What happens when you park your Volt in the parking lot of a home improvement store and — all of a sudden and without warning — you get made fun of for owning one? That’s exactly what happened to GM-Volt.com member landisj, whose story is as follows:
I was just at a Home Depot and when I first arrived at the store a guy asked how I liked my Volt, and we talked as we entered the store. Interestingly, his son is a Volt engineer at the Hamtramck plant. He was thrilled to see a Volt in the wild.
Upon returning to my Volt in the parking lot, a lady and her son parked next to me got out of their car, and she said to me, “I hope you like that car and your rebate that I helped pay for with my tax dollars.” She was angry. I was tongue-tied and only said, “I do really like it, thanks much.” She was long gone by the time I was angered by her statement. I looked at her car and the trunk was covered with anti-Obama and other right-wing stickers. It was a Toyota Camry, no less. This is in my winter home state of Florida, and I also live in Michigan where these wonderful cars are made. She obviously doesn’t like the GM bailout or the EV rebates.
Does anyone have some quick retorts when faced with such vitriol by the public? I would appreciate some help in case it happens again.
Unfortunately for landisj, the misinformed lady doing the dissing isn’t worth arguing with. For starters, she is most likely the epitome of an uneducated consumer who also happens to be the car enthusiast’s worst enemy (drives a Camry). Not only does she drive a vehicle that supports the economies and manufacturing operations of another country, she also doesn’t seem to understand sheer economics and the bailout (one that was put into place by President George W. Bush).
So instead of coming up with a retort or comeback of any kind, we’d answer with something just as ridiculous as her initial conversation-starter. We’d go with something like, “… Oh yeah? Well, you’re ugly”… at which point, we’d get into our Volt, flip it into reverse, and drive away, not only saving face, but also allowing her to do her home improvement shopping in deep thought about her appearance. Heck, she may even walk several times through the mirrors aisle. Take that, b**ch.
Comments
I would of mentioned about the unattended acceleration about Toyotas. I swear for every person that talks about how GM and Chrysler talks about the bailout it really ticks me off. And it’s not like Toyota is any better than GM (except for quality in the past). Now im not saying I hate Toyotas or foreign cars in general, but this is just not necessary at all.
I don’t hate Toyota. I actually respect the organization and love (some) of its vehicles. But what most Americans don’t realize (unless they read GM Authority, that is) is that the Japanese government supports its auto industry almost every year with “industry money” — non-debt, tax-free money.
Japan’s rationale is that by “giving back” to their big three, they will create an even better, more globally competitive auto industry based in their country, resulting in increased profits and wealth. The practice is not frowned upon and is actually supported in the country.
Americans, on the other hand, expect our big three to tough it out with a few corporate tax breaks that are also offered/available to the foreign manufacturers.
Just different perspectives from around the world… I like Japan’s approach better. Too bad Japan doesn’t make the Volt or the Camaro…
I don’t hate them too, but I just think like there’s always gotta be that somebody to criticize (in a bad way) and few people fail to realize that not everybody is perfect nor they have to listen to one another to agree.
When you give someone a gift you can not tell them how to use it. When you pay taxes this is a gift you give to the government !
exactly!
this is much more ridiculous:
What a Dumas it’s not a gas guzzler it’s a diesel guzzler. Lol
I don’t think prius is any greener than the diesel.
Wow! Haven’t seen this one. What a gem!
I think our retort would work best here, as well:
“Oh yeah? Well, you’re ugly.”
Then drive a huge burnout. 🙂
She also in your video isn’t being environmentally friendly. Her excessive size weighs down her car thus decreasing the mileage, go lose some weight.
At one point she gets mad for his exhaust blowing into her by the wind? What does he do to fix that? Right, she drives a prius (I won’t even capitalize that word), they think they can fix the world with those. Then I would have shown her this video.
She is probably driving that Prius to compensate all that diesel that farmers burn to grow all that food she eats.
I think she failed to realize that those van lines also uses diesels.
Fox News: Empowering loud stupid people every day!
Yea, we get that alot in California, people used to snigger at my first gen prius, of course no one does that anymore, by the way I thought extreme right wingers would never drive a import.
I was just thinking if James was there then he would give the lady a long lecture explaining exactly why and how she wrong and make her regret she ever said that. LOL
i think the lady should think twice before she says anything.
Ah, I smell Tea Party angry lady who know little or nothing about how government works or the energy policy of the US or even Who Killed the Electric Car… I’m also willing to bet she pays little or nothing in federal income tax and we know Florida doesn’t have an income tax.
Does she know that Toyota makes a ton of money in the US but pays very little taxes here? They find a way to shift profits out of the US, usually to Japan. In Japanese corporate culture, I understand it’s considered honorable and a bragging point to say how much you made and how much Japanese tax you paid to support your country.
