Yes, it's waayyy too expensive, but I still want one!

[Racerbvd]

Originally Posted by m21sniper

Every time i see a smart car i must resist the (very strong) urge to rip the driver out of the "vehicle" and savagely beat him.

Those things irk me just a little.

There is a guy in the area, at least 350lbs, driving a Smart car, LOL... As fat as he is, there is no room for anything else..

A guy called me about my Surry, after I told him the price, he said he could buy a golf cart for that, I said go ahead, this isn't a a golf cart, not meant to be.. $35 Large, I sorry, I could get some real sweet bicycles for that & still hire a stripper to drive me around..

[BlueSkyJaunte]

Originally Posted by m21sniper

Every time i see a smart car i must resist the (very strong) urge to rip the driver out of the "vehicle" and savagely beat him.

Those things irk me just a little.

I'm glad I'm not the only one.

Was talking to a coworker about these things...she was surprised to hear what relatively crappy mileage they get. She said she has basically come to the conclusion that our entire society is based on fraud and lies. From marketing (the "smart" cars and Priuses as earth-friendly and low-emissions) to media to politics to religion.

Can't say I disagree with her one bit.

[M.D. Holloway]

high priced moped

[reed930]

Originally Posted by mattdavis11

Even this one?

Yes. Especially this one.

[rnln]

might be a different but still similar (at user stand point) to 50-60 year old technology?

[Tony-K]

There is far less space for cars in European cities, and a Smart is very practical in that sense. And if you're going to compare a diesel VW to a Smart, then you might as well be fair and compare it to a diesel Smart (not available in U.S.) . . . which gets closer to 70mpg.

[BlueSkyJaunte]

Originally Posted by Tony-K

And if you're going to compare a diesel VW to a Smart, then you might as well be fair and compare it to a diesel Smart (not available in U.S.) . . . which gets closer to 70mpg.

Why? It's not available in the USA. It's not even an option to any US resident.

But for the sake of giggles, let's do a comparison anyway.

VW TDI: 41mpg (that's what I get at 110 degrees doing about 80 mph on the freeway). Seats 5, enough cargo space for at least 2 sets of golf clubs.

smart diesel: 70mpg (purported). Seats 2, enough cargo space for a ham sandwich.

So, let's suppose you're going to be "green" and you carpool with your 3 buddies to the golf course. Not an unusual situation; someone needs to be the designated driver. You'll need 3 "smarts" to make the same trip you can make in 1 VW TDI.

Or let's say you carpool to work...same deal.

Let's say you have a family consisting of more than yourself...same deal.

Hell I can fit 3 adults and sufficient luggage for a weekend trip in my 911 (have done it in the past). At 19mpg that makes my 911 smarter than a "smart".

[dd74]

Morons!

Until you see one of those e-bikes in action, you really don't know WTF you're ridiculing.

While not the same as shown by the OP, I was passed by a similar version earlier today while on my bike - fighting a headwind - trying to keep things up around 35 kmh. This guy was as calm as can be as he went by - giving a now-and-then-rotation of the cranks, and moving fast. I never heard him coming - only saw his shadow on the road right before he passed me. The e-bike makes no noise except for the key rattling inside the ignition, which is placed Saab-like, down toward the bottom of the machine where the battery is.

Anyway, I tucked in and he paced me up to about 60kmh. At that point, we were sticking with the cars down Forest Lawn Drive. We went up a roller, and he kept accelerating while I had to sprint to stay on his wheel -- it wasn't fair.

When we came to the big hill that goes up into Griffith Park, he asked if I was going that way. I said yes, praying he wouldn't follow (or lead) - who wants to be torn to bits by a scooter for Gawd's sake? Anyway, he stuck to the flats - thank goodness.

Right, they are expensive. His costs $2,600, but he also hasn't driven in a month since having this machine on which he's put over 300 miles.

All I know is the e-bike is fast, silent, takes but one or two strokes to really get moving, and I bet only the likes of Alberto Contador can stay with one while chasing it uphill.

Incidentally, this guy loved his so much, he's going to get a road bike - a $6 or $7K Specialized Tarmac Pro - the e-bike, he figures, put him in cycling shape as well as saved him a lot of gas money.

