Hello All!

I captured thing just outside my door today:

https://kolico.ca/tmp/c3-IMG_20210920.jpg https://kolico.ca/tmp/c2-IMG_20210920.jpg https://kolico.ca/tmp/c1-IMG_20210920.jpg

I am not sure what it is. I think this is the only one I've
seen around my town.

Any one else familiar with this one?

Doesn't seem to be much bumper protection. There's too much
potential to be crumpled up like an accordian in the event of a
crash. It wouldn't survive the winter roads here (Ontario,
Canada)

The owner says that the shocks/suspension are a bit rough.

--- OpenXP 5.0.50
* Origin: Ogg's WestCoast Point (21:4/106.21)

Ogg wrote (2021-09-20):

Hello All!

I captured thing just outside my door today:

https://kolico.ca/tmp/c3-IMG_20210920.jpg https://kolico.ca/tmp/c2-IMG_20210920.jpg https://kolico.ca/tmp/c1-IMG_20210920.jpg

I am not sure what it is. I think this is the only one I've
seen around my town.

Any one else familiar with this one?

Everyone knows Smart ;). I guess they are much more popular in Europe (and Germany as it is a division of Mercedes-
Benz).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_(marque)#Canada

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* Origin: 1995| Invention of the Cookie. The End. (21:3/102)

Am 20.09.21 schrieb Ogg@21:4/106.21 in FSX_TRANSPORT:

Hallo Ogg,

I am not sure what it is. I think this is the only one I've
seen around my town.

Any one else familiar with this one?

This is a Smart ForTwo 451, the second generation Smart car.
(I'm driving the convertible variant of the third-generation model,
the Smart 453)

Although the Smart cars look fragile, they are quite sturdy because of
the so-called "Tridion security cell", which is made of high strength
steel.

And, although it looks small, it feels quite roomy inside and even
features some space behind the seats as a trunk.

It's a shame that Smart doesn't continue the Smart ForTwo but now also
seems to be on the SUV bandwaggon :-(

So, I have to keep my Smart running for a looooong time :)

Regards,
Anna

--- OpenXP 5.0.50
* Origin: Imzadi Box Point (21:3/127.1)

Hello Oli!

** On Tuesday 21.09.21 - 10:10, Oli wrote to Ogg:

Everyone knows Smart ;). I guess they are much more popular
in Europe (and Germany as it is a division of Mercedes-
Benz).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_(marque)#Canada

Never heard of them. I've never actually seen them advertised
either.

I'm reading now that they have been discontinued in USA and
Canada:

"Daimler's Mercedes-Benz brand, in a statement, cited "a number
of factors" for the decision to end Smart's run in the United
States and Canada, "including a declining micro-car market in
the U.S. and Canada, combined with the costs required to bring
the European-designed Smart in line with North American
regulations."

But I betcha that it's primarily because most people here are
big, overweight and fat, and can't fit into something like the
Smart. LOL

It wouldn't work as a vehicle for young people that have to
haul kids around either.

I see its use not unlike a motorcycle: just for the summer
season, and an occassional errand.

--- OpenXP 5.0.50
* Origin: Ogg's WestCoast Point (21:4/106.21)

Ogg wrote to Oli <=-

"Daimler's Mercedes-Benz brand, in a statement, cited "a number
of factors" for the decision to end Smart's run in the United
States and Canada, "including a declining micro-car market in
the U.S. and Canada, combined with the costs required to bring
the European-designed Smart in line with North American
regulations."

LOL, now that gas prices are shooting back up, the market for them could quickly return. That last part is interesting. In the distant past, that usually meant the car was not meant to have a huge bumper on the front and back. Not sure what it means now but there must have been some safety regulation they were not complying with.

But I betcha that it's primarily because most people here are
big, overweight and fat, and can't fit into something like the
Smart. LOL

The two people I knew who had Smart cars were both overweight. In one case,
so was his wife.

I see its use not unlike a motorcycle: just for the summer
season, and an occassional errand.

They used theirs all the time. I don't see it being much different that
some of these other small cars that Honda and Toyota have come out with.
The Prius is a little bigger, but there is another electric one that is
pretty dang small.


... Direct from the Ministry of Silly Walks
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* Origin: Possum Lodge South * possumso.fsxnet.nz:7636/SSH:2122 (21:4/134)

Ogg wrote (2021-09-21):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_(marque)#Canada

Never heard of them. I've never actually seen them advertised
either.

I'm reading now that they have been discontinued in USA and
Canada:

[...]

But I betcha that it's primarily because most people here are
big, overweight and fat, and can't fit into something like the
Smart. LOL

And if their not obese they drive big, overweight and fat cars. Dumb cars that kill people more easily on impact, need more resources (material, space, consumed energy, pollution) and become more and more ugly.

It wouldn't work as a vehicle for young people that have to
haul kids around either.

So don't haul kids around in the car. There are bicycles and public transport as alternatives (maybe not in every country / region).

I see its use not unlike a motorcycle: just for the summer
season, and an occassional errand.

