Which of these people would you rather hang out with?

We’re not. No worse than any other driver. Reasons you think I’m bad….

Reason 1 you ‘think’ I’m a bad driver:

I’m driving a Prius, which you associate with “environment loving diesel hating crazies.” Reality — I get 50+ MPG, consistently, and have spent roughly $1000 less in the nine months since I bought it than on the second-to-last vehicle, a 2003 Chevy which got pretty good mileage (30+ highway) most its life before it was retired at ~ 250k miles. (Last vehicle was a C-Max, two months ownership. See third-to-last paragraph)

Reason 2 you ‘think’ I’m a bad driver:

I’m not weaving back and forth across lanes like you are, searching for the perfect spot. Reality — Get in a lane, stick with it, when someone wants to pass move to the right. Then stay in that lane until you need to pass someone. Same as any other vehicle. It you wanted me to move, and there’s a car on my right, well, tough. Driving the Prius doesn’t change physical laws — two cars can’t occupy the same space without at least a minor explosion.

Reason 3 you ‘think’ I’m a bad driver:

I’m going only 70–75 on a 65 MPH highway, not the 80–85 you want. (MT, AZ, NV and a few other state exceptions apply, where roads are long, straight and 85 is almost ‘normal’) Reality — 75 in a 65 zone is not unreasonable and is where the vehicle and I are comfortable. Part of this comes from (of course) driving a cheap Chevy which felt like it would come apart at much higher speeds.

Possible reason 4 you ‘think’ I’m a bad driver:

I’m not driving a large truck. Reality — I don’t need a truck. If you’re in a business which needs a truck, perfect, fine, plumbers need to carry tools and pipes and stuff. If that’s your commute vehicle, well, your sucking down fuel at a rate 4 times faster than me and your vehicle cost more. Oh, and why isn’t my Prius an “American” vehicle ? Because Ford’s C-Max (before I crashed it) didn’t really get 45 MPG, even though it was supposed to, (I liked the C-Max, too, but was a little superstitious after I totaled one.) But I like not paying Chevron, too, so when I replaced it I went with 50+ MPG. And get 50+ mpg.

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Point is, your question is only to validate your perception. Change your perception. Buying a car because of really, really good gas economy doesn’t make the driver a worse driver. You’re next car (purchased past 2020) will likely be electric, the ICE is dead — not because of environmental reasons (which would be OK) but because electric is so, so much more efficient and less expensive over the life of the vehicle. Your cost of brakes over 200k miles, at a dealer: $3000. The hybrid (C-max, Prius) or electric (Leaf, Tesla) cost of brakes: $0.

And to the guy in the white Mercedes who almost rear-ended me this morning, because I apparently was going to slow — did you not notice the very large TRUCK in front of me, stopping? It wasn’t my driving in the Prius, it was your driving in the Mercedes. The TRUCK ahead set the speed, so pay attention, get off the damn phone, and get off my taillights. Why are Mercedes drivers so bad?