TDIU = actual VA disability rating

A previous director of the Colorado Division of Military and Veterans Affairs once pointed out to me that one reason Colorado denies TDIU veterans the state partial property tax exemption is that the state law requires a VA RATING, and he explained that TDIU is only compensation at the 100% rate and not an actual disability rating,

The effort by CDMVA to block TDIU property tax exemption has been their years-long effort. A variety of reasons have been tossed out but as for TDIU being an actual disability,VA disagrees with CDMVA.

From Title 38, Chapter 4 (§ 4.15 Total disability ratings)

"It is the established policy of the Department of Veterans Affairs that all veterans who are unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation by reason of service-connected disabilities shall be rated totally disabled"

What we used to do before this COVID-19 mess

Sad that this isn't part of my life anymore, although the Tesla is lotsa fun

Older veterans and COVID-19; some precautions

This is far off-topic as to Tesla cars.
A majority of my friends, like me, flew the Air Force C-123 transports after Vietnam, planes the USAF used to spray Agent Orange. We've already had a cocktail of toxic exposures in life, and now here comes this COVID-19 virus to add its miseries to the mess. 
Bummer, but that's it and we'll just have to deal with it. You've all faced worse challenges and you might be old...but you're old and you're ornery, even out of a flight suit.
We need to take even more seriously than others the precautions recommended by our health officials. I'm going to stress the steps I believe we must follow. If you have instructions from your own physician, of course obey them faithfully.

First: I traded my '57 Porsche 356 Speedster for a Tesla Model 3. Was I nuts?

The day my neighbor brought his black Model 3 home, I got "auto-lust" again. You know...wanting a new car so much your teeth sweat. But we were already a three-car family in a two-car garage so that wouldn't work without some sacrifice. My sweet wife mentioned it was time to let the Porsche go...it had only been in our family 30 years!

But, I yielded. It couldn't be parked outside and we had a generous offer from another Porsche owner, so off it went. 

And down the tears flowed as it drove off into the sunset!

And not just the day's sunset but the sunset...the last sunset...of my youth, because without it I was officially an old man at last. 

But...I was an old man in a red Tesla Model 3! Thank you, Elon. Farewell, Ferdinand Porsche!

What I gave up for my Model 3...'57 Porsche 356A Speedster

What happened 10 minutes after I traded the Porsche

What is a Tesla Supercharger? Why should I care?

The Tesla Supercharger is a high-voltage, high-speed Tesla car charging unit, similar to a gas pump. Tesla has 21,000 of them with more being installed every day, and they can be located using most third-party apps as well as any Tesla car's screen.
• Advantage: high speed, less time charging, and for some, free energy.
• Disadvantage: not as common as gas stations, takes a bit longer to fill up than does a car using a gas pump. Generally speaking, users must pay on a kWh basis, costing more than it would to charge on a home Tesla charger

Why should you care? If you're considering a Tesla or already have one, that is an obvious answer...you can use a Supercharger to get your car charged and quickly off on your way.

My take: I have a Tesla home charger and can top off my Model 3 from full empty to full in about five and a half hours. I seldom am actually empty and my typical charge is under 100 miles, or just over two hours.

I rely on Superchargers while on trips, except when I can plan on our hotel having a Level 2 charger. Tesla gave me 1000 free Supercharger miles because I used my neighbor's owner referral code. I'm still using those miles up and hope people will start using my referral code for their purchases.

Old man in a red Tesla Model 3! Thank you, Elon! Farewell, Ferdinand Porsche!

Question: Would any sane guy surrender a 1957 Porsche 356A Speedster for an old guy's family sedan?
Answer: No sane guy would ever do something that dumb!

I did. And Lordy, it still hurts! But now that red Model 3 Long Range Dual Motor looks pretty good in its place. A lot of things jammed together to make getting the Tesla a good idea as I satisfied my "Tesla lust"...a yearning that hit me like a sledgehammer the moment my neighbor first came home in his new Model 3! First one in the neighborhood.

