I have a finely tuned Hybrid 'dar. I can spot a Prius, Insight, or even a "stealth" Civic Hybrid from a mile away. But I still see hybrids very rarely in South Carolina, Georgia (okay, I've seen a few in Atlanta - maybe HG), or Alabama. My parents live outside of DC in northern Virginia, so when I visit them, I see dozens and dozens of hybrids on any given road trip - no doubt because Virginia still allows hybrid owners to ride solo in HOV lanes, which is a great way to beat Beltway traffic.
My friends in the Midatlantic states and New England say that they see hybrids pretty frequently. Is the relative rarity of hybrids in the Deep South just a cultural effect? In the land where big gas-guzzling trucks and SUVs are revered, a hybrid owner is marginalized even more than in the rest of the nation. I've only ever seen one other hybrid besides my own in Columbia, SC, where I live. It's lonely here. Do any other Southern drivers notice this phenomenon, or am I just imagining things?
BTW, go easy on me after seeing my mileage sig - I've only had one tank! I'm still learning (and, I suspect, still breaking in my engine)!
It could be because down south cars aren't replaced as quickly as some ofthe coastal and northern states. Salt air from the ocean and salt used on roads and stuff in the winter realy eat cars up.
Also, If a lot of southeners tend toward trucks then I would imagine once a few hybrid trucks are on the market you may see an increase in hybrids.
I was surprised to see a HCH in Caddo, Oklahoma this weekend. Caddo is a dot on the map... a couple of convenience stores and a Dairy Queen. I was there to take my grandpa to the hospital for an endoscopy, and spotted the other HCH as I was showing off the features of my hybrid during a trip to the beer store.
Speaking of spotting hybrids... I can spot Priuses, Insights, and other Civics, no problem. Are there any distinctive features to look for on Accords or Escapes?
Someone at work is about to retire and move from Dallas to Boston (nearer to her children). She has noticed a lot less trucks and SUVs where she is about to move. Granted the cost of driving is less in Texas than the East coast, but the biggest factor seems to be cultural.
As I've noted in the past, a few (not all) of the Bubba's seem to think their trucks are the Enzyte. If they were more certain of their manhood, they would be more inclined to drive something like the Insight.
I feel the same way about Hybrids in the South. In Chattanooga they seem to be few and far between. I think most are owned by some type of government around here for some reason.
One of the distinctive features of the Accord is the radio antenna on the back of the roof, where the satellite antenna is for the ICE Accords. I don't know of anything that stands out on the Escape.
you know......
there really aren't that many of us- in spite of the concentration here.
I'm in suburban NYC area, and I never see any. Well....unless I drive to the local liberally concentrated river town. (yes.....I'm a conservative tree hugger- can you believe it?) and then I only see prius'. one of my scouts has 2 on her street- saw them when I dropped her off one sunday. I never see any of any sort over here where I live in SUV land. (I love walking up to my daughters elementary school to meet her, and walking by all the suburbans and extortions left idling (ack ack ack) while they pick up their kids at the door because *gasp* little johnny can't ride the *gasp* school bus!! (my kids walk the 1/2 mile) ((though to be fair- I drive them when it's rainey or french-horn day and they don't take the bus either))
anyway-
NEVER have seen a insight, saw 3 prius over the 4 months I've been hybridized, and 1 HCH (on my block no less- I think it was visiting, never saw it again)
Hang in there Robby-
my first tank was pretty stinky too- I think there's definitly a break in period. my car just keeps getting better and better. Just keep learning- there's no place to go but up!
I live and work in the western NJ suburbs of NYC (norther Phila suburbs?), and I now see a steady stream of hybrids on my daily commute. If my timing is consistent, there are 2 Prius on the way home, an Insight on the way in, and one stray HCH. There is an FEH I have seen twice, but not on a consistent basis, I think (s)he is a local in the Clinton, NJ area.
Thanks for the encouragement, Kate. I just had a long interstate road trip today where I got 49.5 mpg, bringing my average up from that abysmal 37. Now if I can only pull MPGs in the 60's like Hot_Georgia_2004 seems to be able to do with his HCH CVT... I guess practice makes perfect.
BTW, saw an Insight on I-95 while still in South Carolina - but I'm not counting it as a southern hybrid because it had massachusetts plates. This particular Insight was really booking it in the left lane, which I thought was odd - I was poking around in the slow lane, as I'm becoming accustomed to doing. The best part about this: a huge silver Hummer H2 followed behind the Insight. How perfectly ironic - the hybrid leading the most notorious guzzler of them all. I wish I had my camera out and ready.
Is the relative rarity of hybrids in the Deep South just a cultural effect?
Yes.
I have cause to be in Huntsville, Alabama (and in contact with its denizens) more than is good for my struggling faith in humanity. And there seems to be an ingrained, knee-jerk reaction to anything that they feel is being imposed on them by the "fruitcakes" up east and out west. Hybrid cars (and the attendant issues of non-renewable resources, pollution, etc.) being one of those impositions. I've encountered the same mentality in other parts of the south. I've encountered it up east and out west, too, just with more counter-balance from the so-called fruitcakes (like me).
And, for the record, I have seen at least two hybrids in Huntsville (didn't check the plates, though). It's a hub for aerospace technology so it's got a higher influx of professionals and "fruitcakes" than many other parts of the South. I'll hazard a guess that if you go to certain university/tech outposts in the South, such as Chapel Hill and environs, you'll see some hybrids.
There are also socio-religious influences at play, but this isn't the right board for that.
Just returned from a trip in Colorado and noticed several times more bikers than in the Dallas area. Of course it's June - not January in the Denver area. Talked to a biker that has a Honda bike with 1.8 liters - about the same as a Civic and twice my Insight!
Hybrids in the South
