passed by a prius
 

So, I was making my morning commute a couple days ago, when a Prius came up from behind. I could tell it was travelling pretty fast before it got to me.

Perhaps a little more background would help set the scene. I am driving a kei car, which are slow and underpowered. The speed limit, like on many roads in Japan, was 40km/hr. I was doing anywhere from 50-60, depending on the terrain. We were in a no passing zone.

Well, this obviously wasn't fast enough for Mr. Speedracer Prius-driver. Maybe he missed the memo about the Prius not being a race car. Well, nontheless, he finally couldn't stand being behind me any longer and decided to pass me. I expected this, so I had been hugging the side of the road. I don't mind people passing me, and try to help them do so when I can. Safety first, right?

In this case, NO. This idiot decides to overtake me on a hill. A hill with a blind corner. I see him fighting up the hill, and then I catch another car coming around the bend. BAM!!!.... is what would have happened if the oncoming car had not put on their brakes to let the Prius back into the correct lane.

The most surprising part is, the guy didn't even pull away from me after that incident. Nope, he ended up going just about the same speed as me.

So, to conclude, an idiot in what should be an envronmentally friendly (friendli-er) car almost caused a car crash. I was already breaking the law at the speeds I was driving. I can understand someone getting pissed if the person in front of them is braking erratically, or driving below the posted speed limit. However, in this case the person in the Prius had no business whatsoever passing me. He made a terrible choice which could have ended in disaster.

I sincerely hope that people like this meet their fate in a one-car fiery auto crash that leaves them non-existant. They need to kill themselves before they kill someone with their insane antics. Unfortunately, these idiots usually take an innocent or two with them.

I see that all the time it's not car specific. I glad you're OK.

As if most cars aren't? All the time new people come and are amazed that their FE when they just start driving sensibly. The prius just happens to do that with higher FE overall.

People want no compromise - they hear the great FE about the prius... driving style doesn't change, but FE slightly goes up - and they complain they only get a little less than EPA. Wash rinse repeat.

It's easier to adjust the car, it's damn hard to adjust the people :thumbdown: Although, that's not to say some people will buy and drive as responsibly as the car implies :p

yea, at least if a toyota prius hits ya, the damage would be a lot less than if hit by a chevy subdivision or nissan armageddon.

For the record, it wasn't myself that I was worried about really. Being side-rammed by someone trying to dodge oncoming traffic is going to be much less dangerous than a head-on collision.

I do get passed quite often. I guess that it has to do with the fact that my route is pure country road with no cops. There are country clubs in the area, so lots of idiots in fast cars drive like they own the road. Then there are the old people who don't understand that it is improper to stop in the middle of the road, and park their car there. No joke, this happens all the time. Abrupt parkings out of nowhere.

License renewals should be done every 5 years WITH a driving test. People deemed to be a threat to those around them should be put through safe-driving classes. People who are at fault in an accident should be forced to take the same classes, and depending on the circumstances, lose their privelege to drive.

I personally agree with this, as I'm passed by three different Priuii on my daily commute.

lol i end up gettign a few followers in my commute AND i got slightly less than 55!!!! its strange, either theyre in no rush and decide to just float behind me(normal distance mind you) or thier starin at my car...what i do everymoring ihave to coem off an exit ramp at 30mph and try to get up like a 5% grade hill, yea aint gonna happen so i can get up to about 40-45 before it gets really hilly. meanwhile i got the people that were on that road comin up behind me going 60 so i just put on my hazards and they merge way back from me, or if im lucky i get behind a semi that has his hazards on. the people i HATE are the tards that think since i have a small car that can fit in half a lane, that my other half is thier passing zone! people are too lazy to turn the wheel another .5* to fully merge...thats when i usually start drifting back towards the left side of my lane and they get all freaked and go waaaaay on the other side of thier lane, and of course look all pissed off...

On the Prius Forum's they were bragging that they can beat a Ferrari Enzo from 0-6

Yeah Six

lol buncha idiots IMO. i lawnmower could out accelerate anything if its only up to 6mph....

Last time I checked, the only qualification needed to own a prius was the money to buy one and the ability to pass a driver's test once.

But yeah, I drive a kei car too and this type of behavior amuses me. Especially when I coast the car to a red light... sometimes I feel like putting some sort of LED sign on the back of my car saying "Red Light Ahead" to stop this sort of behavior, or at least make them think.

It's not (lack of) intelligence so much, as it's human nature to not pay attention to rates of change when the change is imperceptible. Ever fooled around in a car or motorcycle when young? If the tank is full, I've thought "Maybe it will last forever!". Same with the brake pads. I'm sure I'm not the only one.

A person needs to convinced that their behavior makes a difference to change. It could be that an understanding of calculus, and integrating the area under the curve will do it, when thinking about throttle position, rpm, likely fuel injected, and duration. It could be that to be shown hypermiling techniques and an application, comparing two different fuel tanks might show them. Or they might need a guage.