To begin with, we were already a three-car family with a two-car garage, so getting the Tesla as a fourth car wasn't going to work. Next, it dawned on me years ago that the Speedster's "crumple-zone" consisted of some light sheet metal supplemented by my ankles, knees and hips, there being no engine up front. It was also kinda obvious that my passenger and I were sitting from our hips forward under the car's front ten gallon gas tank. Not being made of flame-proof Nomex, this was worrisome. But maybe the gas tank was part of the crumple-zone. What a great idea!


Other concerns: The car's roll bar consisted of my head plus a thinning short haircut. Plus my wife if she was aboard.
 
An air bag? Not to be found, there having never been one even imagined by the firm of "Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung, Konstruktion und Beratung für Motoren-und Fahrzeugbau" back in 1956. 

The three parts to the "why electric vehicle" question and answer in my mind

1. Resources?
2. Global warming?
3. Necessary new car quality and features?
                  Answer: Tesla Model 3

If you drive a car you have two choices for the energy necessary: gasoline (or diesel) or electricity. Of course, electricity can have its source from either or both renewable and non-renewable sources, but all gas is finite, non-renewable and carbon-based. As you can see from the chart, renewable energy production has increased but not as much or as fast as has non-renewable petroleum, natural gas and coal. 

For me, the answer was Tesla. Not only is it highly efficient, but being electric can use electricity generated from fossil generators or renewable sources like solar, wind and thermal. Here in Colorado much of our electricity is from coal, but even so the efficient Tesla has only about 25% the carbon load of a gasoline-powered car, and the per-mile cost is even lower.
Further, renewable electricity is much more efficient and cheap to transport than gas, not requiring mining, gas or oil pipelines, supertankers, gas stations, the whole infrastructure required to s enable gasoline powered cars.

Our Tesla's new home charger – Oh, really?

Topping off the Tesla on our home charger

Why Are There Headlines about Tesla Accidents?

Why does the news pick up a Tesla accident? Because it is news. Because it is a rarity. An absence of rarity is same reason why we don't see news features about VW or Ford accidents, which are far more commonplace....far less a rarity. Far less newsworthy, though just as bad for the parties involved.

Tesla's are the safer automobile by any measure. And there's a super important point I want to make: Every Tesla makes another car on the road safe as well.
Because of Tesla's accident avoidance features, collisions are far less likely to happen and those that do occur, seem to be less severe. That's why I bought a Tesla Model 3 and why I recommend it to everyone, including prospective buyers who help me and use my referral code to order a new Tesla: Simply click https://ts.la/wes21573
Hey–more great news: even pedestrians are safer, too.
Tesla's many safety features keeping you safe inside also keep safe the car your Tesla didn't hit (regardless of fault) as well! Elon's goal for 500,000 new Tesla's for 2020 should mean that 500,000 Fords, VWs, Toyotas and the others will be safer as well. One million safer cars.
That's a great accomplishment.

Sadly, there still are some problems even the best technology can't correct.

What I gave up for my Model 3...'57 Porsche 356A Speedster

Tesla choices: little ones and really big ones

Considering a new Tesla? You're going to face some questions that need resolution while you order. First, of course, is to use my referral code so we can each get 1000 free Tesla SuperCharger miles. Not much of an effort there, right? Obviously a brilliant choice.
The remaining questions fall into two groups: easy, and ones you should puzzle over a bit before deciding.
The easy ones are straightforward. Which model, what color, lease or purchase or finance, what tires, range, performance model or not? You can handle these with ease, even though the choices like color can be a couple thousand dollars.

