I thought you guys always did things big

alfantastic · Sep 23, 2016

I always get the impression that Americans love to drive big muscle cars and SUV's, so I had to double look when I spotted this on eBay:

2013 Smart Fortwo

Anyone seen one of these whizzing around in the states, or better still, actually own one?

teklektik · Sep 23, 2016

Quite a few of the gasser versions around here...

alfantastic · Sep 23, 2016

teklektik said:
Quite a few of the gasser versions around here...

Guess I watch too many American television dramas on Netflix

nutnspecial · Sep 23, 2016

And what do you mean ? . . . 'you guys' :!:

:lol:

A german car marketed by benz, at least in the states. I've seen a few, though I'd prefer to look@ or drive an old honda CRX HF. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_(automobile)#United_States

The sales figures look like about 100k since '08. That's maybe 6% of world sales . . . .
http://www.smartcarofamerica.com/forums/f65/latest-monthly-total-us-sales-numbers-check-post-1-a-10685/

alfantastic · Sep 23, 2016

nutspecial said:
And what do you mean ? . . . 'you guys'

:lol:

A german car marketed by benz, at least in the states. I've seen a few, though I'd prefer to look@ or drive an old honda CRX HF. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_(automobile)#United_States

The sales figures look like about 100k since '08. That's maybe 6% of world sales . . . .
http://www.smartcarofamerica.com/forums/f65/latest-monthly-total-us-sales-numbers-check-post-1-a-10685/

Probably worded that wrong.... Urmmmm sorry peeps :oops:

Plus, I watched the Goonies last night

swbluto · Sep 23, 2016

My neighbor has the gasser version.

alfantastic · Sep 23, 2016

Do you think people in America are driving these from an eco, cost or image perspective. Is it morally wrong to be seen driving a large gas guzzling truck these days?

I know in the UK, a lot of people have downsized their vehicles over the past decade, myself included.

gogo · Sep 23, 2016

Plenty of farmers and their pickups here in Iowa. Since gas became cheap there are lots of people buying big SUV's that don't need them. There are a handful of Smarts in my city, including two used for taco delivery.

The USA is in transition concerning vehicles. Many youngsters don't view the acquisition of their driver's license on their 16th birthday as the most important one of their life anymore.

nutnspecial · Sep 23, 2016

Just some interesting data-

UK pop: ~ 60m
Area: ~ 90k

US pop: ~ 300m . . . about 5x
Area: ~ 3m sqmi . . . about 33x

Guaranteed people are more conscious nowadays, everywhere, but US is simply much more sparsely populated and spread out than most of the rest, esp europe. Possibly Russia is a contender though I bet the population isn't as evenly dispersed?

On the topic of EV, batteries have a long way to go for reasonable use in many many applications, and one can only hope they will still be sustainable and green at that volume and any increased energy density . . .

swbluto · Sep 23, 2016

alfantastic said:
Do you think people in America are driving these from an eco, cost or image perspective.

I'm betting it's the low purchase cost along with the high MPG, usually driven by cost in America. People concerned about image usually go for a Prius (Those are usually purchased to make a statement in America, though there a few who are probably disillusioned about the cost benefits.). There are people concerned with eco and purchase their car accordingly, but you'll usually see them with the relevant bumper stickers attached, and they tend to be rare. They tend to more concentrated in states like Oregon.

swbluto · Sep 23, 2016

gogo said:
The USA is in transition concerning vehicles. Many youngsters don't view the acquisition of their driver's license on their 16th birthday as the most important one of their life anymore.

Yep, being connected with friends before the age of Facebook and Cell Phones usually meant having a car. Not so much anymore. It's actually kind of funny how the young adults nowadays more readily compare you on your cellie more than any other factor.

craneplaneguy · Sep 23, 2016

The Smart cars don't get as good as mileage as a Toyota Yaris. Partially due to its aerodynamics: its SO short it is draggier then if it was longer. Similar to a Toyota Yaris sedan getting even better mpg then the Yaris hatchback.

dustNbone · Sep 23, 2016

You see a fair number of them in Vancouver, diesel ones. They're not particularly cheap here, and AFAIK they're not great on efficiency either. When they were first released here about 8 years ago there were gov't incentives attached to their purchase but I think those have expired by now. The chief reason I get from people who own them is their size. They're easy to drive around the city, easy to park, and from what I understand they're quite safe in terms of collision performance.

Hillhater · Sep 23, 2016

A complete new (revised ?) range of Smart Electrics has just been anounced.
Could make a good city transport if you have charge plug access at night.
http://www.motoring.com.au/smart-goes-electric-103931/

LockH · Sep 23, 2016

teklektik said:
Quite a few of the gasser versions around here...

Seen a lot around here (Toronto, Canada... think American Lite :mrgreen:

).

LockH · Sep 23, 2016

Hillhater said:
A complete new (revised ?) range of Smart Electrics has just been anounced.
Could make a good city transport if you have charge plug access at night.
http://www.motoring.com.au/smart-goes-electric-103931/

Interesting... maybe:

Unlike more expensive battery-electric cars, the smart doesn’t use a continuously excited synchronous electric motor, but rather a separately excited three-phase synchronous motor.

