Watch this Toyota Prius driver nearly kill himself and a biker
I love a good mountain or canyon road. Sweeping corners, beautiful visages, and the instigating ribbon of pavement that tells you to push things that much more. But there’s always a limit. Fortunately, this Toyota Prius exceeded the limit without killing anyone. It sure was close, though.
A social media video shows a Toyota Prius driver failing so intensely that they almost hit a biker and spin off the road
An Instagram video shows the perspective of a motorcycle rider as they pit their Aprilia RSV4 against a swooping set of corners on the storied “Tail of the Dragon.” Just ahead, a silver early-model Toyota Prius drives on the edge of its traction limitations. Chaos ensues.
A yellow set of signs indicates a tight left followed by a tight right and a recommended speed of 15 mph. At the exit of the first left-hander, the Toyota Prius finds the absolute limit of its traction at its speed. The video captured tire squeal as the Prius’s passenger-side rear tire dipped off the road surface.
Sparks fly off the rear of the hybrid as it attempts to regain control. The back end of the hybrid hatchback swings out into the opposite lane, narrowly missing a motorcycle as they pass by. A moment later, the Prius regained control in the opposite lane instead of spearing off into the woods.
Of course, the Prius as a model isn’t necessarily resigned to the slow lane. The latest, updated generation is substantially quicker than the fourth-gen model. It even looks the part. And with performance tires, the updated Prius could be a deceptively sure-footed canyon carver.
In South Korea, drivers take to the track in a Prius-only racing series. Every competitor is in a fifth-generation Prius, albeit riding on performance tires, brakes, suspension, and safety equipment. It’s a far cry from a canyon-carving attempt in a third-gen model on slippery rubber.
At the end of the video, you can see the motorcycle-riding video-taker picking up the revs and passing the Prius. That’s probably for the best. I certainly wouldn’t want to be anywhere around them. Especially if the near-miss is any indication of their regular driving behaviors.
