Worst thing about the Yaris? "Hurrr, I'll just bomb you out of my way"

[Kar98]

It's getting reeeeeeaaaaally old. Everybody and their brother and sister thinks it's great fun to cut you off, shove you out of your lane, shoot out in front of you etc etc. My driving hasn't changed, and before the Yaris, I had a 97 Golf, a 87 Scirocco, a 86 Chevy Van, a 90 Isuzu Trooper, a couple of mid eighties VW Rabbits and before that BMWs, Renaults, a Benz or two... not ever did I feel as threatened as driving this little jellybean around Dallas, and especially back on forth on 635.

:iono:

[tooter]

Take off the Obama stickers. :wink:

[Kar98]

Take off the Obama stickers. :wink:

Ha! Wish it was that easy.

Something in this picture inspires unspeakable rage:

http://i.imgur.com/AQzrh5g.jpg

[mazilla]

I don't have that problem anymore...

[CoryM]

My guess is either Microsoft fanboys, or people who don't appreciate someone flying a foreign flag (is that supposed to be a rugby ball?).

Cheers.

Edit: or the polka dot license plate :þ

[why?]

Take off the Obama stickers. :wink:

rofl.

Be either more aggressive in your driving or drive slower. No one can cut me off because I am driving too slow. Usually the speed limit or just under is slow enough.

Or drive bat shit insane crazy. If they think you will hit them, they won't cut you off.

[Kar98]

My guess is either Microsoft fanboys, or people who don't appreciate someone flying a foreign flag (is that supposed to be a rugby ball?).

Nah, just a combination of the ( D ) oval with the colors of Germany.

Edit: or the polka dot license plate :þ

That could be it ;) Also, the actual license plate is the randomly assigned one and doesn't spell out obscenities as far as I know ;)

[Kar98]

rofl.

Be either more aggressive in your driving

I can't get much more aggressive in my driving without dropping in a LS1 or mounting a M60.

or drive slower. No one can cut me off because I am driving too slow.

Doesn't work. As soon as you leave an extra foot of space, somebody will squeeze in.

Usually the speed limit or just under is slow enough.

Or drive bat shit insane crazy. If they think you will hit them, they won't cut you off.

That worked in my beat up 97 Golf.

[tooter]

By the way, that's that D thingie on your left rear window? I don't think it could anger anyone, I'm just curious. :smile:

[Kar98]

But seriously, nobody else is getting harassed for their car like that?

[Yarflana]

I don't have a problem with getting cutoff and stuff....I just don't pay much attention to it and I am a rather defensive driver, until I want to just nail the pedal and get the hell outta wherever I am and the Yaris can do that wonderfully without pause.

[Kar98]

By the way, that's that D thingie on your left rear window? I don't think it could anger anyone, I'm just curious. :smile:

Close up:

http://i.imgur.com/b4qQruX.jpg

[why?]

Doesn't work. As soon as you leave an extra foot of space, somebody will squeeze in



see that is the thing. Everyone accelerates away from me. So by the time the person wants to cut me off, they are already 2 or 3 car lengths ahead of me. Hell, I've even driven 10 miles below the speed limit when I just didn't care and wanted to get the best gas mileage.

[Foot]

I will occasionally have a day where people are pulling out in front of me. Sometimes I check the front bumper to be sure I did not get a sign put on it. Not that I drive angry but I will pass the driver and get in front of him with little room to spare. It is fun when you know how long your car is. As far as people just cutting me off that does not happen because like someone said earlier if there is enough room for another car someone will get in front of you, I do not leave room if I do not want people to do that.

[jayeh]

Around here I feel like I'm driving a Bugatti Veyron and not a one of the least powerful cars available for sale in North America. More often than not I have to hold back because the car in front refuses to enter the highway at anything near the speed limit.

[tooter]

Close up:

http://i.imgur.com/b4qQruX.jpg

Oh, it's a German flag. That wouldn't make anyone mad. :smile:

[ilikerice]

nope. regardless of what I would drive, people are still eager to cut in front of you. even if there is nobody behind you, people just dont understand that they can slow down. Either change your driving style or get used to it. I don't feel its the car you drive, but the times we live in. I feel its getting worse because more people are getting stupid, careless and impatient.

