Posted on 06/09/2008 11:27:01 AM PDT by Cecily
5 p.m. on Ga. 400, peak hour for road rage. Insults, obscenities and pure frustration abound in bumper-to-bumper traffic. But not for Jerry Attkisson.
He's in rush-hour nirvana.
Smiling passers-by give him a love toot, signal a thumbs-up and even get out their cellphones to snap a quick photo. Attkisson, 66, feels warm and fuzzy inside.
That's because he's driving smart — as in Smart car, the first micro car to hit the streets of America and still a novelty in Atlanta.
"I call it my eco car," he says. "It's economical. And ecological."
Given the slate of global woes these days — climate change, pollution, congestion and crude oil sticker shock — the Smart feels right for the times, he says.
But, uh, there's another thing. Vanity.
Smart instantly bestows celebrity on its driver.
"I like people looking at me," Attkisson says, grinning.
Not just on the highways and byways but in the parking lot of Kroger or at a Midtown Starbucks, where Attkisson has cleverly parked his car perpendicular to the street. Three Smarts could fit in a parallel-parking spot meant for a normal-size car, he points out.
"Oh, it's just so cute!" gushes Shelia Skinner of Decatur, as she watches Attkisson stick a foam rubber tongue on his grill because the car is his puppy love.
If it were just the green factor, Attkisson could have bought a Toyota Prius. But Smart is fresh, cool, tiny.
It feels as exciting as when the iconic Beetle first arrived in America amid a sea of tail-finned Cadillacs. That's why Attkisson, a real estate investor and fund-raiser, was among the first to buy a Smart in Atlanta.
(Excerpt) Read more at ajc.com ...
I honestly do not understand the appeal of Smart Cars. A Honda Civic gets comparable gas mileage.
Looks like a bug waiting to get squashed.
Finally! Something to put in the trunk of my Geo Metro!
Where do the passenger(s?) sit?
It makes a statement:
“Hey, look at me, I’m an attention whore that CAAAAARES”
“Hey, I don’t understand what ‘fungible’ means!”
I think it’s more about parking (and the cool factor) than gas mileage. My Corolla gets comparable gas mileage, too.
Great point. The 2seater Smart has a EPA highway MPG of 42. I average 37 on my 4dr Civic with 5 speed manual. Not much of a gain for a car half the size. I suppose its the same thing with the Prius. You are making a "conspicious" eco statement.
I look at them and wonder why they paid so much for so little when they could be getting better mileage and more seating in a used Geo Metro.
Beware an outbreak of “smug”.
They sell for $15-19K, I think that is the draw.
rip off.
a Yaris has more room and gets comparable gas mileage. also Toyota parts are cheaper than BMW (smartcar).
These things are all over around my workplace, across the street from Mercedes Benz Nat'l HQ. I laugh every time I see one attempting to accelerate away from the traffic lights....they need a lot more squirrels under the hood.
It looks bigger in that picture than it really is. They are TINY!
The “Smart” car also needs premium fuel. Subtract 10% from the mileage for that, since premium costs about 10% more.
Somebody here at my job has one of those things, in that same shade of yellow. I don’t think you could pay me enough to take one of those things out on GA 400 at rush hour...if anything goes wrong and it comes down to an accident, they’ll be burying him in it.
The tongue’s a nice touch, though.
}:-)4
Most other compact cars (except the hybrids) also fall into that range - or less. Not a real draw.
You can buy one of the Japanese subcompacts for that price and get almost the same mileage and have a much more useful car. Except for perhaps you live in NYC or some other city where parking is a problem tHis is about Environazis ******bation.
They are tiny and they can squeeze into tight parking spaces. This car might be good in cities where parking is hard to come by. I think Mini Coopers are cooler in the toy-size car category.
For a shoebox, their advertised mpg are crappy.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.