Blinded by the Light, Saved by FSD!

[rtfitch]

My hands are still shaking.

Early last night, my wife and I left a business meeting, finding ourselves on a dark, unmarked rural road. The night was absolute—pitch black, the kind of darkness that swallows everything. As I prepared to turn left onto the road, I engaged Blitzen’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) and watched as a vehicle approached from the left, its high beams blinding me.

I squinted, struggling against the glare, trusting Blitzen to navigate. The Cyber Sleigh pulled out smoothly, turning toward the oncoming car—but instead of accelerating, it hesitated, easing onto the brakes.

I didn’t understand why.

The other vehicle roared past, its bright beams fading. As Blitzen inched forward, it subtly shifted left. That’s when I saw him.

A pedestrian.

Dressed entirely in black, walking directly in our lane. Right where we should have been.

“Smooth move,” my wife commented. “I was about to warn you, but you saw him just fine.”

I felt my breath catch.

“I didn’t see him,” I said.

In the soft glow of the cabin lights, we stared at each other. She hadn’t realized we were in FSD.

I swallowed hard. “I would have run him over.”

Silence filled the truck. The road hummed beneath us, undisturbed, as Blitzen carried on, unfazed by the moment it had just averted.

Without a word, my wife reached out, her fingers gliding over the dashboard in quiet gratitude.

FSD saved a life last night.

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[SteelMyHeart]

Damn, great story.

 

[Friday]

That is a life changing event for all involved. Without FSD, a near miss like this may have been attributed to divine intervention. With FSD, it's the realization that transporting ourselves is now in the hands of superior compute technology.

 

[rtfitch]

That is a life changing event for all involved. Without FSD, a near miss like this may have been attributed to divine intervention. With FSD, it's the realization that transporting ourselves is now in the hands of superior compute technology.

...that was probably developed with the help of, wait for it, divine intervention.

 

[Willinak]

The exact reason to embrace FSD, at least for me!

 

[devdrone6]

I think this is the type of stuff most people don't understand about the cameras - they see more than what we see. Great story, you got a bit of an author in you.

 

[jeniferkey]

5 or 6 years ago, with my Model 3 and EAP, no FSD yet, I was driving home on a dark country road at 60 mph with headlights blinding from the other direction. My car slowed suddenly, and I put on the brakes, trusting it, but wondering why. As the headlights passed I could then make out a pickup truck with no tail lights, waiting to turn left. From that point on I never questioned my purchase.

 

[SpykeDaddy]

Love it. Similar thing happened to me where someone was standing at a crosswalk at a roundabout at night by a local high school. He was wearing a black hoodie and black backpack. The CT suddenly stopped in the roundabout and it took me a while to figure out what was going on. It wasn't until he reached the other side of the road (and looking at the video later) that I realized what happened. Coming around the roundabout, I would have never seen him until I was in the crosswalk. There was poor visibility and the fact that I was circling made it too short of a response time, honestly. I question the location of that crosswalk, but thank FSD for having better eyes than me!

 

[Sturdybirdy]

Tesla needs to link up with Lifetime Network and make a film about that one. You’ve already provided the script! Maybe it will take some of the heat off of Musk.

 

[HaulingAss]

Tesla needs to link up with Lifetime Network and make a film about that one. You’ve already provided the script! Maybe it will take some of the heat off of Musk.

The "heat" will never be off Musk (unless he starts failing and becomes a nobody).

Because there will always be stupid and misguided people who can't see the world for what it is.

Here's a thought exercise: Pick the most famous person you can think of that is widely regarded as a good person due to their great contributions to humanity. Now take that name and Google "What is wrong with Person X". You will never get everyone to agree that any particular person is a force for good in the world. Even Gandhi and Mother Teresa have hordes of people insisting they are terrible. Some people actually believe all of our accomplishments are equal.

Elon is more famous than either of them, extreme success, especially economic success, has a way of triggering the haters. Haters will always exist because people who want to cut others down to their size will always exist, and so will people with outsized accomplishments.

 

[DJAlan2000]

Wow!! And yet the media probably won't report on this story... No, they are too busy looking for TESLA's that have been in an accident so they can try and 'blame' it on Tesla, Elon or FSD...

So many stories though of life saving experiences... Even I had one!!

Yep, the other day, in my MYLR, I was driving along in FSD and a DOG ran out into the road (some idiots walk their dogs WITHOUT leashes?!?!) and the car hit the brakes and swerved to the left and missed the dog... Saved his life that day... Hopefully his 'master' will keep him on a leash after that!

I have also had it actually avoid a MATTRESS that was in the middle of the freeway... I never thought it would do something so 'short' and such, but it did! I saw it in time and was about to change lanes when the car started slowing and changed into the slow lane (I was in middle lane)... I of course would have disengaged and gone into the other lane - but I didn't see the car in my blind spot! But FSD actually DID because it went to the RIGHT instead AND it actually sped up quickly too so it wouldn't make the cars in the right lane have to hit their brakes...

Sorry, but all the stories saying FSD is bad don't outweigh the real use I have had... The only thing I don't like is with the CyberTruck riding the left side of the lane and sometimes on the line/reflectors... But hey, I am keeping an eye on it like I am supposed to and I generally let it go...

I just worry that someday it's going to be doing that and a cop will think I am drunk or something because I 'rode the line' a few times... hehe...

 

[getsometom]

You've inspired me to use more FSD although I still love driving the CT myself.

 

[CyberGus]

"FSD: Saving Idiots From Getting Un-alived Since 2023"

 

[rtfitch]

You've inspired me to use more FSD although I still love driving the CT myself.

I’m well aware of my challenges with night vision and have always taken precautions. For years, that meant staying home after dark or relying on my wife’s sharp eyes when we did go out. But with FSD in the Cybertruck maturing, everything has changed.

For the first time in years, we’re going to evening meetings, dinners, and even parties. It feels like someone has a hand on my shoulder, guiding and watching over me—far better than I ever could. My confidence in this technology is growing to the point that my wife, who used to be my extra set of eyes, now sits in the passenger seat, relaxed, texting on her phone instead of scanning the road.

I’m under strict orders to use FSD at night. And while, on one hand, it’s a humbling adjustment, on the other, it’s incredibly liberating.

But during the day? I drive just like you—because this is the most responsive, nimble truck I’ve ever had the pleasure of driving. Gotta love it.


But during the day, I drive as like you, this is the most responsive and nimble truck I have ever had the pleasure to drive. Gotta love it.

 

[rtfitch]

I’m well aware of my challenges with night vision and have always taken precautions. For years, that meant staying home after dark or relying on my wife’s sharp eyes when we did go out. But with FSD in the Cybertruck maturing, everything has changed.

For the first time in years, we’re going to evening meetings, dinners, and even parties. It feels like someone has a hand on my shoulder, guiding and watching over me—far better than I ever could. My confidence in this technology is growing to the point that my wife, who used to be my extra set of eyes, now sits in the passenger seat, relaxed, texting on her phone instead of scanning the road.

I’m under strict orders to use FSD at night. And while, on one hand, it’s a humbling adjustment, on the other, it’s incredibly liberating.

But during the day? I drive just like you—because this is the most responsive, nimble truck I’ve ever had the pleasure of driving. Gotta love it.


But during the day, I drive as like you, this is the most responsive and nimble truck I have ever had the pleasure to drive. Gotta love it.

BTW, for the nighttime journey on Christmas Eve, I have 9 talented reindeer that have had FSD for many, many years...which allows Santa to sip hot coco with a dash of Bailey's added. Ahhhh

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