Police test drive Smart cars

[SMART]

Parking officers using environmentally and economically sound Smart cars in pilot project




At 6-foot-4, things get a bit squishy for parking officer Otimoi Oyemu in his division's new Smart car.

His knees protrude eight centimetres above the bottom of the steering wheel. He can easily place one hand on the windshield and the other on the back window. And to reach the police radio, Oyemu has to twist his chest into the passenger seat to get around his own leg.

Despite the tight squeeze, Oyemu says he enjoys zipping around town in the Smart cars

[SMART]

In a pilot program to reduce its environmental (and physical) footprint on the streets of Toronto, the city's police department has added a quartet of new vehicles to its fleet. A pair of Honda Civic Hybrids are joined by a pair of smart fortwo diesels, which will be used for parking enforcement purposes in lieu of larger cars that drink more fuel and are more difficult to maneuver and park in the urban environment. The Toronto Police Services' smarts, as seen above, may well be the least intimidating police-liveried vehicles...ever. And that includes the Cushman golf carts NYPD uses (or used) in some situations.

[Red_fortwo]

Originally Posted by SMART

In a pilot program to reduce its environmental (and physical) footprint on the streets of Toronto, the city's police department has added a quartet of new vehicles to its fleet. A pair of Honda Civic Hybrids are joined by a pair of smart fortwo diesels, which will be used for parking enforcement purposes in lieu of larger cars that drink more fuel and are more difficult to maneuver and park in the urban environment. The Toronto Police Services' smarts, as seen above, may well be the least intimidating police-liveried vehicles...ever. And that includes the Cushman golf carts NYPD uses (or used) in some situations.

What? No lights on top? I want a full bevy of blue flashing lights. The article calls them the least intimidating police vehicles, and since they are diesel 450s, I would have to agree. On the other hand, they are targeting parked cars, so they are a little closer matched than one would think

[marck]

I saw fourfours used as police cars in Europe.

I guess if a fourtwo is used, the perp simply has to run along behind.

[bull8042]

Originally Posted by SMART

At 6-foot-4, things get a bit squishy for parking officer Otimoi Oyemu in his division's new Smart car.

His knees protrude eight centimetres above the bottom of the steering wheel. He can easily place one hand on the windshield and the other on the back window. And to reach the police radio, Oyemu has to twist his chest into the passenger seat to get around his own leg.

Despite the tight squeeze, Oyemu says he enjoys zipping around town in the Smart cars

Does anyone else think this account is a bit EXAGGERATED?!?! I mean, JEEZ! I am 6' 5-1/2", 250lbs and I don't have to reach around my leg for anything except to tie my shoes and wipe my.... (which I don't do in my car, enough said)! This dude must have limbs like ET if his legs are that much in the way!!

[JPaul]

Your question raises the oh-so-prevalent and so much relevant issue of the differences of internal dimensions between the 450 and the 451. Anyone's experience? Besides the one at hand.

[jwight]

Since they're using this for parking enforcement (no high speed chase scenario ), why didn't they just go with Neighborhood Electric Vehicles?

[xcrew229x]

Depends on if the Parking Enforcement Officer is regular police, or a seperate non-sworn division like Dayton's. The electric car wouldn't cut it for a regular officer in an emergency.

[bsnyder100]

Originally Posted by bull8042

Does anyone else think this account is a bit EXAGGERATED?!?! I mean, JEEZ! I am 6' 5-1/2", 250lbs and I don't have to reach around my leg for anything except to tie my shoes and wipe my.... (which I don't do in my car, enough said)! This dude must have limbs like ET if his legs are that much in the way!!

I totally agree. I was thinking about the guy we had come into the showroom who was 6-9 and actually fit quite well into the car. I think this is drastically overstated. And if you want to prove me wrong I will need pictures. In most respects the smart has a larger cabin than many of todays SUVs.

[WickedMessenger]

I have to add my voice to the chorus. I'm 6'4" and feel like I have all the room in the world in my smart. It seems like the media and auto reviewers are tripping all over themselves to say negative things about the smart. Finally a small, fuel efficient car comes along and is a magnificent success in sales and the press backlash is bewilderingly negative. If I were a conspiracy theorist I would suspect the Big (literally) Three of trying to keep Americans in love with their gas guzzling, planet suffocating monster trucks. They didn't bash the Mini Cooper like this and it has considerably less interior room. The difference: it gets terrible mileage and does not pose an efficiency advantage over other vehicles. If you read the forum it is entirely apparent that smart owners are in love with their cars, even the many who have had warranty claims. If you went by the reviews you wouldn't guess that anybody could stand to drive the thing.