A sad cautionary tale of poor judgement

[ajay]

Truly sorry for your pain; you did a nice thing and now you're paying the price. It flabbergasts me that you have made no mention of your landscaper apologizing to you in any way, shape or form; from which I infer that he hasn't; from which I flabbergast (dunno if I can really verbify that).

If I had to guess, the landscaper is following no-contact advice from his lawyer.

DEinspanjer, I'm so sorry to hear/read about this. I still can't even comprehend how someone could be so careless when given the opportunity to drive a Model S. You've been such a great ambassador for the car and the technology; it seems karmically unfair somehow.

 

[Pollux]

If I had to guess, the landscaper is following no-contact advice from his lawyer.

If so, I find this behavior particularly frustrating. Many times, people can work things out much more amicably if they actually *apologize*, sincerely. @DEinspanjer is entitled to a fulsome apology, completely apart from the financial issues.

 

[DEinspanjer]

I have only spoke with him once briefly to let him know the insurance company needed to talk to him and that I was giving them his contact info. He did apologize when I spoke with him, but I don't wish to go into too much detail about his circumstances because it would be more gossip than helpful information for the community at that point.

I do thank everyone for your well wishes and sympathy. I am still reeling from the loss, and my insurance has not balked at anything although they are wanting to do a teardown of the car before writing it off as totaled though. The body shop owner found that wasteful as he almost laughed at the thought of repairing it when the flatbed was pulled up to his shop.

I think I will hear something from the insurance by the end of the week, and then I imagine I will start digging into the details of replacement costs and timing from Tesla.

 

[RiverBrick]

I am very sorry for this incident. Thanks for sharing the details and best wishes for a prompt recovery.

 

[DEinspanjer]

I am happy to report that I just received a quote from State Farm on the total valuation for our MS85, and it was very reasonable. The paperwork basically took face value of the car + options and depreciated for mileage. So very much better than what I was expecting. I just put in a reservation for a replacement. If there aren't any reservation queue slots that happen to open up, then we'll likely get our replacement in December.

Sadly, it appears that Dolphin Gray is no longer an available body color. :/ I loved that color.

 

[dhrivnak]

So glad to hear it is working out in the end.

 

[pgiralt]

I am happy to report that I just received a quote from State Farm on the total valuation for our MS85, and it was very reasonable. The paperwork basically took face value of the car + options and depreciated for mileage. So very much better than what I was expecting. I just put in a reservation for a replacement. If there aren't any reservation queue slots that happen to open up, then we'll likely get our replacement in December.

Sadly, it appears that Dolphin Gray is no longer an available body color. :/ I loved that color.

On the bright side you'll get the new Lane Assist and Speed Assist features.

 

[mibaro2]

Glad to hear that the insurance company gave you more or less what you expected.
I hope you get your replacement Tesla in December, or earlier.

 

[alset]

It would be nice if Tesla allowed you to jump to the top of the build queue in the case of a car write-off by the insurance company (provable). It's not like they're ever the fault of Tesla drivers after all!

 

[mitch672]

Sadly, it appears that Dolphin Gray is no longer an available body color. :/ I loved that color.

I have a December 2012 production Model S, so happens to be Dolphin Gray What options where you looking for, if you don't mind a gently used Model S with about 21,000 miles, maybe we can make a deal. I'd kind of like to get the Model X, but have no reservation.

FYI, I had all of the options availble at the time (tech package, leather, dual chargers, etc), except the paint protection and rear facing seats (which I know you had, saw them when your wife drove down and picked up the rear seat floor matt for the well).

 

[andrewket]

I have a December 2012 production Model S, so happens to be Dolphin Gray What options where you looking for, if you don't mind a gently used Model S with about 21,000 miles, maybe we can make a deal. I'd kind of like to get the Model X, but have no reservation.

FYI, I had all of the options availble at the time (tech package, leather, dual chargers, etc), except the paint protection and rear facing seats (which I know you had, saw them when your wife drove down and picked up the rear seat floor matt for the well).

