Is it just me?

[Petra]

I think hybrid SUVs are less about being environmentally friendly and more about getting the mileage of a corolla for the hauling capacity of an SUV... you get to drive your giant SUV in front of me blockin' my view and have it good on gas at the same time!
nothing personal against SUV drivers, of course!

[Mistress Trista]

We have a chevy cavalier, a chevy HHR and a dodge Durango. The Durango we use for family trips, because it holds 8 and we needed something to pull the boat. I'll admit we don't drive it as much as the other cars but it really comes in handy sometimes.

[Kristie]

Originally Posted by jr_lenz

hey there!...I am an SUV driving momma. and that IS ONE BIG STERO TYPE and a little mean, I will leave it at that. But I will tell you that we have driven the wheels off of ours, and yes we use it off road, to haul/pull, carry large dog, the whole teams gear and 6 sets of golf clubs.

then you're out of the norm....most suv drivers don't drive them the way they're supposed to be driven IMO.

I had mine only because of the trunk capacity but i never drove it like it should have been driven nor did i have a bunch of people to pile into it, so i was "one of those" which is no problem for me to admit. part of the reason i got rid of it and got back into a small car was because i wasn't usint it properly and that made me think i was wasting gas/money...Now i have a little car that gets more mileage for less gas $$ which i feel much better about and use adequately for what it should be used for.

I'm waiting for when we start getting the real non-guzzlers....more of the TDI's and smart cars...i'd be really happy to see some of the tiny little buggers running around that are driven overseas (about as big as a mini but MUCH better on gas).

[czechmate]

I give my DH such a hard time about our Honda Pilot. I hate it.
It's horrible on gas mileage and I think it's just not necessary.

He thinks that because he's 6'5" he needs a big vehicle, but I think that's the dumbest thing I've ever heard.
I always say, so you need a big vehicle to fit your big build, then drive 20 mins to the airport and get into your little cockpit with your big body and fly for 3 hrs?
Then he says we need 4 wheel drive incase it snows. Well, both of us are from the north and we've never had four wheel drive before and we've been just fine.

I think he's just full of the American BS mentality, bigger is better.

We're planning on getting a Prius as soon as my lease is over. Unless I can convince him to trade in the Pilot.


I'll be one of those people with the vanity plates, except we can't decided which one:

TREHUGR (tree hugger)
IZLCTRK (it's electric)
YBMAKEG (yellow and blue make green)
GASAVER (gas saver)
BGREEN2 (be green too)
LESSGAS (less gas)
HALFGAS (half gas)
GOGREEN (go green)

What do you think?

Jen

[Mistress Trista]

I like the bgreen2...

My dh is like that. He won't ride in my HHR. He says he feels cramped and I'll admit, when I go on long trips and choose to drive, I'll con him out of the Durango. It is more comfortable on long drives. What's enteresting is he'll drive the cavalier before he'll drive the HHR. He says he can stretch his legs out more in the cavalier. <shrugs> men...

[spotty4]

Originally Posted by czechmate

We're planning on getting a Prius as soon as my lease is over. Unless I can convince him to trade in the Pilot.

I'll be one of those people with the vanity plates, except we can't decided which one:

TREHUGR (tree hugger)
IZLCTRK (it's electric)
YBMAKEG (yellow and blue make green)
GASAVER (gas saver)
BGREEN2 (be green too)
LESSGAS (less gas)
HALFGAS (half gas)
GOGREEN (go green)

What do you think?

Jen

Ahah!!! So you're one of the people I'm trying to get a beat on (i.e. understand ... not beat up!). I guess I don't understand the need to overtly broadcast that a hybrid driver is pro-environment. To me, clearly a hybrid driver feels like they would like to make a difference, otherwise they may have purchased a different car ... one that is nearly as economical and not nearly as expensive. Why flaunt greenness w/ an air of superiority?

There are many ways to be pro-environment in society and to feel like you're contributing to a solution. Driving a hybrid is one of the many ways. Recently, I have been very turned off by the air of smugness that I've seen among hybrid drivers. Perhaps this is a regional thing. I live in CA where driving a hybrid is very much a status symbol. I hope its not as bad where you all live.

[spotty4]

Originally Posted by AnneCaitlin

oh! here's an article from the NYTimes that discusses consumer's purchasing decisions regarding hybrids...(from 7/4/07)

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/04/bu.../04hybrid.html

Thanks AnneCaitlin! Great article.

[Mistress Trista]

People don't pay too much attention to that kind of stuff here. We live in a very poor county, so when they purchase cars, they buy what they can afford and most can't afford the hybrids. To me the gas mileage doesn't justify the price or the waiting list. I think the status symbol was started by the car companies marketing departments. Most of what people consider to be green, is not really green. The energy star apliances for example. What is it you save, about $50 to $100.00 a year? Have them cut your energy costs by 2/3 and then you can stick an energy star rating on it...that's just my 2 cents.

[czechmate]

Originally Posted by spotty4

Why flaunt greenness w/ an air of superiority?

There are many ways to be pro-environment in society and to feel like you're contributing to a solution. Driving a hybrid is one of the many ways. Recently, I have been very turned off by the air of smugness that I've seen among hybrid drivers. Perhaps this is a regional thing. I live in CA where driving a hybrid is very much a status symbol. I hope its not as bad where you all live.

Flaunting my greenness w/ an air of superiority??? Hardly, I live in Northern Kentucky (outside Cincy) and a Prius is FAR, FAR from a status symbol here.

I'm not joining the being green is cool bandwagon, I've been this way my entire life.
I'm purchasing a hybrid to do my part and reduce MY personal need for oil.
Plus I want my kids to see that there's more than just "talking" about being green. I really do try to explain how every decision we make, impacts the world. (I might look like a yuppie, republican mom -- but I'm totally a hippie at heart.)

Regarding the vanity plates, I've always wanted one, but never did it.
It's not a "look what I drive and I'm better than you." It's just for fun.

Anyway I drive a BMW now, so the Pruis is not only better for the environment, but much, much cheaper to own.

Jen

[spotty4]

Thanks, Jen! I don't mean to be pointing a finger at you personally, just the group as a whole, of hybrid drivers that exhibit what I've been seeing where I live.

One question, though. Do you want a Prius b/c it is the only current obvious hybrid car? Do you genuinely like the car? Would you consider other, more inconspicuous, hybrid options?

That's been my beef when I started this thread. Perhaps I didn't make it clear. It seems people choose the Prius over other hybrid alternatives b/c its an obvious hybrid and will easily broadcast their personal choice and statement.

Maybe while hybrid cars are so new and revolutionary its important to hybrid owners that they deliver their message loud and clear. How can you make an impact and deliver a message if you're just one of the crowd? Maybe I feel this frustration since I'm not a hybrid driver. I dunno .. ... just curious to try to see it from the other side.