[prisoner6]

I've argued for years - unsuccessfully - about the need to allow a class of cars that are small, fairly low powered, and mostly exempt from major safety/emissions testing. Think neighborhood vehicle.

What comes to mind are vehicles like hte old King Midget which was produced in PA and OH when I was young...

or the Mini Moke made in Britain...

or any number of neighborhood elecrical vehichles...

I also really enjoyed the old Honda 50's and 90's with the step through frames as well as Vespa's and other scooters.

These would great for getting around a small town or even inner city neighborhood. They are NOT for extended highway driving.

Not only would they save on gas but with more people having increased mobility at reasonable cost, intercourse (you know what I mean) would rise dramatically to the benefit of all businesses.

We could build them here at regional plants designed to manufacture vehicles tailored to indiviual areas.

Because the vehicles are of simple design allowing low skilled assembly labor costs could be kept down. Semi - assembled vehicles could also be offered passing along the savings to the customer who has the ability to put one together or hire someone locally to do it. That would help discourage similar vehicles from being imported. It just wouldn't be cost effective to haul them from overseas and ship them inland.

And YES...I DO like the Segway...

would really like to have one....sigh

prisoner6

[prisoner6]

Oh, and back in the early 70's I >almost< bought a whole fleet of Subaru 360's BRAND NEW for 50 bucks a piece when the local distributor wanted to dump 'em. (no, not Malcom Bricklin)

Interestingly enough in July my daughter is going to marry a relative of the distributor I was going to by the Subaru's from. Future son-inlaw's relative and I were talking last year and he mentioned he still has lots of parts from the 360's in one of his barns, but doesn't want to sell anything...yet.

[Amish with an attitude]

Don't forget the Citroen Mahari with it's Cycolac plastic body.

[traumer]

The problem with these is: WHERE can you drive/ride them ??

Here in TX you wouldn't live more than 10 minutes..... unfortunately.

[subterfuge]

Great idea prisoner6.

I think exemption from all the various taxes the gov puts on vehicles should be omitted from use on these types of vehicles. But that isn't going to happen.

That would be gov't getting smaller, which is a pipe dream anymore.