Took my car to a local garage and they took it for a spin...

[beeeerock]

The shop owner would have had very difficult time sacking an employee based on such evidence here.

That may be off topic, the event happened in the US and what happened is clearly legal in US.

FWIW, 'Edmonton, Canada' as is shown on every Footbag post, was still in Canada the last time I checked (current as of this morning).

There are cameras everywhere today. Our expectation of privacy is essentially zero, except within the walls of our own homes. That's the reality of our times. I don't think the OP did *anything* wrong. The mechanic clearly did. The OP didn't demand the mechanic be fired or disciplined. He merely gave the evidence of unprofessional work. Not much different to finding grease on the seat after work in a garage - clearly it was the fault of the garage. How the discipline is metered out is up to the owner/manager. I feel a little bad for the mechanic who was fired, but I don't know what his work record looked like either... he could have been on thin ice already. If he wants to challenge the employer legally, that's his business. But he was wrong and will hopefully learn from the mistake.

If anyone should be able to identify a dash cam, it would be a mechanic...

And if anyone is *really* worried about privacy, a Tesla is probably the worst car for them... what *couldn't* Tesla learn about our driving habits should they want to poke around in the car logs? When I bury bodies... whoops, I mean, IF I was to bury a body... I would always take an old ICE...

 

[electracity]

It probably was the last straw.

Exactly. Guys doing this kind of stuff tend to be insubordinate. A good firing in this situation may be a good message to the onlookers in the video. Any tech who doesn't consider that a $100K car may have a dash cam or tracking is pretty foolish. In this case carelessly foolish with his boss's business reputation.

 

[jaguar36]

I guess I'm in the minority here, but I don't think the guy did anything wrong. They tried to open the hood, doesn't seem unreasonable, they might have been trying to fill the washer fluid, or maybe they just wanted to see what they thought would have been the engine. I don't see anything wrong with that. If they had creased it closing it, the shop would be responsible. Really though, that's a serious design flaw, not anything the shop did wrong.

The guy gave it at most 40% throttle (yay valet mode!) that's not unreasonable. Its not like he did a giant smoky burnout, or was doing donuts in the parking lot. Whenever I change a wheel on my car I take it around the block and give it a throttle and do a hard brake or two.

Course it also wouldn't surprise me if the owner just told the OP that he fired the employee to placate him, or the owner was looking for an excuse anyway.

 

[Canuck]

Since you drive a $100k car and they probably make $40k/year, they'd probably appreciate the lesson. I guess the stereotypes about the 1% are correct (hey, I'm one of you but I'm not a dick).

Nice that you turn this into a class issue but I don't look down on people making $40k a year like you do, as if we need to educate them and they'd "appreciate the lesson". I known many people who don't make very much money but know a heck of a lot about a lot things, including solar, EV's, etc. I've educated people with a lot of money about my car, to young kids. But to think that if I have to drop my car off at a shop I should be considering their salary and I better show them around the car or expect them to attempt to gun it, sure sounds like an elitist attitude to me. I don't assume people with not a lot of money have less morals than people with a lot of money, like you do. In fact, the opposite is often true.

Asking for the guy to get sacked, yeah now if its a garage you regularly visit you may may maaaaaybe have a cause, if not.... well why the heck do you care?

Yes, right, because it's all about ME! You can mess around with someone else's car, but not MY car!

 

[JunesongProvisn]

Nice that you turn this into a class issue but I don't look down on people making $40k a year like you do, as if we need to educate them and they'd "appreciate the lesson". I known many people who don't make very much money but know a heck of a lot about a lot things, including solar, EV's, etc. I've educated people with a lot of money about my car, to young kids. But to think that if I have to drop my car off at a shop I should be considering their salary and I better show them around the car or expect them to attempt to gun it, sure sounds like an elitist attitude to me. I don't assume people with not a lot of money have less morals than people with a lot of money, like you do. In fact, the opposite is often true.

*sigh*

Obviously you missed the entire point of my post - thanks for the blanket judgement though. I'm not the one who produced a video of a mechanic not doing anything wrong and insisted that he be fired. I'm sure him (and any dependents) will be thankful that you don't look down on them for making less money (or in this case NO money, thanks to OP).

