Help Me: I hate the "Golf Cart" comment

I was driving the iMiev to my daughter's soccer tournament today, and heard someone ('cause you can hear people talking while driving it ) say, "Oh, that car's like a golf cart" or something. And, I freaking just wanted to drive over the ignoramus! :evil: Or, at least take him for a ride to show how much NOT like a golf cart the iMiev is in handling, spunk, and speed.

I really want to promote EVs and these kind of backwards comments make me wonder if I'm (and the iMiev) is actually somewhat counter-productive to the bulk of US drivers who want size and utility (and a perception of safety) more than being economical and environmentally responsible. I'm just kind of venting, but wondering if others have had similar experiences and how you've dealt with them.

I hear the golf cart comment a lot on the internet. Most people in parking lots either have this confused look on their face or are laughing about the "cuteness" of the i-MiEV. I haven't figured out how to counter some of the ridiculous things that are said, though. About the only way to impress someone is to smoke them off the line.

Funny thing is, the i-MiEV seems like a really small car, but it's as tall as many crossovers. The Jeep Latitude isn't much bigger than the i-MiEV.

To quote a counter I posted on another site (although the conversation was more on EVs being toys rather than golf carts):

Can a golf cart maintain highway speeds? No.
Can a golf cart match a Camaro ZL1 off the line? No.
My electric Mitusbishi i-MiEV can.

Click to expand...

I have not heard that yet said to me.

But then again I put cute funny stickers on my car so people just say that is "cute".

Honestly I think it looks close to the VW beetle.


I usually just have a HUGE Grin on and say " I know right? Isn't she CUTE !!!??? "

Yeah I've gotten the golf cart comment and then some. Its obviously an ignorant comparison as a they at two different machines meant for two different tasks. I would just remind them, if they're even willing to listen, that its an actual car.

The comment I often get is in regards to the tires being skinnier than their motorcycles or "skinny bicycle tires". None of it bothers me, I'm happy with my EV, people are going to have their opinions regardless and I don't seek their validations in order to feel good about my car choice.

The other day I got
"You must have a very long extension cord"
I've heard the golf cart one too among others

I generally answer :evil:
"That's ok, I usually laugh when I pass a gas station.
(careful, this can get you into trouble - not always a welcomed reply)

Happened to us yesterday!!
At a stop sign an SUV going in the opposite direction lowered his window and said "What happened to the other half of your car?".
I was speechless! I just gave him the "EV GRIN" (and nothing else) and moved on. I then said to my wife, "I would have loved to have said to him, I love my half of car every time I pass a gas station lined up with SUV's paying big $$ for fuel".
I never respond to those ignorant comments made by people who just don't get it.

We have a zero energy home (passive solar, Heat Pump and PV) and with the imiev and our plug-in Prius, spend very little on gasoline. Last year we had a 400kw credit for the year and received a refund from the utility company that paid for our gasoline for the year.

Thanks for listening,
Joe

Just do this with the MIEV and people won't make the golf cart comment.
(actually evs make terrific tow vehicles)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ES6XCCmYuY0

There is a also a video of a Subaru 360 sambar pickup pulling a trailer with a messerschmidt

I note that the Honda Insight shown has a CVT. The stick-shift Insight is geared WAY too high to pull anything with its 1L engine. I'm afraid I'd have to resist the urge to tow what is perceived as a macho vehicle...
(next time I put my Sparrow on a trailer I'll have to remember to take of photo of the i-MiEV pulling it)

Back on topic, I too have been subjected to the golf cart comments (supposedly, they should say golf car and not 'cart' according to my golf-playing buddies). Anyway, I haven't been able to come up with a quick comeback that wasn't a personal attack; e.g., the traditional "Your ignorance is overwhelming and surpassed only by your stupidity" or "I'm glad to see you're not letting your education get in the way of your ignorance", etc.

Surely this group, collectively, could come up with something better than -

"I'm sorry that you can't tell the difference between a car and a cart" (with maybe a comment about their vision), or
"You're entitled to your misguided opinion as to the car's looks, but I'm laughing all the way to the bank and saving the planet at the same time!"

