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Hybrid Vehicles Toyota Prius Toyota Prius
7476 messages, Last post on Nov 29, 2009 at 4:44 AM
You are in the Toyota Prius Forum. Your Host is pf_flyer
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Hi wvgasguy, I drive a Prius for several reasons. I used to live in the Great Lakes region where air quality can be a real problem, and I love driving a car w/ very low emissions. I also teach environmental chemistry and about air pollution, so I like not being hypocritical about the emissions of my own vehicle and smog. I am married to a medical professional who knows the statistics about the effects of air pollution on health. It really bothers me when I have to endure the emissions of other folk's poorly maintained very inefficient vehicles. I don't want to bother anybody else or affect anyone else's health by my driving. Also, I am aware that we are going to run out of oil in the foreseeable future. Exactly when things are going to get tight is debatable, but I think it is starting to happen. I will probably switch my car to a plug-in as soon as it is economical to do so. I agree with you, it is good to help us move away from dependence on foreign sources of oil. Also, I am glad to support modern vehicles. In my eyes, 98% of the vehicles on the road are dinosaurs. I know that statement right there is going to upset a lot of folks, but we have just been allowing ourselves to keep producing and driving very inefficient and dirty vehicles. Hybrids are not perfect, I'll agree, but today's hybrids are a step in the right direction. Battery technology is improving at a good rate right now and in a few years the benefits of better batteries are going to hit the market. In short another reason I like driving a hybrid is that I am a supporter of cars getting cleaner and more efficient. It's a matter of perspective, and who you end up talking to. Perhaps there have been extreme alarmists and tree huggers on here but the Prius drivers I have met have been thoughtful and intelligent people. Sure there are probably some whackos driving Prii, but don't blame that on the car! David ps. I am sorry to have helped an discussion that is not appropriate to this forum get started here.
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Replying to: wvgasguy (May 01, 2009 10:24 am) What I have noted though, looking through these posts is that Prius, more so than any other hybrid, seem to attract tree huggers, global warming alarmist, SUV hating, left wing- non-religious people. I'm left wondering then just how comfortable I would be driving one. I really like the idea of 50 mpg but that's it. That's all there is to it. Well my wife and I will be buying a 2010 Prius and believe me we don't hug trees. We also don't eat whales. I seriously doubt that any farmers will be contributing to global starvation by selling ethanol. Oh and I am 100% opposed to ethanol being used in gasoline. I thin farmers being paid to not grow food is stupid. The only political statement I want to make with my car is that I am tired of spending far too much money on gas. We drive a lot and the Prius will cut down on our fuel usage which will allow us to spend more money on other things. Lots of lesbians buy the Subaru Forester but that doesn't make everyone who drives one a lesbian. Sure environmental nut jobs will rally around the Prius until something greener comes along. Maybe they will migrate to the Chevy Volt? But not all Prius owners are enviro nut jobs. I've seen as many idiots driving a Prius as I have an SUV. Prius owners tend to drive slow and some SUV owners try and push you off the road. Both are wrong! Also give the president time. I used to be a hard-core republican so I'm real familiar with the workings of that party and for certain the cry would go out if McCain had gotten in office to give him some time to fix what's broke. So cut Obama some slack just like you would have with McCain and give him time to fix things. It's not going to happen overnight.
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Replying to: dkreller (May 01, 2009 9:00 am) |
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Replying to: dkreller (May 01, 2009 9:00 am) Ben Stein is quite good in it. And no, he is not a raving "religious right" type as you were wont to tag me with. And that's all I have to say about this other-than-Prius topic.
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Replying to: dkreller (May 01, 2009 11:23 am) Now I'm spoiled. I look at cars that get 20 city / 28 highway and I don't think that's good enough. I never noticed before because I would never have driven any economy cars but there are not any decent cars that get 30+ mpg on average. High highway EPA estimates look good on advertisements but I have never averaged much more than 10% over the city estimate so unless you have something like a hybrid where the city milage is more than the highway milage I don't think they would give me high overall averages. Even diesel won't give me the average I desire. (I had a BMW diesel in 1985 just for the novelty of it). My heart has been looking at the CTS and Pontiac G8 GXP and I like the new Camaro and 370Z. But, I've been telling my friends at work and church to be prepared for tough times and while I can afford high priced gasoline, I think I need to walk the talk. The enemy we fight do not mind living in caves without electricity. They could care less about killing their own countrymen either. The oil producing nations, many of whom support terrorist, should they be willing to cut their own financial piggybank, can bring the capitalized world to its knees overnight. One person cannot change all that. But one person can do their part. It's so easy to say the problem is too big and just ignore it. I decided I couldn't do that anymore. The Ford Fusion Hybrid, The Camry Hybrid and the Prius are the only cars I have on my list right now. The TCH is a bargan right now, the Fusion is fresh and more comfortable than the Camry (at least in the front seat) and the new Prius seems like a good compromise in size and utility with excellent FE. Throw in a few electrical goodies and I can even stay interested. Maybe enough that I won't keep turning my head every time a CTS passes me.
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Replying to: wvgasguy (May 01, 2009 1:35 pm)
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Replying to: dkreller (Apr 30, 2009 8:21 am) |
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Replying to: rick294 (May 01, 2009 2:55 pm)
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Replying to: dmathews3 (May 01, 2009 5:45 pm) True, and they will continue. But on 9-11 they brought the fight to us If 1 in 10 depend on Chrysler for our jobs then the other 9 must depend on Ford and GM. I really doubt that all of us would not have jobs if the Big 3 went away (not that I want them to) |
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It just breaks my heart that all of our own domestic reserves will stay in the ground, untouched during this current administration. And all for purely political reasons. We have considerably more available oil than even Saudi Arabia and the others, but it won't be tapped. The enviros are part of Obama's support group. His energy "czar" is on record as having stated that he (the czar) is in favor of $6 or $8 per gallon gasoline because it will curtail a lot of vehicle use "which contributes to air pollution". Well, yes it does. Never mind that it would destroy what's left of the American economy. That's not the really important issue. I love our Prius. Even if gas prices go absolutely over the cliff, we would still have at least some ability to get around. It would, however, pretty much destroy America. Almost as though that was what the whole idea was??
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