Letters to the Editor
MacK..
Published Letters: 477 Editor's Choice: 49
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Review misses the point on domestic fleets
[Read the article: The Smart car is coming]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]There are two types of smart owners in Europe. People who live in crowded city centers where parking is a pain, like Rome, Milan, Paris, etc. and commuters, and other who live in the suburbs and use it to run into the city, do local errands, etc.
In any event many people who own a smart car have a second car, often a big SUV, or a Ferrari, or just a large 4-door saloon or station wagon. They are making the sensible judgment that as a household, for most occasions driving a 2-seater runabout that is cheap to use, easy on fuel, easy to park and cheap to insure is good, and the big car makes up for other occasions.
I would in fact suggest that the ideal household to buy a smart is one that also has a hulking SUV -- that way they are covered, but would cut their gas mileage a lot.
As for the point about keeping the old car . . . can a person drive two cars at one. Of course keep the old spacious 4-7 seat car, but get a Smart for those trips where it is just 1 or 2 people and little luggage, which is about 80-90% for most people.
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A comment on some points made
[Read the article: The Smart car is coming]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]How does it go in the snow? The Smart was originally designed in Switzerland – where snow in large quantities exists (you are in Australia where it is rare).
Gas mileage – actually the Prius is not as good as the Smart overall, especially when you take the energy involved in making the battery system into account
Parking – the fact that you can park perpendicular to the kerb is great – BUT parking regulations need to allow it, and there is the problem of some schmuck in an SUV ramming the side of the car the way they crush bumpers.
Speed in the US is less of an issue than in Europe – in the US there is a 55 mph 65 mph speed limit. In France, Spain and Italy the effective limit is about 90 mph plus. You do not see smart cars on the Autoroute/Autostrada/Autobahn often, because they are sufficiently slow as to be hair-raising to drive when cars are zooming past you with 30-40mph on you – and when you see them you close on the car as if they are standing still.
It is a good car for people who own a second or are prepared to rent one when they need something bigger or faster for a long drive.
Finally, get T-Boned in the Smart and you would probably be fine. Euro NCAP is much tougher than the US and the low inertia would mean that the Smart has more recoil from the impact than a heavier car.
One question -- why is the Smart Diesel not being listed?
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T Boone Chickenhawk
[Read the article: Pickens weasels out on Swift Boat challenge]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Born 1928 that made T Boone 21 when the Korean War broke out -- why did he not "serve"
Yes, like many a loadmout rightwing wingnut, T Boone is making up and supporting lies about Kerry's military career, and posturing as a swaggering Texan tough-guy, but it turns out that when his grandkids ask "what did you do in the war" he was being a Frat Boy at Oklahoma A&M. In 1951, after graduation at the height of the Korean war he did not have "other responsibilities" because he was in fact UNEMPLOYED.
So T Boone Chicken . . . maybe Karry should add another point -- prove you are not, indeed a hypocrite and a chickenhawk.
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Euthenasia is an option
[Read the article: Should we euthanize the Yorkie?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]But you should try a few others first.
Frankly Mr. Tennis' advice was, well, not advice, it was introspective maundering.
First, you need to take what steps you can to ameliorate the situation. Start, if you can by arranging a dog walker. Dogs need to be walked, their digestive system does not work properly without the movement of their torso that results from walking. Walking makes them, well, crap -- and this means that having crapped on their walk, they do not not have it to produce indoors.
Second, get a supply of dog treats and also proper dog food for the dog in question. Most dog treats can be cut into smaller pieces - so if she wants to give the dog a treat, the amount is self limiting and there is probably less of a problem. With respect to the dog food, at least for the dried stuff my parents feed their 16 year old labrador (who also begs, but with a deafening bark (he is as deaf as a post)) as my Father says, the stuff is self limiting because it seems to be healthy but unappetizing, imagine a lab leaving food behind!
Some effort needs to be made to confine the dog to hard floor areas -- this is not as bad as it seems since you may want to expand such areas as carpet is a trip hazard. You also need to find some way to get a cleaner in . . . the burden on your grandfather is getting out of hand. That said, a cleaner that will deal with dog shit on a regular basis may be tough to find.
Assuming you have tried these things and they are not working, ignore Mr. Tennis and all those who rant at you and consider the Euthenasia option seriously. By the way, 12 is not old for a Yorkie -- they can get to 20-21; 12 is old for a lab, 16 is ancient.