In Washington D.C., Mayor Fenty has chosen to lead by example (and join the ranks of our environmentally-conscious celebrities) with his recent purchase of the Smart Car. This clever little cab gets between 33 and 45 miles per gallon and has increased in popularity among a wide range of consumers all forced to deal with astronomical gas prices.
Unlike Mayor Fenty, you and I will not have the option to adorn our Smart Car with a siren and flashing lights. Such are the privileges that come with a powerful position.
The 6 ft tall mayor initially had a difficult time getting into the car and needed help from a fellow city person to figure out the basics: "I don't even know where you start this darn thing, where do you start it, Dan?"
As he cruised down Pennsylvania Avenue, the mayor drew plenty of attention. Some people shouted, made fun of the tiny car, but Fenty insisted, "People like it...they like our car."
As sales of the Smart Car increase, so do concerns about the car's safety. Surprising to many, the car did well in recent safety tests. It received a good rating for frontal and side impact crash tests, and an acceptable rating for rear crash protection.
Though it's not a car you'd want to frequently take on the freeway, it just might be the "smartest" choice for city drivers.
I guess with the stand-still traffic and congestion in New York, the smart car is a good bet. I would have expected the Mayor of a major American City to buy something AMERICAN MADE in order to promote buying American and keeping the money on American soil to boost our economy. At least he's trying to reduce his dependence on oil.
Posted by: ckroll98 | June 18, 2008 at 11:11 AM
I live in South Carolina and I've seen at least two or three smart cars on the road here. A few years ago I saw one in a picture and I laughed, today i'm thinking, I want one!
Posted by: Ginny | June 20, 2008 at 12:33 PM