Too bad we don’t have that culture in the US. I took this picture today as I was driving through Beverly Hills. Their Volt was plugged in to the construction 220 line! http://t.co/CLAtihSJ
Well-put, Todd. Taking profits “back home” is another point of bragging for the Japanese (can I blame them?). In fact, it’s probably that way for most cultures the world over, except for the U.S. Most “active” business people never had to go through a “very tough” economic time like those experienced by Japan or Russia in the last 30-50 years… Perhaps when things get worse and it’s totally out of their control, they’ll realize the benefit of “bringing it back home.”
PS: nice pic!
Im for alot of tea party ideas like budget discipline, smaller government and others, yet I support the volt, electric power, and the GM bailout.
While the bailouts are neccessary, I think it is best for a company to stand on its own merits and not recieve government help idefinately. After all, before shooting themselves in the foot with the problems that started in the 70s, the big three were the stongest automakers in the world, without government assistance.
As a Republican myself, I’m ashamed at the way some in the party act in regards to the auto industry. I’ve always been a strong supporter of GM and the Republican party. All of my GM vehicles are currently sporting Mitt Romney gear. In defense of the party, I know plenty of liberal wieners who won’t touch anything made by a domestic manufacturer because they don’t want to support greedy corporate America.lol
I think of it this way. If you’re on a small fishing boat that springs a leak, you can choose to continue fishing (after all you’re only there to fish not to bail out water) or help solve the problem by grabbing a bucket. The radical sides of both the Republican and Democratic parties are the people who will continue to fish. The more moderate sides of the parties are the people who can see where this is heading and despite the fact that they’re only there to fish, they’re going to grab a bucket and start bailing.
I feel the same!
Jeff I’m with you man, the bailouts weren’t pretty and they weren’t handled as well as they could have been (could have just let GM go through bankruptcy and restructuring in the first place before pouring all that cash into them), but they a were necessary and once in a lifetime events that kept the domestic auto industry alive. If GM disappeared, unemployment would have been in the double digits until 2013. Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures, and I’m willing to give them a mulligan. That being said, if in 5 or 10 years (or 30, or 50) they are in the same boat, then they’re on their own – as they should be, there needs to be responsibility. But I think everyone who follows GM Authority would argue that that won’t be happening any time soon (insert Jay Leno – engineers running GM again). My GM vehicles are sporting Jon Huntsman gear, but I’ll probably have to cover over them with that other mormon guys in a few months.
First off, she is an unpatriotic piece of trash. You may have wanted to thank here for destroying the American economy for buying her Toyota piece of **** by having all the profits from that vehichle sent to Japan. And reminder like the other poster that Japan subsidizes the Camry piece of crap she is driving. I think you handled it just well. To be civil I would have said “this Volt is so awesome I wish you would contribute more.”
I swear some people these days are just so ignorant like the lady in the prius who thinks her car is so green.
Guys, I totally agree with Alex’s response. No sense arguing with a moron.
But to the Prius lady: don’t worry ma’am, this is what they will use to tow your Prius when it breaks down.
Lolz, that’s another fine candidate for a reply:
Ma’am, you do know that my truck wil be the one that towes your Prius once its battery dies, don’t you?
Kill them with kindness, just like you did. You diffuse the situation. Some people’s minds won’t ever be changed because all they see is the negative in everything and filled with hate.
By the way remember about thirty or forty years some people in the United States was attacking a Japanese car.
ignorant is not a disease,you just ignorant what you dont no..beat way to be polite..
PLEASE do not say, “oh yeah, well your ugly” this is incredible imature behaivior and and I sure would hate to think thats what a Volt owner resorts to.
I wonder if the fuel in that Prius has and ethanol in it. Government subsides for alternate fuel. Government subsides to grow the corn.
As a foreigner, I ask”‘Isn’t there a lenghy timeline of Volt development that streaches back long before GM even recived a dime?” As I understand it, the Volt was some 80% complete before the bailout money even came into the picture.
I mean there is a series of R&D videos on YT chronicling the Volt; I know those started before the bailout; so why do people claim it was funded entirely on the US taxpayers?
Also, when the first gen Prius was heavily subsidized, where were the Japanese citizens in the streets protesting?
Strange lot you Yanks.
I think I would just not give her the time of my day and completely ignore her.
After the oil embargo in 1973 and Honda brought the Civic to our country, the writing was on the wall. G.M. responded reluctantly in 1976 with the offering of the Chevette.
As a third vehicle in my stable, I bought one. It was a Green 4 speed, fun to drive, low maintenance, durable (21yrs.& put 200,000mi.on it) Every where I went, I got harassed. Ignorance is bliss. Lets face up to it, we have got to evolve for a better way of life. G.M. has the brains and guts to take us there. The U.S.A. is the best.
i HATE every ford toyota honda and subaru product i see,but that doesn\t mean i go taunting the drivers for the choice they made this woman is just dilusional
Lol if you did, you wouldn’t get very far in your daily commute 🙂
Yeah? Well, the Jerk Store called, and they’re running out of you!
LOL!
+props
Nice, @Tuc.