March 01, 2023

Like the tight-knit Jeep community, Tesla owners acknowledge their brethren

Is there a secret handshake Tesla owners need to learn? No. But, there is a tendency to offer up a friendly gesture to other Tesla owners. Torque News reported on a recent Reddit thread which posed "the question; 'Is there a Tesla wave, like the Jeep wave?' The answer was a yes; sort of... [but] that doesn’t take away from how cool the idea can be and the fact that a small handful of enthusiasts can popularize the phenomenon."

Above: Excited to be a Tesla owner? Let others know... (Image: my e-life now)

Perhaps the most tight-knit community of drivers are Jeep owners who give one another the Jeep Wave when acknowledging each other on the road. So how about Tesla owners? It turns out that, "one Reddit user, 110110, [is] saying: 'I simply give a thumbs up.' Another Redditor/Tesla owner [kushari]... compiled his dashcam video from his Tesla Model S 'nodding' (as he called it) to other drivers" — all showcasing the extent to which Tesla owners are starting to form a community out there.

Above: All the ways Tesla owners give each other "props" on the streets (Youtube: Kushari)

About three years ago this topic was covered in another (tongue-in-cheek) video. Transport Evolved reported on it, explaining: "Here in the UK, seeing another electric car driver is normally enough to make hardened EV nuts explode in a fit of hand waving, light flashing and horn beeping. At least, that’s what I do when I see another EV in my neighborhood. But for Tesla Model S owners, something a little more refined is called for... Meet The Tesla Nod."

Above: Giving kudos for giving up the gas pump (Youtube: MA3 Productions)

So will it be lights flashing, heads nodding, or a simple wave that becomes commonplace among Tesla owners? Who knows. But, it's definitely nice to connect with others in the Tesla family. In fact, I've struck up many conversations at Tesla Supercharger stations — and that's a wholly unique (and social) characteristic of being a Tesla owner. Waiting for my Model S to charge, I've met some really nice folks during Tesla road trips.

Above: Chatting up others at a Tesla Supercharger (Image: Hays Post)

In any event, we've got to figure this out people. With Model 3 owners flooding the streets en masse soon, if you pass one of these Tesla newbies, who should wave first? And does a Tesla Model X owner somehow rank higher than a Model S owner?

Above: The almighty Tesla Model X gets up-in-arms next to a Jeep (Instagram: huzaifa75)

It turns out that the Jeep posse has established its own protocol and etiquette in order to ensure the proper pecking order. One thing is for sure — in our world, a Tesla Roadster owner definitely gets priority. Hmmm, maybe this infographic can spark some ideas for those of us in the Tesla world...