What's with Tesla drivers? | FerrariChat

What's with Tesla drivers?

Discussion in 'Ferrari Discussion (not model specific)' started by JimEakin, Sep 4, 2019.

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  1. JimEakin

    JimEakin Formula Junior

    Jun 13, 2015
    988
    Mountain Living
    Full Name:
    Jim
    On my last three road trips with my red 550, I've had Tesla drivers just go berserk after I passed them on the freeway. In each case they've been cruising in the left lane when I pass them going slightly faster in one of the other lanes. Never do I do anything to provoke them (well, one time I did shake my head!). Not right away, but after about a minute they come roaring up and get right on my tail, then pass with a flourish. They eventually get stuck in traffic when I don't, so I pass them again. They repeat. I never react, never change speed. But the last time when I tried to change lanes the guy tried to prevent my lane change.

    I try to disengage these idiots right away, usually by slowing down. I was only able to lose 1 guy by pulling off in the truck brake-check area on the Grape Vine. I refuse to race with these idiots.

    I've seen red-car-itis before, but what is it with these guys?
     
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  2. energy88

    energy88 Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Jan 21, 2012
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    John
    Prius on steroids?
     
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  3. I'm 360 Canuck

    I'm 360 Canuck Formula 3

    Nov 21, 2015
    1,911
    Ontario, The Real One in Canada
    Full Name:
    Lars!
    I think they feel the need to rub it in other faces with how fast their cars are, or seek street cred with the sports car crowd.
    Hasn’t happened to me, nor would I care.
    I get that same behaviour from millennials in 10 yr old BMWs though.
     
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  4. Cigarzman

    Cigarzman F1 Veteran
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Apparently , yesterday or the day before the open door app on the Tesla cars didn’t work. LMAO. That kind of behavior the OP was referring to usually happens to me I’m my 488 with Mustangs.
     
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  5. ago car nut

    ago car nut F1 Veteran
    Silver Subscribed

    Aug 29, 2008
    5,246
    Madison Ohio
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    David A.
    The same if in the hot rod or TR. Wont to show you how fast they are.
     
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  6. tbakowsky

    tbakowsky F1 World Champ
    Consultant Professional Ferrari Technician

    Sep 18, 2002
    19,344
    The Cold North
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    Tom
    I have been dusted by more then a few of those Teslas, I mean just destroyed.

    But I can't say I wouldn't occasionally go hunting for exotics to embarrass if I owned one. May run outa battery before I found one..but it would be kinda fun.
     
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  7. TheBigEasy

    TheBigEasy F1 World Champ
    Consultant

    Jun 21, 2005
    16,862
    California
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    Ethan Hunt
    #7 TheBigEasy, Sep 4, 2019
    Last edited: Sep 4, 2019
    Prius drivers are still the worst. They have the ‘I hate rich people’ attitude more than anyone. Maybe the low-end model 3 attracts some of the same.

    HOWEVER, lots of F-car drivers ALSO have a Tesla S or X though. Especially the “P” ones. They are very cool cars. Drive one before you knock it...

    Most any Tesla would smoke a 550 Maranello anyway..... even the base ones.

    1996 Ferrari 550 Maranello ... 0 to 60 mph = 4.2 seconds.

    2017 Tesla Model S P100D ... 0 to 60 time = 2.3 seconds
     
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  8. Jedi

    Jedi Moderator
    Moderator Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Mar 18, 2008
    31,528
    Seattle Area
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    Dave
    "Coal burners" :D

    Jedi
     
  9. tbakowsky

    tbakowsky F1 World Champ
    Consultant Professional Ferrari Technician

    Sep 18, 2002
    19,344
    The Cold North
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    Tom
    I know quite a few multi millionaires who own and drive a Prius as their commuter..and belive it or not, they do genuinely like the little things.
     
  10. RWC58

    RWC58 Karting

    Oct 14, 2018
    154
    Columbus Ohio
    Full Name:
    Robert W Crooks
    Anyone that buys into the electric car thing says it all in my world . I don't care how fast they are .
     
  11. mello

    mello F1 Veteran
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    Jul 12, 2013
    5,035
    CA Bay Area
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    Steve
    I had a Tesla accelerating and decelerating next to me on the freeway a few months ago. After a few minutes of this charade, he suddenly backs off. I'm guessing he want to preserve his battery in order to reach his destination.
     
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  12. Kruegmeister

    Kruegmeister Formula Junior
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Nov 24, 2016
    466
    Michigan
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    Kruegmeister
    Hey don't lump us all in this Category (I have a Model S P100D), I also have 2 Ferraris, so maybe I don't fall Victim to the red-car-itis...??? :)

    Possibly there trying to show off they're Acceleration?
     
  13. I'm 360 Canuck

    I'm 360 Canuck Formula 3

    Nov 21, 2015
    1,911
    Ontario, The Real One in Canada
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    Lars!
    The acceleration stats for Tesla’s is the worst kept secret. Everybody knows they’re quick. I’d love to have one for my dd.
    It’s the insecurity and immaturity that drives the need to get in other drivers face with it, is the issue.

    My car can blow the doors off a rolls Royce.... but I wouldn’t chase one down and pass it just to show off to it’s owner, it’s just silly.
     
  14. Solid State

    Solid State F1 Veteran
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    Feb 4, 2014
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    Maximus Decimus Meridius
    I see a lot of Teslas these days. They are pretty boring looking but better than the regular commuter crowd. Ferraris still very rare and V12s the rarest. I'm sure the guy with the Tesla who just wants to race would gladly swap rides if he could. Two different worlds. Ferraris are a full commitment while other cars are just appliances especially all electrics. Ferrraris get the professional hand detail while the Tesla is lucky to get the car wash machine at the gas station.
     