Hillhater · Sep 23, 2016

nutspecial said:
Just some interesting data-

UK pop: ~ 60m
Area: ~ 90k

US pop: ~ 300m . . . about 5x
Area: ~ 3m sqmi . . . about 33x
. .

Australia pop......24m......about 0.4x
Area........2.5m sqmi.......about 28x

:shock:

......we need a car just to get to the garden gate ! :lol:

alfantastic · Sep 25, 2016

Hillhater said:
nutspecial said:

Just some interesting data-

UK pop: ~ 60m
Area: ~ 90k

US pop: ~ 300m . . . about 5x
Area: ~ 3m sqmi . . . about 33x
. .

Click to expand...

Australia pop......24m......about 0.4x
Area........2.5m sqmi.......about 28x

......we need a car just to get to the garden gate ! :lol:

Wow, I'm jealous. Us Poms are packed like sardines here :roll:

Hillhater · Sep 25, 2016

..yes, but in addition to the 24m people we also have about 200m venomous snakes, spiders, crocodiles, and drop bears,...all wanting a bit of that space !!
..still jealous ? :mrgreen:

alfantastic · Sep 25, 2016

Hillhater said:
..yes, but in addition to the 24m people we also have about 200m venomous snakes, spiders, crocodiles, and drop bears,...all wanting a bit of that space !!
..still jealous ?

Ha ha, drop bears, I nearly fell for that one

Hillhater · Sep 25, 2016

Its hard to tell the difference between a Drop Bear and a 5kg Huntsman spider, when they come down on you out of a tree..
:wink: :wink:

nutnspecial · Sep 26, 2016

That's why it's called 'The Bush', I guess!

demographic-characteristics-of-australia-2013-10-638.jpg

There are maps for US, UK, and Russia too of course. US appears to have the most even infrastructure/ dispersion with the best ratio of land to people, imo. But RU and AU are where you could really 'get away', with those massive areas neary devoid of population.

I bet China looks similar? http://chinesestudies.prv.pl/population.html
For some reason I might choose China. . . if making a big move.

https://www.google.com/search?q=australia+population+location&biw=948&bih=419&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj6z9jR4a3PAhUEGj4KHYFvAJoQ_AUICCgB#tbm=isch&q=China+countryside&imgrc=74alkJzva9-8JM%3A Such beautiful untouched countryside! Of course unless money was no option your main vehicle in china's countryside would prob be a little pickup.

swbluto · Sep 26, 2016

nutspecial said:
That's why it's called 'The Bush', I guess!

View attachment 1

There are maps for US, UK, and Russia too of course. US appears to have the most even infrastructure/ dispersion with the best ratio of land to people, imo. But RU and AU are where you could really 'get away', with those massive areas neary devoid of population.

I bet China looks similar? http://chinesestudies.prv.pl/population.html
For some reason I might choose China. . . if making a big move.

https://www.google.com/search?q=australia+population+location&biw=948&bih=419&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj6z9jR4a3PAhUEGj4KHYFvAJoQ_AUICCgB#tbm=isch&q=China+countryside&imgrc=74alkJzva9-8JM%3A Such beautiful untouched countryside! Of course unless money was no option your main vehicle in china's countryside would prob be a little pickup.

I wonder where australia's chief export is?

Interesting, no where near Sydney. And it does not have any obvious geographic advantages compared to other locations (Well, It is kind of close to America and to the Panama Canal compared to other locations. I wonder if Australia makes high use of the panama canal in export to Europe?), so that suggests it's the longitude white people naturally want to live in. According to google, Sydney is...

33.8688° S, 151.2093° E

Cool, I'm moving to 30 degrees north because of the 'ideal climate'. Los Angeles happens to be at 34 degrees north, and the population area between Los Angeles and San Diego (33-34 degrees north) is the largest population center on the West Coast. Atlanta, the largest city in the southeast, is at 33.7 north. So, apparently white people naturally love the 33-34th degree.

Hillhater · Sep 26, 2016

swbluto said:
]
Interesting, no where near Sydney. And it does not have any obvious geographic advantages compared to other locations (Well, It is kind of close to America and to the Panama Canal compared to other locations. I wonder if Australia makes high use of the panama canal in export to Europe?), so that suggests it's the longitude white people naturally want to live in. According to google, Sydney is...

33.8688° S, 151.2093° E
.

Pretty much the reason is the climate and resources (for living) around Sydney.
Remember it was the first landing point for the European colonisers and settled because of its safe deep water harbour, fresh water supply from the mountain range inshore, and the temperate climate for farming.
Those factors are still important in a largely dry and hostile environment.
Much further south and the southern ocean weather dominates ( cold , wet, windy etc), and much further north the humidity and heat become an issue. Inland only a 30 min drive and the "desert" type climate takes dominance ( hot days , v cold nights).... So, Sydney is a very plesant compromise for most folk.

Dauntless · Sep 26, 2016

alfantastic said:
Hillhater said:

..yes, but in addition to the 24m people we also have about 200m venomous snakes, spiders, crocodiles, and drop bears,...all wanting a bit of that space !!
..still jealous ?

Click to expand...

Ha ha, drop bears, I nearly fell for that one

I thought you guys always did things big

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