A driver stuck in traffic happened upon a Tesla driver trying to merge. When the Tesla driver escalated to road rage, the other driver remembered a feature of Teslas that led to his great amusement.
The video documenting the encounter came from San Antonio, Texas-based creator James (@jamesisnotverynice). It got an incredible 9 million views since it was put up on TikTok on Saturday.
He starts by informing his audience, “Just letting you all know you cannot road rage in a Tesla. It doesn’t work out for you.”
He then shares the story: A Tesla driver is coming up on his right, merging on a freeway with very heavy traffic. He tries to merge in front of James, but there’s no room. After nearly hitting James’ car, he merges behind James and expresses his displeasure with a one-fingered gesture favored by angry motorists.
“He’s now riding my a** and flipping me off in my mirror, just constantly,” James reports. “And then I remember … Teslas have one of the most sensitive auto braking functions in like all of cars.”
He continues, “So I start having some fun with it. I’m seeing him in the mirror. He’s inching forward. I tap my brakes a little bit.”
The action causes the Tesla driver’s car to automatically stop, infuriating that driver further.
“I go a little further, tap on my brakes a little bit, and he can’t get over because it’s bumper to bumper,” James reports. “He can’t move. He’s stuck behind me in his car.”
“I have never in my life enjoyed bumper-to-bumper traffic until today,” he added. “I mean, that was the most fun I’ve ever had in my car. I was dying laughing for 20 minutes.”
How Tesla’s braking system works
According to the Model 3 online owner’s manual, “When a collision is considered unavoidable, Automatic Emergency Braking is designed to apply the brakes to reduce the vehicle’s speed and therefore, the severity of the impact. The amount of speed that is reduced depends on many factors, including driving speed and environment.”
It adds, “When Automatic Emergency Braking applies the brakes, the touchscreen displays a visual warning and sounds a chime. You may also notice abrupt downward movement of the brake pedal. The brake lights turn on to alert other road users that you are slowing down.”
According to Not a Tesla App, the company modified its system in 2023 so it will work in reverse and as well as forward, and works “between approximately 3 mph (5 km/h) and 124 mph (200 km/h),” whereas it previously maxed out at what seemed a reasonable 90 mph.”
Viewers are amused
Visitors to James’ TikTok admired his initiative.
“LMAO this was my therapy for the day,” one said.
“Now that’s my kind of petty,” another shared.
“Literally had about the same interaction,” someone else reported. “Except the Tesla guy sped up and almost took out 4 merging cars and I saw the auto brakes kick in at 90 mph.”
Even someone on the other side of the equation appreciated the intel.
“I tried road raging in a Polestar,” one confessed. “I was embarrassed to say the least. Never again.”
@jamesisnotverynice Thank you tesla for making traffic fun #fyp ♬ original sound – James
The Daily Dot has reached out to the creator via TikTok direct message and to Tesla via email.
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