[Astroman]

I get that around here. Also I've found that if I pass a large Suv or pickup towing the driver seems to think they're now going to slow and feel the need to speed up if a little car towing is able to pass them.

[nookandcrannycar]

see that is the thing. Everyone accelerates away from me. So by the time the person wants to cut me off, they are already 2 or 3 car lengths ahead of me. Hell, I've even driven 10 miles below the speed limit when I just didn't care and wanted to get the best gas mileage.

^^^^^This is what usually happens with me. I usually drive between 55-60 in the slow lane and they may try to cut me off, but I'm going too slow for it to be effective. Quite a few of the freeway miles around here (but not a majority) have a 60 MPH speed limit.

[nookandcrannycar]

It's getting reeeeeeaaaaally old. Everybody and their brother and sister thinks it's great fun to cut you off, shove you out of your lane, shoot out in front of you etc etc. My driving hasn't changed, and before the Yaris, I had a 97 Golf, a 87 Scirocco, a 86 Chevy Van, a 90 Isuzu Trooper, a couple of mid eighties VW Rabbits and before that BMWs, Renaults, a Benz or two... not ever did I feel as threatened as driving this little jellybean around Dallas, and especially back on forth on 635.

:iono:

I usually don't have any problems in Texas, but recently had 1 scary incident happen going North on I-45 and 2 more irritating ones going South on I-45 about 1-1 1/2 hours later. I was heading North on I-45 to Conroe, late at night, going about 58-60 in the slow lane and a Dodge Ram pickup was fast approaching me. It soon became evident that he wasn't going to slow down and I had to steer onto the shoulder to avoid being hit. I watched how he drove after passing me. It was pretty obvious he or she was drunk. On the way back from Conroe I had the same thing happen to me twice (once with another Dodge Ram and once with a full size Chevy pickup). The difference was that in each of these cases the truck was approaching me SLIGHTLY less slowly than the first Dodge Ram AND when I adjusted my rear view mirror to 'night reflection', each time the truck immediately changed lanes.

[nookandcrannycar]

either Microsoft fanboys

.....or they think you are (like me) from California :biggrin:.

[nookandcrannycar]

Take off the Obama stickers. :wink:

:biggrin:

[CrankyOldMan]

Do you drive with your headlights on? I've found that without them, my car seems invisible to other motorists. I've also considered that the proportions of our car may look more like a minivan from the front, so they assume that the car is at least a half mile or so farther away than it actually is.

That said, there are some days where it seems the whole world is out to get me--by pulling out in front of me and doing 10 under the speed limit--at every turn!

[Kar98]

Do you drive with your headlights on? I've found that without them, my car seems invisible to other motorists. I've also considered that the proportions of our car may look more like a minivan from the front, so they assume that the car is at least a half mile or so farther away than it actually is.

That would explain yesterday's incident of this chick shooting out right in front of me.

[UberSilver]

Get out of the right(wrong)lane. It the old days, folks knew the right lane was for entering/exiting the freeway.

But even if ones not in the right lane, I've also noticed a couple times a week, someone tries to be one with me. When I blast the 118 db Hella horns, they wake up in a hurry!

I think the car is small enough, that folks dont see it.:smile:


It's getting reeeeeeaaaaally old. Everybody and their brother and sister thinks it's great fun to cut you off, shove you out of your lane, shoot out in front of you etc etc. My driving hasn't changed, and before the Yaris, I had a 97 Golf, a 87 Scirocco, a 86 Chevy Van, a 90 Isuzu Trooper, a couple of mid eighties VW Rabbits and before that BMWs, Renaults, a Benz or two... not ever did I feel as threatened as driving this little jellybean around Dallas, and especially back on forth on 635.

:iono:

[matti]

On my way to work every morning, I have to drive up a pretty substantial hill about 1.5 miles in length. About halfway up, there's a four-way stop. I've been driving this hill for years and can never remember anyone passing me until I got my Yaris last summer. Now, I think I get someone passing me about once every two weeks or so. It's not that there upset, but my little car is slow and they must get a bit impatient.

[fnkngrv]

I get that around here. Also I've found that if I pass a large Suv or pickup towing the driver seems to think they're now going to slow and feel the need to speed up if a little car towing is able to pass them.