Michael - check out NOHO Scooters at 5144 Vineland Ave, NH. That's where this guy picked his up. NOHO Scooters has been selling more scooter rigs than they can order, btw.

[BlueSkyJaunte]

Originally Posted by dd74

Morons!

Until you see one of those e-bikes in action, you really don't know WTF you're ridiculing.

NOBODY is ridiculing the e-bike concept. They're ridiculing the e-bike that costs FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS.

[dd74]

Originally Posted by BlueSkyJaunte

NOBODY is ridiculing the e-bike concept. They're ridiculing the e-bike that costs FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS.

My take was ridicule of the concept. As is, who cares about the price? He knows he'll never sell enough to cover his costs. Scooters like his are already on the market at a markedly less price.

[Langers]

It's a cool toy, but how many successful people got that way by spending 10x what they need to spend to get a vehicle that goes about the same speed? At a top
speed of 80 km/hr, that bike is not allowed on
the highways. So you're better off buying a
moped, Vespa or 50-80cc motorcycle for a tiny
fraction of the price. The fuel cost savings
on this invention would be negligible over
several lifetimes, given that it won't be doing
long distances, since it can't use the highways.
Seems like a big waste to me. But then I
think the Smart Car should be named the
Dumb Car too.

why couldn't you use the smart car on the freeway? I saw several on the autobahn going A decent speed!

[MFAFF]

Originally Posted by BlueSkyJaunte

But for the sake of giggles, let's do a comparison anyway.

VW TDI: 41mpg (that's what I get at 110 degrees doing about 80 mph on the freeway). Seats 5, enough cargo space for at least 2 sets of golf clubs.

smart diesel: 70mpg (purported). Seats 2, enough cargo space for a ham sandwich.

So, let's suppose you're going to be "green" and you carpool with your 3 buddies to the golf course. Not an unusual situation; someone needs to be the designated driver. You'll need 3 "smarts" to make the same trip you can make in 1 VW TDI.

Or let's say you carpool to work...same deal.

Let's say you have a family consisting of more than yourself...same deal.

Hell I can fit 3 adults and sufficient luggage for a weekend trip in my 911 (have done it in the past). At 19mpg that makes my 911 smarter than a "smart".

Or you could actually look at the reason for the Smart car...an primarily urban commuter car designed for European cities and for a single person user.

When you compare that rationale with your VW Jetta TDi it become clear which is the better suited vehicle to tight urban streets and parking.

we could use your rationale and apples to chalk comparison about SUVs of pick up trucks. They are best at the job they are designed to do..a pick up is pretty useless as an urban commuter vehicle.. of course it can do it but its not particularly smart.

Like driving your 911 into the city every day.. not a great idea...but there are plenty who do it...I see a couple of dozen everyday on my way to work...Ferraris and Lamobs and Astons too...all out numbered by Smarts. Toyota IQs, Fiat 500s, etc...all driven solo...all urbanites... mind you I know the guy woh drives a 997 GT RS has a good 70 miles to get to work each way... with some beautiful stretches of road between his home and London... and no I'm not at all jealous...

So let's back off the Smart Car is dumb idea.. its a great car for its designed role...take it out of that role and like any car its not too clever...

[Z-man]

Originally Posted by m21sniper

Every time i see a smart car i must resist the (very strong) urge to rip the driver out of the "vehicle" and savagely beat him.

Those things irk me just a little.

Don't hold back Sniper - tell us how you really feel.

Maybe in America, the smart car doesn't make a lot of sense, but in the congested European cities with tiny roads - it makes more sense.

Just sayin'
-Z

[Rick Lee]

Originally Posted by Langers

why couldn't you use the smart car on the freeway? I saw several on the autobahn going A decent speed!

I never said that. I see "Smart" Cars on the hwys. in the US all the time and have also seen them on the hwys. in Europe. Maybe they've changed the law in the EU. But when I had an 80cc bike in Germany, it was not allowed on the hwy., only smaller roads.

