I'll be a little more critical and suggest that pulling out into the right lane without being absolutely sure of traffic may have been a contributing factor; although it seems the Suburban was obviously guilty of speeding and her own carelessness. That said, the Smart has pretty fair acceleration capabilities if one tromps on the gas pedal. Sorry to hear that you had the Smart scared out of you.
Totally understand why you traded; your choice. As a motorcycle and scooter rider I have for 40+ years driven like everyone is crazy and out to get me I also drive my "cages" the same way! It's worked for a very, very long time Only 1 accident and I was standing still ! Good luck to you in whatever you're driving now; just be safe and remember what it felt like when you thought it was "your turn"
This is true, I just traded my smart in, yesterday while driving to work, I was patiently waiting at the stop sign to hop on the merrit parkway here in orange ct, look to my left and do not see any cars in the right lane but, many in the left so I figure I have enough clearance to get up to speed and clear any faster oncoming traffic, well as I pull out into the lane I look in my rear view mirror and see a small lady in a red suburban switch rather rapidly from the left lane into my lane and all I can see is her clenching the steering wheel with her mouth wide open and bellows of smoke pour out of her wheel wells as she skids well over 80 mph to avoid me going maybe 40 mph, she came within a foot of ending my life and I was so shookin up from the event I decided to take the smart back, the thought of what could have happen to me if she had not hit her brakes or not seen me, it would have been most definitely a fatality, the smart was a fun car and I loved owning it, but in a country where we are still stuck on 6,000 lb SUV's and trucks bigger than most garages, I cannot justify having a car this small, I just didn’t feel safe anymore and I would rather spend the money on gas and feel safer
When I surf and see a shark (and that happening more often then I want to), I MIGHT get out of the water for a 15-20 minutes, but it would never cross my mind to sell my boards.
Guy just had a "near death" experience yesterday and he ALREADY traded his car.
He says that the Suburban just came within a foot of ending his life. MAYBE, JUST MAYBE if he would drive a bigger vehicle, he WOULD get hit and car WOULD caught on fire and he MIGHT die for real.
Maybe Smart just saved his life.
A common argument is the "if a semi hits you on the highway, you're dead." If a semi hits anyone at highway speeds, they're dead. Smarts are pretty safe with the reinforced cage and 4 airbags. I'd much rather take my chances in my smart than a little 2 door Hyundai accent, Suzuki Swift or Geo metro.
This is true, I just traded my smart in, yesterday while driving to work, I was patiently waiting at the stop sign to hop on the merrit parkway here in orange ct, look to my left and do not see any cars in the right lane but, many in the left so I figure I have enough clearance to get up to speed and clear any faster oncoming traffic, well as I pull out into the lane I look in my rear view mirror and see a small lady in a red suburban switch rather rapidly from the left lane into my lane and all I can see is her clenching the steering wheel with her mouth wide open and bellows of smoke pour out of her wheel wells as she skids well over 80 mph to avoid me going maybe 40 mph, she came within a foot of ending my life and I was so shookin up from the event I decided to take the smart back, the thought of what could have happen to me if she had not hit her brakes or not seen me, it would have been most definitely a fatality, the smart was a fun car and I loved owning it, but in a country where we are still stuck on 6,000 lb SUV's and trucks bigger than most garages, I cannot justify having a car this small, I just didn’t feel safe anymore and I would rather spend the money on gas and feel safer
The other day a lady was hit by a SUV, 6k lbs. Grant it, it was at 40mph. But, after that, she told MDCop, I would buy another one. It just made more of a believer out of her. I am not an EMT or Cop, so I don't see as many accidents, but from what I have read, I would of rather been in a smart then my kia. Yes, you are a ping pong ball, but at least you would live. SUV hits another car at 80, you might as well kiss it good bye. I think you fair better in a smart.
But as someone already responded. It's your choice. If you need more of a security blanket, IE bigger vehicle, then by all means, go for it. The smart is not for everyone. But from what I have seen so far from 3 different accidents, IE the head on with a KIA at 70MPH, and the guy lived. Well, I think I stay with my order and wait on my smart.
Good luck with your new car! Only thing that I think the smart would need is a faster engine to suit your freeway needs. IE get up to 80 real fast. But there are those idiots that are on phones, doing 80 in SUVs and decide to swap lanes cause they are not doing 90 to pass in a slow lane and rearend the SMART.
What be cool and perhaps on the safe side is having translucent panels that have a lights behind them so they 'light up' at night or during dark periods?
The yellow panels are or at least they are light enough in color. On a sunny day to can see your shadow through them. I was actually going to put some lighting behind my panels. However, it wasn't for the safety factor as mush as I just want every one to look at me. You know, instead of putting the LED lights up underneath the car
I did have a scare yesterday myself. I was sitting in my usual stop and kind of go traffic commute home when I looked up and almost screamed. In my rear view mirror I saw a giant Ford Excursion flying towards me. The man hit his breaks and literally stopped less than a foot from the back of my car. He wasn't even yakking on a cell so I don't know what he was doing. I turned around in my seat and shot him "the death look" from hell. At first I thought maybe he did that on purpose to try to intimidate me, but I think he just wasn't paying attention. After a few more minutes he got into another lane and went about his way. I do agree that the yellow is very easy to see, but if people aren't paying attention they aren't paying attention. My last car was bright red and everyone liked running into it.
But yeah. You could totally put lights behind the yellow panels.
my best advice for the situation is to always drive like those around you are drunk idiots. Look for ways to get out of the way of them if need be at all times. Knowing the limitations of your car is an important factor and knowing how traffic generally runs is also good. A bigger car wont make you that much safer in the same situation...unless its a car with more zip, so that you can speed up to traffic speeds faster.
I learned this from motorcycling and practice it every day now regardless of the vehicle I'm in.
By the way, I'm very happy with mine and I'm trying to figure out a way of keeping my orphan when my order comes in late 09
Last edited by bottlerocket; 10-09-2008 at 11:03 AM.
Thats a real shame that you let that scare you. Like others have said you would fare no better in any other small car. I feel safer in my smart than I would in something like a Rio or an Aveo.
I have learned on the merrit at those stop signs you just gotta gun it, redline any car I am in. The faster you get up to speed the safer. I am not sure why you were only doing 40 if you had just gotten on, the smart is faster than that.
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I also drive my "cages" the same way! It's worked for a very, very long time 
Only 1 accident and I was standing still ! Good luck to you in whatever you're driving now; just be safe and remember what it felt like when you thought it was "your turn" 
You know, instead of putting the LED lights up underneath the car
I turned around in my seat and shot him "the death look" from hell. 
At first I thought maybe he did that on purpose to try to intimidate me, but I think he just wasn't paying attention. 
After a few more minutes he got into another lane and went about his way. I do agree that the yellow is very easy to see, but if people aren't paying attention they aren't paying attention. My last car was bright red and everyone liked running into it. 
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