Two things you shouldn't do in a Smart car
1) Pick your nose
2) Park too close to the curb end of a parking space
I don't actually go around picking my nose in my car. But it occurred to me today, after the second person in less than 5 minutes hung their head out the window of their SUV and gave me a thumbs up as they passed me in mine, that I'm being watched.
A guy at PCC and his wife actually got OUT of their own car and snapped a photo on his camera phone of me and Bobbin getting out of the smart car. I know from the angle at which he was standing that Bobbin and I are in the picture.
Complete strangers stalk me from the parking lot into the grocery store or coffee shop and approach me thinking that they've maintained their stealthy cover by walking down a separate aisle, asking me how I like my car, where did I get it and where is it made. And "Is it electric?" which is the by far number one question I get about the car.
People standing at bus stops do double-takes as I drive by. People on the other side of the street stop, point, and shout to their friends.
And the car is covered in hand prints that I know are not my own or Bobbin's because they're on places I don't usually touch - the front, the top sides, the little rear window.
And so, I realized, that stuff that would have gone unnoticed before while I drove my audi is going to be front page news when I drive the Smart Car.
As for the parking tip. Twice now I've come out of a store into the parking lot to see someone turning into my space, slam on the brakes just before the rear end me, and back out and drive off. It's true that if you're not paying attention, like most people these days - talking on their cell phones, sipping their starbucks, reaching back to swat at their kids' legs - you might not realize that my car is in the space until it's too late. So I've taken to parking my car a little closer to the outside end of a parking space just to be on the safe side.
Even with these two minor learnings, I'm still loving the car! It can't take hills like the Audi can, but it's got its own pep and now that I know just how gradual I need to apply the accelerator (the claim is "0 to 60 in 12 seconds" but it's a little longer than that :-)) I'm not jerking forward with each automatic shift.
Into the second week, and it's still a great car! Just not quite as shiny where people have been putting their dirty paws all over it to check it out.
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