My Leaf is Invisible

[ericsf]

I drive 70miles per day and I would say that on average I notice 2-3 people checking the car out. The most significant times people noticed were:
- On Stonestone parking lot a couple who were getting into the Prius next to me checked out the car. The wife asked "Zero Emission, what does that mean?".
- On 101 south of SFO a lady in a Versa passed me, looked at me and gave me the thumbs up.
- On Burligame InOut parking lot 2 teenagers walk by my car and I overheard one say "told you that was a Nissan LEAF".
- On Redwood City InOut parking a kid pointed out to his parent "that's a LEAF".
- In front of my place a Prius stopped for a couple of minutes. The two occupants were obviously checking out my LEAF.

Suprisingly, a couple of days ago, a Blue Nissan LEAF passed me. That was my first time to see one on the 101 freeway. I looked at the driver when she got on my side. She didn't even seem to care. We passed each other 3-4 times until we got to San Francisco so she can't have not noticed me. I was at least expecting a small hello waving :-(

 

[Boomer23]

I usually get lunch once a week at a favorite cafe with outdoor seating near the beach. I park my LEAF nearby and I've interrupted my lunch three times so far to talk about the LEAF with interested people. One guy had a LEAF on order but was, amazingly, unaware of the California $5k rebate, so our conversation was valuable to him. The other two times, couples (both couples middle aged) were very interested and impressed.

I have, though, risked having my table cleared before I was done with it, while I chatted about the LEAF. My food is also at risk from the local bird population! :lol:

 

[LEAFfan]

I've had the opposite experience, people pointing, approaching me asking questions. 2 guys walking near SMUD, whipped their heads around and were pointing at my Leaf. In freeway traffic, some drivers catch up to my car at a similar speed and check it out.

My guess is that they were looking at YOU (being a woman) and checking you out, not your car.

 

[lisaleaf]

I've had the opposite experience, people pointing, approaching me asking questions. 2 guys walking near SMUD, whipped their heads around and were pointing at my Leaf. In freeway traffic, some drivers catch up to my car at a similar speed and check it out.

My guess is that they were looking at YOU (being a woman) and checking you out, not your car.

Hmm, could be! Blond lady in the red Leaf THEN they spotted the booster seat in the backseat :lol: I guess I was invisible yesterday, had a close call, the lady behind me wasn't paying attention & I nearly was rear ended. Oh, I have to vent, why must drivers in trucks and SUV's tailgate me constantly ( I don't hang out in the fast lane, nor do I drive slowly, usually 65+ on freeway) I also drive an Expedition and don't use intimidation driving tactics. I think it's the environmentalist label associated with this type of car :?

 

[LBCev]

Strangers seem to really be curious about the car now that they have seen ads and read the write-ups in the automotive press. I was washing my LEAF at a local DIY car wash this morning at 7:00am and three different people came by to ask about the car in the hour I was there. All of them were full of good questions and one of them - a Lexus RX owner - actually apologized for asking so many questions. I told him that this is part of what I signed up for as an early adopter and that I am more than happy to talk about the car. Additionally, in the past week I've been stopped in the grocery store, twice picking my daughter up from school and given a honk and the thumbs up by a handful of Prius drivers.

 

[EVDrive]

I ordered the Blue Leaf and I catch people checking it out all the time. Blue really stands out. I get lot's of smiles, nods, pointing and general gawking. When I park at the market, I usually get at least one person asking me where I got the car and what I think of it so far. It's fun to tell people how little it costs to operate and watch their jaws drop.
No gas (to poison the air and our lungs).

The red also stands out almost as much as the blue. The other colors seem to blend in really well with all the other cars on the road. The only issue with the Blue leaf is that it seems to be super popular among Leaf buyers. At the last Bay Leaf gathering, I believe there were ~24 Leafs... 13 blue, 6 red, 3 silver, 1 white and 1 black.

 

[gascant]

The only issue with the Blue leaf is that it seems to be super popular among Leaf buyers. At the last Bay Leaf gathering, I believe there were ~24 Leafs... 13 blue, 6 red, 3 silver, 1 white and 1 black.

Here is the precursor photo to the one that's been all over the internet
25 LEAFs total, 12 of which were blue. You'd have to go to the SF BayLEAFs thread to catch the rest of it, LOL. But not all of us were in the photo--one left early and another arrived after the cluster was formed.

 

[leafkabob]

I've only had my leaf a week, but the other day coming home from work I was stopped at a light and i noticed the occupants (a woman and two teenaged girls) of the car behind me checking out my car. I was "casually" watching them in the rearview mirror when I caught some movement in the corner of my eye from the car to my left. A guy had rolled his window down and said, "I wish all of us were driving that car!"

 

[DaveEV]

Oh, I have to vent, why must drivers in trucks and SUV's tailgate me constantly ( I don't hang out in the fast lane, nor do I drive slowly, usually 65+ on freeway) I also drive an Expedition and don't use intimidation driving tactics. I think it's the environmentalist label associated with this type of car :?

I doubt they even recognize the car they're tailgating. SUVs and pickups just tend to tailgate in general behind small cars since they can see around them giving them the illusion of being farther away.

Hanlon's razor comes to mind here "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity."

 

[tbleakne]

In the 16 days I have owned my Leaf I have gotten good, generally positive reactions, definitely "visible." A family unloading their bikes at the Claremont urban trail access were all looking at my car as I turned it on and pulled out silently to leave the parking lot. Their expressions seemed to say: "What planet is he and his car from ?"

