Tesla hate?

[DFibRL8R]

(On a thinly-related note, this weekend I just for the first time ever saw a Toyota Prius in La Jolla that had a Romney bumper-sticker. There are so many Priuses with Obama bumper-stickers I often joke that Toyota should just rename the car Toyota Obama. Amazing to find a Romney supporter driving around in a Prius in these parts.)

I recently saw this specialty plate on a Jag. Seemed odd to have a symbol of colonial rebellion from a flag designed during the American Revolution on a British car! (Of course the owner likely was showing support of the "Tea Party" movement, which is also weird on a Jag).

 

[donv]

I also hear a lot of "fire" comments, which is nothing especially political, but it is interesting. It shows the reach of the media, I suppose.

Ford had to recall the Escape due to 13 (at least) fires over the last year, but do you ever hear about that? No...

Well, I'm a Libertarian, so I'm *used* to being hated by both sides...so nothing's changed for me! I was getting more positive than negative, but now I'm getting a lot of "fire" comments with smug looks.

 

[SwedishAdvocate]

…/ (On a thinly-related note, this weekend I just for the first time ever saw a Toyota Prius in La Jolla that had a Romney bumper-sticker. There are so many Priuses with Obama bumper-stickers I often joke that Toyota should just rename the car Toyota Obama. Amazing to find a Romney supporter driving around in a Prius in these parts.)

Maybe it was this guy. And maybe he for some odd reason has grown very fond of that Prius…

(Note the date...):

Oil Warrior: Former CIA chief James Woolsey says if you want to beat Bin Laden, buy a Prius

/…/

From the May 2007 issue of Motor Trend

/…/

Woolsey /…/ drives a Prius, and he says that if you live in a country dependent on imported oil, it's your patriotic duty to do the same. His argument is simple: It's a bad thing for transport to depend on oil when the great majority of that oil lies in volatile parts of the world whose governments are hostile to the West. Moreover, he argues that, by making the Middle East so wealthy, we're indirectly subsidizing terror. For Woolsey, the cash register at your local gas station is a collection box for Al Qaeda. "We're paying for both sides in this war, and that's not a good long-term strategy," he says. "I have a bumper sticker on the back of my Prius that reads, 'Bin Laden hates this car.'" […


Oil Warrior: Former CIA chief James Woolsey says if you want to beat Bin Laden, buy a Prius | Motor Trend

 

[Captain Ducman]

Not directed at you DONV, just using your post...

I also hear a lot of "fire" comments, which is nothing especially political, but it is interesting. It shows the reach of the media, I suppose.

Did people yell "ROLLOVER" to every Ford Explorer they saw a few years ago?

 

[Al Sherman]

I haven't experienced hate yet. I DO get flipped off regularly but I assume that it's more about how slowly I drive than what I'm driving. I ALWAYS let tailgaters pass. When I get flipped off I do the exact same thing every time. I smile friendly and wave as if I'm not even aware that the "flipper" doesn't want to be my friend. I'm not naive enough to think that in SOME cases it might have SOMETHING to do with my choice of car. I simply don't feel it's compassionate to hate, annoy, or antagonize someone because of their ignorance.

 

[mknox]

Did people yell "ROLLOVER" to every Ford Explorer they saw a few years ago?

You mean the Ford Exploder, don't you? :wink:

 

[FlasherZ]

Just send them here:
Video: Heres What Road Debris Can Do to a Non Tesla Model S

 

[brianman]

(1)Few weeks ago in La Jolla, CA, in a parking lot. Starbucks customer walks over to his big F150 pickup truck (or maybe it was a Dodge, I dunno), gets in, and is pulling out of a parking space while I am walking to my car. He sees me, sees my Model S, and yells, "I DIDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!" and storms off. To this day I have no idea what prompted that. If it was some kind of reference to the US DOE loan to Tesla, wasn't that signed into law by Bush? I'm still wondering what this truck driver's issue was.

(2) (On a thinly-related note, this weekend I just for the first time ever saw a Toyota Prius in La Jolla that had a Romney bumper-sticker. There are so many Priuses with Obama bumper-stickers I often joke that Toyota should just rename the car Toyota Obama. (2) Amazing to find a Romney supporter driving around in a Prius in these parts.)

(1) It's likely someone who didn't apply much effort or thought beyond "Romney said Tesla is bad, so it must be an Obama thing. You must be an Obama supporter because you drive a Tesla." I wouldn't read more into it than that.
(2) So now you're doing the same kind of thing. Generalization that the only reason someone would support Romney is because he/she agrees with everything he says, including stupid remarks about Tesla.

You're both wrong.

 

[Lyon]

Guess Im the conundrum ..... I drive a GMC 2500HD Diesel, Im right wing economic conservative with a libertarian lean .... and I own a Model S.

You're not that alone. I've got a Model S and 3/4 ton Suburban. It's a lovely combination because I have ultimate utility along with ultimate fun/earth friendly. I've also got several shot guns and a handgun which surprises people.

All too often we take a snapshot of someone and make wild n' crazy assumptions about them based on that one little glimpse. That's not to say that some folks don't fit the stereotypes but we all aught to be a little less presumptuous.

I still don't get the guy who drives a lifted pickup to his desk job every day.

 

[Velo1]

And a friend of mine who also drives a Tesla has had his car keyed twice at work in a private parking lot. We think it's some dumb Tesla-hater because he's the nicest guy you'll ever meet so there's no way someone has such a deep beef with him.

My biggest worry is someone keying the car. Almost all encounters I have had with people have been very positive, but one negative where a guy in his 30s called me an old hippie (I am 59) and insulted EVs.

I was sitting in a restaurant window when I saw a guy walking around my Model S. I watched him look through the window, but I do not leave anything in it of value. He looked up and around him, I think to see if someone might be watching. While this was happening i used my iPhone to connect to the car. So I flashed the lights. The guy walked in front of the car so I did it again. He again looked around, then starred back at the car, so I honked the horn. He left shortly after and my wife and I were laughing at what he must have been thinking.

 

[bareyb]

People key brand new, expensive cars all the time. It happened to my friends new Audi A8 with paper plates not too long ago. It could very have nothing to do with it being a Tesla and more do with the fact that these cars are ultra expensive and have fantastic paint jobs. There's a lot of dickheads out there unfortunately.

 

[gg_got_a_tesla]

People key brand new, expensive cars all the time. It happened to my friends new Audi A8 with paper plates not too long ago. It could very have nothing to do with it being a Tesla and more do with the fact that these cars are ultra expensive and have fantastic paint jobs. There's a lot of dickheads out there unfortunately.

Yup, way back in '99, my brand new Passat got keyed pretty bad while parked in a busy restaurant parking lot in Berkeley. No explanation for it - I was parked right and all - but for a shiny new black paint job. A very sad moment for me as it was my first big purchase till that point.

All the more reason to avoid possibly offensive - to someone - vanity license plates and such on the Model S.

Leilani, I'm looking at you

 

[brianman]

My biggest worry is someone keying the car. Almost all encounters I have had with people have been very positive, but one negative where a guy in his 30s called me an old hippie (I am 59) and insulted EVs.

I was sitting in a restaurant window when I saw a guy walking around my Model S. I watched him look through the window, but I do not leave anything in it of value. He looked up and around him, I think to see if someone might be watching. While this was happening i used my iPhone to connect to the car. So I flashed the lights. The guy walked in front of the car so I did it again. He again looked around, then starred back at the car, so I honked the horn. He left shortly after and my wife and I were laughing at what he must have been thinking.

I share similar concerns. Nice countermeasure!