It's more a car for the city where parking space is limited. Otherwise it's not even a very smart car. Fuel consumption is low in contrast to an average North American car, but it could be much lower for a two person vehicle.

The newer electric Smart fortwo is not more efficient than a Tesla 3, it's only impractical for longer distances.

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* Origin: 1995| Invention of the Cookie. The End. (21:3/102)

Re: just a two-seater
By: Oli to Ogg on Thu Sep 23 2021 09:05 am

It wouldn't work as a vehicle for young people that have to
haul kids around either.

So don't haul kids around in the car. There are bicycles and public transpor as alternatives (maybe not in every country / region).

If you have to move kids around with all their stuff (chart + luggage) then bicycles don't cut it and you are a bad burden to public transport if you even try.

My family was in the low-income end back in the day and they had no car at all. They had to buy a cheap used car just to move my stuff when I was born.

I think they are just not allowing you into a bus here if you carry too much stuff with you. If you bring anything like a bicycle, a cart or any other "bulky" item you have to pay a ticket for it in intercity buses. Urban bus drivers may look the other way if you bring three tonnes of luggage with you and the bus is not too full, but official regulation in Madrid is bicycles are not allowed unless they can be folded (I have yet to see foldable bicycles used in the wild). There are also restrictions regarding carts for kids and I am reading some complaints from Parent's Asociations regarding the fact they cannot use public transport with their families for this reason.



--
gopher://gopher.richardfalken.com/1/richardfalken
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* Origin: Palantir * palantirbbs.ddns.net * Pensacola, FL * (21:2/138)

Arelor wrote (2021-09-23):

It wouldn't work as a vehicle for young people that have to
haul kids around either.

So don't haul kids around in the car. There are bicycles and public
transpor as alternatives (maybe not in every country / region).

If you have to move kids around with all their stuff (chart + luggage)
then bicycles don't cut it and you are a bad burden to public transport
if you even try.

My family was in the low-income end back in the day and they had no car
at all. They had to buy a cheap used car just to move my stuff when I was born.

We didn't have a car and I don't think I or my brother and sister missed much. Families do live without a car in cities. And there is always the option to rent a car (big or small). And there are e-bikes and cargo-bikes and bike trailers. It's not that simple in rural areas, but that's mainly because everything is organized around the idea that everyone has a car (to drive their kids around).

The newest trend is to get a bigger car that has enough space for the e-MTBs, recumbent trikes or the velomobile.

---
* Origin: 1995| Invention of the Cookie. The End. (21:3/102)

Hello acn!

** On Tuesday 21.09.21 - 15:06, acn wrote to Ogg:

This is a Smart ForTwo 451, the second generation Smart
car. (I'm driving the convertible variant of the third-
generation model, the Smart 453)

I thought you were driving a Citroen.

Although the Smart cars look fragile, they are quite sturdy
because of the so-called "Tridion security cell", which is
made of high strength steel.

High-strength sounds good, but any point of it can corrode
faster then expected and then the theoretical strength is
compromised.

I thought my 2007 Rav4 was pretty solid, but it turns out that
the undercarriage is very corroded (I needed a new brakeline
recently, I went through 2 exhaust system replacements over
it's 14yr life sofar, and I use a pair of pliers to pull of the
last remnant of the cable that latches the door that cover the
fuel cap.)

A friend of mine just had her vehicle in for some seasonal
maintenance, and as soon as they hoisted it up on the lift, the
car practically broke in half. The car was about 3 yrs older
than mine.

And, although it looks small, it feels quite roomy inside
and even features some space behind the seats as a trunk.

It's a shame that Smart doesn't continue the Smart ForTwo
but now also seems to be on the SUV bandwaggon :-(

The Smart would not survive a Canadian winter though. The car
seems to ride a bit lower than most other cars I've seen. A
modest puff of winter wind could probably blow it off the road
too! <G>

So, I have to keep my Smart running for a looooong time :)

What is a looooong for you? 10 yrs?


--- OpenXP 5.0.50
* Origin: Ogg's WestCoast Point (21:4/106.21)

Am 04.10.21 schrieb Ogg@21:4/106.21 in FSX_TRANSPORT:

Hallo Ogg,

This is a Smart ForTwo 451, the second generation Smart
car. (I'm driving the convertible variant of the third-
generation model, the Smart 453)

I thought you were driving a Citroen.

Yes, a Citroen C3, but I sold it last year to buy the Smart :)

The Smart would not survive a Canadian winter though. The car
seems to ride a bit lower than most other cars I've seen. A
modest puff of winter wind could probably blow it off the road
too! <G>

Probably, yes :)
But at least, here in Germany and especially in Karlsruhe (one of the
warmest cities in Germany), winter isn't that cold... :)

So, I have to keep my Smart running for a looooong time :)

What is a looooong for you? 10 yrs?

My C3 was ~12 years old when I sold it. So I hope that the Smart will
survive at least that long.

But that might work, as one neighbour here drives a Smart 450 which is
at least 15 years old (production ended in 2006).

Regards,
Anna

--- OpenXP 5.0.50
* Origin: Imzadi Box Point (21:3/127.1)