I am a big fan of the Prius. The following story just confirms my faith in Prius owners.
Woman refuses to pull over, tells trooper: ‘I drive a Prius’
I have been driving for almost fifty years. During thirty of those years I was a police officer. My experience allows me to make generalized judgments regarding the cars and drivers around me, that I have found helpful. These judgments are not carved in granite. They fall into the category of rule of thumb.
A vehicle in poor repair with dings and dents along the sides, front and back is indicative of a careless driver. The carelessness could be an indication of a drunk or drugged driver. Look for signs of sloppy driving and erratic movements.
A shiny car, old or new and well maintained indicates a driver who takes pride in his vehicle and likes to drive. The driver is liable to be predictable, proficient and generally aware of his surroundings.
The high dollar muscle or sports car is probably operated by somebody who is proficient and likes driving. The downside is that the operator is liable to be impatient and aggressive. At a stop light pull in behind this car not he Volkswagen.
I admit some of these observations require a keen eye and attention to detail. The Prius and similar vehicles eliminate the need to focus on minor details. The fact that a person is driving a Prius tells other drivers everything they need to know.
The Prius driver is: a fucking idiot. He/she is a prissy self-absorbed asshole who is deluded into thinking he/she is saving the planet. The carbon footprint for a Prius exceeds that of a Hummer. The Prius driver does not like to drive and isn’t very good at it. You will find them driving in the hi-speed lane of the Interstate holding up traffic. They are proud of their own personal progress without regard to the chaos they are creating behind them.
This lack of awareness means the Prius driver is even less predictable than a drunk driver.
I don’t guess that I will be asked to be a guest lecturer at the local driver’s ed school. It’s their loss.