Smug Prius Owners

[swamprat]

This is from friend in CT -


OK, I know that's redundant, but I had an experience
yesterday I'm proud of so I wanted to pass this along.

Background: there's something about my Ford Excursion
that really sets off Prius owners (well, it sets off a
LOT of small-car smuggies, but Prius owners seem to be
the worst). I can't seem to fill up that 44-gallon
diesel tank next to one without SOME comment from them
(you can actually see it in their faces as they boil
up the courage to say something. Like the time one guy
made a disparaging comment, and I replied - all sweet
and nice-like - "Oh, sure, I used to have a Prius for
a short while, but my 10,000-pound trailer made the
bumper scrape on the ground so I had to sell it...")

ANYWAY, yesterday I was on the highway, coming home
from moving the race car to the shop, and I came upon
this massive rolling blockage on the highway. The
answer was obvious: someone or someones up front was
driving slow in the fast lane, right next to someone
else (usually a truck), and the right lane was
unavailable due to entering and exiting traffic. A
common problem in CT. So, I slowly and carefully
worked my way through the traffic, using whatever
lanes necessary, 'cause it's obvious the blockage
wasn't going to clear itself out. I eventually made it
to the front of the queue to find a red Toyota Prius
cruising 55-ish in the left lane (65 mph), right next
to a local delivery truck in the middle lane. I took
advantage of a right-lane opening and, without being a
jerk, was on my way.

As I hit my home exit I stopped at the gas station to
drop a few gallons of diesel (i.e., a lot of money) in
the tank. As I started pumping, who should come and
fillup across the island from me but my buddy, the red
Prius driver! As he looked up from his Prius to me
sitting in the truck, I could see the sneer starting
to load up. As he placed the fuel nozzle in his car I
was mentally counting down: "5, 4, 3, 2, 1" and right
then he mumbled a comment, loud enough to hear but not
loud enough for me to understand.

This happens to me so many times now that I usually
ignore it. But today was a different matter: not only
had he given me the attitude, but he was blocking
highway traffic at the same time. This time I couldn't
hold it in.

"So," I said to him, surprising him that anyone would
call his bluff (common), "what kind of fuel mileage do
you get in that thing?" He says something like 40 mpg
or whatever.

"Wow, that's pretty good; wish I could get that with
the Ford Excursion..." I tracked him for the kill:
"What does it get on the highway at 55 mph in the left
lane?"

Again startled by that comment, he says "About the
same, but more importantly I reduce my carbon dioxide
emissions by XX pounds!" Hoo, boy, one of 'them'...

"Neat!" I said. "But, tell me, did you notice the
traffic backing up behind you? You paced that truck
for quite a bit, causing a lot of people to slow
down."

"Good!", he says, starting to get indignant.
"Everybody needs to slow down anyway!"

"That's true, we all drive too fast," I replied, "But
that's probably not going to happen. Instead, they'll
just spent a lot more fuel to get around you and go
faster anayway."

He snorts.

I continue. "Kinda like those two tractor trailers
that had to jake-brake, downshift a couple of gears,
get around you then accelerate away, all while spewing
out more diesel soot."

He looks a bit surprised. Just a bit. Then he looks
disgusted again.

Then I continue. "So doesn't that actually make you an
Eco-Whore?"

Surprised, he says "Huh? Wha? What do you mean??", he
says.

"Well, you're an Eco-Whore, because you THINK you're
providing a valuable service, when in fact you're
actually getting PAID to F**K THE PLANET!!!" (That
last part - verbatim - was said with quite the
grimace.)

Shocked, the guy looks at me like I was about to knife
him, suddenly jumps in his Prius WITH THE FUEL NOZZLE
STILL IN THE CAR and drives away, taking the hose with
him!

I just about lost my s**t right then and there!! Sahib
comes running out of the store waving his arms at the
departing Prius while I'm literally sitting on the
ground laughing! Then I noticed two other guys - both
in pickup trucks - are also laughing and giving me the
thumbs-up!

That simply made my day.

[misterdecibel]

What a schmuck.

I love seeing these assholes get ticketed for obstructing traffic.

[J. ZIMM]

Lets see, He's going 55, I'm doing 65 , we are both in the same lane. Can you see where this is heading? I just hopes he finds another lane 'cause I'm a'coming through on this one.

[jdm124]

In the great State of NY, people the left lane is a driving lane, not a passing lane. People can drive all day in the left at 5mph under the limit and never get stopped.

[Eric]

In the great State of NY, people the left lane is a driving lane, not a passing lane. People can drive all day in the left at 5mph under the limit and never get stopped.

I think this is true as a practical matter just about everywhere. I have never seen (or even heard of) a cop pulling someone over for this. If it does happen, it's certainly a freakishly rare event compared with the issuance of "speeeeeeeeeeding" tickets!