Now the hard and most expensive question: Full self driving (FSD) Autopilot or not? 30 to 40% of Tesla's are purchased with FSD.
Every Tesla has some Autopilot features you'll enjoy, but Tesla's hoped-for fully automatic self-driving is a fairly expensive purchase that also means you're placing your trust in Elon actually delivering what he's promised...and he's behind, having said the end of 2019 would be the target.
There are two Tesla Autopilot packages. The first is "Level 2" and it is standard on all their cars. Tesla calls this "Autopilot." No extra charge. The second is Autopilot Fully Self Driving...Autopilot FSD. Level 2 is pretty cool, delivering driving aids not yet available elsewhere: a driver assistance system that enhances safety and convenience behind the wheel. Used properly, Autopilot reduces every driver's overall workload:. eight external cameras, a radar, 12 ultrasonic sensors and a powerful onboard computer provide an additional layer of safety to guide the car.
Autopilot FSD is a work-in-progress. Tesla has been releasing software upgrades piece--by-piece, giving clients many of the neat stuff now. Summon, Navigate on Autopilot, freeway onramp to freeway offramp automation, games on the car's screen, Internet access and more. Price for Autopilot FSD as of February 2020 is $7,000, a large percentage of the overall investment being made. Generally speaking, Tesla keeps this premium feature less expensive by a couple thousand at time of purchase versus afterwards.
My Recommended Buying Strategy:
I've seen Tesla make their best packages available at a quarter's end, as they try to meet production and sales goals. Sometimes Elon has tossed in unlimited free SuperCharger miles, sometime a free color upgrade. Sometimes Tesla has brought Autopilot FSD down thousand dollars or so. Otherwise, don't expect any price breaks regardless of your buying situation. No military discounts, etc.
Please use my referral code to order, and get your free thousand mile Tesla SuperCharger credit: https://ts.la/wes21573

Anti-theft Tips for Tesla Owners

Tesla cars can be stolen just like any other vehicle...its just a lot harder on the bad guys. There are few tips I'd like to offer to make it even harder on those criminals:

A. Lock your car. Duh? Many of us still don't, and we end up with pilfering and vehicle theft.
B. Lock your car. A second reminder, because if it isn't locked, many of us have the configuration making the side mirrors stick out in the open position and folded when locked. Open side mirrors invite bad guys' attention, signaling doors that are likely unlocked.
C. If somebody absconds with your prized Tesla, remember that you can track it using the app.
D. Use the frunk and trunk to hide obvious theft invitations...computers, camera, luggage
E. Leave  your Sentry setting on, and check the top right of your Tesla screen to see if any incidents have been recorded. Consider an app like SentryView. You will laugh yourself silly looking at web videos of idiots messing with Teslas...and being surprised to find themselves on the evening news.
BTW, you'll learn a lot by reviewing Tesla's training videos, found here.
More BTW: ORDER YOUR NEW TESLA FOR FREE SUPERCHARGER WITH MY REFERRAL: https://www.tesla.com/referral/wes21573

Tesla Offers On-Site Tire Repair Service

My blog covers my free referrals to other veterans and military Tesla buyers, earning us each 1000 free SuperCharger miles. I also write about disabled / handicapped hacks and mods.

Here's a terrific new service, Tesla's unique on-site manufacturer tire service. From CleanTechnica, February 13 2010.

Car Supplies for Emergencies (Tesla or any car)

Car supplies are not to be forgotten, especially if you're disabled. All this and much more will fit easily in the Model 3 frunk,

• water and food for a day; lotsa water in the summer!
• blanket, hat, coat
• first aid kit ($12 at WalMart)
• medications for a couple day
• something on your person to identify illnesses, meds, contact info
• spare tire and/or tire repair can
• phone with USB cable
• flashlight
• lighter or matches, emergency candleemergency candle
• charging cables: 110v,  J1772 adaptor,  TT-30 Adapter–Tesla Mod S/X/3 Gen 2
• a promise to yourself never to drive your Tesla under 15% battery remaining!! c
• if you're leaving the local area post a "flight plan" on your refrigerator or give
to someone who'll notice if you're missing
• charger for your power wheelchair
Want a free thousand SuperCharger miles? Tesla's referral program is the only way for you (and me) to get 1000 free miles, and you have to use an owner's referral code like mine to make your purchase. Clicking on my code takes you to Tesla's order entry start point and you will get us each this neat purchase bonus...it is the only one you'll get, as Tesla has no other discount programs of any type.
My code to use: https://ts.la/wes21573

