Is the Tesla wave / chin hello dead?

I've been an owner for only slightly more than a month, so I can't compare back to 2012-2013. However I will say that about 80% of my waves/hellos are not returned/unnoticed.

So far, none of my flashes have been returned, although there haven't been that many occasions to do it. This strikes me as quite different from the early 70's when BMWs were still rare and frequently flashed each other. Maybe the action is now considered passé or tacky - in any event, reflective of a different mindset.

There's getting to be a lot of Model S's in my neck of the woods. I followed a guy last night returning from a restaurant and usually see one or two on my way in to work. It is rare now to get any kind of acknowledgement back from other drivers compared to a year ago when other Model S drivers nearly went nuts when they saw me. I also get a lot less interest in the car by the general public compared to a year ago. I don't feel special any more :crying:

Huh. Still seeing other Tesla owners flash lights, thumbs up, wave; often even before I do the same. Sometimes, though, folks are oblivious and/or don't manage to react before we've passed one another.

Also, plenty of Tesla moments, almost every day during these warm months. Sometimes several times a day. Thumbs up from people in vans, pickup trucks, BMWs.... I took my boy fishing at a local pond last night and was approached by two different groups.

Based on the other reports in this thread, maybe I should start considering the hypothesis that it's NOT in fact the car that attracts attention but instead it's my rugged good looks.

I would wave if I ever saw one.

Last Tesla - Tesla encounter for me was in January up in DC - I waved.

I still wave and receive waves. I suspect it's correlated with the number of Teslas in the market. Higher density/less frequent waiving. 1/ People are getting tired of waving frequently 2/ The market has gone past the early adopter and enthusiasts and has entered the main stream.

Weird, I see probably 3 a day average, and over 18 months have gotten less than 10 total waves/flashes/ etc. Makes me think Tesla drivers are either busy watching the screen or just stuck up! But I know from the forum and local owners group that they are not, so I don't get it. I was in the early BMW club (2002s back in the 70s), and there was great pride in flashing lights whenever encountering another.

PS, I get more attention from non-tesla owners!

... and all that is actually a sign of progress and a good thing.

Yes it is. Here in the SF Bay Area, since taking delivery on my (oops, "my wife's" S last December we rarely get any kind of response from other S drivers. But then Teslas are relatively common here.

I'll bet anybody in Signature Red still waves. I flash my lights or give a wave and get maybe a 50% acknowledgement. It's likely the early reservation holders who are still the most enthused about seeing other cars on the road. I love seeing a Model S driving along as I don't get much of a chance to see it from the outside on the road. It always causes me to stare!

I don't know about here, I've only seen one Model S since getting mine and I didn't notice it until we passed and checked the rear view mirror to confirm what I saw in the corner of my eye. I think Michigan is where California was in late 2012 with (roughly estimating) a couple hundred Model S's. The attitude of most owners when seeing other owners around here may or may not be the same. I'm sure I would wave/smile/nod or return a flash if given the opportunity, though not much beyond that. As much as I get excited when seeing them, I'm not an attention seeker, so I definitely wouldn't honk or yell.

I see several a day, possibly some of the same ones given people often have regular commute patterns. It would start to become silly to wave at every one every time.

I never flashed, but I wave if I notice and can free a hand to wave. I'd say about 40% notice me, and maybe 10% wave back.

Doug_G said:

I often miss seeing other Models S on the road, since I'm looking where I want to go, not staring at the oncoming cars. However, when I do see one and flash or wave I am getting about a 70% probability of a response.

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Now, what you need is a five year old in the back center on a child seat, who is diligently watching, and will yell out "TESLA" whenever one is spotted.

I immediately flash my cruise control several times, and true, I don't get much response, but it's always a kick to realize that I didn't do high beams anyway. Ah, simple pleasures.

mkjayakumar said:

... and all that is actually a sign of progress and a good thing.

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Its a good thing that people are boring? I have a smart and wave to every smart i see and usually people wave back, its a fun thing to do. I was sitting at a light and a convertible smart drove by and the guy had his hand out the top waving at me and that made my day, if i was in a generic car that wouldn't have happened. Also have waved at a few Tesla's and some have acknowledged me while others straight up ignored me even though im not being crazy about, just a simple wave or head nod.


There's always fun little perks of driving unique cars, but when people are all serious or think their too cool and dont look at anyone or dont wave back at someone when driving it takes the fun out and gives the bland view that its just another car driving on the road, yet there's a person in the car controlling it. And I know sometimes people may not see it but im talking about people that clearly can see but dont acknowledge.


The small things always have a good effect :wink:

Doug_G said:

Roadster has always got about 5X as much attention, though.

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I think that will continue to be true for a while. Whenever I'm anywhere with Model S and Roadsters, it seems the Roadsters are getting most of the attention.

I miss a lot of these. When driving I'm focused on staying out of the way of all the moving objects around me, and watching for cops. I always have friends say they tried to wave at me, but I didn't notice them.