I deal with this too...I love it...of course I am boosted which they never know and eithe rare mouthing obscenities or utter surprise when I dust them off :biggrin:

In my area everyone knows my car for the most part now and if they do try to cut me off it is some punk ass kid wanting to try and puff his chest out in front of his friends or girls thinking that their manhood grows with cutting me off or something. :rolleyes:

[bentjazz]

You know, when I'm going home from work on my morning commute I have noticed of late that I am getting cut off way more than I ever got cut off when driving my Corolla, or any other car I ever owned, for that matter. I don't know what it is. Quite honestly, I didn't think anything of it until I started reading postings on this forum about fellow Yaris drivers encountering the same thing. My latest near miss was a huge Ford pickup cutting me off and missing my front end by a couple feet. I almost had a coronary. I flipped on my brights and followed his dumb redneck ass as far as I could, but after working all night the last thing I felt like doing was getting in a fight. Another ignorant ass Ford truck owner. I was ready to get bloody when he first cut me off, though. And that's just one instance.

[jayeh]

Get out of the right(wrong)lane. It the old days, folks knew the right lane was for entering/exiting the freeway.

But even if ones not in the right land, I've also noticed a couple times a week, someone tries to be one with me. When I blast the 118 db Hella horns, they wake up in a hurry!


Uhhh. The right lane is where people should be driving. The incorrect idea that people should drive in the middle lane is incredibly stupid. Drive in the right lane at the speed limit and leave space between cars. Personally I'm not going to switch lanes to allow somebody who isn't paying attention to merge. If they hit me they are at fault, if something happens while I'm changing lanes then I'm partially at fault and I'd rather not have that happen.

I spend most of my time in the empty right lane doing the speed limit and notice people will enter the highway well below the speed limit and well below the speed of traffic and will slow down in a live lane to zip over to the middle lane and cruise. :iono:

[DonM]

It seems that many of the drivers who are doing the cutting off are driving North American built vehicles.....do you think that it might have something do with these drivers having a "hate on" for small imports?

[jayeh]

It seems that many of the drivers who are doing the cutting off are driving North American built vehicles.....do you think that it might have something do with these drivers having a "hate on" for small imports?

What kind of cutting off? If it's super aggressive GTFO my way type driving it's an American brand or a Japanese Minivan. Super aggressive boy racer type driving will be a Mazda or VW, and finally the totally-completely-absolutely oblivious to the world around me type driver will be in an Asian car. If I see a car that stops at the end of a merging lane it's going to an Asian brand, most of the time a Toyota.

Yaris drivers are especially terrible. If I see another Yaris on the road I make sure to give it a very wide berth. The day I bought my car I was almost hit by two Yarii, both were completely oblivious that another car could even exist let alone that they just blew through a stop sign and a yield sign and almost hit one. Then I understood why I'm paying so damn much to insure my car!

If I see a Yaris or Corolla in the right lane with it's right turn signal on I wouldn't be surprised to see them turn left across 4 lanes.

[nookandcrannycar]

It seems that many of the drivers who are doing the cutting off are driving North American built vehicles.....do you think that it might have something do with these drivers having a "hate on" for small imports?

Yes. I love Texas. It will always be my official state of residence..........(unless I someday decide to pay the 15% 'exit fee' and give up my citizenship...the way this country is headed...I want to (and I can trace my family in what became the U.S back to 1607), but I worry permanently leaving would be too disrespectful to the memory of my grandfather)..........but the stereotype of a full size pickup driving Texan driving like he owns the world is at least partially true. I've also noticed some similar behavior from such drivers in Southern California and in Arizona.

[nookandcrannycar]

Do you drive with your headlights on? I've found that without them, my car seems invisible to other motorists. I've also considered that the proportions of our car may look more like a minivan from the front, so they assume that the car is at least a half mile or so farther away than it actually is.

That said, there are some days where it seems the whole world is out to get me--by pulling out in front of me and doing 10 under the speed limit--at every turn!

Did they do away with the DRLs for 09 with the cold weather package? Or not insist on bundling the cold weather package from your distributor? I bought my car in Rhode Island and all the new Yari I saw online in the Northeast at that time (07 model year) had the cold weather package (which included the DRLs) and I would think the distributor for Michigan would look at Michigan winters in the same light as Northeast winters.