I'm open to ideas for a short comebacks with a bit of tongue-in-cheek?

JoeS said:

Surely this group, collectively, could come up with something better ...
"You're entitled to your misguided opinion as to the car's looks, but I'm laughing all the way to the bank and saving the planet at the same time!"

Click to expand...

I have thought this is the only sensible response, since I hear SUV drivers constantly gripe about gas prices and how bad their gas mileage is.

A few ideas:

"I'm compensating for my large brain."
"I save at the bank - I don't have to drive one."
"You didn't HEAR me coming, did you?"
"I save enough not buying gas to ignore that statement"

:lol:

Been musing a bit about this one -

While I often read in the press that one of the stumbling blocks to EV adoption is the lack of EV consumer education, I fear that there is another factor at work: a lack of curiosity by the general populace.

If an inane golf-cart comment comeback can pique the originators interest, that would be positive step as one can then explain the i-MiEV's attributes… I guess the idea should be to engage the individual rather than put them down?

Perhaps different strokes for different folks: a crude comment shouted from an adjacent vehicle could be met with a humorous one-liner, whereas a similar comment on the sidewalk in front of the car could be an opportunity to engage. Like it or not, we are still in the early-adoption phase of BEVs and perhaps should continue to EVangelize?

Another retort: "Sorry you feel that way - they've just streamlined the nose to improve its efficiency at 80mph"

Its a golf car on steroids! :lol:

Probably the best thing for ME that I came up with was.


..." At $30 a month for fuel, I don't care what it looks like."

I perpetrate the myth. I am happy to agree with those who confront me and call my 'miev a golf cart. And during the subsequent conversations manage to work in words such as "planet-killer" or "redneck", or if I want to be nice about it, explain the economics of it all.

Plus, people who know me agree that the goofiness of its appearance totally fit my character.

Sticks and stones my friends, don't sweat it!

Just like most readers on this group, the “Golf Cart” analogy does irk me. We all know it just is not true. If you have actually ever driven a golf cart and an I-Miev, the differences are very obvious. However after pondering this subject on my recent vacation, I have come to the conclusion it is better to agree with the person suggesting we drive golf carts. In the future, I will say “Yes. The I-Miev is a one heck of a great golf cart. It is so good that it is street legal. What other 4 wheel enclosed car can you drive on the roads for 3 cents a mile? I love my golf cart.” That is a win/win for me. After all, what difference does it make what they think. For the record, here one of my vacation Facebook entries that helped me come to this conclusion.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=691958817616853&set=ms.c.eJw9ybENADAIA7CPKgIlTf5%7E%3BrAMSo2UabgmPoLoOx3lT1fB6PtfhDogfoxENDg%7E-%7E-.bps.a.690008314478570.1073741829.100004082237007&type=1

Dave
Black 2012 I-Miev
Black 2012 Prius
Grey Trek 80 electric bike
gas lawn mower and snow blower

I agree, picture this, its 113 today, driving a golf cart with no AC. Gasp....

The iMiev did just fine with the AC on full blast.

Speaking of additional stuff, we bought a Budge car cover, the Premier Tyvek, for the iMiev and it works quite well. After leaving the iMiev in the sun for an hour so so, it felt, after returning to the car, as if there was a 30+ degree temperature difference between the outside air and inside the car. One of these days, I will actually measure the difference.

Its a full car cover: http://www.budgecovers.com/car-covers/mitsubishi/i-miev/2012

So in the short time I've had the 'i' I've had two clients come up with the golf cart comment. But perhaps we shouldn't take offense at all! In both cases while riding in the car they both asked me several times about gas "no gas at all???" Sort of like when you go to the doctor and they ask you ten times what meds you are on because you keep saying none and they can't believe it!

So I queried them politely about the Golf Cart comment. They both said that a Golf Cart is the only thing that they could think of without a gas tank. One said, "oh no this is nothing like a golf cart, except that it runs on batteries". So perhaps we are taking offense for no good reason at least some of the time?

Aerowhatt