It depends on what state you are in. In California it can be illegal to impede traffic even if you are driving above the speed limit. It's spelled oput in detail in the CVC which is on line. Anyone who wants to control the speed other cars are driving should join a police force and go on traffic duty. Everyone else should get out of the way.
Most trendy and/or fashionable cars?
- Thread starter The Critic
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The Lotus Exige and Elise are pretty trendy here in Los Angeles. Females that usually would drive a Miata but with much more money like to drive those Loti.
Who do you think?
Hint: not the driver.
Laws vary by state, but almost universally, yes, it is illegal (hence my use of my preferred term, "left lane bandit")! Whether or not it is actually an infraction for which you can be made to pay a fine varies too, but usually, it is. Click here to see a nice, concise compilation table of state laws, with links to sources. Pitzel? Pitzel, where are you???
One reason Prius drivers drive so slow is because they have the MPG meter SOOO predominate in the display. Whenever they do anything, the mpg changes, it's great for realtime feedback. If I had that big mpg meter in my Land Cruiser, I'd probably drive slower on the freeway so I can see for a fact if I am getting over 15 mpg.
If they took that mpg meter away on the Prius and just had the speedometer, the Prius owners would drive faster.
If they took that mpg meter away on the Prius and just had the speedometer, the Prius owners would drive faster.
Well, yes and no. I don't find myself dominated by the mileage displays. The nag factor has slowed me down some, but I still tend to cruise just below 80 on the open interstates. What the displays really do, at least for me, is keep me careful with techniques. Acceleration, deceleration, hill climbing/descending, and so forth, can all be done more efficiently with real-time fuel consumption data staring you in the face (numerically and graphically). I make a point not to obstruct others, and since I rarely have gobs of excess time, I'm still willing to trade the fuel for the time to arrive earlier on long trips. Even when I'm running fast, this car still runs in the high 40s typically, though with five passengers and cargo, it will dip to the low 40s. So even fast, I'm getting over 20 miles extra distance out every gallon of gas burned. And of course, it beats the living daylights out of my wife's Sequoia, so we tend to use the Prius when I'm home.
Amen - I'm 'only' 35 but I really don't care much anymore either. That goes for clothes, cars, electronics, etc.quote:
Originally posted by Hirev:
I'm old enough not to care what is trendy and/or fashionable.
My rule is if I like it, it's 'by definition' cool.
As for all the rich kids, I wonder if that is why depression (or at least the pharmaceutical commercials) seems so prevalent. Hard to come down from that high when you're not the most important person in the world anymore and you have to pay your own bills and such.
Our distant in-law drives her Prius at 65 in the fast lane and has never received a ticket. I've come up behind here when the flow of traffic was 80 and there is a constant stream of cars passing her on her right side. I flash my high beams and blast by. She has never commented on my rude behavior and I think it's because she does not notice that it's me. She sees the world as she wants to, and is convinced that she is a good person. I think she's good, too, but good for what, I don't know. Maybe she's there to balance ekpolk out.
Funny you say this as I've noticed a lot of fast hybrid drivers on our freeways which I figured goes against the whole purpose of their car. On numerous occasions I have been following a Prius doing 80-90 in the fast lane so I guess they like better fuel economy but no so much to be parked next to the semi's.
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This comment reflects one of the common Prius misconceptions. The fuel use advantage of this car does not abruptly disappear as you go above 65 mph. With just me and a couple things in the car, at just below 80 mph, I still manage to hit the high 40s (though the new Michelin Hydroedges I put on it have hurt me some -- still waiting for them to loosen up). The car is actually very quiet and comfortable at 80. Just because one of the car's missions is achieving high fuel economy, that doesn't mean I have to struggle to maximize mileage at all times. Counterpoint: how often do you see a Corvette driver taking full advantage of his car's speed or handling potential while cruising down an interstate?
I wasn't saying it in a negative way but just found it sort of funny seeing a car that was for the most part bought for fuel economy and the envrionment and then to see it leading all the fast cars.
I've been part of the crowd when my family had a `04 Jetta TDI wagon, while I could've gone 65 to really bring in some impressive mpg's, I still ended up going with the "flow of traffic."
Not taken as a negative. You're far from alone. I've heard and read many comments along the same lines. Don't forget that as I'm leading all the fast cars, I'm still burning about half the gas that they are!
