Sure, Priuses are sorta cool, very green and full of fun bells and whistles like smart keys, navigation systems and touch-screen cell phones, but let’s face it: image-wise, they’re also a bit wussy. I’ve been driving one for three-and-a-half years and I’ve watched my typical car conversation drift from how fast I could drive to Las Vegas to what sort of mileage I got on the trip.
But Al Gore III changed that when he police pulled him over for driving 105 M.P.H. in his Prius. Yes, there were drugs galore in the car, but that’s hardly important to those of us who drive Priuses. Finally, as opposed to being just that nerdy Leonardo DiCaprio wannabe who recycles and uses curly florescent light bulbs, we were guys who drove (just maybe) a real car . Even the L.A. Times was forced to ask, “Why is the Prius such a screaming hot rod?”
I have three friends who also drive Priuses (hybrids, in L.A. at least, are as common as plastic surgeons, actor/waiters and disgruntled New Yorkers) and little Al revealed a secret that we already knew. No matter how responsible you are, at one time or another, curiosity gets the best of you and you push the Prius as far beyond the speed limit as it will go—and surprise yourself in process. One the open road, you’re not going to see a Prius poking along in the right hand lane with Winnebagos and clunkers; it’s moving quite comfortably in the fast lane with all the other nice cars. (One friend got a ticket for going 94 M.P.H. in his Prius. His defense: “It’s not like the car was straining or shaking or anything. I didn’t even notice.”
At the risk of annoying my State Farm agent, I recently drove the Prius to from L.A. to Palms Springs on a light traffic day and effortlessly averaged 80+ M.P.H. for most the trip.
Since I don’t want to annoy my more socially responsible friends either, I kept the car on cruise control and according to the on-board computer, averaged 51 miles per gallon, not even using a quarter tank for a 120-mile drive. (Another weird Prius secret: highway driving often gets you far better mileage than city driving, no matter what they tell you.)
So far, no one’s mentioned what type of mileage the bad Gore was getting when he was caught, but apparently, it was good enough that he had money left over for pot and pills. And while the courts might not overlook that, Al Gore III can rest assured that his fellow Prius owners will.
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