How fast is your smart.... in REVERSE?

[Sylvan]

Ok, I'll do it. Trams ruoy si tsaf woh.

Hey, it's in reverse....

[parnami]

Originally Posted by gimhoff

Seriously, though, do you think that the chase scene in the movie was the reason for putting such a low speed limit on reverse? Or did earlier models have the same limit?

NO! I think the reason for the speed gov. is to prevent you from killing yourself! With all the weight in the rear, and almost zero overhang, backing up and hitting just a slightly subtantial curb or pothole at any real speed, verly likely, could send the front of the car straight up into the air, and possibly all the way over onto your roof. It's not something I think anyone really would want to do!

[Smart Enuf]

This brings up a good question. Does anyone know if the hill assist works if your car is facing downhill? I'm thinking of a situation in which I'm parallel parked between two cars and facing downhill. If I need to reverse to get out of the space, will the hill assist prevent me from creeping downhill while the transmission shifts from parking to reverse? I suppose one could use the brake, but isn't this one of the cases a hill assist is supposed to assist with in the first place?

[SuperGeek]

Originally Posted by parnami

NO! I think the reason for the speed gov. is to prevent you from killing yourself! With all the weight in the rear, and almost zero overhang, backing up and hitting just a slightly subtantial curb or pothole at any real speed, verly likely, could send the front of the car straight up into the air, and possibly all the way over onto your roof. It's not something I think anyone really would want to do!

You mean like this?




http://img.metro.co.uk/i/pix/2007/03/smart_450x359.jpg

Article:
Not so Smart | Metro.co.uk

[parnami]

LOL..yep...exactly! Funny to look at, not to experience, I suspect!

[yick yack]

YouTube - Da vinci code smart car chase

is that the backward scene you were talking about? i'm thinking of trying it when i get mine =]

[JPaul]

Must be it!
Better to say "scenes", since it looks like a composite of various cuts. Great! Thanks for posting.

[SubSlr88]

Originally Posted by Docthrock

Looks like there's a speed and shift limit to 10 mph in reverse. Try as I might, I just couldn't "fly" backwards.

My Dad, in 1949 - in his brand new 1949 Ford 4-door with the amazing NEW overdrive - reversing at about 30 mph trying to see if it would go into overdrive. . . I don't think he ever got it to do it in spite of trying about a dozen times. . . LOL - funny now that I think back.

[rollingtones]

Originally Posted by WickedMessenger

My smart is rather glitchy in reverse. I back in to my driveway and the first little bit from the curb cut to the sidewalk is rather steep. It almost gives up at some points, won't move, starts to move, I rev it higher it starts to go, seems to go in and out of gear (between reverse and neutral). Has anyone else had this problem? I suppose what I want to know is if this is a problem or just 'the way it is.' I don't have any problems (so far) in forward gears. I have all of 56 miles on the car so far so I'm not too impressed with problems this early.

The key is to be smooth and consistent with the gas pedal. Be firm but polite with it, let the machine know you are serious about backing up in a steady manner. This may mean you will be going slightly faster than you are used to but it only takes a couple of days to adjust. What you are experiencing is the Hill Start Assist function kicking in to try and help you. A detailed reading of your owner's manual will explain this system.

[timhood]

Originally Posted by Docthrock

Looks like there's a speed and shift limit to 10 mph in reverse. Try as I might, I just couldn't "fly" backwards.

I tried going backwards quickly in my veedub ('97 Golf) and it actually popped out of gear...or at least mostly. Made an unpleasant sound that suggested to me that this was not a good idea.