When the wheels come off

As a cyclist I have become well accustomed to being on the receiving end of abuse and lame comments from motorists. 

You know the themes- "get off and milk it", "hey, your wheel's going round", "look its Eddy Merckz?". 

Of course I have dismissed such comments without a second thought particularly in most traffic environments  I have been able to just leave vehicles and their frustrated owners stuck in the midst of a logjam. The motivation behind the shameful and anti-social behaviour of this minority can be attributable to many things although at its core, I firmly feel, is a deep rooted jealousy of the relative freedom and health benefits of riding a bike as opposed to being a prisoner in a box on four wheels (or even three). 

So, you can understand my sense of confusion and disbelief in that I am now attracting the same sort of verbal mud slinging in driving about in my latest car. 

If I mention that it is a Tesla and it is fully electric then you might yourself find a polarising of your own feelings towards the enigmatic but self-publicising Founder of the company or the dilemma that a move away from the internal combustion engine must be inevitable for the good of the planet and yet perhaps too much for us to think about in practical and economic terms for a few more years. 

My own decision to go for a Tesla was quite easy.  

I was just spending too much on the once perceived wonder fuel that is diesel and not a little concerned about the effect of the polluting particulates that choke our streets and all of those unwittingly inhaling them. 

There are obvious cost saving benefits. Just the other day my business workload took me to York, Scarborough and Whitby before a return to base in Hull. The 188 miles on a mixture of roads and variable amounts of traffic used just £4.68 worth of electricity. 

Add to that the hugely pleasurable experience of a very smooth and quiet ride, exhilarating acceleration when required and a great sound system and you have an all round performer of style and eco-credentials. 

These sentiments are as far away as possible from the driver of a big red Jaguar saloon who, on passing me in the opposite direction in slow moving traffic shouted out "Shiiiiiiiiiiittttttttt" at me and the Tesla. 

If I had not been so shocked at this verbal assault then I might have responded with "dinosaur" or "gas guzzler" but all I could manage was a good laugh a bit further down the street. 

Why was the driver so minded? 

The Jag could have been his dream car only attained after many years of hard work and saving up or even re-assembled tirelessly from a salvaged body shell and components. He could himself have been the target of attention by environmental activists over the polluting characteristics of the V6 engine under the bonnet and was just venting his wrath on the zero emissions of the Tesla. 

Increasing costs of fossil fuels, Road Fund Tax, Insurance and maintenance may have sounded for that driver the death knell of Jag ownership. His exclamation could well have been a lament. 

I hold my hand up to being enthralled by the sound of a throaty exhaust tone and sensation of tyres biting down into the tarmac when  an owner in the past of a capable vehicle but I recognise that such things are just not sustainable or acceptable. 

Yes, I am fortunate to be in a position to lease a Tesla but it just makes good business and ethical sense.

There are some great aspects of ownership of the make and model but I get the most buzz from the reactions of the younger generation who wave and jump about in an excited frenzy when they catch sight of the Tesla. 

Their unconditional expressions are borne out of a knowledge and appreciation of helping the environment, the need to fast track technologies and embrace quite revolutionary innovation rather than being bit of a cross between a cave man and a machine smashing Luddite.