In another post on our 2008 Smart Fortwo I mentioned a theory I had about how Smart Car owners were avoiding the freeway since I had never seen one on our SoCal highways before, well, other than our own. But not only did I finally drive alongside and pass one going 50 mph in the No. 2 lane on the 10 East last weekend (sorry for the blurry photo above) but last night there was a police chase in L.A. involving a Smart.
You have to see it to believe it. Speeds were quoted as "often reaching 90 mph." The Smart's top speed is 93 mph. Were they able to catch him? Well, the cops only stopped chasing the driver when they confirmed his home address on the license and registration he had left behind when he was pulled over for speeding earlier. What a maroon.
And I swear it wasn't our Smart. The felonious Smart is blue.
Caroline Pardilla, Deputy Managing Editor
felonious says:
03:07 PM, 01/13/09
"The felonious Smart is blue."
Lies, all lies! I don't even own a Smart. :)
daskiing1 says:
04:10 PM, 01/13/09
that video is hysterical of the smart car outrunning the p71 crown vic. does the CHP really have to back off? what ever happened to the pit maneuvers?
carfreak8394 says:
04:15 PM, 01/13/09
"what ever happened to the pit maneuvers?"
lolol! The smart would flip! ha ha ha.
ddoouugg says:
05:37 PM, 01/13/09
maroon?
pengwin says:
06:08 PM, 01/13/09
A PIT maneuver would result in a very badly smashed up smart car. too short of a wheel base, it would've been funny as hell though.
edubya says:
06:08 PM, 01/13/09
"maroon?"
Think Bugs Bunny.
altimadude00 says:
06:42 PM, 01/13/09
At least the criminal was being environmentally conscious. Better than OJ in his gas-hog Bronco. How much money can you put in a Smart anyway? 3 bucks?
stovt001 says:
09:04 PM, 01/13/09
If I recall correctly the body panels on the Smart are interchangeable, so who is to say the Edmunds LT Smart didn't get a "makeover" before engaging in shenanigans. I think I'll head out to Santa Monica for a citizen's arrest...
pat1usmc says:
04:57 AM, 01/14/09
When calling someone a moron, make sure you spell it correctly, or...well...you know. Yet another typo this morning on Edmunds.
Interesting story. It was probably a pretty excited chase though, even if it was at slow speed. I'd be waiting for the car to go airborne like a race boat or just topple over on a fast turn.
altimadude00 says:
05:41 AM, 01/14/09
Thuffer'in Thuchatash! Some people must have forgotten their childhood. Sheesh!
TheChameleon says:
07:40 AM, 01/14/09
heh, now look who's the moron pat...
Can you post a fuel economy update, I went through the Smart's posts and the last one I saw was in October. :)
bimmerjay says:
08:12 AM, 01/14/09
Hahaha, pat1usmc has apparently never seen Looney Tunes. :-)
The pit maneuver is actually extremely difficult if not almost impossible to perform successfully on cars with dynamic stability control. As soon as the cop starts to nudge the offending vehicle, the system throws up its countermeasures to prevent it from rotating.
pat1usmc says:
09:20 AM, 01/14/09
Nope, I guess I didn't get the joke. If thats what it is. I'm more than fine with being the moron today.
SnakeDoctor says:
10:36 AM, 01/14/09
bimmerjay -
It is my understanding that the PIT maneuver (pursuit intervention technique) will be successful on any vehicle without regard to stability control or drive wheels. Stability control will not overcome a strong external lateral force. Proper procedure calls for it to be attempted only at low vehicle speeds, and it will not be successful if the mass of the target vehicle greatly exceeds that of the ramming vehicle.
texases says:
11:03 AM, 01/14/09
Here you go, Pat:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8gsaDdqGzA
festiboi1 says:
11:35 AM, 01/14/09
According to the news report, the Smart reached 100mph. That's pretty impressive for a three-cylinder car and has earned the Smart a few redeeming points in my book. It was actually funny how a single Smart car can create so much mayhem on LA's freeways
In this case, it is better than a Subaru Justy, as mine can only top out at 87mph.
SadButTrue says:
11:49 AM, 01/14/09
@festiboi1,
Read Caroline's second paragraph again. Smart is electronically limited to an indicated 93 -- trust me.
-Sadlier
bimmerjay says:
01:54 PM, 01/14/09
SnakeDoc-
Please see this publication from the ASME Dynamic Systems and Control Conference (page 7-8).
http://jianbolu.tripod.com/paper/DSCC2008-2183.pdf
In the section on ESC and the PIT maneuver, it essentially states that with the system active and an aware/skilled driver, it is very difficult using the conventional PIT methods to cause the suspect's vehicle to lose control. To be successful with ESC active it would require a substantially more "severe" version of the PIT, which the article cautions is likely to also cause a complete loss of control by both vehicles involved in the maneuver.
stingray454 says:
02:08 PM, 01/14/09
Considering the "Smart" is an oxymoron, it's only fitting a moron was driving it.
SnakeDoctor says:
04:44 PM, 01/14/09
bimmerjay-
Thanks for the info. So it is true - ESC will have a mitigating effect on PIT. A bump without follow-thru may fail, but when PIT is properly applied, the ramming vehicle will continue to rotate the target vehicle to the point where ESC cannot correct to the intended vector. That was an informative and relevant journal article.
estreka says:
12:41 AM, 01/18/09
The picture isn't blurry. That's just what a ForTwo looks like in warp overdrive.