Rant to a Bad Tesla Driver

[bmah]

Me: Driving with my son in my silver Model S 85D, around 5:30 this afternoon, going on Lafayette surface streets from home to his swim school.

You: Driving your brand new, post-refresh Model S 70, black, no license plates. Approaching from behind us at well over the speed limit, and then you suddenly decided to hold formation with me. You might not be familiar with the Model S's blind spots, but you were hanging out in mine, and that's why I was twisting around in my seat trying to see where you disappeared to. Then you did a great job weaving around cars (including me twice) as we went into the downtown district. My son and I were flabbergasted at how much effort you were going through just to gain a couple carlengths in stop-and-go traffic. We liked the part where you almost cut right in front of us, as we and all the cars around us were slowing for a stoplight, for no apparent reason. And it looks like your DS neglected to mention that the Model S comes with fully functional turn signals. All this happened within the space of about a mile.

Welcome to the Tesla family. Now please learn to drive competently, before you kill or hurt someone. Thank you very much.

Bruce.

 

[Camera-Cruiser]

New driver. All the torque went to his head, the little one. Saw your big 85D and knew you were alpha dog. All he could do is scamper about like a puppy.

Hopefully, he'll come down.

 

[S4WRXTTCS]

Impressive.

I didn't learn to be a bad Tesla driver for at least 2 months of getting used to the size of the car.

 

[SpykeDaddy]

"All the torque went to his head" Love that!

I'm still reeling from my torque.

 

[lklundin]

Driving your brand new, post-refresh Model S 70, black, no license plates.

Would Tesla Motors allow a new car to leave their lot or allow it to be delivered without some kind of license plates, e.g. dealer plates for a test drive?

 

[kort677]

Would Tesla Motors allow a new car to leave their lot or allow it to be delivered without some kind of license plates, e.g. dealer plates for a test drive?

in the US many states allow for temporary tags, CA is notorious for taking a very long time to issue plates

 

[lklundin]

in the US many states allow for temporary tags, CA is notorious for taking a very long time to issue plates

Fair enough. But does that mean people just drive around in California without license plates (temporary or not)? That would be very rare around here.

 

[aesculus]

Fair enough. But does that mean people just drive around in California without license plates (temporary or not)? That would be very rare around here.

They just put a sticker in your front window with the basic registration info on it (less privacy stuff). They also have temp operating stickers but they are very restricted. Usually for cars coming from another state that did not pass a smog test and have limited time to get it fixed. Hardly see those anymore.

 

[rfmurphy81]

Yes, people are seemingly allowed to drive forever without putting their plates on in California. It's almost as if it's a sign of pride, "look at me, I have a new car (purchased 8 months ago) and am better than you". I also see a number of obvious older cars that have the dealer inserts instead of a DMV-issued plate so perhaps it's encouraged there, too? It's a great way to evade tolls and red light cameras, too.

According to CA Vehicle Code 4456 Section C, you have 90 days before you have to have DMV-issued plates on them (per CA Codes (veh:4450-4467)).

What's great about Tesla is that I got my DMV-issued plates about 2 weeks after I received the car. Now the personalized plates, that's another story...

 

[bmah]

Yes, people are seemingly allowed to drive forever without putting their plates on in California. It's almost as if it's a sign of pride, "look at me, I have a new car (purchased 8 months ago) and am better than you". I also see a number of obvious older cars that have the dealer inserts instead of a DMV-issued plate so perhaps it's encouraged there, too? It's a great way to evade tolls and red light cameras, too.

According to CA Vehicle Code 4456 Section C, you have 90 days before you have to have DMV-issued plates on them (per CA Codes (veh:4450-4467)).

I remember reading a story about a fairly rich person (Steve Jobs?) who never wanted to have permanent plates on his car, so he arranged to buy a succession of new cars so that he would sell a car (and buy the next one, of identical configuration) just before he was required to install permanent plates.

What's great about Tesla is that I got my DMV-issued plates about 2 weeks after I received the car. Now the personalized plates, that's another story...

Took about three weeks for my non-personalized plates, which I thought was about "normal" compared to other cars we have bought in the past (maybe my expectations are too low?).

Bruce.

