As opposed to reviews regarding hybrid cars, owning one is not that simple. For most drivers of hybrid vehicles, it is not easy being the center of attention. This is proven each time they get behind the wheel.
Driving a hybrid is a personal statement; something similar to crossing the urges to buy a diesel Rabbit and a Mercedes SLK. You always want good mileage in a car that turns heads.
But out on the highways and byways, the heads being turned seem to lose those smiles on their faces. Whether through envy or just plain old unpleasantness, hybrid owners are generating their share of ire from the gasoline only drivers, or mono-drivers.
Here are some of the reviews about hybrid cars and the reality behind them.
Review Number 1: Driving slow
It is already known that driving slower saves gasoline. People who are civic minded have been driving their vehicles at or under the speed limit for years. But the popularity of hybrid cars has made that driving style more visible.
The same thing applies when first putting the car into motion. Note that it is even more critical to the mileage to do so in a slow, controlled manner. On open roads, speed-limit may not be the thing. But when accelerating, hybrid cars have to move slowly or else the gas mileage gauge will take its toll.
Driving slowly can also annoy other passengers in the vehicles, especially those who are in a hurry. In this situation, it is recommend to make a few more miles per hour. After all, your hybrid car will still be getting better mileage than almost anyone else on the road.
Review Number 2: Pulse and Glide
There are a number of continuous discussions about how pulsing and gliding can result in substantially improved mileage.
The concept is simple: when on level ground or even slight uphills, accelerate smoothly to the speed limit and then allow the car to glide to 10+ MPH below the speed limit. Then pulse and glide again, and again, and again.
While this certainly seems to improve mileage, it would probably would not win you many friends on the roadway, especially those behind you. Both driving slow and pulse and glide will cause even more animosity with the mono world if more states allow solo hybrid drivers to use carpool lanes.
Review Number 3: Refusing to inch forward
During traffic, mono-drivers would want to move on inch by inch. You cannot do the same thing with hybrid cars. Taking the foot off the brake pedal, auto-stop turns off and gasoline engine will restart, burning unnecessarily fuel.
Some "ordinary" drivers out there might be a little more willing to let the car slide forward if the batteries are full using stealth mode, but even you wouldn't want to use any of those hard earned electrons to advance negligibly. This can really annoy mono-drivers as it is such a socially-unacceptable thing to do.
4. Drafting life away
Another effective way to improve gas mileage is to draft off a vehicle bigger than yourself. If you pull up right behind a semi or even a decent sized van you can improve your mileage by about 10%.
Of course, sticking right up to someone's bumper is not a good way to make friends and it is a dangerous practice as well, so it is not recommend to do too much drafting at highway speeds.
5. Smiling at the service station
This is probably the biggest reason for the hybrid backlash. Hybrid car owners stop at the pump much less often than others and therefore does not feel as resentful of high gas prices as mono-drivers.
6. Sense of Superiority
All the other review numbers above mentioned that. Check them out.
There are some of the reasons why mono-drivers might start swearing when they see hybrid cars. Their mind-set might have come from the many reviews, not to mention the praises, that these hybrid cars are getting.
As with all situations, happy relations between two divergent groups requires some give and take. Hybrid owners have to be aware that their efforts to improve mileage are actually annoying other drivers.
Next time you see a review about hybrid cars, just think about the suffering owners.