If you don't already have a deposit down on an X, you're likely not going to receive the car until 2016.

 

[DEinspanjer]

Wow, thank you so much for that offer Mitch, though I think we'll stick with the reservation for a new one. While it isn't great being stuck in an ICE for a few months, the budget stuff works out pretty well for us otherwise.

 

[mitch672]

your welcome. I wasn't really looking forward to driving the 1994 Suburban until I could get a Model X anyway, but would have managed it. Yes, a new car is always better.. hope you get some of the newer options like the winter package, power folding mirrors, parking sensors etc, and there is now talk of lane departure warning and speed assist being equiped standard in new cars. looking forward to seeing your new ride at the next event

Mitch

 

[sbanks]

The silver lining is now you'll have autopilot and the option for AMD if you so wish.

 

[Akikiki]

I certainly wouldn't have the presence of mind in this situation to get out my phone, open an app, enter the appropriate password, etc. I'm not sure I'd have the presence of mind to do anything other than shout.

Daniel's story has continued to haunt me, though, so I've been thinking about what an astonishingly cool-headed individual could do. If sitting in the passenger seat, one could:

• Flick the RND/P transmission lever, putting the car into Neutral
• Press in the tip of the RND/P transmission lever, putting the car into Park (not sure how the Model S deals with applying the parking brake at speed)
• On the touchscreen, Touch Controls > E-Brake & Power Off > Power Off

To be clear, I'm not saying that Daniel should have thought to have done any of these; I certainly would not have, in the panic of the moment. Moreover, a determined idiot could simply put the car back into gear or turned it back on, so at best these are a "get your attention" set of actions.

Robert.Boston - you forgot one of the best "attention getters". A good fist to the right temple when you are sitting in the passenger seat. Put that on your list !

 

[DEinspanjer]

The days are crawling by until my P85D comes off the lines.. It was actually a bit of a tough choice for us. We would have *happily* taken an 85D if we could have had it in December. This accident has stolen some of the joy I previously had for the thought of gunning it off of a traffic signal change. I might eventually try out "Insane", but having already had a taste of insane driving, I am not as interested in experiencing it again.

 

[PungoteagDave]

This was not poor judgement. It was a random life event. This is why we have insurance. My landscaper did just fine on his test drive.

I will continue to indiscriminately offer test drives to anyone showing an interest in the car, whether or not I know them.

 

[DEinspanjer]

Just curious - what tires did you have? 19" Goodyear or Michelins? 21" cont's or Michelins? How was the weather? Dry? Wet? Just wondering what it was that caused the car to lose traction. Frankly I wouldn't be surprised if you have the goodyears.

Just noticed I never answered this question. Had the 19" Goodyears. Road conditions were dry, but I can distinctly remember the second when the right hand side tires drifted off the pavement into the dirt and dug in. When he came back onto the road from that, he was at an angle and drifting.


In other news, very happy with my P85D, and received a subpoena to testify next month in the case of State v. <landscaper>. Slightly nervous about what to say or not to say just on the off hand chance that State might decide to come after me for some aspect of the accident.

 

[Robert.Boston]

IANAL, but I suggest you consult with one before you testify.

 

[dhanson865]

In other news, very happy with my P85D

I know you stated previously that you probably never will allow someone else to test drive your car again but if you do the P85D gave me some thoughts.

*Set the car to insane mode before they can see you do it, put them in the passenger seat and give them a demo with you behind the wheel

*If and only if you feel like adding this, get them out of the car where they can't see the controls and change the car to sport (or if they add it later normal or valet mode even) before letting the new driver get in and ensure the car has a SOC below 50% (preferably as low as possible** to reduce the power limit).

** See P85D 691HP should have an asterisk * next to it..

Personally I'd be hesitant to let someone test drive a S85, let alone a S85D, and I'd trust them even less in a P85D.

I totally hope the insurance company took care of you and that State v %landscaper% doesn't affect you negatively in any way. Thanks for the heads up so that those of us that haven't been in your shoes might think twice before joining you in them.