Lady Called Police on Dog in Car with Dog Mode Running!

[run-the-joules]

"You can’t fault the well-meaning person who called the police without knowing about Tesla’s technology."
No, really, you CAN fault the idiot for not reading the screen.
If you're truly concerned, you're out of your car, looking inside to make sure the owner isn't dead on the floor, etc and you'd see the big ass sign telling you to calm your teats and that the dog is likely more comfortable than you are - so, move along.
There's 'truly concerned', when you're next to the car for a few minutes and then breaking the window; and then there's 'faux concerned', when you're posting pics from a distance after calling the police so you can call yourself a hero online.
This person was clearly in the latter camp. And it's very OK to say so. If we don't call stupid people out, they will continue to act this way.

You say that, but I’ve gone to demo dog mode to someone knowing full well what it looks like and does, and been unable to see the screen is on because of glare.

 

[dfwatt]

I think you dramatically overestimate how closely people look in these situation. IF she looked in the car up close and IF she looked at the screen and IF it was readable from that angle, then I’m sure she would have been understanding. It’s not her responsibility to go looking for things that she doesn’t know are there.

People should always be as cursory as you're suggesting suggesting they are when they're about to call the police. Come on! Not everybody has ADD, jumps to conclusions, or can't see a bright screen in daylight. If they're looking about inside of a car to confirm that the dog is okay, if they're reasonably attentive they would see the screen. Sorry I do cognitive science for a living and what you're suggesting is just not realistic. Yes some people won't see the screen but not most people

 

[erik_k]

Perhaps the legislation could say:

It's illegal to shut an animal inside an unattended vehicle UNLESS the vehicle is equipped with suitable cooling which is enabled the entire time the animal is there AND there is a prominent temperature readout that can easily be viewed from outside the vehicle.

That would effectively allow Tesla owners off the hook without saying "UNLESS it's a Tesla".

I Disagreed because it’s perfectly safe for me to secure my Honda Accord Hybrid but a temperature display isn’t readable and shouldn’t have to be.

If a vehicle is air conditioned you can put you hand on the glass and feel it.

There shouldn’t be any legislation necessary but if something “must be done” then just require appropriate heating and cooling for safety of any pets.

 

[run-the-joules]

People should always be as cursory as you're suggesting suggesting they are when they're about to call the police. Come on! Not everybody has ADD, jumps to conclusions, or can't see a bright screen in daylight. If they're looking about inside of a car to confirm that the dog is okay, if they're reasonably attentive they would see the screen. Sorry I do cognitive science for a living and what you're suggesting is just not realistic. Yes some people won't see the screen but not most people

Oh ok. You're obviously the expert!

 

[erik_k]

That’s just incorrect in multiple ways. First, there’s just a plain obvious difference between a house and a vehicle.

Not in this case. A pet in a locked house with HVAC is just as safe and comfortable as a pet in a locked vehicle with HVAC.

Second, a vehicle heats up much faster and retains that heat in a smaller space with very little ventilation compared to a house.

We are discussing vehicles that are operating as intended with functioning HVAC. If HVAC fails at my house or in a vehicle then I agree it’s cause for concern and perhaps intervention. There is no discernible difference. Either a pet is safe or not, regardless of car or house.

Laws will need to catch up, but Teslas are a very small portion of vehicles today. Educating people about Dog Mode is a rather small task, and nothing in the stories shared here about police checking up when a pet-in-vehicle is reported resulted in anything more than a simple conversation.

The laws that permit breaking into the vehicle are primarily meant as a deterrent for the behavior of leaving animals unsafely in vehicles.

Many well intentioned laws are abused. Think ex-gf/bf/spouse who breaks a window to save a pet even though they KNOW about Dog Mode but have legal cover.

We do NOT need more laws. We need reasonable laws based on the Constitution. If ANY law is necessary it should be only to not intentionally endanger a pet, end of story. That encompasses pats in cars without being overly specific.

 

[focher]

We do NOT need more laws. We need reasonable laws based on the Constitution. If ANY law is necessary it should be only to not intentionally endanger a pet, end of story. That encompasses pats in cars without being overly specific.

You can tilt at that windmill all you want. You might want to also learn a bit more about the Constitution and how it’s irrelevant to a state’s authority to pass most laws, including ones related to animal endangerment.

Also, if you’re worried about your ex gf / spouse abusing a law against you, you might want to consider better relationships instead of blaming the law.

 

[4SUPER9]

Not in this case. A pet in a locked house with HVAC is just as safe and comfortable as a pet in a locked vehicle with HVAC.

Yes, but the converse is not true. A pet in a locked house without HVAC is far safer than a pet in a locked vehicle without HVAC. IF you disagree, just sit in your house when it is 80 degrees outside, with the HVAC off, for 30 minutes. It is not fun, but bearable. Now try doing the same in a car. Very dangerous.

