This morning, I woke up to find out that a friend of mine, who got a test ride in my Tesla for about 10 minutes (which I honestly thought was for fun) had just finished put in an order for a Tesla! I missed my window to give my referral code. I hope she used someone's! It's the summer, and having that 1500 KMs of free supercharging could come in handy! I really need to stop being so shy about giving out my referral code -- like I'm trying to get people to buy the car. I mean, C'mon! Teslas sell themselves!!!
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On the way back from work I gave my co-worker and her hubby a chance to actually drive my Tesla Model 3 back home. It's interesting to watch someone else go through the new Tesla experience. It's like those new mothers who are surrounded by other mothers who can relate to that new joy of having a precious little one that you love more than anything -- partly because they get it, but also because witnessing someone discovering that joy for the first time brings back your own joy when it was your first time.
I definitely wasn't prepared to demonstrate all the key features. I'm starting to think that I need to make a checklist so when I take people for a ride, I hit all the key important features before they actually start driving!
For example, today I sort of took glee in showing that the screen would display the bicyclist that we were about to pass... and there it was! But it didn't dawn on me that, because they don't know much about a Tesla, they thought the car would detect people while in Autopilot. Well, this is Vancouver, and we have jaywalkers galore. We had one in our path later on, and though the car was slowing down, I just assumed my new test driver would hit the brake. Turns out, he thought the car would see him and stop, and so I had to tell him last minute to hit the brake. That's when I said that autopilot is still in beta and not really meant for regular city roads. And while it might be able to see people, it doesn't know to stop for them. Whew!
But that first reaction when the Autopilot takes a turn for the first time without touching the wheel; the first time you see it actually stop when the car in front of you stops; witnessing the car change lanes by itself... the "WOW!" with that crazy grin that comes when you discover something new... I LOVED seeing it happen to them! No wonder owners want to take people for rides all the time!
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Later this evening, I finally took 4 ladies at my church for a drive in the Tesla. They are mostly seniors -- mid-50s and older. These ladies have probably heard me talk about my Tesla more than anyone else in my life combined! Every week they ask if I know when I'll get it -- for THREE YEARS! Tesla did their reveals on Thursday nights during my choir rehearsals. So on the Model 3 reveal in 2016, during our rehearsal break, I pulled out my iPad and looked for a picture of what my future car would look like -- and they were there with me! Same thing with the Model Y. I think they just loved watching me delight in the idea of getting this car. And they genuinely celebrate with me as well.
It seems ironic that tonight, one of the ladies -- probably in her late 70s -- showed us a picture of a World War II plane flying near their back yard of her house when she was a child. Many of the ladies are of that age or older and reminisced about seeing those planes and what happened during the war. And now, over 75 years later, sitting in what seems like a robot car must have been surreal. Time certainly has passed quickly!
I do have to say -- I never get tired of showing off "Emissions Testing" mode. The laughter and delight that follows is just priceless, no matter what the age! Whether you're 2 years old or 90 years young -- who doesn't love a good fart prank!
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