Would you Drive a Smart if ...

[Old Tele man]

...I'd "test drive" one...but only until the first accident.

...then I probably wouldn't have to worry about it (or anything else thereafter).

...analogy: Hindenberg is to hydrogen as Smart is to too small.

[NiHaoMike]

Originally Posted by Old Tele man

...I'd "test drive" one...but only until the first accident.

...then I probably wouldn't have to worry about it (or anything else thereafter).

...analogy: Hindenberg is to hydrogen as Smart is to too small.

You could say the same about motorcycles...

[andylaurence]

Originally Posted by Old Tele man

...I'd "test drive" one...but only until the first accident.

...then I probably wouldn't have to worry about it (or anything else thereafter).

...analogy: Hindenberg is to hydrogen as Smart is to too small.

Are you suggesting that the Smart ForTwo is a dangerous implementation of small? If so, you probably need to do some research. It's one of the safest cars in its class and is renowned for being so. If you mean it's small and is therefore unable to be safe, just remember that big does not equal safe. If you're just trying to belittle Smart drivers, I could say that Hindenberg is to safe flight as the Pontiac Vibe is to economy.....

[Old Tele man]

...a "motorcycle" is merely a self-propelled "hood ornament" for cars!

...uh, can we recognize a "tongue-in-cheek" analogy when you read one? My opinion is it's WAY too small to provide adequate safety at OUR (USA) highway speeds should an accident occur. Obviously, in europe, with its lower speeds (but equally insane drivers!), this MASS vs. SPEED ratio would probably be sufficient to live with.

...and, yes, the Vibe is merely a "gasoline"-powered go-kart, assembled by laid-off americans in a Toyota factory, wearing a defunt PONTIAC badge, but at least it has (a) far more safety-restraint airbags and (b) better MPG than the '99 Malibu that we were driving!

...it's all relative.

[andylaurence]

Lower speeds in Europe? Here in the UK, the national speed limit is 70mph. In mainland Europe, national speed limits are normally 120kph (~75mph) or 130kph (~80mph). I believe you must be rather ill-informed or a troll. You realise the Smart has four airbags in its "unsafe" design, right?

[cfg83]

andylaurence -

Originally Posted by andylaurence

Lower speeds in Europe? Here in the UK, the national speed limit is 70mph. In mainland Europe, national speed limits are normally 120kph (~75mph) or 130kph (~80mph). I believe you must be rather ill-informed or a troll. You realise the Smart has four airbags in its "unsafe" design, right?

It's a pretty common perception in the USA, but the Smart seems to be selling well anyway. The argument here is that the overall larger/heavier makeup of the US auto fleet puts the Smart in a more "dangerous" F=MA environment. But I do think you will agree that the Smart was explicitly *over* engineered for safety to the point where the "exoskeleton" is part of the overt design ... by design, .

I just wish they offered a real stickshift on this side of the pond, .

CarloSW2

[andylaurence]

You're right. Smart knew people would question the safety of such a small car, which is why they made it so safe and made the safety cell visible from outside. As for a manual gearbox, I don't think it needs one (the lack of clutch pedal was why I bought it) but I do think it'd be better off with a 5 speed gearbox than the 3*2 speed it has. The lower gears are too close ratio and the higher gears are too far apart. It all stems from the car using a 3 speed gearbox and a 2 speed final drive. Still, it just means an extra gear change, in reality.

[Old Tele man]

Originally Posted by andylaurence

Lower speeds in Europe? Here in the UK, the national speed limit is 70mph. In mainland Europe, national speed limits are normally 120kph (~75mph) or 130kph (~80mph). I believe you must be rather ill-informed or a troll. You realise the Smart has four airbags in its "unsafe" design, right?

...guilty! the last time I was in either Keflavik, Iceland; Prestwick or Ayr, Scotland; Weisbaden or Frankfurt, Germany; Bodo, Norway; or Paris, France (ugh!) was back in 1965...so, yes, my knowledge & experience are "dated."

...BTW the '09 Vibe/Matrix has front pillar, steering wheel & dash, and side-seat airbags...six in front alone.

...and, I test drove a Smart before we decided on the Vibe.

[jamesqf]

But why all this emphasis on hitting stuff?

[alohaspirit]

id honestly feel safer in a smart than my crx

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Lg3kg2QFgg