[J. ZIMM]

I guess that some of you good folks have never driven on the Interstates here on the West Coast. In Oregon, If you should get stopped for driving in the Left Lane, it's more than likely you will have been holding traffic up. Our speed limit on the Interstate is 65 for auto's, 55 for trucks. But more that once, I have been stuck behind someone doing 55 in the far left lane. Most people that are in that lane are doing a lot more than 65. Yes, this state will give you a donation slip for going to fast, as well as going to slow. In this case, the 55 in the left lane will get stopped quicker than the 70 in the left lane. The way the state looks at it, you are more of a traffic hazard going slow than going fast. By going slow, more vehicles will be trying to find a way to get around you. And I have seen some real close calls when someone pops the horn button a time or two, causing the slow car to move into another lane. It's like they just woke up from a trance. Yet as people get more impatient, they could get tagged for road rage. You have to show a little respect when you're trying to get that buthead in front of you to locate the go pedal or get the hell out of the way. And when you do finally get around the turtle patrol, be sure to use all five digits when waving. :

[grouch]

I guess that some of you good folks have never driven on the Interstates here on the West Coast. In Oregon, If you should get stopped for driving in the Left Lane, it's more than likely you will have been holding traffic up. Our speed limit on the Interstate is 65 for auto's, 55 for trucks. But more that once, I have been stuck behind someone doing 55 in the far left lane. Most people that are in that lane are doing a lot more than 65. Yes, this state will give you a donation slip for going to fast, as well as going to slow. In this case, the 55 in the left lane will get stopped quicker than the 70 in the left lane. The way the state looks at it, you are more of a traffic hazard going slow than going fast. By going slow, more vehicles will be trying to find a way to get around you. And I have seen some real close calls when someone pops the horn button a time or two, causing the slow car to move into another lane. It's like they just woke up from a trance. Yet as people get more impatient, they could get tagged for road rage. You have to show a little respect when you're trying to get that buthead in front of you to locate the go pedal or get the hell out of the way. And when you do finally get around the turtle patrol, be sure to use all five digits when waving. :

I don't know how much they enforce it, but Illinois has a similar law about using the left lane for regular driving. It is for emergency vehicles and for faster traffic to pass. I'd love to find a good car with the exhaust running down the left side. I'd like to put an exhaust cut out with a pipe aimed to the left. Get chatty kathy flapping her gums on the cell phone and poking along in the left lane. Open that puppy when you pass and then close it. It sounds quiet normally and no tickets come your way but you can wake people up.

I got behind one idiot for several miles who drove just under the speed limit on I-70 once. The speed limit is 70 but heavy trucks have a speed of 65. Our left lane loafer was running 65. Eventually, he got to his exit and turned right to take it. Crossing the lane in front of a semi.

[J. ZIMM]

Years ago, well not that far back, I allways had a little something to help a slower driver make up their mind as to what part of the freeway they wanted. I've allways had a set of air horns, from a semi, that I had re-tuned, complete with compressor, air tank, manual control valves, mounted on my pickup somewhere. With a super high out put compressor, I would be running about 150-175 psi's in the reserve tank. When ever I came up behind someone with a poorly functioning go pedal, I would gently pull down on the chain, just to let them know we were there . That if you could, move over, and let us pass. I don't care what you do when I go by. The first time, low toot. Second time, a little louder. They know you're their, because they just looked into their rear view mirror. I wait a little then, I open them up. At a 190 decibels, they now know I'm their, and most likely they will move over about three lanes, and sometimes will pull completely of the road. I think they might be checking themselves out. Could be for skid marks or wet spots. ;D

[Kwozzie1]

"Well, you're an Eco-Whore, because you THINK you're
providing a valuable service, when in fact you're
actually getting PAID to F**K THE PLANET!!!" (That
last part - verbatim - was said with quite the
grimace.)

Probably from the same family as the Political Whore...we have pone of those sell itself as the saviour of Brisbane and the South east of QLD, and FCUK the rest of the state

[grouch]

Years ago, well not that far back, I allways had a little something to help a slower driver make up their mind as to what part of the freeway they wanted. I've allways had a set of air horns, from a semi, that I had re-tuned, complete with compressor, air tank, manual control valves, mounted on my pickup somewhere. With a super high out put compressor, I would be running about 150-175 psi's in the reserve tank. When ever I came up behind someone with a poorly functioning go pedal, I would gently pull down on the chain, just to let them know we were there . That if you could, move over, and let us pass. I don't care what you do when I go by. The first time, low toot. Second time, a little louder. They know you're their, because they just looked into their rear view mirror. I wait a little then, I open them up. At a 190 decibels, they now know I'm their, and most likely they will move over about three lanes, and sometimes will pull completely of the road. I think they might be checking themselves out. Could be for skid marks or wet spots. ;D

If I was going to do that, I'd get a set of air horns off a locomotive. Some of the trucks that come into work have those. They are usually mounted behind the cab, pointing to the left. I wonder if they are put there for left lane loafers? Hmmm....... ;D

[J. ZIMM]

I would love to get a set of horns from a diesel locomotive. But I've been told that they are fattening, immoral, illegal, or something like that. I do have a neighbor that does have a set off a diesel loco. The five mile type. He doesn't sound them off to often. But we do have fun on New Years Eve. ;D