A few silly Tesla cartoons, some mine

My Tesla Model 3: Improvement Ideas for Handicapped Use

I'm 100% VA disabled and retired military, and love my Tesla but it isn't perfect even with free SuperCharger miles that folks might refer to me. If my Tesla was manufactured to be perfect for my needs the car would never make it to the street because it clearly must be an automobile, not a wheelchair van.

But there are small and large changes that Tesla can make to help the folks I'm familiar with...spinal cord injuries, hip problems, peripheral neuropathy and more.

Please order using my referral  https://ts.la/wes21573 so we'll both get 1000 miles" blog (hey..I'm shameless here) I hope some big-wig at Tesla will come up with solutions. I'm not holding my breath...they haven't returned my calls since I started reaching out last summer.Okay...here's the first of the Tesla solutions I've come up with and it affects
EVERY wheelchair traveler as well as others who need heavy stuff in the trunk. On my last car I had to pay $530 to have the rear bumper repainted after three years of scratches and gouges getting my folding power wheelchair in and out.
My fault entirely. I started using the car and it only took a couple times before scratches were all over the place....but I did nothing.

This time, with my (ridiculous $2,000 extra) red paint investment, the very first thing I did was solve that rear bumper problem. Easy...with a $9.89 32"x36" thin doormat bolted to the floor of the trunk with enough length left to fold out and over the bumper before any wheelchair in/out tasks. Perfect protection without much of an effort but success: my red paint left intact.
First Step: attach the mat to the trunk
floor so it is secure and won't slide around in use. About 18" should do.
In my case, I then put my heavy duty trunk mat back over the mat, and that keeps it in place nicely. Nothing catches on it going out or in.
And as you can see, the final step is to get a folding wheelchair, and you'll find most manual chairs will fit just fine. I was fortunate in that I already had a folding power chair for outdoor use to supplement my Jazzy. I discovered the Eagle HD and fell in love with its versatility. I can lift it myself in a pinch but always find a helpful passerby if my wife isn't with me. My only concern is that it has no leg support and can't recline, but it sure helps me travel by train, plane and automobile. The cost delivered was under $3000 and it has lasted three years so far...remarkable for the way I've treated it!
I should have realized that my genius idea wasn't unique to me, and it didn't take too long to find out there are fine commercial rear trunk bumper protectors. This will be my next purchase when mine needs replacement...cost $60.

https://ts.la/wes21573

Handy Tesla Enter/Exit Hand

These terrific handles (sometimes called "the Car Cane") are available to help with entry and exit from your Tesla's driver and passenger doors. I haven't tried them with the rear doors as I cannot do my wheelchair transfer there. (Buying Your Tesla? Please Note: I'd appreciate your using my referral code referral code to order so we both get 1000 free SuperCharger miles.)

Used alone or with one hand on the door, you've got great two-point support for transfer to your chair.

You keep the handle in the glove box disconnected in the glove box until needed. It locks into the car door creating a secure handle to help provide leverage and support while getting out of the car. They usually have a nonslip grip and can support up to 350 pounds. Its convenient size means it fits perfectly into your glove box. Some manufacturers make it even more versatile, adding safety features, including a flashlight, seatbelt cutter and window breaker. Prices run between $10-40, and the cheapest one available is as good as the most expensive.

Tesla - a good car for handicapped drivers? Here are helpful hacks.

