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

[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.

[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]

Originally Posted by 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 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.

[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]

Originally Posted by 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?

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]

Originally Posted by 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?

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.

[Absolutely Red 12]

Originally Posted by nookandcrannycar

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!!

[Kar98]

Originally Posted by 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?

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.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by Kar98

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. 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]

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]

Originally Posted by 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.

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

[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....

[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.

[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]

Originally Posted by 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 ?

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

[edmscan]

Originally Posted by nookandcrannycar

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.