  15. dr_genious

    dr_genious Karting

    Dec 20, 2017
    81
    Lucerne Switzerland
    Full Name:
    Sven
    Over here in Europe we have that behavior with all kinds of mostly (lowered) cars, mainly with BMW M’s or AMG’s of any kind. Especially in Switzerland, where we have many tunnels, it’s always about exhausts and noise. Wasn’t so much fun with the Cali T but the Porto roars massively so sometimes I play that game with them and even get a thumb up afterwards. Hey, those people are car lovers and wanna play. Why not give them a chance ;)? The Tesla’s actually do nothing here. They just cruise...
     
  16. azzurribaggio

    azzurribaggio Formula Junior

    I feel alot of these Tesla drivers finally have a car that accelerates great and they turn into Mario Andretti. I'm not talking about the guys who also have Ferrari's but the guy who use to drive a Honda or Toyota prior to getting their Tesla. The majority of the drivers I see here in the Bay Area fall into that category. Around here it's more of the new status symbol as well.
    Whenever I drive my 430 I never show off my acceleration, I leave that type of driving for the track OR spirited mountain road runs. But I do have my own Tesla story where I honked at one when the light turned green in my 430 because the ****** was too busy doing something and didn't realize the green light. Well once I honked this guy was off like a bat out of hell trying to set the new land speed record or something. I was like WTF.

    Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
     
  17. daytona355

    daytona355 F1 World Champ
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    Mar 25, 2009
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    Sid Korshak
    I haven’t noticed that in the UK with Tesla’s, there aren’t that many around here it seems, and as a daily, I think I could live with it, but I’d only get the most powerful one as what’s the point in NOT travelling as fast as it can? I will need a bigger battery though I guess.

    Prius, now those things are the worst, very very opinionated drivers in some of these... I love blasting up quickly on them, drop a gear, nail it past and make em wobble! Same as people on pushbikes that I see hogging the middle of the road for no reason! Hilarious when they scream and shake their fists behind me! Hey, life is for fun.

    For the OP, you have a 550 Maranello, in my book, you won the day you bought that beauty, have fun with the electric generation, knowing if you put your foot down, you’d win by about 130 miles in range on a full tank, who cares how fast they go in the first 10 seconds, you’ll be right alongside when the lights flash out and they slide silently to the median!
     
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  18. IloveGT

    IloveGT Formula 3
    BANNED

    Oct 17, 2015
    2,419
    Exactly just like sex. It's not about the first 10 secs. It's about how we get there. I frigging hate Prius driver. Period. Tesla soccer mom in model x are still driving very slow and look lost most of the time.
     
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  19. AlfistaPortoghese

    AlfistaPortoghese Moderator
    Lifetime Rossa

    Mar 18, 2014
    3,778
    Europe, but not by much.
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    Nuno
    Over here it’s Teslas and BMW Ms. They all want to race me and not in a friendly way. It was as if my very presence somehow offends them and they make their feelings known, some more aggressively than others.

    I do what I always do: ignore them. In the end, I love cars and so none offends me. I remind myself that those attitudes are a reflexion of other people’s shortcomings, who are reminded of them when they see me on the road I guess.

    It’s a clash of lifestyles I guess.

    Kind regards,

    Nuno.
     
  20. amenasce

    amenasce Three Time F1 World Champ
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    Oct 17, 2001
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    Joe Mansion
    I can see it. You have a boring electric car that cost 40k that will absolutely destroy a 200k Ferrari. I think most people would do it.
     
  21. A348W

    A348W Formula 3

    Jun 28, 2017
    1,741
    North Wiltshire, UK
    Tesla drivers over in sunny UK seem to be middle management company cars due to the tax and they just cruise around. I doubt they have a clue how much strip mining happens to make their car or where the electricity comes from. Doubt they care either, just the tax benefit! (Dealer told me once the electric hybrids that come back from company lease mostly have the electrical plug in cables still in their original packaging; never been used!!)

    Still being a kid at heart I just can’t help dropping a few gears and flooring the loud pedal every time I come across one!!!! Never had one try and follow! (The dicks over here tend to drive Audis or SUVs/4*4s I’m sure they get free lessons in how to drive like a knob end when they buy the things!)

    I couldn’t care less how fast they are; I think driving s Ferrari is just a wee bit cooler in my book!
     
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  22. daytona355

    daytona355 F1 World Champ
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    Mar 25, 2009
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    Just got back from an evening event at the local Mercedes dealership, on the way back, a beautiful red tuned up RS6 Avant and I had a few burn ups on the dual carriageways going out of town. Man, that thing was quick, with four wheel drive it took off a little better than me with cold tyres, but quickly caught it, but missed a gear at a slightly insane speed on one stretch. the guy driving it was cool, we ran alongside each other and gave the thumbs up, very nice to enjoy our cars once in a while
     
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  23. Tony91505

    Tony91505 Formula Junior

    Apr 13, 2005
    416
    So cal
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    Tony
    When the turboS taycans hit the streets, even the Tesla’s won’t want to play. I wonder if the taycan owners will behave similarly.
     
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  24. Etcetera

    Etcetera Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Dec 7, 2003
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    His autopilot was probably trying to murder him, and he couldn't get it to disengage.
     
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  25. IloveGT

    IloveGT Formula 3
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    Oct 17, 2015
    2,419
    I suggest pull up next to them, put in neutral, rev to 9k, and see how their face crunch in horror, and then you smile and nod repeatedly. I don't mind stoop down to their level once in a while.
     

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