We are discussing vehicles that are operating as intended with functioning HVAC. If HVAC fails at my house or in a vehicle then I agree it’s cause for concern and perhaps intervention. There is no discernible difference. Either a pet is safe or not, regardless of car or house.

See above. A pet left alone in a house without AC is not in imminent danger, even if it is 100 degrees outside. This would not be great, but not imminently dangerous. A pet left in a car when it is only 80 degrees is in immediate jeopardy.

Many well intentioned laws are abused. Think ex-gf/bf/spouse who breaks a window to save a pet even though they KNOW about Dog Mode but have legal cover.

We do NOT need more laws. We need reasonable laws based on the Constitution. If ANY law is necessary it should be only to not intentionally endanger a pet, end of story. That encompasses pats in cars without being overly specific.

Very much agree. We need more common sense in this country, not more laws. This brings to mind the "free-range children" episode from Maryland (?) a couple of years ago. A neighbor called the police saying she was concerned because kids were walking home alone. If she was really concerned, she would have made sure the kids got home safely, not call the police.

 

[erik_k]

You can tilt at that windmill all you want. You might want to also learn a bit more about the Constitution and how it’s irrelevant to a state’s authority to pass most laws, including ones related to animal endangerment.

Your state doesn’t have a Constitution?

 

[4SUPER9]

People should always be as cursory as you're suggesting suggesting they are when they're about to call the police. Come on! Not everybody has ADD, jumps to conclusions, or can't see a bright screen in daylight. If they're looking about inside of a car to confirm that the dog is okay, if they're reasonably attentive they would see the screen. Sorry I do cognitive science for a living and what you're suggesting is just not realistic. Yes some people won't see the screen but not most people

I agree that it is reasonable to check on the status and comfort of the animal before calling police. Common sense and civility. OTOH, I think it is entirely unreasonable, from either a neurocognitive or behavioral perspective, to expect someone to read the screen inside of a car. The technology is completely foreign to almost everyone who does not own a Tesla. If these features were commonplace on most vehicles for the a least a few years, then I would have similar expectations that they would check the screen. But, alas, we are not there.

 

[erik_k]

Yes, but the converse is not true. A pet in a locked house without HVAC is far safer than a pet in a locked vehicle without HVAC. IF you disagree, just sit in your house when it is 80 degrees outside, with the HVAC off, for 30 minutes. It is not fun, but bearable. Now try doing the same in a car. Very dangerous

I think we’re all in agreement that functioning HVAC creates a comfortable temperature that is safe. If a vehicle or house has functioning HVAC I see no moral or legal reason for intervention by the “well-intentioned”.

 

[daniel]

I think I have a better idea: The sign you put in your window should read:

"This is a Mexican hoosepoctlta hound. Bred for the extreme heat of the Sonora desert, he cannot survive in temperatures colder than 100° and is happiest at 130°. He becomes uncomfortable when the mercury goes over 150°. For his safety and well-being, please do not let any air colder than 115° into this car. Several of Pancho Villa's lieutenants had hoospoctla hounds, who would happily run alongside their owners' horses for 12 hours under the full sun at 120° needing only half a liter of water a day."

Of course you actually turn on dog mode and keep the car at 72°.

If there are gawkers when you come back to the car you can tell them it's a joke and show them that it's actually nice and cool inside.

 

[AdamMacDon]

Because despite being made mostly of water that’s not very useful to humans.
Fahrenheit is perfect:
0 = very cold
100 = very hot

Having a freezing point that isn't zero is just wrong, C and K both agree, but F can't get on board. If your car speedometer started at zero, you'd probably be annoyed, even if it allowed for more precise reading of your speed.

 

[KenC]

You could stick one of those magnetic sticker things on your door, like a real estate agent, saying the "Dog is fine, AC is on"
https://www.amazon.com/Blank-Magnets-Pack-Advertise-Scratches/dp/B07WL6YLBZ/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1IOSNCSCJR83F&keywords=car+signs&qid=1568244614&sprefix=car+sign,lawngarden,154&sr=8-1&th=1

Or you could use one of those scrolling LED signs:
https://www.amazon.com/Leadleds-Scrolling-Message-Programmable-Business/dp/B010PVJUHW/ref=sr_1_29?crid=1IOSNCSCJR83F&keywords=car+signs&qid=1568244614&sprefix=car+sign,lawngarden,154&sr=8-29

I wonder if one of those projection LED things would work, showing temperature on your windshield:
https://www.amazon.com/Kensent-Projection-Digital-Thermometer-Bedrooms/dp/B07PL9Z5QT/ref=sr_1_33_sspa?crid=3LO05KGSNLH13&keywords=led+thermometer&qid=1568244995&s=home-garden&sprefix=LED+therm,garden,151&sr=1-33-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFaRExYR1JJVVk2MVMmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTA5NTY4NzAzQzJNTzlTWVNWSzJEJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA1NDM0MTAzNk42QUVIUE5FWDFRJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYnRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

I guess the magnet would be best since the dog could interfere with the LED signs.