[why?]

Did they do away with the DRLs for 09 with the cold weather package? Or not insist on bundling the cold weather package from your distributor? I bought my car in Rhode Island and all the new Yari I saw online in the Northeast at that time (07 model year) had the cold weather package (which included the DRLs) and I would think the distributor for Michigan would look at Michigan winters in the same light as Northeast winters.

It takes 5 minutes at most to take out the box for the drl's. First and still the easiest mod I've done, and I am sure I am not the only one.

[Kar98]

It seems that many of the drivers who are doing the cutting off are driving North American built vehicles.....do you think that it might have something do with these drivers having a "hate on" for small imports?

The last few incidents of rage against the Yaris were mostly domestic pickup trucks, but also a Scion coupe and something two-doorsy from Hyundai. The latter two driven by girls. Oh, and a Acura SUV of some kind.

[bairjo]

Well, I'll tell ya what I always do when some a-hole tailgates me when I'm already going 80mph. I give them a blast of the windshield washer juice...about 5 seconds worth. They always get a nice shower due the over spray and contour of the Yaris. You should try it...It always works. After they get the wash cycle, look in the rear view mirror and watch them turn their wipers on..and most of the time they will back off. If not....the get the rinse cycle. They really get mad at me sometimes when I do that....that makes my day.

[Foot]

I have done the windshield spray, I normally get a pretty good laugh. I should look into the hella horn, sounds like they maybe fun too.

[nookandcrannycar]

It takes 5 minutes at most to take out the box for the drl's. First and still the easiest mod I've done, and I am sure I am not the only one.

Oops, I believe I was wrong. I believe it's the All Weather Guard Package that comes with the DRLs from the factory (not the Cold Weather Package), and I didn't add my DRLs. I did a search for cold weather package 2007 Yaris and the DRLs weren't included on any of the hits I found. One hit mentioned the All Weather Guard Package, so I tried that, and the 9th hit on that search was a description of Astroman's Yaris on CarDomain.com !...Astroman included DRLs in that description, and other hits on that search also included the DRLs in the description of the All Weather Guard Package.

Too bad the OP hasn't added DRLs. I really like having them.

[nookandcrannycar]

The last few incidents of rage against the Yaris were mostly domestic pickup trucks, but also a Scion coupe and something two-doorsy from Hyundai. The latter two driven by girls. Oh, and a Acura SUV of some kind.

Were the girls texting:rolleyes:. Last year I was driving down Biscayne Blvd in Miami and got 'cut off' 3 times. The behavior of the driver each time after that led me to think the driver was DUI. Once I pulled alongside the driver each time, each driver had their head buried in their phone texting away and not looking at the road at all. One car was driven by a man in his 70s, and the other two were driven by fairly young women.

[bairjo]

I think my next youtube video will be a composite of my spray victims and their reactions...maybe not. You may be one of them....

[nookandcrannycar]

Well, I'll tell ya what I always do when some a-hole tailgates me when I'm already going 80mph. I give them a blast of the windshield washer juice...about 5 seconds worth. They always get a nice shower due the over spray and contour of the Yaris. You should try it...It always works. After they get the wash cycle, look in the rear view mirror and watch them turn their wipers on..and most of the time they will back off. If not....the get the rinse cycle. They really get mad at me sometimes when I do that....that makes my day.

When you've experienced someone tailgating you when you're already going 80, has that been in Florida :biggrin:.....only place in the U.S. I've seen that particular a*****e behavior.

[why?]

Oops, I believe I was wrong. I believe it's the All Weather Guard Package that comes with the DRLs from the factory (not the Cold Weather Package), and I didn't add my DRLs. I did a search for cold weather package 2007 Yaris and the DRLs weren't included on any of the hits I found. One hit mentioned the All Weather Guard Package, so I tried that, and the 9th hit on that search was a description of Astroman's Yaris on CarDomain.com !...Astroman included DRLs in that description, and other hits on that search also included the DRLs in the description of the All Weather Guard Package.

Too bad the OP hasn't added DRLs. I really like having them.

I don't know the package name, but every hatch sold in the Northeast had them. I hate them. I am not too stupid to know when I need to turn my lights on.

