Tesla bullies are proving why, in the age of built-in cameras, road rage is dumber than ever before
- Tesla owners everywhere are increasingly dealing with vandals and bullies on the road.
- Several recorded incidents clearly show how easily perpetrators get caught on camera.
- Those targeting Teslas should remember they’re almost always being filmed from every angle.
Not too long ago, road rage incidents were mostly fleeting anecdotes – heated moments that vanished as quickly as they came. A decade or so ago, dashcams were still niche gadgets and the idea of catching someone’s highway tantrum on video was far from routine. Of course, bullying Teslas wasn’t as popular then either. Now, the combination brings us a new situation where those who want to bully a Tesla need to recognize that they’re on camera. Several cameras in fact.
Recently in Florida, one Tesla driver experienced this firsthand. While the original video has since been taken down from the Facebook group that shared it, it captured a driver in a Mazda sedan cruising up beside a Cybertruck before abruptly cutting it off on the highway for no appreciable reason. Perhaps they forgot Teslas come equipped with more cameras than a low-budget reality show. Either way, the footage shows the Mazda driver clearly sizing up the truck just before swerving ahead.
More: Driver’s Fiery Road Rage Rant Swiftly Hit By Karma
It then captured the passenger in the Mazda giving the Cybertruck driver the bird. Of course, it also caught the very unique touches on the sedan including a decal on the door, a kayak and storage bin on the roof, and a disc golf goal on the hitch. The driver found the Mazda owner on social media only a few hours later but declined to comment based on their concerns about their safety.
Tesla owners everywhere are making this point all too clear these days. On a separate occasion, a group of people walked by a Cybertruck. Some flipped the Tesla the bird and one person appeared to draw on the vehicle with a black marker. The owner of the pickup has every right to post online and to try to hold these folks accountable.
In another Cybertruck-related incident, a person vandalized the side of the pickup before walking away. Once again, the cameras caught everything. In this case, though, the owner ended up finding out who the perp was. In fact, the person evidently ended up with two charges of criminal mischief.
Keep in mind that this isn’t only a Tesla-centric thing. Rivian’s vehicles come equipped with full 360-degree recording. BMW offers a similar feature, and automakers like Mercedes and MINI have integrated dashcams available too. Subaru, Toyota, and Lexus also offer built-in options, some more robust than others.
More: Elon Musk Hater Kicks A Cybertruck And Instantly Regrets It
Road rage has never been a good idea, but now it’s not just dangerous, it’s incredibly easy to document. Whether you’re flipping off a stranger, cutting someone off, or dragging a disc golf basket around while doing it, there’s a good chance someone’s camera system is rolling. And depending on the car, it might be recording from multiple angles, all in high definition, ready for both the internet and the authorities.
