Posted on 07/28/2008 11:52:22 AM PDT by BenLurkin
It's a problem that has baffled German engineers, auto industry experts, Kern County road engineers and, most importantly, Samuel Wattles of Rosamond: How do you make a left turn in a new Smart Car? Wattles waited a year and a half for his Smart ForTwo - a tiny, two-passenger car that gets more than 40 miles per gallon - only to find that the lightweight vehicle wasn't heavy enough to set off the sensors that activate left-turn signal lights at intersections.
At least, that's what he thought was going on when he picked up the car July 20 in North Hollywood and drove it home to Rosamond.
"I was going down Rosamond Boulevard and got to Sierra Highway and got in the left turn lane," Wattles said. "I waited for four rounds of signals, and everyone else was gone, but I'm just sitting there waiting for a signal.
"I had to wait for a (standard-sized) automobile to come. And when a car came behind me, the signal changed."
Another time, he got tired of waiting, backed out of the turn lane and got to his destination by going around the block.
"You're not supposed to back out of a lane," Wattles said, "but I wasn't going to turn against a red light."
Wattles believed weight was the problem, assuming the signals that trigger the left-turn signals are weight-sensitive.
Not so, said Sal Gomez, a traffic engineer with the Kern County Road Department.
(Excerpt) Read more at avpress.com ...
In a lot of left turn lanes they deliberately set the loop back from the stop line so that an advanced green only comes up if there are more than one or two cars in the left turn lane.
Because it worked so well on the Vega.
In other words, it is a car only a metrosexual or "princess" would own.
or to be taken on the freeways (though I have seen some out there).
I have seen them on the freeway too, those people are nuts.
For a few grand more, you can get the Mini Cooper, which is a pretty cool little car (and a total chick magnet).
Not for this chick! Give me a REAL man in a truck!
They haven’t used pressure plates for decades. Apparently this guy simply is not observant.
Not really. Given gas prices today, it doesn't make much sense to use the family car as a commuter vehicle. A lot of people want something smaller, that is more gas efficient. If you're just making a short commute of a few miles, how big of a car do you really need? My wife and I commute in to work together and our drive is only about 3 miles, but we've started driving her BMW, rather than my Explorer.
I have seen them on the freeway too, those people are nuts.
I agree completely. These cars were designed to be driven and parked in European cities that have narrow roads and little parking. People in Europe would look at you crazy if you drove the Smart Car on the Autobahn.
Not for this chick! Give me a REAL man in a truck!
One thing I've noticed is that the cars men think are chick magnets, generally aren't (except for cars like Lamborghinis, that attract, um, a certain type of woman). Your mileage may vary (no pun intended).
Some sensors just ignore motorcycles until we send a letter threatening suit. (it works)
Also some loop sensors are calibrated to detect the motorcycle.
I found that if I placed my bike, mostly the motor, in the upper left hand corner of the wire loop in the pavement, that it would trip the light just fine.
Those left turn lights should always be yield on green. I hate the ones that won’t let you turn except when the left turn light is green.
What I do when the thing won't trigger is grab a handful of throttle and do a smokey burn out. Usually the commotion trigger the sensor but if it doesn't there's a ready smokescreen to escape through...
Interestingly enough, I did an experiment on a recent cross country trip. (2006 Chevy HHR) I alternated between filing the tank with premium and regular. I kept track of the mileage.
In the end, running on premium cost me about 4 cents a mile less than regular—even though it was at least 15 cents a gallon more in most places.
Yes, filling the tank with premium was a painful experience, but in the long haul—one that i would not have to repeat as often.
Just food for thought.
Of course your mileage may vary.
Go over to Britain. I was truly shocked on a recent trip there. While traveling on a dual carriageway (four-lane highway) I glanced over to the other lane to see what looked like a go-cart with a top racing down the road. It was a Smart car. And it was going pretty fast.
No kidding! I saw one of these little things on the freeway here in Wicsconsin and it looked like it could get blown over by a gnat fart.
One thing you might try is riding over the sensor at differents points. We have a bicycle symbol down the center of the detector circle that tells you where the sensitive spot is located. I can consistently trip left turn lanes on my bicycle.
“My daughter gets 40+ mpg with her 4 door Honda that seats 5 without crowding. It triggers left turn signals just fine.”
So how come they don’t build those Honda’s any more, the ones that get 40 mpg? If they could do it back then, why isn’t Honda building regular (not hybrid) cars today that get 40 mpg?
Well, maybe, but that girl is my wife... ;^)
We are seeing more of those things around here.
If I wanted 40 mpg I’d buy a diesel and not run the risk of getting killed is I happened to collide with a large toddler.
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