And I still have the option, when I feel like it (which isn't all that often) to slow down to 60-65 and burn 1/3 the fuel they are consuming. This capability will come in handy if (should I say "when") gas skyrockets to astronomical prices.
You know, I have a vague hunch that I might actually get better mileage in my Prius than you do in that monster!quote:
Originally posted by jdm90:
'85 Chevy Truck 4x4,lift kit, CO-OP mudders (mud tires), 350 V8 w/ glasspacks Holley 750 double pumper, 3 bar light bar w/ 6 KC's,Yosimite Sam-Back Off! mud flaps
You should not take my comment as any sort of slap (I also, fer cryin' out loud, own a Sequoia, not exactly a mileage champ...).
Actually, can I borrow your truck for a couple days? I'd like to take it to Berkeley and just cruise the streets for a day or two. Now that would be entertaining. . .
I'll go with you. We'll retard the timing, richen the idle, and close the gap on a couple of sparkplugs; #5 and #8 I think. Spend a lot of time idling near sidewalk cafes.quote:
Originally posted by ekpolk:
You know, I have a vague hunch that I might actually get better mileage in my Prius than you do in that monster!quote:
Originally posted by jdm90:
'85 Chevy Truck 4x4,lift kit, CO-OP mudders (mud tires), 350 V8 w/ glasspacks Holley 750 double pumper, 3 bar light bar w/ 6 KC's,Yosimite Sam-Back Off! mud flaps
You should not take my comment as any sort of slap (I also, fer cryin' out loud, own a Sequoia, not exactly a mileage champ...).
Actually, can I borrow your truck for a couple days? I'd like to take it to Berkeley and just cruise the streets for a day or two. Now that would be entertaining. . .
'85 Chevy Truck 4x4,lift kit, CO-OP mudders (mud tires), 350 V8 w/ glasspacks Holley 750 double pumper, 3 bar light bar w/ 6 KC's,Yosimite Sam-Back Off! mud flaps
Interesting responses, though I think some are confusing trendy/fashionable with just plain "popular."
I apologize in advance if I'm being prejudice, but I'm just stating what I see on the streets:
VW Jetta/New Beetle- Teenagers, females.
Scion tC- middle-class, asian females, some males as well.
Ford Focus- white, middle to upper class, female.
The TL seems to be quite popular around here too, but its a toss-up as to who it's fashionable with, as I see plenty of young and older drivers.
Escalade- Predominately young, African American or Hispanic drivers. But I rarely see any of these in my neighborhood, only in the lower-income parts of town.
300 with HUGE wheels- Again, predominately younger African American or Hispanic buyers, not sure why.
RX330- Middle-aged couples.
Popular?
Teenagers: Any 4-cyl Honda/Toyota family sedan, within the last five years. Trendy people aside, there are still quite a few Acura/Lexus models, but those are obviously hand-me-downs.
Families: Sienna, Odyssey, Pilot, MDX, and 4-cyl Honda/Toyota vehicles.
The six-cylinder Taurus/Malibus are also extremely common in the lower-income parts of town, but are driven predominately by African American or Hispanic drivers, age irrelevant. Again, not sure why. I think I see two or three of these in my neighborhood a year, but I can't go more than ten feet without seeing one in some parts of town that I frequent.
I apologize in advance if I'm being prejudice, but I'm just stating what I see on the streets:
VW Jetta/New Beetle- Teenagers, females.
Scion tC- middle-class, asian females, some males as well.
Ford Focus- white, middle to upper class, female.
The TL seems to be quite popular around here too, but its a toss-up as to who it's fashionable with, as I see plenty of young and older drivers.
Escalade- Predominately young, African American or Hispanic drivers. But I rarely see any of these in my neighborhood, only in the lower-income parts of town.
300 with HUGE wheels- Again, predominately younger African American or Hispanic buyers, not sure why.
RX330- Middle-aged couples.
Popular?
Teenagers: Any 4-cyl Honda/Toyota family sedan, within the last five years. Trendy people aside, there are still quite a few Acura/Lexus models, but those are obviously hand-me-downs.
Families: Sienna, Odyssey, Pilot, MDX, and 4-cyl Honda/Toyota vehicles.
The six-cylinder Taurus/Malibus are also extremely common in the lower-income parts of town, but are driven predominately by African American or Hispanic drivers, age irrelevant. Again, not sure why. I think I see two or three of these in my neighborhood a year, but I can't go more than ten feet without seeing one in some parts of town that I frequent.
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