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Maserati couldn't do this

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Just thought I'd share an experience I had this early this morning on my commute. Before doing so, I'll point out that that this isn't a racing story and I'm not promoting that behavior. I found myself directly behind a new Maserati at a red light before entering a on-ramp to the freeway. Both of us single drivers probably just on our way to work. When the light turned green, we both accelerated and began to pick up speed on the on-ramp. We both began accelerating to a safe freeway speed, but it was clear that we were both trying to get said speed quickly. Even with my radio on, I could hear the roar of his ICE. I accelerated with him and easily kept up as we moved over a couple lanes. Then, I was able to easily slide into the HOV lane and coolly pass him by. He couldn't help but smile as I did and he began to fall into the rest of the commute traffic. Gotta say....made my morning. :biggrin:
 
You may have sold another Model S. :smile:

In about 2005 we test drove the Maserati Quattroporte, and my wife and I both LOVED the handling, power, comfort of the car. Then we realized that even then, before we heard of Tesla, we just could not conscience buying a car that routinely did no better than 12 MPG.

We are so glad we waited for the real thing to come along!
 
A few weeks ago I was at a stop light (not in front) about to cross over a highway. The light turned green and I heard all this racket... looked around and didn't see anybody really moving that quickly. I heard it shift again, wow it's pretty loud, it's that car in front on the right. I was going straight and it took the ramp so it slowed down, and I passed it. It was a Maserati! We weren't even at half pedal! I don't think I could ride in one of those things without wearing earplugs!
 
The Maseratis do have a nice purr...I WAS looking at the Ghibli before the Model S, but as cited above, the MPG and price just didn't do it for me and I couldn't bear to ask how much it was to change the oil on that ICE.

(Side note, I'm less than 3 weeks away from delivery and I have major anxiety from waiting..thanks to you all and this forum community for giving me my daily "fix")
 
Gotta love those moments! While I certainly don't hate on ICE cars (Porsche being one of my favorite cars), I do think the Ghibli is an utter failure of a high end car. The interior is so cheap that I'm shocked. Aside from the fact that the tail lights look nearly identical to a KIA, the infotainment system and various buttons are actually taken from rental Chryslers. I was very disappointed. The sound is pretty awesome though.
 
Then, I was able to easily slide into the HOV lane and coolly pass him by. He couldn't help but smile as I did and he began to fall into the rest of the commute traffic. Gotta say....made my morning. :biggrin:

The big smile is having the white carpool stickers and, as you noted, getting into the carpool lane and blowing by all of the heavy SF Bay Area commute traffic....priceless.
 
I find it very interesting that we are all "programmed" to love the sound of a finely-tuned ICE. As teenagers, we all turn our heads to look to see what is driving by when we hear a deep-throated V8 drive by. When we hear something different (V12, Ferrari, etc.) we all turn our heads to look in wonder.

If the automobile was just invented in 2015, we would all be dismayed at the ICE's noise and pollution, and would push the government to enact laws to protect us from this sound and stench.

I am still Pavlov's slave and will always look when I hear a nice ICE engine though!
 
The big smile is having the white carpool stickers and, as you noted, getting into the carpool lane and blowing by all of the heavy SF Bay Area commute traffic....priceless.

Regarding that sentiment...I have yet to hear any reasonable response from those who love to extol their EV as a way to get to the HOV lane....once EVs achieve some critical mass.

Remember: "....and all the children are above average..." works only in Lake Wobegon.
 
lol try ask any smoker way they smoke and they will tell you they they like the taste
and if you ask any ex smoker they now hate the taste and smell
I believe the same will true about gas cars in 10-15 years
everyone will wonder way we didn't notice the stench, and how loud the cars was
and we will all be in line to sue the big oli companies for causing cancer from the fumes
:cool:
 
Wasn't the purpose of the car pool lanes to reduce emissions? Seems as long as the Model S continues to be more efficient than ICE (which is... um... forever?) it should continue to have the benefit, IMO.
 
Wasn't the purpose of the car pool lanes to reduce emissions? Seems as long as the Model S continues to be more efficient than ICE (which is... um... forever?) it should continue to have the benefit, IMO.

Actually HOV lanes first started as bus lanes because traffic was so bad that buses would always be late. Eventually it was realized you could get more use out of the lanes by allowing vehicles with high occupancy to use them as well. Since buses didn't need the lanes constantly. Any use of these lanes to reduce emissions is secondary. The real purpose is still to ensure that buses stay on time. If the buses aren't reasonably on time then use drops and traffic only gets worse.

Allowing EVs to use HOV lanes will end, long before the vehicle fleet is mostly EVs. Because the EVs will be clogging up the HOV lanes and diminishing their real use.
 
Actually HOV lanes first started as bus lanes because traffic was so bad that buses would always be late. Eventually it was realized you could get more use out of the lanes by allowing vehicles with high occupancy to use them as well. Since buses didn't need the lanes constantly. Any use of these lanes to reduce emissions is secondary. The real purpose is still to ensure that buses stay on time. If the buses aren't reasonably on time then use drops and traffic only gets worse.

Allowing EVs to use HOV lanes will end, long before the vehicle fleet is mostly EVs. Because the EVs will be clogging up the HOV lanes and diminishing their real use.

What you say makes sense. However, I think there's another possibility, too. As self driving technology becomes more prevalent, they could be turned into 'train' lanes - accessible only by self driving cars, and with the assurance that the others cars won't randomly slam on the brakes sobering the cars to be at closer intervals, with each new car's entry timed to match a gap (which might be created by negotiation between cars if necessary.)

In principle the lane can carry a lot more cars that way, and avoiding the stop and go means fewer emissions without compromising your bus schedules (assuming the busses are also train equipped.)
Walter
 
Regarding that sentiment...I have yet to hear any reasonable response from those who love to extol their EV as a way to get to the HOV lane....once EVs achieve some critical mass.

Remember: "....and all the children are above average..." works only in Lake Wobegon.

... How about, because critical mass of EVs is still quite a ways away? Maybe I don't get what you meant.

And I can't even extol as I am still denied HOV in Texas (unless I pick up a 'slug' passenger)!

It's all good. Rush hour experienced in a Tesla still beats any road in a combustomobile.
 
Regarding that sentiment...I have yet to hear any reasonable response from those who love to extol their EV as a way to get to the HOV lane....once EVs achieve some critical mass.

That's going to be a long time, until then you'll have to take the HOV lane privileges out of my cold, dead hands. I'm very happy to have this privilege without concern for the future.