 

[Daniel in SD]

Having a freezing point that isn't zero is just wrong, C and K both agree, but F can't get on board. If your car speedometer started at zero, you'd probably be annoyed, even if it allowed for more precise reading of your speed.

Why is the freezing point of water important when you're not talking about water?
Air temperatures below the freezing point of water are encountered in much of the United States.
How would would you like it if your speedometer defined zero as the terminal velocity of 1 ul of water falling through the air at sea level? Then when you're stopped the car would read negative speed. It's much better to have units that don't require the use of negative numbers.
P.S. I know it can get colder than 0F but I've never experienced it
P.P.S. I don't actually care that much about units. I just like arguing

 

[AdamMacDon]

Why is the freezing point of water important when you're not talking about water?
Air temperatures below the freezing point of water are encountered in much of the United States.
How would would you like it if your speedometer defined zero as the terminal velocity of 1 ul of water falling through the air at sea level? Then when you're stopped the car would read negative speed. It's much better to have units that don't require the use of negative numbers.
P.S. I know it can get colder than 0F but I've never experienced it
P.P.S. I don't actually care that much about units. I just like arguing

Maybe I'm biased because I'm a Canuck, but the rest of the world seems to base temperature off of water freezing, maybe we're all just weird. Every time I go to the US I have the minor, but annoying issue of having to convert to F, miles I can do no problem by quickly multiplying kilometers by 1.6, but Fahrenheit is just awful in my opinion, haha. I also like arguing and tease my American friends constantly about their flawed temperature metrics

Also I can confirm that sometimes it goes below 0F in parts of Canada, and possibly the northern parts of the US!

 

[DougUnplugged]

You could stick one of those magnetic sticker things on your door, like a real estate agent, saying the "Dog is fine, AC is on"
I guess the magnet would be best since the dog could interfere with the LED signs.

No magnets on Teslas. They all have aluminum doors!

 

[idoco]

Learn from a Mercedes owner how to deal with Tesla premium features explained to others:

Diplomacy and the way you approach situations very often allows you to get around escalating problems such as your imaginary conversation....

All excellent points. Only one problem. It was a Walmart parking lot

 

[markwj]

Why is the freezing point of water important when you're not talking about water?
Air temperatures below the freezing point of water are encountered in much of the United States.
How would would you like it if your speedometer defined zero as the terminal velocity of 1 ul of water falling through the air at sea level? Then when you're stopped the car would read negative speed. It's much better to have units that don't require the use of negative numbers.
P.S. I know it can get colder than 0F but I've never experienced it
P.P.S. I don't actually care that much about units. I just like arguing

You sound like someone who would appreciate the Kelvin temperature scale.

 

[TaiwoEgun]

Tin Poodle: The road to hell is lined with....

My story...

Lady#1: “Is this your car?”
Me: “Yes”.
Lady#1: “The police are looking for you.”
Me: “Why?”
Lady#1: “Because I called them to report you for leaving your dogs in the car!”
Me: “Ummm...the A/C is on. Didn't you see all of the signs on the car?”
Lady#1: “No...”
Lady#2: “Is this your car?”
Me: “Yes”
Lady#2: “They are overhead paging you in the store. The police are looking for you.”
Me: “OK”
Lady#2: “You can't leave your dogs in the car..”
Me: “A/C is on,..yada,yada...see the signs...yada,yada...dogs are fine...yada,yada...”
Lady#1&#2: [I don't believe you look]
Me: “Let me show you”

You this is what happens when you’re ahead of the times. These ladies are living in the stone ages and this is like discovering fire for the first time for them. If only they spent just as much time looking at the console than trying to convict you of something and wasting the time of the police. Honestly if people see a tesla, they should just not worry as much. I’d be more worried about the dog in the van right next to yours. Something doesn’t add up here.

 

[BrokerDon]

Back in the early '00s, when the cars were still somewhat uncommon where I lived, I got pulled over by a cop who thought it would be cool to make me late for work so that he could 'check out' the New Beetle I was driving. I was less than pleased.

Reminds me of the 1st hour after I'd picked up my 200 mph 505 hp 427 cubic inch 3,100 lb. 2006 Corvette Z06 at Bankston Chevrolet in Dallas TX. I'd just got settled into the first 1/2 hour of my 14 hour drive back to my home in SoCal when I got pulled over my a Texas Ranger for driving 85 in a 75. WTF ???

He did the usual "license & registration", checked my driving record, and then came back and asked me about my C6 Z0, said it was the first one he'd seen but had read all about it on Motor Trend, Car & Driver, etc. Spent the next 20 minutes giving him the state of the art carbon fiber body, aluminum frame, 7.1 liter 7,000 rpm street legal race motor details... then asked me to keep it under 80 until I hit the county line. Got off with a warning and huge smile when I asked if he wanted me race or go for a test drive to the county line. DAMN he wanted to... but I think he was afraid to see if it REALLY could do 200 mph. EPIC