I just received my TCH two weeks ago as a Christmas present, and drove it from Oregon back down to California.

Both in that drive down, and subsequent drives to work, I've noticed an unusual rudeness and aggression from Prius and other Hybrid drivers on the road.

At first, my partner told me I was schizo and to take more lithium, but I swear there's a distinct aggression. I've had two Prius drivers cut in front of my on the freeway, and in the city (I'm in San Francisco) I've had six different incidents where a Prius driver will speed up and cut me off.

When I try to wave, their return looks are dripping with disdain.

Has anybody else experienced this? One would assume being under the 'hybrid' roof would cause a sense of unity, but perhaps being in a Camry, the birds-of-a-feather personality kicks in.

 

They most likely don't know that you car is a Hybrid.

 

I've considered that, but my pyschosis has veto'd that resolution.

 

Well, even a--holes buy hybrids! I haven't been party to it myself, but then, I live in Ohio. Not exactly Prius Mecca!

I will say this though, when I lived in San Jose, the worst drivers always seemed to be college student age folks in beat-up, mis-tuned vehicles pouring blue smoke out the back. Of these, about 50% had Save the Earth and other environmental stickers. I guess their professors did not teach them the meaning of hypocrite!

 

Hybrid drivers around here tend to be just like there rest. My bet is that you noticed those drivers in particular because you are 'tuned in' to the whole hybrid thing. In reality you probably got cut off and generally messed with by plenty of others, too.

An anecdote:
When I first bought my Prius a month ago I was afraid of "sticking out" and catching the rage and ire of every other driver on the road. Within hours I noticed drivers who appeared to be acting out against me. After a few days these drivers magically disappeared and I haven't been harassed since as far as I'm aware. The only thing to change was that I got comfortable with the car and forgot to expect problems.

 

The only thing I've noticed is that other drivers don't pull out in front of me or cut me off like they did when I was driving an xB, and the stares from other drivers as I whiz by in the HOV lane.

 

Traffic is so messed up here in Seattle, nobody can get up enough speed to cut anybody else off, regardless of the car they're driving!

 

Personally I think a LOT of drivers drive like idiots. Are there a lot of Asian drivers in your area? Not to stereo-type but transplants (those that learned to drive) from the other side of the Pacific seem worse than most. As for the OP's question I don't see any agressivness unique to Prius owners. And I also agree that most people have no clue the TCH is even a Hybrid. I like it that way. The only ones I've seen are the Jasper Pearls because I spend too much time on the forum and I know that color is uinque to the TCH and no body purchasing a conventional Camry would choose that color any way . Otherwise the only hybrids I see are the classic Prius, the Gen2 Prius and Honda Insights and very few of those.

 

Any Prius/Hybrid owners I've encountered have been very polite. Their driving has typically been very conservative.

 

Any Prius/Hybrid owner that _I've_ encountered have been very polite. Their driving has been surprisingly aggressive!