So I know that I frustrate drivers all the time with my driving, long before we bought the HCHI

I generally stay as close to the speed limit as I can, and have so for years. I try to obey all traffic laws that I am aware of, stop for pedestrians etc.

And doing so in a hybrid frustrates the other drives even more.


So tonight we were driving home from Honda Center to the USC area. We were going north on the 5 and there was traffic. It was bumper to bumper for a while. I was in the fast lane and once it started to clear I just kept pace with the SUV in front of me. I would catch it when we slowed again. Once traffic was going 60 I was still pacing the said SUV. But this was not good enough for the TL that was on my tail. I guess they did not like the gap the was between the SUV and I, and it was large, but I was moving the same speed the SUV was.

So this guy in the TL started flashing his highs at me a few times, I ignored him. There was a car next to me going the same speed. After a while the TL did manage to go around me and got behind the SUV and no further. So I laughed. I then started to flash my lights at the TL. I did this a few times then I went around him and got back in front of him. He didn't flash me again but went around me and the SUV we were behind.

So eventually I was behind the TL again, so I flashed my lights again. Then it was time for me to merge over as my off ramp was coming up.



So I don't think the driver of the TL would have flashed their lights at me if they did not see that Hybrid logo......

Why? The hybrid badging on the Honda Civic is difficult to notice, and some may even mistake it for a "Special Edition" badge. You were in the passing lane and the driver behind you assumed you were just a slowpoke. Fault them for not leaving enough distance to see around you. Fault them for being ignorant and impatient under the circumstances. But there's no reason to lose confidence in what you did.

I too would have left some buffer with the vehicle in front of me. What the less-intelligent drivers don't understand is safe driving. In stop-and-go traffic, does it make more sense to close gaps in the fewest seconds with hard acceleration and braking, or to smooth out the ride with fewer braking events? I think the former makes drivers more irritable, whereas the latter is more calming and helps pass the time.

GOOD Karma.

BAD Karma.

I had one run-in with 'road rage' in DC ten years ago on I-66 in the DC area. It is not fun dealing with someone who has 'gone off the deep end.' In my case, I simply got him in front and at the last moment, took an exit. Problem solved.

Around that time, two women in Birmingham got in a road-rage 'ego' trip and when one pulled off an exit, it ended with one driver dead and the other arrested for homicide. The point is we're hybrid drivers and being 'pokey' comes with the territory. If someone else has an ego problem, they're probably most pissed at the gas prices they pay. But you can still have fun.

Put together a card with large print that can easily be read, like my vanity plate:


When the jerk passes, hold the card up against the window and "smile."

Here in Huntsville, we've got one hybrid skeptic who has assigned himself the task of being the speed critic. He claims someone should never drive at 32 miles per hour on a 40 miles per hour, five-lane road (center left turn lane.) I keep telling him to call 911 and report me and lately, suggested he "flash his lights and honk his horn." My reaction when someone behaves badly is to ignore them and slack off my speed even more. The angrier someone else becomes, the calmer and craftier I become.

Bob Wilson

Operation Iraqi Oil Freedom:

Automatic, stock, project car.

My other 1500 cc car:

Automatic, stock, backup car.
Free speech, dialog and knowledge thrives without the poison of SPAM.

I've seen attitudes like that no matter what I'm driving.

In moderate traffic many people especially the younger drivers go through traffic as if its a race with every other car on the road.

To them wasting gas just to get one car ahead in a line of slow moving cars is worth all the effort.

Here in Orlando, someone may flash the lights once then follow up with bullets when they finally do get along side of you.

Lead, follow or get out of the way. I suggest you dont look for trouble, because its out there, hybrid or not.

You ever seen the signs 'Slower traffic keep right" ?

I have two hybrids, I drive em to fit in the crowd, you on the other hand seem to enjoy antagonizing other drivers. Drive for mpg's when doing so permits and not causes road rage.

Once they past me, and I saw it was a TL I didn't think they would go "Ragey" on me

There is not many of the signs for slower traffic to keep right here in LA, and I wasn't "slower" as I was pacing the SUV in front of me.

Most people here in LA HATE hybrids on the roads, they think that they are slower and can not keep up with the others. Most drivers here are just not educated. I would also commute to work on my bike before, I would get yelled at by the drivers if I was in the left turn lane, even though that is where I should be.



I know that flashing my lights at the guy may have been bad karma and childish, I just wanted to prove a point with the guy, I think I did that.


My wife did order the bumper sticker for her car that reads "Drive eco, not ego"

Sorry to have unloaded on you.... I guess its a localized thing so to speak. Here, there are gangs that look for trouble. In the past, if it was evening or night and someone was driving with their lights off, your would give a quick flash to perhaps remind them. Once they are reminded within a second or two the lights are flipped on.

Now, there is some game that is played where if you politely flash an oncoming car with good intentions, they may turn around and give you a bit of road rash liek you never seen before. To them its a game!

The world is NUTS, I just hate to think someone unknowingly or knowingly is looking for trouble.

If I can find the article on this gang activity, I will post it.

Be careful.

Tony

Here is what SNOPES has to say. They say this isnt true. Who knows anymore?

http://www.snopes.com/horrors/madmen/lightsout.asp

Be cool

Scot, I was wondering if, when this happened, were you driving on an interstate highway? The reason I ask is because, in general, there are traffic laws on interstate highways, and many state highways, that require drivers to not stay in the left-most lane except to pass. I'm almost certain this law varies from state-to-state.

Such laws are written ostensibly for the benefit of law enforcement and other 'official' government vehicles. Not all government vehicles are marked or have flashing lights, but may be on official business that requires them to make good time in the passing lane. In an ideal world, no one would hog the passing lane. And, unfortunately, such laws also give license for speeders and other obnoxious drivers to tailgate and flash their lights. The best thing is just to pull over to the next lane and let them pass.

~Joe

1998 VW Jetti TDI owner

In cali, anyone can go in the left lane on the freeway.
Dopey: Sometimes I am keeping a safe distance from the car in front of me, and the car behind me will pass me and end up going the same speed. I think we just need to learn to ignore these drivers (as hard as it may be).