[norwaypinesavage]

"A physicist in California told me there is a major problem with the way people are using hybrid that they are using the brakes rather than letting the energy be reabsorbed"

I think the physicist is mistaken. Most hybrid vehicles have regenerative braking. Some of the braking energy is used to recharge the batteries. The brakes must be applied to enable the feature. However, the recharging feature is very inefficient, for various reasons, and only a fraction of the braking energy is actually restored to the batteries. If you simply coast down to stop, a hybrid technology vehicle has no inherent fuel saving advantages over a conventionally powered vehicle (unless the engine is shut down during the coast down).

[gondramB]

Hmmm sure does look like you are right with a quick search

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/hybrid-car3.htm