Andrew's Successful Morning

Observations and Experience w/ Andrew:

Showing significant bravery & resourcefulness !  Uber cab to the financial district parking garage and navigated through the empty parking garage to find car on 4th floor.  First meeting with Tesla owner Brian (who was more interested in bragging about the sound system and bottled water than telling me how to operate the car).  I told him I just wanted to sit in the car an familiarize myself with the controls and he took off.  This was a case of “learn something new every day” x 1000 !   For starters, Brian had the left the ‘gas’ (charging) door open.  I couldn’t get going, finally read the on-screen owners manual, learned how to shift into drive. Learned reverse, parking garage exit card, off I went.  Mental  background music playing:  Also Sprach Zarathustra by Richard Strauss 

[Andrew's soundtrack]

Of interest, and news to me, this car designed with an audible warning alert if you press both the brake and throttle at the same time.  Well, that’s how I’ve been driving for years! So, lots of alerts 

Also, construction everywhere in the financial distract! So there I was, driving one of the top ten fastest, best handling cars in the world and stuck in traffic !

Also, driving this car literally puts a big smile on my face. More honestly, it was the realization of what I had accomplished, all the million little pieces of this project that I’d accomplished, that put a big smile on me ! 

( click this link, then play the yello clip )
[ scroll down, click the play button ]


Observations & Experiences with Tesla:
Great car ! Silent, super fast.  Stunningly fast even accelerating from say, 60 mph to 100 mph. Regenerative braking too a little getting used to, as the car decelerates quite noticeably when throttle is lifted, but eventually incorporated into driving, and saw the benefit.  


Observations & Experiences with Getaround:

My first Getaround request for a Tesla expires after 12 hours with no response from the owner. 
“We’re sorry, but your rental request for Andre Lavoie's Tesla has expired without a response. It happens sometimes, but you do have options!”

Next car w/ Brian worked out great. Lower rate too, things to learn:
- their system is imperfect, keep a flexible mind (the address listed was for the building, really would have been better to list the parking garage address, especially on the return)
- on return, I was pretty fried, put the key in the sunvisor, should have been in the cup holder. Brian didn’t see it, Getaround called my mobile 2 tires, got sorted out.
- in Marin, the we were out of range for the add, lock / unlock stopped working.  Eventually figured out the key (required a fast double press).  Once open, KB would not let me try it again !