AARP publishes a list of features to make caregiving easier for a disabled driver
or passenger. Not all are Tesla possibilities but all are worth considering for cars in general. I've made bold the ones I think might serve Tesla owners: A miracle...our Tesla already has most of these features standard equipment!
Considering a Tesla? Tesla offers a free thousand mile SuperCharger credit but only if you purchase through another user (like me...hint, hint.) Tesla gives us each a thousand miles of free SuperCharger juice...but you gotta use somebody's referral code. Here's mine: https://ts.la/wes21573
If you’re looking for a vehicle that sometimes will be used to transport folks with mobility problems to doctors’ appointments or physical therapy, here are features to consider:

Starting out:
• Keyless entry so the driver isn't fumbling with door locks and can pay more attention to the passenger

• Electric locks, windows and child-safety doors that allow the driver to control opening and closing and so a patient with dementia doesn't open a door unexpectedly

• Easy-to-access cargo space for walkers or wheelchairs and groceries. Vehicles with hands-free lift gates can save wear and tear on a caregiver's back. (for me, and my model of folding power wheelchair, the trunk is just fine, as it would be for most wheelchairs and all walkers.

Sitting down:
• Higher seats to make it easier to get into and out of the car

• Adequate leg room — and space between the seat and door frame — to make swinging legs into the car easier. This is especially true if you want to transport your loved one in the back seat.

• Reclining front seats so users can lie back a little while swinging their legs in

• Electric seats to help a driver move the seat forward to provide more back-seat room

• Heated or cooled seats, depending on your climate. Remote start (climate control), which can allow a car to warm or cool before you start the trip,

Transporting:
• Hands-free navigation assistance for directions to new doctors or alternative routes when you’re stuck in traffic

• Apps and Bluetooth connectivity so you can have music that’s soothing to the passenger on the trips.

• Electronic parking assistance if you need to parallel park or deal with parking garages.As of May 2018, all new vehicles sold in the U.S. must have backup cameras, so make sure to take advantage of that feature to keep from backing over equipment you forgot to stow away.

— Amy Goyer, AARP

TESLA SMART SUMMON – IDEAL FEATURE FOR HANDICAPPED DRIVERS

If you are considering buying a Tesla, please also consider using me as your referral source (CLICK.) We'll both get a free Tesla 1000 mile SuperCharger credit but only if used as you begin your purchase, not after the fact. BTW, Tesla doesn't have any active duty, veteran or disabled veteran discount, so this thousand mile credit is all you'll get.

For most Tesla owners, Smart Summon is fun and occasionally useful. For many handicapped owners, however, Smart Summon can be that but also a uniquely helpful aid for using our Tesla cars
EveryTesla has it built-in, so this is a powerful feature that costs you nothing extra. And...you never have to worry about gas stations – Tesla doesn't use 'em!
I've found Smart Summon to be most useful if I am a bit more careful in choosing where to park. The distance from the car to you summoning it should be no more than a couple hundred feet. More importantly, consider curbs, other cars, obstacles that may  the car or make it hesitate out of caution.
My most frequent problem is getting into a situation where the car wants to go around in some manner rather than come directly to me. Then, if it gets where I can't see it because of other cars I have to stop as it is unsafe to use Smart Summon where you can't have perfect and safe control.
Still on my Tesla wish list: a key or app-based rear hatch open and close feature. I've seen the hacks advertised in the Tesla blogs but the cost seems unreasonable....over $700.. It is something I want because while I can get the hatch open I can't reach high enough from my chair to close it, and it won't close itself. The car comes with an app and screen unlock feature but that's a marginal convenience...not a solution
Special: here's a Model X wheelchair owner's video.

Another Idea for Tesla Handicapped Access (NOTE Referral Code wes21573)

It is so obvious, yet this problem only surfaced when this old veteran finally got into a Tesla Model 3...and I tried to get out! If this article is useful when you consider buying a Tesla, please use my referral https://www.tesla.com/referral/wes21573 so we can each get a free Tesla 1000 mile SuperCharger credit.

