The road to hell is lined with....
This next story
happened earlier in the trip in Nova Scotia. I'm just getting around to
recounting.
It takes
place in the parking lot of a small shopping center. As per our
usual routine we parked the trailer and the Tesla on the edge of the
lot. We were both going into the store so we left the dogs in the
Tesla with the A/C on for the dogs. (One of the great things about
the Tesla is that the AC can be on without the car otherwise being
on. No idling engine needed.)
Also per our
routine we plastered several signs on the windshield and windows
alerting people to the fact that the A/C is on, the dogs are ok, and
a phone number they can reach us is they have concerns.
There is also this
on the center screen of the Tesla.
 |
| 77 degrees in this picture but usually 67 degrees |
As we're leaving
the store Nancy decided she needed something from the store next
door. I decided to check on the dogs, then meet her. As I leave the
store I noticed a police car pulling up to the curb and an officer
getting out quickly and hustling into the store. I didn't make much
of it at the time.
As I'm approaching
the car and trailer there are several people nearby it. I figure
it's the usual Tesla/Bowlus gawking. But as I reach the car a lady
approaches me and this conversation occurs...
Lady#1: “Is
this your car?”
Me: “Yes”.
Lady#1: “The
police are looking for you.”
Me: “Why?”
Lady#1: “Because
I called them to report you for leaving your dogs in the car!”
Me: “Ummm...the
A/C is on. Didn't you see all of the signs on the car?”
Lady#1: “No...”
Lady#2: “Is
this your car?”
Me: “Yes”
Lady#2: “They
are overhead paging you in the store. The police are looking for
you.”
Me: “OK”
Lady#2: “You
can't leave your dogs in the car..”
Me: “A/C is
on,..yada,yada...see the signs...yada,yada...dogs are
fine...yada,yada...”
Lady#1: [I
don't believe you look]
Me: “Let me
show you”
I then proceed to
show Lady#2 the remote app with the A/C controls. I open up the door
and show her the A/C is on and the car is cool. I show her all the
signs on the car. I thank her for her concern and assure her the
dogs are fine.
I try to show
Lady#1 the same. But she just gives me the “whatever” look and
gets in her car and drives away.
At this point the
police car drives over and the officer gets out. Before he says
anything I explain to him the signs, the remote A/C, etc., etc. I
open the door and asks if he wants to feel inside the car to see how
cold it is. He asks if there are dogs in the car. I say yes. He
says he'll take my word for it, gets into his car, and leaves.
I'm sure there is
a moral to this story or a learning opportunity. The only thing I
can come up with is “use larger font”!
The moral is that people believe what they are predisposed to believe. In this era of one word headlines capturing an audience, no one reads more than two words at a time. Another thing is that most people are not open to learning something new, and this instant a very clever, innovative way to travel. Very sad, indeed, that you had to go through this trauma. I wonder how your poodles took all the commotion outside their home?
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