451/California/Car Pool Lanes

[LorbeerTLC 0]

Hey, this question is for all you Californians...Has anyone heard if the new 451 will be exempt (like the Toyota Prius), in-so-far as requiring two to ride in the Car Pool Lane?The official DOT fuel mileage isn't out yet, but if the emissions are low and the fuel mileage is high, I didn't know if this would qualify it as a candidate for exemption. Has anyone heard any rumors about this? -Tom L.

[runner33 0]

I don't think the 451 will have the option to drive single on the HOV lanes. Maybe I'm wrong. I'm currently in the market of buying a hybrid vehicle and was hoping to get the HOV incentive but they no longer offer any besides the hybrid tax credit for any hybrids such as the Prius and Civic. It would be great if they did offer some kind of HOV incentive for the 451's.

[LorbeerTLC 0]

I don't think the 451 will have the option to drive single on the HOV lanes. Maybe I'm wrong. I'm currently in the market of buying a hybrid vehicle and was hoping to get the HOV incentive but they no longer offer any besides the hybrid tax credit for any hybrids such as the Prius and Civic. It would be great if they did offer some kind of HOV incentive for the 451's.

I sent an e-mail with the same question to the California Air Resource Board. They probably won't be able to give me an answer until they know what the official fuel mileage is. I think they'll probably say, "No", because it's not a hybrid vehicle, but I thought I'd ask anyways due to its high fuel mileage.I use to live in Riverside/San Bernardino so I know what a mess the traffic can be (especially in the Orange County/LA area).-Tom L.

[Schmimbo 0]

I really wish this would happen. But I think this is a dream on deal.California is so green aware it would have all the Prius people up in arms because were not a "HYRBRID".Unless Arnold gets a smart and becomes a fan of smarts. Funny thing is I think the smarts will far sell morethan the Prius within 2 years here in California. Ill be happy to sit in traffic with my new 451 at 40 to 60 mpg rather than my 12 to 14 mpg truck.Dream on. California wont have it. Id be shocked if they did.

[PassionforPassionCT 0]

They should also consider the size of the vehicle, not just its drivetrain. Personally think it makes just as much sense to include it for the fact that it is so small, and the mileage it gets is not that far behind that of a hybrid.

[runner33 0]

They should also consider the size of the vehicle, not just its drivetrain. Personally think it makes just as much sense to include it for the fact that it is so small, and the mileage it gets is not that far behind that of a hybrid.

Below is what Andy Rooney from 60 minutes said a while back on the Smart car regarding size.

We own 140 million cars in this country. The average car is 16 feet long, so bumper-to-bumper, our cars would stretch for 4 million miles.The other day, Daimler/Chrysler loaned me one of their Smart cars to drive around New York. It's half as long as a normal car -- 8 feet and a couple of inches. If all our cars were that long or short, lines of traffic would be half what they are.

HERE is the related URL.

[PassionforPassionCT 0]

I wonder if he will still say nice things about them, even thought they will sell them in the US

[leejor 3]

Well the traffic lines wouldn't be half as long as you'd have to consider the space you are supposed to leave between you and the car in front should be the same. So at 60 km/h (40 mph) if you left 4 car lengths (and that's a "standard" car length) between you and the car in front, 4 X 16ft plus your car +16 ft equals 80 ft, so 80ft minus 8 feet (half of your current car) is 72 feet from your rear bumper to the rear bumper of the car ahead of you, only a 10 percent change, and that's at a slower speed (probably freeway speed at rush hour). Now of course EVERYBODY (sarcasm doesn't translate well to print) leaves a car length for every 16 km/h (10 mph) of speed so this isn't really accurate, but the difference would not be a 50% increase in the number of cars in the same length of roadway.

[Sean 0]

I've been driving my 450 in the carpool lanes in both LA and San Francisco since January and have yet to be pulled over. On numerous occasions, I've either been following or been followed by a cop in the carpool lane without them even flinching. I budget monthly for tickets and am prepared to pay should I get pulled over.I have a feeling that will all change when the 451's hit the streets and make the Smart an everyday thing!

[Duck 16]

I budget monthly for tickets...

That is awesome. Do you guys not have demerit points there or something? -Iain

[Sean 0]

I budget monthly for tickets...

That is awesome. Do you guys not have demerit points there or something? -Iain

We do however there is also the option of traffic school which will basically wipe a ticket and all points from your record. You are only supposed to be able to take traffic school once every 18 months however I have never had a judge deny me the option in the last 7 years, the catch there being that you have to schedule a court date, take time off work, etc. If you haven't taken traffic school in the last 18 months, you can actually do it all online. Traffic school puts $$$ in the courts and like everything else in the US, they seem to be very $$$ driven.I also use a good radar detector (Escort 9500i), active laser jamming (Blinder X-Treme) and 11-99 Foundation membership to minimize the risks.

[passionateaboutRUBY 0]

We do however there is also the option of traffic school ....I also use a good radar detector (Escort 9500i), active laser jamming (Blinder X-Treme) and 11-99 Foundation membership to minimize the risks.

Traffic School!! Excellente! Wish we had that option!Our HOV (carpool) lanes are just catching on (currently on both directions of two fwy stretches in Toronto area, coming to another stretch soon. However it's been made very clear there must be 2 live persons; no exceptions for hybrids, motorcycles, smarts etc.Oh, if you visit, leave the radar detector at home. Cops here like to drive over them with a steam-roller. Leave your gun too, not allowed in the car here. Digital waves are still allowed

[danno 0]

11-99 Foundation membership to minimize the risks.

wuzzat???

[LorbeerTLC 0]

11-99 Foundation membership to minimize the risks.

wuzzat???

Danno,You're gonna love this... I just did a Google Search and came up with:http://zo-d.com/stuff/automotive/1199-foun...corruption.html

[danno 0]

Ah, now I understand. Is there a black market on just the plate frames? $1800 is pretty steep, but I guess it depends on your propensity for gathering tickets and the money does go to a good cause, however immoral the member's (and issuers?) intent may be.

[LorbeerTLC 0]

Why do you think it's called:"The Golden State"

[Sean 0]

We do however there is also the option of traffic school ....I also use a good radar detector (Escort 9500i), active laser jamming (Blinder X-Treme) and 11-99 Foundation membership to minimize the risks.

Traffic School!! Excellente! Wish we had that option!Our HOV (carpool) lanes are just catching on (currently on both directions of two fwy stretches in Toronto area, coming to another stretch soon. However it's been made very clear there must be 2 live persons; no exceptions for hybrids, motorcycles, smarts etc.Oh, if you visit, leave the radar detector at home. Cops here like to drive over them with a steam-roller. Leave your gun too, not allowed in the car here. Digital waves are still allowed

I've got my detector hard wired into the car, mounted just beside the rear view mirror, it's pretty well out of site but not quiet enough to prevent it from being taken.My next project will be to install a permanent system (Calibre K40) that has sensors mounted front and back with only a couple LED's visible for display.I wish more cities used HOV lanes, I think it would help traffic considerably in a lot of places and actually give people a benefit to car pooling. I spend a lot of time in Alberta where fortunately radar detectors are legal.

[Sean 0]

Ah, now I understand. Is there a black market on just the plate frames? $1800 is pretty steep, but I guess it depends on your propensity for gathering tickets and the money does go to a good cause, however immoral the member's (and issuers?) intent may be.

You can find them online from time to time, a few of my friends have also had them stolen. I've got a good set of security screws holding mine on that will only come off when using a special screw bit.I'm certain it's saved me well over $1800 in fines.