On another occasion in the same parking lot a couple asked about the car. She kept asking about its mileage but he corrected her.

On the freeway a family with two 8-10 yr-olds pointed excitedly in my direction. I gave them a smile and a thumbs-up, grateful that they recognized the car.

At a stop light a fellow in a pickup indicated he wanted to ask a question. I rolled down the window, expecting to hear "how many miles per galleon?" but instead he asked: "how many miles per charge?".

Last week I saw my first Leaf "in the wild" right here in Claremont. I caught up to them in my Leaf and honked and they waved.

There are now 3 Leafs that I know about in our little town of 20K+ persons. A town official told me Edison came calling this Spring. They said that since Claremont had one of the highest concentrations of Priuses around, they were watching us closely, thinking that it might develop a concentration of Leafs that could overload the local grid.

Some people try to tell me that an electric car is not practical, too expensive, etc. I just say those of us who have ordered and waited and now own the car want to be pioneers. I feel we are taking less risk than the first buyers of the Model T a century ago. Those folks also faced a world without the infrastructure they needed, but they persevered and proved the practicality of a new mode of transportation, not just for the elite, but for the mainstream.

 

[TomT]

We saw this gorgeous Studebaker Champion on the freeway yesterday. He was moving all around our Leaf and high-fiving it (he clearly was aware of what a Leaf was and was appreciative) as we were moving all around HIS car and high-fiving it as well (equally appreciative)! We both parted with big grins on our faces! It was a fun encounter, apparently for both of us! Both cars are the epitome of technology for their day.

By the way, the bullet hole shaped object in the front-center of the hood was for the Supercharger air intake...

 

[Brian]

I've had a reaction to my LEAF just about every day I've driven it. Some examples:

• Got asked "How fast does it go?" while on the way home from the dealer by two guys in a pickup truck. Wasn't the question I was expecting, but they seemed pretty impressed by my answer of "94" (or so I hear).
• A lady honked her horn at me while we were headed south on 101 near SFO; when I looked over she gave me a thumbs up. Seemed a little dangerous to honk like that.
• A Prius with a family inside slowed down to match my speed and ride side by side with me, again on 101 near SFO; when I looked over they gave a thumbs up
• Have heard several comments along the lines of "Hey, that's the electric car" from pedestrians while I drive in the city
• Got outright interrogated (in a friendly way) by a bunch of folks while I was charging at San Francisco City Hall
• A pedestrian lady walking in front of the car smiled and shouted "How do you like it?" while I was stopped at a red light today

I generally get more comments while the windows are rolled down, too.

My coworkers have been generally pretty interested too (have done a few quick drives with them, with some seriously interested in buying one now). However, since two of my coworkers had their LEAFs months before mine, people are already used to seeing them around the parking lot, and I'm not really a trailblazer there.

In general, wasn't expecting quite this much attention when I bought it (thought it'd mostly blend in) but I think the ad campaign is really ramping up recognition. I'm probably getting more reactions than usual because I chose the iconic blue, too.

 

[Anonymous]

Some people try to tell me that an electric car is not practical, too expensive, etc.

You could say that about ANY car, depending on your particular situation. I tell people that it's not a car for everyone's needs, but it's more than enough for our needs in my family, and with tax incentives it's no more than any other car we would be buying for how we're using the Leaf.

I would definitely say that for OUR needs, a PICKUP is an incredibly un-practical and expensive vehicle!

 

[mwalsh]

My LEAF may have caused an accident yesterday - a guy in a Ford Ranger was rubbernecking my car pretty good thru his door mirror and ran into the back of a BMW Z4 at about 35mph. However, I couldn't see the BMW from my vantage point, so it's driver could well have lane-changed into the Ranger's path. But in any event, the Ranger driver would have been better off keeping his focus on the traffic ahead.

 

[Boomer23]

My LEAF may have caused an accident yesterday - a guy in a Ford Ranger was rubbernecking my car pretty good thru his door mirror and ran into the back of a BMW Z4 at about 35mph. However, I couldn't see the BMW from my vantage point, so it's driver could well have lane-changed into the Ranger's path. But in any event, the Ranger driver would have been better off keeping his focus on the traffic ahead.

Ouch, not good!

 

[LEAFer]

My LEAF may have caused an accident yesterday ...

Shhhh ... :!: (quick, change your name) :lol:

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

Best recognition yet. Yesterday with temps in the mid 70's which is hot for us. Loading groceries and got in car. As I started to back out. Got a great shot of a young lady's rear in my camera posing while a friend took her pix. As theywalked away she was telling her friends about the Leaf! !

 

[davewill]

...Got a great shot of a young lady's rear in my camera...

Leave it to Dave to find a new use for the backup camera!

 

[ElectricVehicle]

Some people try to tell me that an electric car is not practical, too expensive, etc.

Some people should tell you (but they don't do it very often):

Some people try to tell me that a Lincoln Navigator, Cadillac Escalade, Porsche, BMW, Infiniti, Lexus, Mercedes, etc.. car is not practical, too expensive, etc. Or a two seater sports car when you have a family or need 4 seats...

Yet they still keep manufacturing and selling those cars.... (at a profit) Hmmm...

 

[Boomer23]

Got a great shot of a young lady's rear in my camera posing while a friend took her pix.

Shame on you, Dave! And in your sig, you still state that you're looking for members of your local EV organization? And this is how you recruit them? :lol: