Green mini-car to beat congestion (BBC)

[eppur_se_muova]

By Jonathan Fildes
BBC News science and technology reporter



A tiny, three-wheeled car that could help solve city congestion has been demonstrated at the University of Bath.

The prototype Clever (Compact Low Emission Vehicle for Urban Transport) car is one metre wide and less polluting than normal vehicles.
***
"The only solutions at the moment are motorbikes or cars" said Ben Drew, a research officer at the University of Bath, one of the institutions involved in the project.

"The idea is to try to marry the small size and efficiency of a motorcycle with the comfort and safety of a standard car," he said.
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more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4930794.stm

[benburch]

1. Until we ban SUVs, these will be suicide on American streets!

No SUV driver would either see these, or care about we "tree huggers" who would drive them. Running these down would become "sport".

[One_Life_To_Give]

2. Increase the Drivers Licence Standards

Why don't we just give everyone the same exam as the Commercial?

Besides I would like to see some of the Escalade drivers put their vehicals thru the cones during the practicle.

[htuttle]

3. SUVs are going to ban themselves soon

Who can keep driving an SUV with the price of gas above $4/gallon?

[freethought]

4. Actually it looks like fun!!

Previous posters make some good points. I'm not sure I would feel too safe with psychotic SUV drivers all over the place. And as a New Englander, I might be a little worried on how a vehicle like that could handle snow on the road.

Still, I would have to admit, it looks like it could be fun to drive.

[phantom power]

5. I've seen my share of SUVs spun off the road on snowy roads.

Near as I can tell, it's more about how you drive than what you drive. Many people seem to think that owning an SUV exempts them from the basic physics of inertia and friction.

[eppur_se_muova]

6. "exempts them from ... basic physics" Too true!

SUV's actually have a higher center of gravity and less tire contact area per unit weight than standard vehicles, so they are MORE prone to lose control in a skid or sudden stop, as well as being more prone to rollovers. When I moved to WV I saw two SUV's off the side of the road (the side going downhill, natch) on one short stretch of road on the way to/from work but never saw any other accidents.

[Dead_Parrot]

7. Messrs Darwin and Newton step up to the mike...

...with a special message.



Not that they're listening. Long words like "deceleration" and "adaptability" tend to confuse SUV drivers.

[One_Life_To_Give]

8. They forget 4 Wheel Brakes

have been standard equipment for close to 100 years.