N.L. Tesla owners say their choice of car doesn't reflect their politics

Darrell Roberts · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 24, 2025 4:30 AM EDT | Last Updated: 11 minutes ago

A St. John's Tesla proprietor says she feels caught up successful the backlash against the Elon Musk-owned conveyance manufacturer, even though her prime of car doesn't bespeak her politics.

Lisa Woolgar bought her Tesla astir 3 years ago, and she said her acquisition has been a creaseless 1 — until astir a period ago, erstwhile different operator stuck up their mediate digit astatine her portion driving connected the highway.

"I retrieve saying to my passenger, 'am I driving similar an idiot oregon is this conscionable not right?'" Woolgar told CBC Radio's The St. John's Morning Show. 

Woolgar said it wasn't a one-off incident, either.

"I'm getting tons of hard stares and fingers retired the window, like, aggressively. Other radical ... making maine consciousness similar I'm doing thing wrong. It took maine a blistery infinitesimal to fig it out," she said.

Woolgar believes the incidents aren't regular roadworthy rage oregon a reflection of her driving — she believes they stem from choler toward Elon Musk and U.S. President Donald Trump

WATCH | This Tesla proprietor says she's getting caught successful the Elon Musk backlash: 

Woolgar said the car she drives doesn't bespeak her governmental beliefs.

"These things don't adjacent marque sense. It's not sensible. Obviously, I didn't bargain the car to marque a governmental statement," she said.

Tesla protests spread

Musk has go a fixture of the Trump administration, starring the complaint to slash the U.S. national workforce done his Department of Government Efficiency. 

The wide firings person sown chaos crossed the U.S. government. Some dismissals successful areas similar atomic information and defence person since been reversed. Musk's squad has besides attempted to entree national databases, raising concerns implicit information privateness for some workers and U.S. citizens.

Musk's relation successful the Trump medication has been atrocious quality for Tesla, which has seen a slump successful income and connected the banal marketplace this year.

Demonstrators person organized "Tesla Takedown" protests crossed North America and Europe, successful effect to Musk's actions.

Last week, 80 Tesla vehicles were vandalized astatine a dealership successful Hamilton.

Justin Whelan, different St. John's Tesla driver, said helium hasn't experienced immoderate backlash implicit his conveyance truthful far. Whelan said helium supports the close to protest, but after proceeding stories astir smashed windows and slashed tires, he's disquieted astir what could happen.

"It's a crime. You know, you can't spell arsenic acold arsenic that," helium said.

Whelan said helium bought his Tesla 3 years ago, and his prime was based connected his lengthy commute and the terms of gas.

"I didn't truly look at, you know, who owns the institution with their governmental stance and things similar that. For me, it made consciousness to bargain the car for myself," helium said.

Some Tesla owners are getting escaped of their cars, or getting bumper stickers telling different drivers that their prime of car doesn't needfully bespeak their governmental beliefs.

Woolgar said she's getting a bumper sticker asking different drivers to "be nice."

And contempt the controversy, Woolgar said she isn't considering getting escaped of her Tesla — and doesn't regret her determination to bargain one.

"I regret the governmental situation, maybe, that's happening in North America, but I don't regret buying my Tesla."

Download our free CBC News app to motion up for propulsion alerts for CBC Newfoundland and Labrador. Sign up for our daily headlines newsletter here. Click here to sojourn our landing page.