I learned the hard way that I need to be more selective to whom I demonstrate the i's unexpected prowess. I was driving home from work one day last week when I came up to my favorite intersection for showing off the i. It's one of those intersections where a single lane opens up to two lanes as you approach the stoplight and then merges back down to one lane shortly after the stoplight. (I really don't understand the point in these types of intersections. All they do is breed animosity!) It's only a rare occasion that I actually get the opportunity to show off. So many different circumstances have to align perfectly (e.g. The stoplight actually has to turn red and stay red as I approach it, I have to be first in line in one of the lanes, and the driver next to me has to be someone who exudes the attitude of "I'm gonna show this puny EV who's BOSS!"). If all those conditions do not exist, I will just keep my i in ECO mode and casually make my way through the intersection being courteous and allowing others to merge ahead of me.
On this particular day, I was not the first in line as I stopped for the red light. I was a couple cars back. Right next to me in the lane that ends at the merge was a big honkin' pickup with a pair of those steel testes swinging from his trailer hitch. You know, one of those accessories that instantly proclaims, "I'm a jag!" Anyway, since all my conditions were not met this time at the intersection, when the light turned green, I just casually accelerated and motored along my way. The pickup next to me stayed right next to me neither accelerating to get ahead of me or slowing to get behind me. As we got closer to the merge up ahead, I decided to bump the go stick into D for an extra spurt of energy to calmly move ahead and avoid the usual awkward confrontation at the actual merge.
Apparently, Mr. Swingin' Testes didn't take too kindly to this. Right when the lanes were starting to merge, I heard his pickup roar to life and he came charging up next to me just as his lane ended. He forced his way in, and I was shoved on to the shoulder and had to slam on my brakes to avoid flying off the road completely. I could see him smiling and looking back at me in his rear view mirror. The two cars behind me had to stop suddenly, too, in order to avoid an incident. I saw them shaking their heads in disbelief at this jerk's actions.
So, to prevent any more confrontations, I specifically avoid opening the i up next to any driver who overtly displays an alarming over-abundance of testosterone!
