Silly hybrid drivers

[Xist]

You guys think that people replace their SUVs with hybrids?

I bet that many hybrid owners still have their gas guzzlers, but now they brag about being green.

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by vskid3

Why not have speed and mileage? Haters gonna hate.

In my Prius, I generally accelerate at least as fast as traffic, but I play the cruising and braking better.

In my (Gen 1) Insight, I generally accelerate quicker than most traffic - the benefit of 1850 lbs vs several tons - cruise around 65 on the flat parts of freeways, and have been known to hit 80-85 or more on a good downhill - while showing 150 mpg on the instant mpg readout.

I don't think it's the least bit silly to buy a hybrid so you can use less gas while still driving at a reasonable speed. Indeed, if I ever break down and buy a Tesla Roadster. you sure won't see me spending much time at 55.

[Cobb]

I keep my suv right next to my hybrid. At least it gets 30mpg.

[dmafanp]

i have only seen a prius hypermile in my city once,, everysingle hybrid owner drives faster then me,, ZERO coasting and i mean zero

[Xist]

Of course, the obvious solution is hybrid SUVs--that people will drive 80 MPH.

[bestclimb]

The more efficient the car the less hypermiling or slowing down pays.

Starting at 20 mpg increasing mileage by 25% goes to 25mpg.
For 1000 miles you go from 50 gallons to 40 gallons. You save 10 gallons.

Start at 40 mpg an increase of 25% gets you to 50mpg
for 1000 miles you go from 25 gallons to 20 gallons. You save 5 gallons.

One of the great reasons to ecomod a car or replace a vehicle with one significantly more efficient is that you can get better mileage without having to slow down.

Your point that people don't think about their driving remains valid. However to assume that every hybrid driver is oblivious to the savings and how they drive is likely false. It is very likely that some have done a cost benefit analysis and came up with the answer that their time is worth more than the fuel they could save.

Were I to find a very efficient car to commute in (1st gen insight for example) I would likely drive significantly faster than I do now as the money saved gets smaller and the time lost (5 min per trip) stays the same.

[yoyoyoda]

Originally Posted by sarguy01

When she had the chance, she passed me and shot me a dirty look. Two minutes later we were sitting at the same red light!

That should be illegal, both shooting a dirty look at an ecomodder and wasting fuel like that.

I see it happen all the time here too, infact its so common that nearly everybody does it.

The primary reason why anybody purchases anything is to brag to their friends that they have and/or own something.

How many times have you used that blender, really?

Its a primitive emotional reaction of jealousy towards someone else.

My bogan neighbour leaves the halogen porch light on all night. Because he can. 300 watts of power for 12 hours a day or longer, wasted.

But if I were to go over and smash the light globes, oh now that makes me a criminal.

People are idiots and severely misinformed about any scientific topic whatsoever.

"We live in a society exquisitely dependent on science and technology, in which hardly anyone knows anything about science and technology."
Carl Sagan


And science is all around us, yet nobody sees it, all they see is "shiney thing goes round, makes women horny".

You don't need a degree to purchase something, but you do need to be smart to actually use the product properly, or read the directions and interpret them accuratley. blame the failed education system for not giving people the tools to use tools properly.

If people were more logical and less emotional maybe the world wouldn't be so screwed up.

"It is far better to grasp the universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring."
Carl Sagan

Basically, we're doomed unless someone can sufficiently shove more energy efficient vehicles and devices down these peoples throats irregardless of weather they actually understand the inner workings of anything at all.

"We have also arranged things so that almost no one understands science and technology. This is a prescription for disaster. We might get away with it for a while, but sooner or later this combustible mixture of ignorance and power is going to blow up in our faces."
Carl Sagan

Even if the fact that trees spontaneously shot up out of the ground every time a Prius hit 88 miles per gallon, the earth would still be screwed, because none of us are living anywhere closer to the forest, the forest is disappearing and it is getting further away from us, not nearer. We are pummelling down our previously held homes for new homes that we've temporarily made from petroleum and concrete, nothing that we have made is permanent on this planet and the Prius isn't a cure for this.

We simply need to stop consuming, full stop. If we cannot completely stop then we need to slow down our consumption to a snails pace. That's what the hybrid is, a stop gap measure.

[Simonas]

In my opinion, if he wants to waste his money, he should be able to waste it. I don't think someone(thing) else should control a person. A person who is weak in such an issue should be able to suffer the consequences when they do come. Now, if it directly hurt someone else, I would not be so "capitalistic".

I am in full agreement with yoyo when it comes to not purchasing or using something because of emotions. And intentionally impressing someone else for no reason other than being impressive is nothing more than pride.

[RedDevil]

I've read or heard a story about the Greek philosopher Socrates who, after crossing the market, stated: "There are so many things that Socrates does not want"...

It stuck. When I see ads I often doubt whether Socrates would want it.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Some folks just get a hybrid because it's just "easier" than learning to drive efficiently.