I drive a P85D but I also play in a dirty punk band with musicians that most people would probably cross the street to avoid. I get along with everyone, which is why I wouldn't get someone fired. To each his own though.

 

[jeffro01]

I'm not the one who produced a video of a mechanic not doing anything wrong and insisted that he be fired.

Um... Where exactly do you get the conclusion that the mechanic did nothing wrong and the OP insisted that he be fired? For one, to assert that the mechanic did nothing wrong is just absurd. He tried to drive the hell out of the car and was luckily prevented from doing so. Like I said before, had the valet mode not been there I'm fully convinced he'd have kept flooring it and I wouldn't have been shocked if he went back to the shop and picked up the others to take them on their own little joy ride under the "dude you'll never believe how fast this car is" mantra...

So please, do tell me why you seem to think the mechanic was doing nothing wrong? This I gotta read...

Jeff

- - - Updated - - -

I guess I'm in the minority here, but I don't think the guy did anything wrong. They tried to open the hood, doesn't seem unreasonable, they might have been trying to fill the washer fluid, or maybe they just wanted to see what they thought would have been the engine. I don't see anything wrong with that. If they had creased it closing it, the shop would be responsible. Really though, that's a serious design flaw, not anything the shop did wrong.

The guy gave it at most 40% throttle (yay valet mode!) that's not unreasonable. Its not like he did a giant smoky burnout, or was doing donuts in the parking lot. Whenever I change a wheel on my car I take it around the block and give it a throttle and do a hard brake or two.

Course it also wouldn't surprise me if the owner just told the OP that he fired the employee to placate him, or the owner was looking for an excuse anyway.

How could you possibly come to the concluding that the guy did nothing wrong? Were you watching the same video? He tried to drive the hell out of the car, that's acceptable to you? Luckily for the owner of the car valet mode existed otherwise this guy would have had a field day. That's acceptable to you? You'd be okay with that in your car?

Why would they need to open the hood? Answer, there is no reason why. Furthermore to try to blame Tesla in the event they'd have gotten the hood open and creased it closing it is really quite a stretch.

People have no respect for other peoples property anymore... It's sad really...

Jeff

 

[Canuck]

I get along with everyone, which is why I wouldn't get someone fired.

And that's something to be proud of?

How can you get along with everyone? Some people are so offensive that I'd never get along with them, nor would I want to.

And how can you stand by and do nothing when someone does something inappropriate at their job? I'd be the first to try to get them fired to protect others, and especially children.

As for looking down on people, I started out with nothing, and very worked hard for everything I have, so perhaps I have a different perspective of people who you say "make 40k/year" as if that's a bad thing. That was more than I had at one time.

 

[Andyw2100]

I'm not the one who produced a video of a mechanic not doing anything wrong and insisted that he be fired.

You've said more than once that the OP asked that the mechanic be fired, insisted that he be fired, etc. I know you can read, because you are responding to things people are posting here. So I have to ask what part of the multiple posts in which the OP wrote that --HE DID NOT ASK THAT THE MECHANIC BE FIRED-- could you not understand?

Edit: Here they are--

I went in and spoke to the manager. He seemed to be upset about the situation (but I couldn't tell if he was upset in being 'busted' or upset that his staff would disrespect him and the customer). I didn't push the issue too far, but he did say the staff member would get a warning and that if similar happened again, he would be fired.

For what it is worth, I never once said anything similar to "that mechanic is an idiot / he should be fired"... the discipline he faced was at the discretion of the manager, and as mentioned up thread, perhaps there were other prior issues.

 

[Ben W]

I wrote up an entire post on how I did it here: Yet another hardwired Dashcam install -- 100% reversible/no splicing/no tapping

But the short version is I got one of these 12vdc->5vdc step down transformers: Amazon.com: KEEDOX® DC/DC Converter 12V Step Down to 5V 3A Power Supply Module: Electronics and wired it into the +12v on the OBDII port.

