I got to use my favorite line again today... "Don't freak out when I drive away without the engine running." Someone wanted to use the carwash area our apartment complex offers, as I was drying my car. So I offered to move the Prius. I don't mind because it lets me show off a bit anyway. After I moved the car over before the engine kicked in, they walked over and were amazed. Did I mention I so enjoy doing that? Ha! :mrgreen: Any other fun unsuspecting people stories out there? I know parking lots are common places to toy with the average person, any other situations out there where you've surprised someone?
I had my Prius outside at the hobby farm around a month ago when the neighbor arrived to visit. I made a big production number of getting an extension cord for the block heater plug and told him " battery is getting low." But he didn't fall for it. Back in 1992 I took my then-new Honda Prelude for a drive down to Disney. I had left the block heater cord sticking out of the grille and folks down there actually did stop and ask if it was an electric car.
I pulled up behind a salesman when I was test driving the Escape Hybrid. He didn't even noticed I was <2ft behind him. The customer he was attending to saw me and kindly told him
My favorite thing is to just tap the horn at people walking down the aisleway in the parking garage. It's about a gurantee to make 'em jump.
Me: "Did you hear that?" Wife: "What? I didn't hear a thing." Me: "Yeah, I think a Prius just went by."
hey. the prius horn is loud. really loud. i've done this. but for me it's me " wait.. do you hear that? " anyone else " no ".. me "... no.. wait... it's a prius... there it is"... as you hear a slight hum and the wheels rolling. i've spotted them from pretty far away.
Funny you should say that... I spend very little time in parking lots, so I haven't had much experience as a "stealth stalker". But when driving home, I have to usually stop and take a left a few blocks from my house. This causes the engine to stop; and since I'm driving side-streets from then on (and it's my neighborhood, so I stick to the 20 MPH speed limit and look out for kids), I'm usually in electric mode. Anyway, there's a large church along the route, and two elderly ladies decided to jaywalk in front of me -- not hearing the silent Prius. I stopped the car, and about halfway across they turned their heads and saw me. Eyes as big as deer in the headlights. I smiled and waved -- didn't want them to feel like they were inconveniencing me. Just glad I didn't give them a stroke!!
I had fun today. I spent the day sitting next to my car for the Earth Day fair in Balboa park answering questions. My most fun was about Arizona Charlie's parking guide. I start off telling them it's a wireless charger that detects electromagnetic fields as I drive and recharges the car whenever I drive under overhead powerlines. Then after their eyes get wide and they start to nod...I tell them it's really just a parking guide because I'm not used to the short nose.
