Smart in bumper to bumper traffic?

[RyanWPowers]

Having read through most of the threads on the transmission and on the "hill assist", I'm beginning to be a little worried about how the Smart car deals with bumper to bumper traffic on a daily basis. Is there anybody out there with one who sits in bumper to bumper for 45+ minutes at a time every day?

How's it holding up?

Ryan

[JPaul]

Ryan,
This post probably doesn't answer your question specifically, but tells about the car's behavior in stop-n-go situation.
Posted by Archie 02-14-2008, 07:00 AM in Forums>Smart Car Community>Smart Car FAQ's>Engine heating the car? entry #20

«Archie, Location: Katy, TX
Non-issue. The cars used for the road show were test driven/idled for 8 hours at a time (in temps up to 110+, in Phoenix/Chandler, AZ, for example). Day after day, city after city. The carpeting gets warm and that's it. A/C is more than up to the task.»

So, if those "demos" sustained our abuse day after day, apparently without problems, maybe some aspects of your worries are somewhat quenched?

[stevenvillatoro]

My smart is doing just great with long SoCal commutes. I heard the same reassuring comment about reliability from the road show crew.

[SmartPassion]

Other than other drivers gawking at you, no issues with bumper-to-bumper traffic in LA.

[JPaul]

Originally Posted by stevenvillatoro

I heard the same reassuring comment about reliability from the road show crew.

Archie was (still is?) the road show truck driver... and media relation man.

[kmeinhold]

In bumper to bumper traffic you will immensely appreciate the automated manual transmission (over a full manual), but still not quite as convenient as an automatic in that situation.

I found putting the car in neutral more comfortable than holding the brake as you must hold it rather hard to keep the transmission from engaging.

[eqwalker]

My gosh, 45+ minutes in stop & go traffic? You do that every day?? I believe I would move. Sometimes I'm in stop & go traffic for about 15 minutes. That's about all I could take without trying to find an alternate route, which is what I have done in the past to find my current route to, and from, work. Anyway, back to the subject, in my light stop & go traffic, the tranny has been just fine for me so far.

[LinuxGuy]

The US version of the smart is nothing like the cars we drove from the tour. The car does not roll backwards when you release the brake, and does not take off like a gokart over-coming the clutch. So, it not really any different than any other "Automatic" car in stop and go traffic in that as you release the brake the car starts moving. For prolonged stops, I would put the car in neutral.

[spdickey]

Biggest problem is the car is not thin enough to get in between the cars. I sometimes pull up on the hand brake when crawling. It shuts off the creep function (which can be too fast in LA Freeway traffic) and keeps my left foot happy.

[stevenvillatoro]

Originally Posted by spdickey

Biggest problem is the car is not thin enough to get in between the cars.

If I could wish for any superpower for my smart, it would be to fly over traffic.