 

[CuriousG]

I remember reading a story about a fairly rich person (Steve Jobs?) who never wanted to have permanent plates on his car, so he arranged to buy a succession of new cars so that he would sell a car (and buy the next one, of identical configuration) just before he was required to install permanent plates.

I think the story goes that the CA rule used to be 6mos before it was required to have the license plate installed. And that it was because of Jobs they changed it to 3mos. Nevertheless, I didn't put mine on until after 5mos due to the front license plate requirement in CA. I still don't have my front plates installed.

 

[Chopr147]

I don't know why it takes so long to get plates. In NY (not exactly an efficient state) when you buy a car at dealership they have the plates already on the car when you come for pick-up. The only cars w/o plates are usually from New Jersey. Back to the thread: Hey some people drive like idiots and if they kept the same car for years it would have dents all over it

 

[aesculus]

When you go to the DMV they have a stack of plates standing by. I put personalized plates, that were set for the Tesla, on another car. I did not care what plates went on it. When the Tesla regular plates came in the mail I took the personalized ones with me along with the plates issued to the Tesla. The DMV person took the unused regular plates and tossed them into the trash. Then registered the personalized plates to the Tesla (after I gave them another $35) and pulled a brand new set out of the cupboard for the other car. I noted that they could have just transferred (swapped) the plates between the two cars and I got the typical DMV answer.

 

[ggr]

I remember reading a story about a fairly rich person (Steve Jobs?) who never wanted to have permanent plates on his car, so he arranged to buy a succession of new cars so that he would sell a car (and buy the next one, of identical configuration) just before he was required to install permanent plates.

I was about to post about this, I believe it was Woz (Steve Wozniak). But I can't find anything to be certain.

 

[CTShore]

Found this -by Ned Potter -written in 2011:
""Think Different" was an Apple slogan of which Steve Jobs was fond. It made him, of course, very rich.

"Let me tell you about the very rich," wrote F. Scott Fitzgerald. "They are different from you and me."

Now comes a story, in the aftermath of Jobs' death, about one of his differences: the legend of how he tooled around Silicon Valley in a Mercedes with no license plates. The stories are legion -- that he parked in a handicapped-only spot at Apple headquarters; that he was just daring California police to nail him.

But David Heath of iTWire says he has heard the definitive version of the story from Jon Callas, now chief technology officer at a digital security firm called Entrust, who used to work with Jobs at Apple.

It turns out there's a provision in California regulations that give one six months to get license plates for a new car, and Jobs took advantage of it. Yes, he leased a silver Mercedes SL55 AMG, said Callas -- and every six months he traded it in for a new one.

"At no time would he ever be in a car as old as six months; and thus there was no legal requirement to have the number plates fitted," writes Heath.

"One might also assume that the leasing company was happy -- they had an endless supply of luxury cars to on-sell with the previous driver being none other than Steve Jobs.""

 

[lklundin]

"At no time would he ever be in a car as old as six months; and thus there was no legal requirement to have the number plates fitted,"

So with the authorities and witnesses unable to take note of a license plate, the California traffic laws basically become unenforceable. Why is this allowed to happen?

 

[CuriousG]

So with the authorities and witnesses unable to take note of a license plate, the California traffic laws basically become unenforceable. Why is this allowed to happen?

Unenforceable for traffic cameras. Doesn't mean an officer can't stop you and get VIN# for citations.

 

[chillaban]

I highly doubt Steve Jobs needed to bother with legally operating his car without a license plate. The citation is $110 as of last year for not having a license plate.... Not exactly gonna make Steve or most Tesla owners sweat bullets.

(I put my license plates on -- both of them -- as a law abiding citizen. It's just some times I am genuinely confused why I follow certain laws when they don't seem to benefit society or be properly financially motivating)

 

[kort677]

So with the authorities and witnesses unable to take note of a license plate, the California traffic laws basically become unenforceable. Why is this allowed to happen?

it's California?

 

[Chopr147]

Unenforceable for traffic cameras. Doesn't mean an officer can't stop you and get VIN# for citations.

Problem with VIN#'s is the car may still be in the system as the previous owner. So park your car in the handicapped spot all you want and the previous owner will get the summons. Sure fight it,say you sold it etc.......but do you want to go to court? VIN may still be in process which could end up getting your car impounded etc..... I can come up with so many more scenarios but you get the point. California as usual does things "different" than others