Tiny Smart car gets crash test kudos

[5.3Avalanche]

Originally Posted by Saturn69

Live a little, you can't go through life afraid of everything.

I for one do. If I'm not guzzling gas in my Silverado, I'm sipping fuel on my crotch rocket. That's living life, not driving some slow & ugly car.

[ChevroletRevived]

Like he said, just because it gets a good crash test rating does NOT mean it's safe in comparison to larger, heavier vehicles. You can't be paranoid, but driving a car this small isn't smart.

[jbernie]

Originally Posted by Saturn69

A tablespoon of water is potentially very dangerous. A loaded handgun is potentially very dangerous. A menopausal woman is potentially dangerous.

People who buy this car know it isn't the safest thing on the planet, neither is a motorcycle, but like all of us, they take their chances every day they climb out of bed. Maybe if we didn't have a love affair with all things SUV/Full-size we wouldn't be wringing our hands about 24K smart fortwo's running rampant amongst the herd. Live a little, you can't go through life afraid of everything.

for the first paragraph. Re the second... of course they know but they will still want to sue over it.

The car can be very practical, I just don't necessarily see the US as the best market for this vehicle.

[Steel4ring]

Fine for the city and slower speeds, but a death trap on the Interstate.

[chakis24]

this wasnt expected? of course the car is going to get a good rating, the car is being crashed into a wall, which means the only forces being applied to the car are those the car applies to the wall- which isnt very much. i want to see this thing go up against things bigger than it, no matter what it is. this car is designed to use the other cars crumple zones to its advantage. but the problem is when it hits something that doesnt have crumple zones, like anything BOF, you have two battering rams going into each other. and the whiplash is common sense to, the thing is so small that it gets bounced around by anything that hits it.

even if i lived in downtown nyc i would not get this car, its no more practical than an electric scooter- and that uses no gas.

[CJ Thunder]

I want to see a truck and a train hit it.

Originally Posted by Saturn69

Live a little, you can't go through life afraid of everything.

Like global warming or the cause of me taking my shoes off at the airport.

[supergoat65]

I just don't understand some of these posts on here sometimes. The car is small. Yes, we all know that. BUT, consider that it has been designed by modern engineers knowing the latest about airbags, safety cells, and retracting seat belts. I know I would feel much safer in this than in, say, an early 90's Accord or an 80's Volvo or even a 2000ish Cavalier, because they don't have this modern technology in them. This car isn't going to fare well head-on against an F-250, but then again, in that situation you're in a pretty big mess no matter what car you're driving. It's been designed for urbanites who want the safety of a car with the maneuverability and mileage of a larger motorcycle. It's not meant for a demolition derby or 80mph dives into oncoming traffic, but I can almost guarantee the engineers behind it certainly took that into consideration when they were making it.

Sorry for the rant, but I just can't understand some posts like "let's see it go against a semi or a train..." because NOTHING will fare well in those situations.

[Ttple]

Delivery truck hits Smart car.


http://jalopnik.com/389911/smart-for...eturned-by-van

[motorman]

as soon as i see "the captain",roger penske,he is the importer,driving one on the open road i would say that is putting you life where your mouth is.

[baloo]

Originally Posted by Dgrocho

While I'm more skeptical about these super compact vehicles after this report, do you have any evidence to backup your claim that a collision in a ForTwo (with seatbelts and airbags) would cause the same forces on a person's head and neck as a collision at 150 mph? Your example of Earnhardt is referencing a vehicle hitting an immovable object. To replicate these forces, the ForTwo and the opposing vehicle would have to be going around 75 mph each and the other vehicle would also have to have no crumple zones, both premises are highly improbable if not impossible.

Wrong math. Hitting a wall at 150 mph is much much worse than hitting another car head on when both cars are going 75 mph. In the first case you're going from 150 mph to 0, in the second case you're only going from 75 mph to 0.

If you wanted to replicate hitting a wall at 150 mph, you would need to go 75 mph and then collide head on with an infinitely heavy non-deformable object that's also travelling at 75mph. Basically you would have to hit a 75mph train head on.

[chakis24]

Originally Posted by Ttple

Delivery truck hits Smart car.


http://jalopnik.com/389911/smart-for...eturned-by-van

interesting, but the smart is totalled. and its a scary thought that a 15 mph crash (probably less) sends the car flying across an intersection and hits oncoming traffic (thankfully stopped at the time). the thing became a projectile.

best response ever (edited):
God *** it! Look what your golf cart did to my bumper! Jesus, I thought you were a kid in a power wheel truck! You scared the hell out of me! Son of a *****, now I am going to be late to work and my boss if going to murder me for this bumper. You ok man? Wow, that thing just flew across the road right? Haha. Glad you are alright though. Can we just handle this right here? How much did that go-cart cost? Couple hundred dollars? I think we can square up with cash if you want to follow me to the ban.....

Oh, wow-14 grand...really? No ****...14 grand? For one? Wow.

[5.3Avalanche]

Originally Posted by baloo

Wrong math. Hitting a wall at 150 mph is much much worse than hitting another car head on when both cars are going 75 mph. In the first case you're going from 150 mph to 0, in the second case you're only going from 75 mph to 0.

If you wanted to replicate hitting a wall at 150 mph, you would need to go 75 mph and then collide head on with an infinitely heavy non-deformable object that's also travelling at 75mph. Basically you would have to hit a 75mph train head on.

+1
Gotta love 2nd year dynamics.

[Saturn69]

Originally Posted by Steel4ring

Fine for the city and slower speeds, but a death trap on the Interstate.

So is an SUV. It just depends on the driver.

[johnstarnes]

Originally Posted by FierySolstice

How? I would like to take a Ford Expedition to the side of one of those and see what happens.. lol

Here's hoping that Expedition isn't plowed into by a semi...lol!

[Saturn69]

Originally Posted by chakis24

interesting, but the smart is totalled. and its a scary thought that a 15 mph crash (probably less) sends the car flying across an intersection and hits oncoming traffic (thankfully stopped at the time). the thing became a projectile.

best response ever (edited):
God *** it! Look what your golf cart did to my bumper! Jesus, I thought you were a kid in a power wheel truck! You scared the hell out of me! Son of a *****, now I am going to be late to work and my boss if going to murder me for this bumper. You ok man? Wow, that thing just flew across the road right? Haha. Glad you are alright though. Can we just handle this right here? How much did that go-cart cost? Couple hundred dollars? I think we can square up with cash if you want to follow me to the ban.....

Oh, wow-14 grand...really? No ****...14 grand? For one? Wow.

Yeah, Jalopnik might want to point out that that was the previous generation of the fortwo, not the one for sale in the U.S., but why do that when you can spread ignorance? There was no mention of the speed of the crash, I don't see where you found that bit of 'info'.

I hope I don't see anyone telling people to stop badmouthing SUV's after all the posts here. Funny how people are ripping into this car while demanding to let people make their own choices in vehicle ownership when it comes to something large and thirsty.