[afterburn 549]

It never fails how people can be so short sited and so knee jerked reaction.
In the States we have these halve ass electric cars...
OK , Can everyone plug into the dam at night for a charge ?
What will that do for the environment ?
What kind of energy did it take to build one ?
What will it take to get rid of one ?
What did it take to get it to the dealer ship ?
I could go on..but redundant...not smart cars....Dumb people own smart cars

[Rick Lee]

Meh. Smart Cars have their place. I have a co-worker in DC who owns no car and just uses ZipCar when he needs to go places that aren't served by the Metro. Seems to me the Smart Car would be ideal for stuff like that. Though, in most east coast cities, we have parking meters and all parking space lines are painted the same size. When I was just in Sacramento, you could park wherver you could fit and then just pay at the automat and get a receipt to stick in your window. So a Smart Car would save some space there. But on the east coast it would still have to take up an entire parking space and not leave room for anything else but a motorcycle.

I think the issue a lot of folks have with the Smart Car is its arrogrant misnomer of a name and the smug lefties who drive them, thinking they're doing the world a favor. My vehicle choice is purely made out of self interest and, still, my bike gets way better mileage, is way faster, can park anywhere and is considerable cheaper than any of those enviro-box cars.

[dd74]

You know, L.A. is thinking of adopting the London rule of limiting the amount of private cars that enter the Downtown area. I believe hybrids, Smart cars -- vehicles like that - would be allowed. But nothing else. That's where those little scooters make a lot of sense -- if it comes down to this. Park on the outskirts of Downtown, and take the little scooter off the back of the car and motor in.

The problem I see is the little scooter isn't so little. It looks like it could weigh at least 60 lbs. Plus, where is a person going to park their car? Parking lot space has diminished quite a bit in L.A.

Funny how adjustment to infrastructure needs is rarely thought of when a city says, "Okay, let's all go green!"

[dd74]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

I think the issue a lot of folks have with the Smart Car is its arrogrant misnomer of a name and the smug lefties who drive them, thinking they're doing the world a favor.

And I'm sure there's enough people who think motorcycle riders are obnoxious self-absorbed individuals who when they lane split at 40 mph in rush-hour traffic, risk damage to another person's property should that person want to change lanes before a motorcyclist darts out of nowhere.

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

My vehicle choice is purely made out of self interest and, still, my bike gets way better mileage, is way faster, can park anywhere and is considerable cheaper than any of those enviro-box cars.

So, in a large sense, you're no better than a lefty in a Smart car. The "smug" in your writing confirms just that.

What you haven't considered (obviously), is not everyone wants to ride a motorcycle in heavy city traffic.

[Rick Lee]

Virginia tried this by exempting hyrbids from the carpool lane restrictions a few years ago. But then so many people bought hybrids, that the carpool lanes got clogged up and then the state reneged on the deal. Now the hybrids that got registered before the state reneged have a special license plate. But you can't tell the difference between a Honda Civic hybrid and a regular one. And the cops who patrol the HOV lanes can't see the rear plate code when cars are travelling at hwy. speed. It's a huge clusterf&ck designed to buy votes and then came to define the law of unintended consequences. Now the HOV lanes are nothing but a cash cow for the cops who write tix to the cheaters and they're just about as full as the regular lanes.

[Rick Lee]

Originally Posted by dd74

And I'm sure there's enough people who think motorcycle riders are obnoxious self-absorbed individuals who when they lane split at 40 mph in rush-hour traffic, risk damage to another person's property should that person want to change lanes before a motorcyclist darts out of nowhere.


So, in a large sense, you're no better than a lefty in a Smart car. The "smug" in your writing confirms just that.

What you haven't considered (obviously), is not everyone wants to ride a motorcycle in heavy city traffic.

I've never seen lane splitting anywhere but CA and I only do it there when stuck in stopped traffic, not at speed. I'm terrified of that and not a good enough rider to do it. Since I never even thought to buy a vehicle out of smugness or because it was doing the world a favor, no I never considered myself better than anyone else. It just so happens that my transp. method of choice is faster, cleaner, cheaper and easier to park than the enviro-cars. Pure coincidence.