Thanks! I've picked up some components and will play with it. The connector in the headliner seems to be a standard 4-pin MOLEX, so with a short MOLEX extension cable I should be able to construct the adapter I need (MOLEX 12v -> stepper -> 5v 2.1mm DC plug) without having to modify/cut the Tesla connector itself, or the dashcam's original power cable. If this doesn't work out, I will try the OBDII approach. Hopefully I won't fry anything

 

[jaguar36]

How could you possibly come to the concluding that the guy did nothing wrong? Were you watching the same video? He tried to drive the hell out of the car, that's acceptable to you? Luckily for the owner of the car valet mode existed otherwise this guy would have had a field day. That's acceptable to you? You'd be okay with that in your car?

First off you have no idea what the mechanic would have done if Valet mode wasn't on. All we know is that he at max accelerated at 40% power. Even the op admits he probably wasn't even speeding. In no way is that 'driving the hell' out of the car. The whole point of Valet mode is to prevent someone from doing that, and the fact that it was on by definition means he didn't abuse the car. He took it on a fairly benign test drive, which is the proper thing to do after remounting a wheel.

And yes the fact that the hood can be easily damanged by someone who hasn't been trained in the super secret closing method (which is different depending on who/when at Tesla showed it to you) is a major design flaw (although I think it has been either seriously overblown, or fixed by Tesla).

 

[JunesongProvisn]

As for looking down on people, I started out with nothing, and very worked hard for everything I have, so perhaps I have a different perspective of people who you say "make 40k/year" as if that's a bad thing. That was more than I had at one time.

Look, I'm in the exact same boat, but it seems the difference between you and me is that I keep my hands dirty enough to remember where I came from. I would never get someone fired over a simple mistake.

My wife makes $40k/year and I do not look down on her. In fact, quite the opposite.

- - - Updated - - -

Ok, just in case I missed something, I went back and watched the video again. I now feel even MORE like that wasn't a fireable offense.

It seems like most of the arguments for getting this guy fired are because if valet mode weren't on, he MIGHT have done something wrong. I just don't understand that. Now I'm curious to know what you guys do for a living that this bothers you so much. I have a staff of 100 people at a business that I started - if I weren't patient and just fired people all the time, I can't imagine I'd ever be successful.

 

[EVenthusiast]

Look, I'm in the exact same boat, but it seems the difference between you and me is that I keep my hands dirty enough to remember where I came from. I would never get someone fired over a simple mistake.

My wife makes $40k/year and I do not look down on her. In fact, quite the opposite.

- - - Updated - - -

Ok, just in case I missed something, I went back and watched the video again. I now feel even MORE like that wasn't a fireable offense.

It seems like most of the arguments for getting this guy fired are because if valet mode weren't on, he MIGHT have done something wrong. I just don't understand that. Now I'm curious to know what you guys do for a living that this bothers you so much. I have a staff of 100 people at a business that I started - if I weren't patient and just fired people all the time, I can't imagine I'd ever be successful.

What everyone is saying (and you seem to keep missing) is that the OP didn't ask for the employee to be terminated. If the employee was truly terminated, then either something else happened, and it was the last straw, or whatever he did violated (a zero tolerance?) company policy.

We don't know what exactly happened, but obviously the manager did because you don't go through the firing/hiring/training process for fun.

 

[JunesongProvisn]

What everyone is saying (and you seem to keep missing) is that the OP didn't ask for the employee to be terminated. If the employee was truly terminated, then either something else happened, and it was the last straw, or whatever he did violated (a zero tolerance?) company policy.

We don't know what exactly happened, but obviously the manager did because you don't go through the firing/hiring/training process for fun.

That's fair, but what did OP think was going to happen when he edited a video and emailed it to them?

Since everyone seems out for blood, here's the location. Maybe you guys can swing by on your next group ride and get everyone fired! That'll teach 'em to stand outside and watch a Tesla leave the parking lot!

http://www.trailtire.com/location-details.htm?id=5583&address=8805%20156th%20Street%20Edmonton,%20AB%20T5R%201Y5,%20Canada

 

[mikeash]

That's fair, but what did OP think was going to happen when he edited a video and emailed it to them?

Since everyone seems out for blood, here's the location. Maybe you guys can swing by on your next group ride and get everyone fired! That'll teach 'em to stand outside and watch a Tesla leave the parking lot!

Wow, and here I thought that only a person's employer could fire them. I had no idea that I, as a random person off the street, can fire employees of a business I don't own. This is amazing! Why didn't anyone tell me about this before?