Yes, even on a good day it is hard for me to make a transfer from my wheelchair to the Tesla driver or passenger front seat, and even harder to get out. The car's low suspension combines with the fairly narrow entrance to give me some degree of discomfort.
So what's a good solution? Well, other cars almost always have an assist handle on the inside top of the door frame. above each seat. Makes sense for anyone, especially handicapped, to be able to steady oneself with the handle while scooting the bottm and legs outside and onto the wheelchair.
The only two possibilities that come to my mind for why Tesla didn't but a handle here are (1) part of the design effort to minimize everything in the cabin and/or (2) perhaps there would be a conflict with an airbag behind the plastic.
I intend to check this out, because the hack would be immediately useful to me.

Google Maps – powerful wheelchair accessible routes feature!

Introducing Google's  “wheelchair accessible” routes in transit navigation

(First Published Mar 15, 2018)
Google Maps was built to help people navigate and explore the world, providing  directions, worldwide, to people traveling by car, bicycle or on foot. But in city centers, buses and trains are often the best way to get around, which presents a challenge for people who use wheelchairs or with other mobility needs. Information about which stations and routes are wheelchair friendly isn’t always readily available or easy to find.  And as other wheelchair drivers know, we need carved curbs and paved walkways to roll along. To make public transit work for everyone, developed “wheelchair accessible” routes in transit navigation to make getting around easier for those with mobility needs.

To access the “wheelchair accessible” routes, type your desired destination into Google Maps. Tap “Directions” then select the public transportation icon. Then tap “Options” and under the Routes section, you’ll find “wheelchair accessible” as a new route type. When you select this option, Google Maps will show you a list of possible routes that take mobility needs into consideration.  This feature started out in major metropolitan transit centers around the world –  London, New York, Tokyo, Mexico City, Boston, and Sydney. Google is working with additional transit agencies to bring more wheelchair accessible routes to Google Maps.

Access
In addition to making public transportation more accessible, people around the world have been helping us add accessibility information to Google Maps. In September, 2017 local guides from around the world gathered at 200 global meet-ups to answer accessibility questions—like whether a place has a step-free entrance or an accessible restroom—for more than 12 million places. Additionally, Google has been busy capturing and updating Street View imagery of transit stations and city centers so people can preview a place or transit station ahead of time.

Google's own wheelchair users built this feature to make life easier for people who use wheelchairs, but accessible routes are also helpful if you’re on crutches or pushing a walker. With the help of transit agencies around the globe and people like you who contribute local knowledge, Google is making progress toward a more accessible world for everyone. So, too, does my Tesla by not poisoning our world with airborne toxins!
Remember – my Tesla referral is wes21573 for 1000 free Tesla SuperCharger to make your purchase.

Senior citizens & Tesla cars – a perfect fit

"Okay, Boomer!" If you're my age (73+) you might hear that now and then. It's more of a friendly tease than insult. Also, that's what I named my red Model 3. Let others use the boomer tease on me if they must...at least I can finally afford nice things like a Tesla!!
And my Tesla is a perfect fit as an automobile for a senior citizen like me. First and foremost, my Model is ideal for helping me pretend I'm still alive. But even more, my Tesla is designed to help keep me alive!
Tesla's safety features outnumber what is found on other cars' and include systems no other car offers. In my view, a Tesla is ideal for nearly everyone but particularly seniors and disabled drivers.
Here's what Tesla has to help keep me alive on my next drive along America's highways:

• A car rated "the safest car in the world"

• 8 cameras and 12 sensors to see dangers if I'm not looking

• A roof and door pillars so strong it can hold up three other Teslas

• Lane departure avoidance and Emergency lane departure avoidance  

• A team of cameras to help fight my peripheral vision loss

• Radar-governed traffic cruise control

• Autopilot to help me make better decisions, or make them for me! 

Please consider using my Tesla referral code to order your new car, and we both get a free thousand mile SuperCharger credit. If you order without a referral from me or another owner, you'll lose the credit (and so will I!)  Click and proceed to order (or see prices and features.) 

            https://www.tesla.com/referral/wes21573