New breed of Model 3 drivers out there.

[Tatoo1]

The cat does get a tough time. People often talk about ‘more than one way to skin a cat’ or in finance a ‘dead cat bounce’. Not a cat person myself.

Oh yeah um waving to other Tesla drivers.....

 

[Jason71]

Although ... there seem to be references to usage of the idiom that predate introduction of the punishment

I agree that Dead Cat seems to be a modern invention ... I'll start a myth that its used as a sly reference to corporal punishment being banned

is the "dead" cat a modern invention or a right now invention? I've never heard it before? I also thought it was a cat o nine tails reference.
It's not the worse corruption of a saying I've heard though. it still basically gets the same message across. As Dave Gorman fans will tell you it's certainly no "Escape Goat" but I still think we should "nip it in the butt".

 

[Homer's Dad]

That's because this thread is on the UK/Ireland section of the forum. A Tesla is still a relatively rare and "exotic" car here. I generally don't drive on motorways much so I have still only seen one M3 driving along the road whilst I have been driving over the past couple of months. It is not an everyday vehicle here and the first ones only arrived a few months ago. There is also a strong anti electric vehicle and anti Tesla contingent amongst our population. It's a big deal to take that step for us. It requires an act of faith for some of us and is symbolic of our belief that this is an important step towards the future of motoring.

Specifically with regard to the M3 there are people who have really stretched to afford their car .. they are not necessarily used to committing so much money. This may be the cheapest car Tesla has produced but it's 3 times more than I have ever spent on a vehicle. Believe me I do feel like am in "some kind of exclusive club" and I count my blessings every day that I can afford this level of luxury when some others are queueing at a food bank to feed their kids. Congratulations that you can feel that driving your Model S is something ordinary and not worth acknowledging. Just thank your lucky stars and be prepared to crack a smile occasionally when someone with a little more gladness in their heart greets you on the road.

Thanks for that truly heart warming post - you've just singlehandedly restored my faith in human nature.

 

[WannabeOwner]

is the "dead" cat a modern invention or a right now invention?

I Googled and it said "no occurrences before 1980" and that there was a trend in the 80's to tell Dead Cat jokes (can't say I remember any ... Dead parrot maybe?) so, if that is right, not quite "right now", so maybe it did arrive as a Dave Gorman-ism

 

[Daverh]

Steady on...
A polite wave is all I'm going to give.

Fly.Guy started it by flashing them

 

[Adopado]

Thanks for that truly heart warming post - you've just singlehandedly restored my faith in human nature.

It was getting a bit late in the evening and after I posted it I thought I might just be embarrassing myself ... but it looks like it struck a chord! Thanks.

 

[khizrs]

I think it's just people like me that purchased the car because they needed a car rather than die hard fanatics.

It's the same reason Ford Fiesta drivers don't wave to each other.

 

[Jason71]

It was getting a bit late in the evening and after I posted it I thought I might just be embarrassing myself ... but it looks like it struck a chord! Thanks.

I like how we respond at almost the same time with virtually the same first line. then I just got bored and went for a snarky second line and was done, but man you were on a roll!

 

[Adopado]

I think it's just people like me that purchased the car because they needed a car rather than die hard fanatics.

It's the same reason Ford Fiesta drivers don't wave to each other.

The idea of waving, or other acknowledgements, has actually been around for many years in different situations. VW beetle (original) drivers used to do it for example. Motorcyclists still mostly nod or wave to each other unless in heavy traffic. There's a camaraderie from being in shared circumstances, especially when those shared circumstances are different from the mainstream ..." You're not on you're own mate" "I've got your back" If I see you broken down at the side of the road I'm more likely to stop and ask if you need help. In practical terms I may understand your vehicle so can be of more help that the average person. (That also comes from vehicles being more unreliable years ago.) Unfortunately if someone is stranded with a broken down vehicle nowadays they are as likely to be mocked as they are helped!

Of course Ford Fiesta drivers don't routinely wave to each other and after a while neither will Tesla drivers. I also agree that when that happens it will be an indication of mainstream acceptance, which will be a good thing. I suppose at the moment I'm still struggling to think there are many people who buy a Tesla just "because they needed a car". I didn't think that had quite happened yet, so maybe I'm wrong. (But then I put down £1000 in April 2016 and waited until September 2019 for my M3 ... so it's going to continue feeling a bit special for a few months yet!)

