A Tesla Cybertruck visited the neighborhood Thursday afternoon. We didn’t scream May Day, May Day, key it, or festoon it with swastikas.
Instead, we had an impromptu show and tell session with the owner.
An aside here: One of the tenets of journalism when I was practicing the dark art was you could find out a lot about a subject merely by asking individuals involved. That, and understanding that if two people knew something, it wasn’t a secret, were useful realities.
So, when the Cybertruck was spotted across the street at about 3 p.m., my wife was curious about the vehicle and decided to go out and take a close look at it. I told her that, considering the way Tesla vehicles, dealerships and charging stations are targets of left-wing lunatics, she might want to make sure the owner was aware she was not hostile before getting too close.
When I saw a man, presumably the owner, demonstrating the way the tailgate functioned, I threw on a par of flipflops and wondered out to take in the show.
A neighbor joined us. Curiosity is a shared quality.
It turns out the guy was quite the nice fellow, eager to interact. I noted I have seen another Cybertruck often around the War Memorial. He said that’s his twin brother. Yes, they both own Cybertrucks.
By way of background, these trucks are said to list for about $80,000, so I’m not in the market. I do, however, find them interesting.
Let’s face it, they’re like a stealth fighter cruising the streets with their flat panels of stainless steel and sharp angles.
The owner opened up the payload area for us, as well as doors so we could peer inside. We were surprised to find someone lurking behind the blacked out glass in the second row of seating.
Range is in the high 300-mile range for this electric vehicle, according to the guy. It’s considerably less in the winter.
Charging stations are a problem, too. But, the guy loves the truck.
It is fast, he said, which is understandable considering a reported 600 horsepower.
The steering wheel is more a yoke, The dash is mostly a large computer screen.
My wife was impressed when he demonstrated how the vehicle ride height could be lowered to allow easier access – we are of that age – or raised to an asburdly high level.
And, no, the man is not being harassed by others due to driving a Tesla.
Instead, he said the reactions are mostly thumbs-up.
I’ll give him a thumbs up for courteous interaction, something people on other side of the political aisle – the Tesla haters — should try.
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