May 31, 2008 -
Ask Dub Schwartz!
Dear Dub,
I know you're not crazy about the smart, but the crash test results are out and it scored very well. I know that you think because it's so small that it's automatically unsafe and you'd be the loser in an encounter with an 18 wheeler.
But in the event of an accident, it’s also important to consider the effects of weight, design, and the effects of kinetic energy. At just over 1,800 pounds and with it’s Tridion safety cell, the smart may very well bounce off the front of that 18 wheeler rather than crushing as many 5,000+ pound vehicles with less structural integrity might do.
So, for safety, give me a smart.
Isaac
Well Isaac, for being named after Newton you seem a bit confused about physics.
Assuming your smart actually did bounce off the front of the truck, all the energy of the crash would be transferred to the occupants of the vehicle. So it's important to remember that those crash test ratings are simply relative within the group that a vehicle fits into. A 5-star rating for a smart doesn't make you safer than a 4-star rating in a larger vehicle.
But hey, at least you'll go out with your smart "boots on".
Here lies Isaac
He thought it would bounce
So we made up this stone
His death to pronounce