 

[khizrs]

The idea of waving, or other acknowledgements, has actually been around for many years in different situations. VW beetle (original) drivers used to do it for example. Motorcyclists still mostly nod or wave to each other unless in heavy traffic. There's a camaraderie from being in shared circumstances, especially when those shared circumstances are different from the mainstream ..." You're not on you're own mate" "I've got your back" If I see you broken down at the side of the road I'm more likely to stop and ask if you need help. In practical terms I may understand your vehicle so can be of more help that the average person. (That also comes from vehicles being more unreliable years ago.) Unfortunately if someone is stranded with a broken down vehicle nowadays they are as likely to be mocked as they are helped!

Of course Ford Fiesta drivers don't routinely wave to each other and after a while neither will Tesla drivers. I also agree that when that happens it will be an indication of mainstream acceptance, which will be a good thing. I suppose at the moment I'm still struggling to think there are many people who buy a Tesla just "because they needed a car". I didn't think that had quite happened yet, so maybe I'm wrong. (But then I put down £1000 in April 2016 and waited until September 2019 for my M3 ... so it's going to continue feeling a bit special for a few months yet!)

Well I bought mine because I needed a car and it was good value, I could drive a brand new car for minimal extra costs compared to what I used to do which is buy a 5-6 year old car and run it for a while.

 

[MichaelP90DL]

I have never understood why anyone would want to swing a dead cat. I know it is an old saying, but it got me wondering if ever there was a time when people actually did swing dead cats?!

I suppose whether you can successfully swing a dead cat depends on how long it's been dead. LOL

 

[MelT3]

Interesting that this is a topic on here. I got my MS in Sept and some guy in a M3 waved to me as if we are buddies or something.

Sorry but just because we own the same mfr automobile doesn't mean we're in some exclusive club that we have to salute each other. I've driven tons of other car makes and not one single person in a Chevy truck every waved to me, or honda driver given me a nod.

I know these cars are neat, and a super joy to own and drive, but if you wave at me, don't expect anything in return....... it's just a car at the end of the day, not some automatic token of friendship among owners.

In the UK it’s more a matter of good manners, like acknowledging someone who lets you out at a busy junction. We are big on etiquette and tradition, it’s probably something to do with having a Royal Family

 

[Mr Miserable]

it’s probably something to do with having a Royal Family

WTF?

 

[MelT3]

WTF?

Just joking!

 

[MelT3]

WTF?

Well she waves at folks from her car doesn’t she? (She just isn’t driving it haha)

 

[Jason71]

Well I bought mine because I needed a car and it was good value, I could drive a brand new car for minimal extra costs compared to what I used to do which is buy a 5-6 year old car and run it for a while.

Pretty much the same here but the fact we are both on this forum makes us not quite "its just a car" drivers thus far.
when the 0%BIK really kicks in there will be a whole lot of new really really are just in it for the money company car drivers which will be interesting. I don't think I have ever read more than a page or 2 of a car manual but what I am learning on here, before even receiving a car, is that there is whole new set of skills, knowledge and etiquette to owning an EV/Tesla and I don't think some of the "new breed" will be coming in with their eyes fully open to the fact that they are early adopters. Interesting times.

 

[Silicon Desert]

The Model X driver I passed last week just blanked me when I waved!

Oh was that you? I was sleeping

 

[isracing]

In the UK it’s more a matter of good manners, like acknowledging someone who lets you out at a busy junction. We are big on etiquette and tradition, it’s probably something to do with having a Royal Family

I didn't realize this was the UK thread, just clicked on "new threads" and this came up and since I had someone wave I thought I'd put my .02 pence in.

I also do the same thing you mentioned above it's common courtesy, but waving because we have the same make car................ nahhhhhhhhh

 

[d.c.palmer]

I wave at other Model S owners - we're the ones that kept the company alive whilst it was working to build the Model X, Model 3 and Model Y. I generally get a wave back, or a flash of the headlights: we're a friendly bunch, especially us old timers (I was Signature No. 19 - so my wife's Tesla came out just a week after the UK launch of Model S).

I am starting to see more Model 3 cars - but round here in rural North Oxfordshire there seems to be a cohort of yobs driving them: very aggressive and inconsiderate driving. I'm sure this is a tiny minority (and remember: the P100D Model S is faster, so don't try it on ;-), but as the number of Tesla owners increases, we need to win over the rest of the driving public. One doesn't do that by cutting people up and generally messing around.

 

[VanillaAir_UK]

some of the "new breed" will be coming in with their eyes fully open to the fact that they are early adopters. Interesting times.

Worrying times. EV's get enough uninformed press already so when the uninformed do turn up and realise that EV's magnify the effect of any compromise, even though they have probably been unknowingly already living with these compromises, is just going to play into the hands of uninformed press and naysayers.