The Fun of a Smart Car

The Smart Car has received a lot of bad press since it has been sold in the United States. The auto magazines and other publications don't like it and are not bashful about stating this.

I have owned a Smart Car for three years and would like to make the case for the benefits of this car. I like it for three reasons. No, not because it's exceptional in gas mileage. It isn't. Not because it's easy to park. It's not a lot better than most small cars. It's not because it's more maneuverable than other cars. This, too, is not a lot better than most small cars.

I like the car because it's cute, because people admire it, and because it's fun to drive. I've always enjoyed owning a car that was distinctive in appearance. This explains why my choices in cars over the past 55 years have included such cars as a 1957 Volvo 444, 1967 Fiat 500, 1952 London Taxi, 1953 Bentley Sedan, 1957 Renault 4CV, and a 1971 Two-cylinder Honda Coupe. I don't like seeing myself coming toward me when I'm on the road. There are weeks during which I don't meet another Smart Car as I make my way to work or when I'm on other errands.

I enjoy the way people come over and ask how I like the car. They always ask, "How is it on gas?". I say I didn't buy it for gas mileage. I bought it for the fun to drive it gives me. I think these folk would like to own one but don't have the determination to get into something quite as different as this car.

And I like the car for the fun it gives me. The automatic shifting mechanism is not pleasant so I don't use it at all. I like the built-in paddles to shift the car up and down its five speeds forward. Paddles are little protuberances on the left and right hand sides of the steering wheel. These are fun to use. If I'm traveling along and wish to shift into a higher gear, I flick the paddle on the right hand side toward me. The little finger of my right hand is sufficient to do this. If I want to go down a gear, I use the paddle on the left hand side of the steering wheel. The car has no clutch pedal. When the car comes to a stop, it automatically shifts into first gear. To start up, I use the accelerator. The rest is done with the paddles.

People say the car is not safe because it's too little. The fact is that all cars are unsafe if involved in a collision. The best plan is to avoid accidents and I strive to do this. This is not hard for me since I drive the car mostly to go back and forth to work. Work is only a mile away and there is no need to drive over thirty miles per hour in getting there. The car has a strong cage around the passenger compartment. I'm confident that if I were involved in something unpleasant, I'd survive.