Re: Interesting toad..


"GBinNC" <GBinNC@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:da7gb2lqo7cc78v3te5p3ukmpn60qr0mnf@xxxxxxxxxx
On Fri, 14 Jul 2006 15:17:45 -0700, "Technobarbarian"
<Technobarbarian-ztopzpam@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Hmmm. One of those, in an enclosed trailer, towed behind a new 22'
Sprinter (hybrid diesel) Class B, on a long trip out west.

Plus, you could charge it while you were hauling it, and it'd always be
ready to go.

As long as you don't do much "going". The little guy has a maximum
range of 30 miles under ideal conditions--at an electronically limited
maximum of 25 miles per hour. A vehicle that can't go anywhere seems kinda
pointless. They are darn cute though.

I guess I didn't spend enough time reading about them.

I assumed (yeah, I know <g>) they were "roadworthy." 25 mph ain't
roadworthy, to me. In fact, it's downright hazardous.

Oh, well.

Yeah, I figured there had to be a catch. Here in the sunny Southwest I
see a lot of them parked or being used like golf carts, but rarely on the
roads. The ones that are actually moving around are either on dealer lots or
around the university, where they make sense. I'm craizoid enough to have
driven a lot of stuff on the roads, from small Honda motorcycles to some
pretty nice motorcycles, street sweepers, backhoes and even forklifts on
lightly used roads on occasion. I wouldn't want to drive a Gem on any of the
35 mph (read 44 mph past any motorcycle cop on all but the slowest days)
roads around here with any regularity. By the time you add everything up, if
you used it as a toad, the few miles you could drive the thing would be very
expensive miles. For me this one ain't quite there yet. An eight hour charge
for about an hour's worth of driving? No wonder I mostly see them parked.

The mini-transportation fad around here right now is motorizing heavy
bicycles.
http://www.tucsonweekly.com/gbase/currents/Content?oid=oid:80052
http://www.azstarnet.com/news/137682.php

I think I'll probably take a pass on that one too. We were starting to
get all sorts of mini-motorcycles and little scooters on the city streets
until the city took care of that one. There's a good chance that they'll put
an end to this one too.

TB


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