A few weeks back, I was returning from a wonderful trip to Yosemite National Park on the somewhat depressing 2 lane farm 'highways' that litter the Central Valley of CA. The strangest thing happened - some guy in a blue Prius came rocketing by us, passing (somewhat legally) in the oncoming lane at 80+ mph. As I watched up the road, the Prius driver continued to hammer away, passing each and every car in its path at a very high rate of speed. The outside temps were 95+ degrees. I wondered how such a 'green' car reacts to such a driving style.


My favorite show (ever!), Top Gear, recently featured a 'race' between a Toyota Prius and a BMW M3 on their test track, but not for speed - for fuel mileage. You'll have to watch to see the results.

Logic dictates that a car specifically designed for economy, the Prius, will not excel at 'high performance' driving in somewhat extreme conditions (or rather, driving like a total ass). Sure enough, 30 minutes after I last saw this Prius in Farmland, CA, there it was again, pulled over on the side of the highway, engine hood popped and curses spewing from the driver. Meanwhile, my girlfriend and I continued on in her Subaru wagon, getting 30+ miles to the gallon with the A/C blasting. I may have enjoyed a chuckle at the driver's expense.

The point here is that there is no point to owning a fuel efficient car if you continue to drive it like a Ferrari. A commitment has to be made to change your habits in order to make a difference in your fuel mileage and the rate of greenhouse gas emissions that roar from your tailpipe.