With Elon Musk rapidly becoming one of the most unpopular figures in the U.S., public sentiment toward Tesla has soured. This growing frustration has even led to acts of vandalism against Tesla vehicles. One such victim is a 61-year-old Arizona woman who wishes to remain anonymous and goes by the alias “Susan.” Susan was simply driving down Route 66 in Flagstaff, minding her own business, when a car suddenly cut her off.
But that wasn’t the end. The man stepped out of his green car and approached Susan, who remained inside her vehicle. “I started to say, you cut me off what’s your problem, but I didn’t know how much he heard me,” the woman told Arizona Family. However, staying in her car didn’t shield her from his aggression. Standing outside, the man began striking her through the open window.
Susan refused to be a passive victim. In the midst of the attack, she bit the man’s arm in an attempt to defend herself. Moments later, a passenger from the green car got out, intervened, and pulled the attacker away. Forcing him back into the vehicle, the two quickly drove off. Thankfully, the police managed to track down the man, and he is due in court on Monday.
Displaced Anger
Although the authorities haven’t yet shared the man’s motive for attacking the Arizona woman, it’s not hard to guess. It was very likely that she was targeted simply because of her choice of car. “I’m just appalled. I didn’t buy my car to make a political statement,” Susan said. “I bought my car because it’s really fun to drive. My politics have nothing to do with that. I’m ashamed of our society and what they are doing.”
What happened to Susan was truly a tragedy. Many agreed that while criticizing Elon Musk and disliking Tesla is fair, attacking those who drive the electric vehicles is not. “These people have lost their minds. I’ll be glad to watch future videos where Tesla drivers are armed,” one Redditor said.
The Arizona woman isn’t the only one who has been targeted for driving a Tesla. Recently, a family also experienced harassment simply for choosing to drive a Tesla. Fortunately, this incident didn’t escalate into physical violence. Instead, an unidentified man aggressively chased their car and flashed them two middle fingers in a clear display of disapproval.
Meanwhile, protests against Musk and Tesla continue to gain momentum as public frustration with the billionaire grows. In one of the largest Tesla protests to date, an estimated 600 to 800 people gathered in Seattle to voice their dissatisfaction with Musk and his influence.
