By on July 30, 2008

Oops! (courtesy blog.wired.com)I would have simply noted the return of the "Tata Motors Hearts Daimler" Autoblog blog in an update in the original blog, but there are two things that need saying. First, thanks Autoblog for removing the slam and keeping the link to TTAC. That was big of you. Second, we don't expect perfection from anyone. Which brings me to a mea culpa. I've pulled the last Tesla Death Watch because, well, it was bullshit. Wired's original blog on the subject suggested that Roadster Number 6's crash may have had something to do with the fact that the car runs silent, runs fast. Obviously, we weren't buying that. But my post on the pile-up cast doubt on the performance of the Roadster's airbags (airbag?). After considering several of our Best and Brightest's comments, I decided that I had no factual basis to make any such accusation. Or even imply it. I apologize for my over-zealous reaction. We will, of course, monitor the situation and report the truth of the matter. 

Get the latest TTAC e-Newsletter!

Recommended

18 Comments on “Autoblog Reposts Tata Blog Without TTAC Diss, TTAC Pulls Tesla Death Watch Post...”


  • avatar

    Obviously, we weren’t buying that.

    nope, we sure ain’t. given the number of exotics that get crashed (almost every day according to various blogs including ttac & jalopnik), we’re putting it down to some over-monied twit who doesn’t know how to drive. sad, really.

  • avatar
    jaje

    I’ll give TTAC props as their average poster is a lot more informed about the industry than AutoBlogs. Also I’d say the lowest common denominator of a poster (the most ignorant and moronic) at TTAC is much higher than AutoBlogs.

    (and no that is not me)

  • avatar

    I thought I read that the Tesla was rear-ended into the car in front. Maybe the one who doesn’t know how to drive ran into the over-monied twit? Still sad. I like the Tesla

  • avatar
    ZoomZoom

    Oh rats, I missed the fireworks!

    Just kidding…and it’s no matter. Robert, thanks for using your best judgement and removing the DW article. You can’t call it “The TRUTH About Cars” if it’s not the truth.

    Unless you are designing a nuclear power plant or performing brain surgery and you kill somebody (or a lot of somebodies), owning up to a mistake shows more character than being able to claim you didn’t make a mistake in the first place.

  • avatar
    Edward Niedermeyer

    Someone needs to tell AB that Auto Motor und Sport is from Germany, not Sweden. That’s what the “.de” stands for in the url. Deutschland. Unglaublich!

  • avatar

    An excellent editorial decision, RF. Although I was one of the earlier commenters on the Tesla airbag post and I would have loved to have seen follow-ups after mine, I think it was responsible of you to pull it.

  • avatar

    While my highly intelligent and good looking comment is now also lost in the bitbucket, I agree with ChrisHaak that this was a responsible move. However, your headline above seems to indicate that you’ve stopped thinking that Telsa is doomed. You might want to add “post.” or something like it to the end of the headline. Unless of course you now believe that we’ll all be driving Teslas next year. Cough. “Eats shoots & leaves” you know.

    Oh… And Kudos to RF & the TTAC crew for (finally) putting all the comments on one page! It is SO much easier to read now. Thankyouthankyouthankyou!!!!!

    –chuck
    http://chuck.goolsbee.org
    I’d kill every one of you for an Alfa 8C.

  • avatar

    chuckgoolsbee :

    While my highly intelligent and good looking comment is now also lost in the bitbucket, I agree with ChrisHaak that this was a responsible move. However, your headline above seems to indicate that you’ve stopped thinking that Telsa is doomed. You might want to add “post.” or something like it to the end of the headline.

    Sorry about your post. (You too Chris.) And you’re absolutely right about the headline. Amended. Thanks.

  • avatar
    dhanson865

    Car being unnoticeable because it is silent? What idiot dreams up that kind of stuff?

    I would like to point out that deaf/hearing impaired people are allowed to drive and have no restrictions on their drivers license that wouldn’t apply to you or I as non impaired drivers.

    For example they are required to have a left side mirror. Who drives a vehicle that doesn’t have side mirrors?

    In some states the notation on the driver’s license is optional.

    They even are allowed to get commercial and motorcycle licenses, oh the horror.

    Really calling a silent car invisible is just going way too far…

  • avatar
    dolo54

    @dhanson865 most people aren’t deaf and rely on their hearing. I’ve driven quiet small cars and currently drive a loud small car. Big cars, especially SUVs often would turn into me if I was in their blind spot, now with the loud car that never (I mean never) happens. Used to happen all the time with the quieter cars. I still tend to get out of the blind spots as quick as possible, but I did notice a big difference with being “invisible” in a quieter small car. The Tesla is almost silent, so yeah it makes sense.

  • avatar
    dhanson865

    I’ve driven more than one car with an internal combustion engine that idles so softly that I’ve turned the starter on it while it was running.

    I’m now in the habit of testing with the accelerator pedal just to see if I can hear the engine if there isn’t a tachometer in the dash.

    Trust me, cars that are silent or near silent are very common. It doesn’t take a hybrid or alternative fuel vehicle to get into this issue if you think noise is a safety factor.

  • avatar
    psarhjinian

    Oh… And Kudos to RF & the TTAC crew for (finally) putting all the comments on one page! It is SO much easier to read now. Thankyouthankyouthankyou!!!!!

    Seconded wholeheartedly.

  • avatar

    Oh… And Kudos to RF & the TTAC crew for (finally) putting all the comments on one page! It is SO much easier to read now. Thankyouthankyouthankyou!!!!!

    It was the right thing to do. I’m sorry we couldn’t do it earlier.

  • avatar
    Dimwit

    And THIS is why we love TTAC. Honesty.

  • avatar
    Strippo

    I miss the Show All link, since I always clicked on it. It’s unsettling, I tells ya.

  • avatar
    James2

    I think all the hubbub is about deaf pedestrians, actually.

  • avatar

    @RF

    Nicely done.

  • avatar
    limmin

    At least this site had the integrity to pull its article.

    But most important in my mind is this site’s healthy skepticism about Tesla Motors. Every other journalist touts Tesla as the world’s salvation. This site looks beyond the hype and seeks truth.

    That’s why I keep coming back here…

Read all comments

Back to TopLeave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Recent Comments

  • Lou_BC: @Carlson Fan – My ’68 has 2.75:1 rear end. It buries the speedo needle. It came stock with the...
  • theflyersfan: Inside the Chicago Loop and up Lakeshore Drive rivals any great city in the world. The beauty of the...
  • A Scientist: When I was a teenager in the mid 90’s you could have one of these rolling s-boxes for a case of...
  • Mike Beranek: You should expand your knowledge base, clearly it’s insufficient. The race isn’t in...
  • Mike Beranek: ^^THIS^^ Chicago is FOX’s whipping boy because it makes Illinois a progressive bastion in the...

New Car Research

Get a Free Dealer Quote

Who We Are

  • Adam Tonge
  • Bozi Tatarevic
  • Corey Lewis
  • Jo Borras
  • Mark Baruth
  • Ronnie Schreiber