Anti-Tesla/EV road rage experiences?

[focher]

I am going to disagree. While it may be anecdotally true, it is true until it isn't. I don't remember the exact quote and exact numbers but way back when I took driver's education in HS, the instructor made a huge point. Two people head from RI (where I grew up) to NYC or DC or Miami, one doing the speed limit the other 5? mph over. The second guy, speeding, arrives 30 secs quicker than the guy doing the speed limit. TBH I don't recall the endpoint or the degree of speeding but the point remains. Whether it's 2 over or 5 over or 10 over. You take a relatively large risk for virtually no or inconsequential gain.

That's all fun and interesting, except it's just mathematically untrue. Going faster gets your there faster, and the faster you go the less time consumed.

It's fine to argue the merits of safety and legality, but it's ridiculous to argue to time saving aspect because it's just patently untrue.

I've driven between Los Angeles and San Francisco many times in my life, and I've shaved 25-30% of the time off when I've been significantly speeding. I don't do it now, because getting old makes oneself more boring, but when I did it I got there faster.

 

[ReddyLeaf]

I have had my car for less than 2 months, and have had 2 incidents. I live in Texas.

In the first, I was driving through a neighborhood when a man attempting to cross the street stepped out in front of my car and approached me aggressively shouting "Asshole!"..I had my 2 year old in the back, and could not figure any other reason he would be yelling at me such as speeding or not paying attention.

Another time at night, a car cut me off purposely and slowed drastically in front of me, then as I passed them later they gave me the finger. I swear I wasn't driving badly, going the same speed as surrounding traffic, 5 miles over the speed limit or so. Both incidents felt like I was being bullied or picked on... Never had any such incidents in other cars in the past.

Probably time for a very large sign on each side: 100% American Powered

 

[Teplitzkyart]

There is definitely some EV road rage out there.... In CO where massive diesel trucks are around and little weenies driving them, the coal roller thing is real. I didn't notice at first, but my buddy had a couple coal roll experiences.

I quickly passed a car and then merged right again one night. A small weenie guy in the massive diesel apparently didn't like my lane change and came up on me about 85 MPH. As I moved right, he choked up his diesel and tried to cover me in sulfur as he crossed in front of me to his exit. I didn't realize it at the time, but that's the coal roller thing. it's just kind of funny really.

 

[Cdej1972]

I have noticed many people catching up to look at my M3 as I cruise down the road. Lots of smiles, waves and on occasion thumbs up from a wide range of people. I still drive the way used to, no more than 9 over the speed limit which seems to be the norm around here and I stay to the right. Perhaps it's all in the way we drive?

 

[wcorey]

That's all fun and interesting, except it's just mathematically untrue. Going faster gets your there faster, and the faster you go the less time consumed.

It's fine to argue the merits of safety and legality, but it's ridiculous to argue to time saving aspect because it's just patently untrue.

I've driven between Los Angeles and San Francisco many times in my life, and I've shaved 25-30% of the time off when I've been significantly speeding. I don't do it now, because getting old makes oneself more boring, but when I did it I got there faster.

I NEVER said you wouldn't get 'there' faster. I paraphrased what the driver ed teacher said and he never said one wouldn't get there faster. Simply not sufficiently faster to justify the risk. LA to SF is what, 400 miles? If you do 90 the entire way, sure, you'll get there faster. Is that smart? I'll leave that as an exercise for the readers.

 

[kavyboy]

totally legal - accelerated to speed limit only

Depending on jurisdiction, it may not be legal. "Jackrabbit starts" can be covered under law explicitly or implicitly (demonstration of speed, drag racing, reckless op, etc.). I recall previous posts on here about people being pulled over, but I don't remember the outcome. I was pulled over for a "medical emergency", as the officer put it, which I must be having to be pulling away from the stop sign so fast. (In all fairness to me, though, it was a highway entrance ramp.)
Anyway, I'm not a lawyer nor your dad, so I'm just passing on info as I know it.

 

[jgs]

In CO where massive diesel trucks are around and little weenies driving them, the coal roller thing is real.

This happened to my wife once here in Michigan... when she was driving her late, lamented VW GTI. At first she just figured the poor schlub couldn’t afford to maintain his truck. I have no idea why he wanted to blow smoke on her.

 

[jgs]

I NEVER said you wouldn't get 'there' faster. I paraphrased what the driver ed teacher said and he never said one wouldn't get there faster. Simply not sufficiently faster to justify the risk. LA to SF is what, 400 miles? If you do 90 the entire way, sure, you'll get there faster. Is that smart? I'll leave that as an exercise for the readers.

Actually per @focher's claim of shaving 30% of the time, they were averaging 100 miles per hour (exceeding limit by 43%, assuming limit is 70). Where I live that would be called "reckless driving" (or possibly "felonious driving", I'm not sure where the line is and for all I know it depends on how bad a mood the cop is in) and can get you a hefty fine and/or jail time. I'm pretty sure driving 100 in a 70 isn't what your driver's ed teacher was talking about.

 

[David99]

5 years ago, I had people try to race me many times. Now there are just too many Teslas in Los Angeles. I let them dash ahead. Makes them feel good about their car and their ego, while I know I could have easily won that race. Everyone is happy

 

[wcorey]

I'm pretty sure driving 100 in a 70 isn't what your driver's ed teacher was talking about.

I am highly confident, if at 15 1/2, any of us advocated doing that we never would have gotten the DriverEd certificate.

 

[wcorey]

I'm not sure where the line is and for all I know it depends on how bad a mood the cop is in) and can get you a hefty fine and/or jail time.

And that was precisely what the driver ed teacher WAS implying... and me earlier. Whether that's a price someone with the money to buy a Tesla is willing to pay to be reckless, it's that much less others have to pay in taxes. However, it's all fun and games until somebody gets hurt due to a reckless driver....regardless what they are driving.

 

[lightningrob]

I’ve had a couple recently which, on review of the dash cam footage, were unjustified (I was obeying the law)
I can only think the other driver was pissed off by the car’s acceleration or that it was a Tesla/EV.

Not personally. But I live in the SF Bay Area and there are so many EV's here that anyone who gets angry at the sight of an EV would probably have to move away for their own mental wellbeing. It could be your neighborhood.

 

[robski]

5 years ago, I had people try to race me many times. Now there are just too many Teslas in Los Angeles. I let them dash ahead. Makes them feel good about their car and their ego, while I know I could have easily won that race. Everyone is happy

Exactly! The whole point driving a fast car is so that you can drive it slow and cruise

 

[Nuclear Fusion]

This happened to my wife once here in Michigan... when she was driving her late, lamented VW GTI. At first she just figured the poor schlub couldn’t afford to maintain his truck. I have no idea why he wanted to blow smoke on her.

Where I live, you take down their number plate, location, time of day & report to the EPA.
They subsequently have to take their car in for emissions testing

 

[roblab]

I NEVER said you wouldn't get 'there' faster. I paraphrased what the driver ed teacher said and he never said one wouldn't get there faster. Simply not sufficiently faster to justify the risk. LA to SF is what, 400 miles? If you do 90 the entire way, sure, you'll get there faster. Is that smart? I'll leave that as an exercise for the readers.

In my experience, doing 90 is just keeping up with fast lane traffic. And sometimes you have to drop down to 80 or so as a VW tries to pass a semi going up hill.

 

[wcorey]

Actually per @focher's claim of shaving 30% of the time, they were averaging 100 miles per hour (exceeding limit by 43%, assuming limit is 70). Where I live that would be called "reckless driving" (or possibly "felonious driving", I'm not sure where the line is and for all I know it depends on how bad a mood the cop is in) and can get you a hefty fine and/or jail time. I'm pretty sure driving 100 in a 70 isn't what your driver's ed teacher was talking about.

The difference between going 100 miles at 70mph and going 100 miles at 75mph is 5 mins. People can come to their own conclusions of how much money they'd be willing to take to save 5 mins, less than 6% faster, or 10 mins, etc etc.

I am highly confident, if at 15 1/2, any of us advocated doing that we never would have gotten the DriverEd certificate.

Now that it's coming back to me, the thrust of that conversation was "how much over the speed limit is acceptable, 2, 5, 10"?

 

[wcorey]

In my experience, doing 90 is just keeping up with fast lane traffic. And sometimes you have to drop down to 80 or so as a VW tries to pass a semi going up hill.

Sure, I am envious of the folks with their Teslas in SoCal. Up here in New England it is frickin cold. My WH/Mi have been bouncing off 400. Wife and I went to movies today, theater about 25 miles away 40+ degrees out. I let NoA drive, 65, WH/Mi 220! Some guy a month or so ago tried to pass me on the right on a 2 lane road, I punched it and he's still looking for where that red flash went. 220 wh/m way better than 400wh/m. I will never get stopped When you know you can dust them, there is no need to prove it.

 

[David99]

Exactly! The whole point driving a fast car is so that you can drive it slow and cruise

I drive fast when I like, not when some boy racer tries to challenge me to street race.

 

[robski]

I drive fast when I like, not when some boy racer tries to challenge me to street race.

Oh fawk, clear the room. David is here.

 

[rabbit]

I call it "butthurt syndrome." It's interesting to see which models of cars tend to be offenders. The theory is they are butthurt for having bought the wrong car.

Contrary to my user name, I don't alway drive fast. But I notice when other cars start doing insecure type posturing around me.

Some common ones who seem to get set off are BMW X3s, some Mercedes SUVs, and VWs of any stripe. Also Honda Accords and Toyota Camrys, especially hybrid ones. Audi, not so much... the Q series drivers seem pretty confident and secure and I'm saying this as someone who didn't even have Q series on my radar before noticing how much they stand out as calm compared to other SUV drivers, after driving the M3.

Anyone else want to play the stereotyping game?