Another Tesla Crash. This time into the delivery sign.

[green1]

If the reverse lights had stayed on for more than 5 seconds, I would have given her the horn.

My worry was that honking would cause her to do something stupid, like accelerate. whereas not doing it she might figure it out before she covered the 2 car lengths back to where I was.
Luckily for me her car didn't have much acceleration, and I was in my work truck with steel bumpers. no damage on my end.

 

[ecarfan]

My wife used to own a Prius with that extremely annoying backup beep. I had the dealer turn it off.

 

[kdd3300]

Rav4EV

My wife used to own a Prius with that extremely annoying backup beep. I had the dealer turn it off.

We have a Rav4EV, which I refer to as a baby Tesla as it has a Tesla drive train. Most owners have the BEEP-beep disabled but I have left it on for precisely this reason as my wife, son and 16 year old daughter seem to want to drive it any chance they get. A Beep or other audible may be even more useful on the Model S given the unique shifter. I will see when we get our Model S. Don't think I will let my daughter drive it and my wife will probably be too nervous to drive such an expensive car.

 

[PoweredByRain]

If backing out of or into a Supercharger is difficult for someone, that person needs to go back to driving school. Seriously. If someone cannot safely and reliably do this, they shouldn't be driving.

I agree with that!

As for the selection of D/R in the Model S: there isn't any mechanical feedback or audible feedback, so I can see an argument that the user interface could be an issue. I've let friends/relatives drive the car recently, and they often fail at changing to D or R (often going to N because they didn't go past the detent required to go to D or R). For now the best thing presumably is just to get into the habit of visually confirming before doing anything with the pedals.

 

[K5ING]

Maybe Tesla should consider adding a few buttons to the dash similar to Aston Martin's gear selector (without the 'engine start' of course)? I've always felt that controls mounted on steering column stalks shoud be limited to often-used switches that need to be at the driver's fingertips, and I don't think that selecting forward or reverse qualifies.

 

[ecarfan]

Please no more ugly large dashboard buttons.

If there were Model S crashes every month that were caused by gear selection confusion I would advocate a significant UI change. But that does not seem to be the reality.

 

[mhpr262]

It is scary to think that I share the road with such people whenever I get on my motorcycle.

 

[AmpedRealtor]

Maybe Tesla should consider adding a few buttons to the dash similar to Aston Martin's gear selector (without the 'engine start' of course)? I've always felt that controls mounted on steering column stalks shoud be limited to often-used switches that need to be at the driver's fingertips, and I don't think that selecting forward or reverse qualifies.

View attachment 53961

God no.

 

[K5ING]

Please no more ugly large dashboard buttons.

If there were Model S crashes every month that were caused by gear selection confusion I would advocate a significant UI change. But that does not seem to be the reality.

I never meant that they had be that large or look like that. I could have posted a picture of an early 60's Chrysler pushbutton selector as well. I just meant to take them off the steering column and make buttons on either the dash or along the top row of the display. Something like that. I think it would be harder to press the wrong button than to move the selector the wrong way.

 

[SFOTurtle]

I agree with that!

As for the selection of D/R in the Model S: there isn't any mechanical feedback or audible feedback, so I can see an argument that the user interface could be an issue. I've let friends/relatives drive the car recently, and they often fail at changing to D or R (often going to N because they didn't go past the detent required to go to D or R). For now the best thing presumably is just to get into the habit of visually confirming before doing anything with the pedals.

I've been driving my MS for 18 months now with nearly 21,000 miles, and I do the visual confirmation every time I change gears.

 

[tezco]

I had that happen on the second or third day I had the car. Fortunately, I'm not in the habit of mashing the pedal so the car only went into the crosswalk a couple of feet (I was first at the stoplight, and no pedestrians were around--it's Texas after all). I thought to myself, "Wow, so that's pedal confusion". Now that I know what it is, it's never happened since.

I almost hate to say this because you know what happens... but I've never had this experience with the Model S or any other car I've driven in the past 39 years of driving.

Come over and take my Ford 350 out for a spin wearing wet rubber soled sandals or sneakers--you won't be able to keep your foot on the brake pedal, and when your foot slips off, you always land hard on the accelerator pedal. Fortunately I've only had this happen out on the farm when I'm out irrigating, so I'm still alive to repeat the story.

 

[Zextraterrestrial]

I was charging at Fremont last night and I think there is still a piece of the cars aluminum stuck in between a window and the window frame of the delivery building. it is wrapped in a piece of cloth with tape on it, must be sharp? Seems odd that they couldn't get it out. Looks like there are some chips in the edge of the window maybe. I just don't understand why it is still there. The Tesla sign is gone.

 

[Nobueno]

I was charging at Fremont last night and I think there is still a piece of the cars aluminum stuck in between a window and the window frame of the delivery building. it is wrapped in a piece of cloth with tape on it, must be sharp? Seems odd that they couldn't get it out. Looks like there are some chips in the edge of the window maybe. I just don't understand why it is still there. The Tesla sign is gone.

They are known for embedding themselves in buildings (see july 4 crash)

 

[Zextraterrestrial]

They are known for embedding themselves in buildings (see july 4 crash)

hahaha - good one!

 

[jerry33]

They are known for embedding themselves in buildings (see july 4 crash)

That will certainly present a puzzle for future archeologists.

 

[flashflood]

Come over and take my Ford 350 out for a spin wearing wet rubber soled sandals or sneakers--you won't be able to keep your foot on the brake pedal, and when your foot slips off, you always land hard on the accelerator pedal. Fortunately I've only had this happen out on the farm when I'm out irrigating, so I'm still alive to repeat the story.

You know, when you consider the fact that human legs are relatively clumsy, that rapidly moving one foot from the accelerator to the brake is not a biologically instinctive response to sudden danger, and that we can't even see the pedals, it's kind of amazing that we ever get it right.

 

[yobigd20]

another lady crashed through a sushi restaurant in her Tesla the other day : Car crashes into busy sushi restaurant - 23ABC News

 

[dsm363]

I never meant that they had be that large or look like that. I could have posted a picture of an early 60's Chrysler pushbutton selector as well. I just meant to take them off the steering column and make buttons on either the dash or along the top row of the display. Something like that. I think it would be harder to press the wrong button than to move the selector the wrong way.

This is what Roadster 2.5 has. This would work although it does take more time then a stalk.

 

[steve841]

Paraphrasing some comments .. . You can't fix stupid.

Blaming the brake vs accelerator is insane yet so common, it's almost a weekly reported occurrence on TV.

Stupidity, lack of attention, being in a rush, talking on the phone, texting ... all fall under failure to use due care.

It feeds fuel to the Tesla haters and gets me riled up! :cursing:

 

[gg_got_a_tesla]

There's something to be said though for the Model S's power and throttle response at slow speeds being unforgiving if the operator is distracted or has a slower response time for some reason. This is no ICE that's laggy enough at low RPM to give you a second chance. Not the car's fault, of course.