 

[Krugerrand]

That's fair, but what did OP think was going to happen when he edited a video and emailed it to them?

And yet all the employee had to do was his job, with the required amount of integrity, professionalism and respect for others' property. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

[JunesongProvisn]

And yet all the employee had to do was his job, with the required amount of integrity, professionalism and respect for others' property. Nothing more, nothing less.

According to the video evidence, I fail to see how he lacked any of the above. But whatever, to each his own.

You guys are clearly bloodthirsty since this horrible, god-awful, no-good mechanic had the audacity to accelerate a Tesla one time.

 

[EVenthusiast]

That's fair, but what did OP think was going to happen when he edited a video and emailed it to them?

I would expect any business owner (including yourself) to properly research/investigate the incident, and draw the proper conclusion based on evidence. A smart business owner does not fire people because someone 'complained'.

Even if a customer is so upset that they want the employee gone, would you go ahead and fire that employee without investigating? I bet you wouldn't. We all know that just like bad employees, bad customers do exist.

According to the video evidence, I fail to see how he lacked any of the above. But whatever, to each his own.

You might fail to see this, but obviously the manager saw something.

You guys are clearly bloodthirsty since this horrible, god-awful, no-good mechanic had the audacity to accelerate a Tesla one time.

The only one that's talking about getting the employee fired (while insulting him) seems to be you


This thread should be put out of its misery.

 

[jeffro01]

First off you have no idea what the mechanic would have done if Valet mode wasn't on. All we know is that he at max accelerated at 40% power. Even the op admits he probably wasn't even speeding. In no way is that 'driving the hell' out of the car. The whole point of Valet mode is to prevent someone from doing that, and the fact that it was on by definition means he didn't abuse the car. He took it on a fairly benign test drive, which is the proper thing to do after remounting a wheel.

And yes the fact that the hood can be easily damanged by someone who hasn't been trained in the super secret closing method (which is different depending on who/when at Tesla showed it to you) is a major design flaw (although I think it has been either seriously overblown, or fixed by Tesla).

Your kidding me right? You first said that I have no idea what the mechanic would have done without valet mode but then you turn around and say that it's a good thing valet mode was there. If you watched that video and came to the conclusion that no harm was done then your either being willfully naive, or trying to stir the pot a bit. He was clearly trying to drive the hell out of the car but luckily valet mode wouldn't let him.

Some people just have no respect for other people's things.

Jeff

 

[travwill]

Long thread here.

Honestly, live somewhere like Chicago or any major city now and you'll lose trust in people in general. People don't have respect for others' things, but also others even, time, lives, etc. People in these cities leech, destroy, and drain those of us or others that try to be responsible citizens. All I can say is protect your stuff somewhat, but protect yourself and family as well. We are a "police household" and to be naïve will make you a victim of something one day. My 45 is passenger with me quite often in my Tesla. Not to bash CA citizens, but when I lived in CA it always seemed like a bunch of happy gogo do-gooder softies apologizing before demanding any respect/punishment.

Ok, off my horse, rough day somewhat...

 

[Jhall118]

I live in Washington. We have a two-party consent on recordings. Posting such a video on Youtube, resulting in actual damages (employee getting fired) certainly could lead to a civil suit. I don't live in Canada, so I don't know, but I certainly wouldn't recommend everyone thinking that doing this is okay. I have the same camera, and drive customers around Seattle. I am careful what I post for that reason. That being said, it's almost always okay to use such a recording if a crime is being committed, but that isn't really the case here.

Personally, I would have let them know they were being recorded. I worked in an auto shop while going to college, and I remember a Jaguar was in for service for like a month. I drove that thing in and out of the garage, and was in awe every time I drove it. I treated it respectfully, but the Tesla is on a whole different level. Normal people get very excited over the car. Wanting to pop the frunk and see the extra storage is equivalent to opening the trunk and seeing how much room is in the back. I can't imagine getting upset over that. Giving it a little launch is equivalent to getting upset at a single engine rev.

Was it unprofessional? Yes, of course it was. Was it worth putting on the internet? Meh, I wouldn't have. That seems petty to me, but I respect your opinion.

Also, I make (and pay for) my P85D with about 40k a year, so hop off that high horse. The car isn't that expensive to someone that really wants it and is willing to sacrifice for it.