I don't need a nanny. Just a screwdriver to kill the nanny's with.

[Idahotom]

I have been on the alert for such behavior, but have not experienced any, we are pretty laid back rural types here, even in the big city of Pocatello.

I live part way up a mountain, and a local ski area is above me. When heading up to "the rock", I have to enter the two lane road heading up with a very limited viewpoint, and people are going at least 45, sometimes higher if it's a powder day! Nobody there one second, so I coast through the stop sign and floor it, (12% grade) and even then there can often be someone on my ass just like that. Now I don't blame them, driving this mountain is all about keeping your rpms up, and the best part is in about a 1/2 mile the long straightaway changes to a can full of worms, lots of switchbacks. The big rigs, with their high center of gravity, are quickly left behind and by the time they park I am already getting on the chairlift.

[edmscan]

Too bad the OP hasn't added DRLs. I really like having them.

I love my DRL's. I wouldn't think for a moment to remove them. They are there to ENHANCE my safety on the road. Thus .. I will keep them as they make it easier for the other drivers to see me. Anyone that purposely disables them on their cars are dorks.

[jayeh]

I love my DRL's. I wouldn't think for a moment to remove them. They are there to ENHANCE my safety on the road. Thus .. I will keep them as they make it easier for the other drivers to see me. Anyone that purposely disables them on their cars are dorks.

I'd rather they didn't exist personally. When it's a crappy dark rainy or snowy day out I see about 1 in 4 cars that actually turn their lights on. Most of those ones are cars with automatic headlights anyway.

I'd rather DRL's didn't exist and people were forced to turn their headlights on when needed.

[Absolutely Red 12]

Yes. I love Texas. It will always be my official state of residence..........(unless I someday decide to pay the 15% 'exit fee' and give up my citizenship...the way this country is headed...I want to (and I can trace my family in what became the U.S back to 1607), but I worry permanently leaving would be too disrespectful to the memory of my grandfather)..........but the stereotype of a full size pickup driving Texan driving like he owns the world is at least partially true. I've also noticed some similar behavior from such drivers in Southern California and in Arizona.

Socal and Arizona, substitute Texas pick up for oversize SUV!!!
Hummers, and Yukon XL still try to rule the roads here!!

I miss my Expedition!!

[why?]

I love my DRL's. I wouldn't think for a moment to remove them. They are there to ENHANCE my safety on the road. Thus .. I will keep them as they make it easier for the other drivers to see me. Anyone that purposely disables them on their cars are dorks.

so underpowering headlights, which actually damages them, is a good thing?

If a car in front of me can see the drl's, I can see them. If I can see them, I can avoid them. So precisely what do they do to enhance your safety?

Remember drl's don't turn on the rear lights at all.

[edmscan]

If you drive with your headlights on 100% of the time, I will cut you some slack. Otherwise .. drl's are an improvement over nothing. If you have disabled your DRL's, and don't drive with your headlights on, I maintain my position.

[jayeh]

so underpowering headlights, which actually damages them, is a good thing?

If a car in front of me can see the drl's, I can see them. If I can see them, I can avoid them. So precisely what do they do to enhance your safety?

Remember drl's don't turn on the rear lights at all.

They are extremely helpful for spotting police cruisers from a distance since cop cars don't have DRL's.

They are semi helpful when passing on 2 lane highways, or more accurately when dumbasses pull into oncoming traffic (ie me) when they try to pass and shouldn't be.

[Kar98]

Too bad the OP hasn't added DRLs. I really like having them.

I'm wondering. I did have DRLs in my 97 Golf (I also had heated seats, a lockable glovebox, and power mirrors) and didn't mind them. There's a "disable DRLs" tutorial somewhere. I wonder if enabling them is as simple as putting that relay in.

[nookandcrannycar]

Socal and Arizona, substitute Texas pick up for oversize SUV!!!
Hummers, and Yukon XL still try to rule the roads here!!

I miss my Expedition!!

I don't see too many Yukon XLs nor Expeditions around here, but there are LOTS of Hummers. One household in my family lives way up in the hills in Marin County, CA. The husband bought the wife an Expedition. The only thing wrong with this is the location of their neighborhood (only reachable by narrow, winding, steep roads) and the fact that she could barely see over the dash. She got in a couple of accidents with the Expedition, so they traded it in an a new AWD Volvo station wagon.

