be some self-righteous Ahole because I think I am better than anyone.

 

Since having a hybrid I have become much more aware of my resources while driving, I was surprised someone who also has a hybrid hadn't learned that.

[plus 3 golfer]

I think the issue is what constitutes hypermiling.  I think very few are true "hypermilers".  Hypermiling -  the practice of making adjustments to a vehicle or using driving techniques that will maximize (emphasis added) the vehicle's fuel economy.  Taken to the extreme, it's the driving techniques / style that can get out of hand and anger / irritate others.  

 

Almost at every traffic light I approach, there will be those that continue to maintain speed and then brake hard to stop at the light.  My wife does this to some extent and I have to bite my tongue as I want to say why don't you back off the throttle now and coast more. :)   

 

So, I get what you're saying.  I do believe having a fuel efficient vehicle makes one more aware of their FE and the effects of driving style on their FE.  But, it's hard to change habits.

[drdiesel1]

It's become such a problem that the state of WA has added a law to the books. If you're

not passing anyone and driving in the left lane, you will receive a ticket. The drivers from WA.

that show up down here are never in the left campers lane.

 

Around here, the right lane has become the new fast lane :lol2: When riding my motorcycle,

I always see the self entitled jackasses at the head of the pack with no one in front of them

riding along creating long lines of people tailgating each other waiting to get around them.

 

Thank god for lane splitting in CA. The main law that's always been in effect in the US

and has had signs on the freeways since I was a young boy, is still the same today and

reads as follows. It's absolutely dead simple and even a cave man could understand it.

 

 

 

SLOWER TRAFFIC KEEP RIGHT !!!

 

No speed limit statements. No traffic lane statements.

Nothing to confuse anyone over who has the right to block traffic.................. Read it and if you

see a grill in your rear view mirror, YOU ARE SLOWER TRAFFIC...........MOVE TO THE RIGHT!

Edited January 13, 2015 by drdiesel1

[Kelleytoons]

Wow, it actually has those exclamation points?  California has changed a lot since I grew there, the first 20 years of my life.

 

Back then we were laid back and would NEVER have road signs that shouted at us (of course, back then we were all on grass :>).  Times have changed.

[drdiesel1]

Wow, it actually has those exclamation points?  California has changed a lot since I grew there, the first 20 years of my life.

 

Back then we were laid back and would NEVER have road signs that shouted at us (of course, back then we were all on grass :>).  Times have changed.

Nationwide, as far as I know.

[Kelleytoons]

The more I think about it, the more I like it.

 

So I'm looking forward to the revision of all the red signs around here.  STOP!!!!!!  (THIS MEANS YOU!!)

[Marc Smith]

Kelly,

 

If Central Florida is anything like I remember from 90's

the signs need to look like this

Edited January 14, 2015 by Marc Smith

[homestead]

One group ignores the speed limit sign, another group ignores the "Slower traffic keep right"

sounds like a recipe for Road Rage.

[Kelleytoons]

Or as Homer Simpson said when he was buying a gun but had to wait seven days "But I'm mad NOW!"

[plus 3 golfer]

One group ignores the speed limit sign, another group ignores the "Slower traffic keep right"

sounds like a recipe for Road Rage.

Does this mean that if slower traffic would keep right there would be less road rage???? The operative words in the "MOVE RIGHT" stature is "driving a vehicle proceeding at less than the normal speed of traffic at the time and place and under the conditions."   Don't mix speed limit laws with MOVE RIGHT laws (which is likely what happens when slower traffic doesn't move right).  Slower traffic can go whatever speed they want to as long as they keep right. ;)  The law does not say it's okay to drive slower than the flow of traffic because one is going faster than the speed limit, the speed limit, or slower than the speed limit.  Taking the law into ones own hand might have consequences. Let law enforcement do their job with respect to traffic laws.

 

What I find is that the slower traffic (not keeping up with the flow) is virtually never going the speed limit in the left lanes.  It happens all the time on the freeways around Phoenix.  Six lanes of traffic in one direction and there are drivers in the left 3-4 lanes going less than the speed limit and they can virtually always move right.  The traffic moving with the flow seems to move right when appropriate such that the flow of traffic is consistent.  Of course, there will always be drivers that dart in and out, passing on the left and right to gain a few positions rather than moving with the flow and this excludes rush hour stop and go traffic.

 

Or as Homer Simpson said when he was buying a gun but had to wait seven days "But I'm mad NOW!"

But mad at who and for what reason?  Mad at other gun owners (other drivers) or mad at the laws?  Big difference (not even comparable IMO). ;)

[plus 3 golfer]

Duplicate

Edited January 14, 2015 by Plus 3 Golfer

[Kelleytoons]

But mad at who and for what reason?  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIpLd0WQKCY

[Kelleytoons]

But to be on topic:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TTKXRvhAvM

[Blue Tom]

Clearly y'all don't live in Texas, where any lane is fair game.  Is it annoying to come up behind someone in the left lane, traveling more slowly than I am?  Sure.  Is it even more annoying when multiple people choose to drive at the exact same speed two (or even three) wide so I can't even get around them?  You bet.  But do I think it should be illegal?  No.  Do I lose my shit over it?  Of course not.  "Slower traffic keep right" is a great suggestion to keep things flowing, but ultimately, I've grown up perfectly happy to pass on whichever side is available, and to drive as fast as I please (especially on our fancy tollways with an 85mph suggested limit).

[jmckinley]

Hypermiling Prius' is exactly why I removed the "Hybrid" from the rear of my CMax.  

 

I was really tired of being tailgated no matter what speed I drove.  And I am not a Hypermiler!  Apparently there are a lot of Hybrid Haters out there, no doubt due to the legions of dorky Prius drivers giving the rest of us a bad rap.

 

As soon as I removed the "Hybrid", the tailgating was reduced by about 90%.

 

It's easy to do.  Just gently apply heat with hair dryer or heat gun and pull the letters off.  They're just stuck on with two sided tape.

Edited January 16, 2015 by jmckinley

[Adrian_L]

With the greatest respect-----

 

1.  The majority of drivers couldn't care less about the various letters on the back of car if they read them at all

 

2.  Most drivers probably don't know what "hybrid" means.  I have checked.  My brother-in-law's sister thought it means a special type of gas.

 

3.  A driver makes a decision to tailgate long before he/she is close enough to read your hybrid sticker

 

4.  Who cares?  Let them sit there stewing while you rack up the great mileage.  I usually slow down a bit when I get a tailgater.  

[shinytop]

Slowing down when you are being tailgated is the safe thing to do.  That way the tailgater has more of a chance to not hit you if you have to slam on the brakes.  

 

Defensive driving is giving yourself and other drivers room to make mistakes.  

Edited January 16, 2015 by shinytop