[nookandcrannycar]

every hatch sold in the Northeast had them.

That's what I thought.

Even though having them is kind of 'nannyish' (and I normally don't like 'nanny state' things), I do like the DRLs. When the 2011 model was new, I thought about trading in my 07 in order to have a 2nd gen Yaris as far into the future as possible. While doing research for this, I found out the distributor (Gulf States Toyota) doesn't allow that same package that all the Northeast cars gave to be ordered. I thought about getting an out of state car. If equipment differences exist between the distributors when I eventually get a 3rd Gen Yaris, I may again consider getting an out of state car.

[CrankyOldMan]

Did they do away with the DRLs for 09 with the cold weather package? Or not insist on bundling the cold weather package from your distributor? I bought my car in Rhode Island and all the new Yari I saw online in the Northeast at that time (07 model year) had the cold weather package (which included the DRLs) and I would think the distributor for Michigan would look at Michigan winters in the same light as Northeast winters.

I can't say for certain, but mine was bought in CA, then sold in MI when the owner moved here. Apparently she spent 1 month here and decided to join the full-sized SUV arms race.

[DeathBeard]

A lot of testerone neandrathols in Texas

[nookandcrannycar]

see that is the thing. Everyone accelerates away from me. So by the time the person wants to cut me off, they are already 2 or 3 car lengths ahead of me. Hell, I've even driven 10 miles below the speed limit when I just didn't care and wanted to get the best gas mileage.

^^^^^ This.

[nookandcrannycar]

nope. regardless of what I would drive, people are still eager to cut in front of you. even if there is nobody behind you, people just dont understand that they can slow down. Either change your driving style or get used to it. I don't feel its the car you drive, but the times we live in. I feel its getting worse because more people are getting stupid, careless and impatient.

.....and ^^^^^ This.

[Twistoffate0817]

When I am driving my Yaris, people are more up my butt then when I am driving another car.

[edmscan]

The only thing that annoys me about the Yaris .. is that the back window on the LB is never never clean. I swear I can take it to the car wash .. and 5 min later it is dirty again. Maybe someone who has mud flaps .. can tell me if that helps resolve the problem ?

[nookandcrannycar]

The only thing that annoys me about the Yaris .. is that the back window on the LB is never never clean. I swear I can take it to the car wash .. and 5 min later it is dirty again. Maybe someone who has mud flaps .. can tell me if that helps resolve the problem ?

Isn't it kind of hard though (in general) to keep cars clean in Edmonton because of the wind ?

[edmscan]

Isn't it kind of hard though (in general) to keep cars clean in Edmonton because of the wind ?

Never knew that was the cause .. but thanks for letting me know. :thumbup:

[nookandcrannycar]

Never knew that was the cause .. but thanks for letting me know. :thumbup:

:thumbsup:

[DebbyM46227]

When I am driving my Yaris, people are more up my butt then when I am driving another car.

I noticed this too, when I took it for the first test drive. It looks like they are going to ram you in the ass due to it having no trunk.

[jcboy]

The only thing that annoys me about the Yaris .. is that the back window on the LB is never never clean. I swear I can take it to the car wash .. and 5 min later it is dirty again. Maybe someone who has mud flaps .. can tell me if that helps resolve the problem ?

IMHO all LBs (trunkless vehicles) get their rear windows dirty more easily than "trunked" cars due to the tailwind. it's the same way that the rear end of the trunk gets dirtier easily than the top part. thus the necessity of having rear wipers for "trunkless" vehicles.

[47_MasoN_47]

I used to have a lot of problems with trucks and whatnot ragepassing me and stuff like that. Mostly just LOL BIG TRUCK MEANS MY PENIS IS BIGGER SO I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU HOW BIG IT IS. Now that I'm boosted I just blow past those pussies. I live in a fairly small area so after showing most of the idiots with big trucks that they aren't as big and bad as they think they are I haven't had as much of a problem with it.

I raced a Ferrari 308 on the interstate on the way to Montgomery once and kept pretty good pace with it up to 115 when my governor kicked in :(