Gas $4/gallon and Smartcars

With gas prices bitting at $4 a gallon in northern Virginia people are looking at ways to reduce their gas bill. Ridership on the Metro subway system is up over 12% since the beginning of the year and over 17% in the last fourteen months. Metro is expecting an additional increase of 15% if gas goes and stays much beyond $4.10.

Others are parking their big SUVs and driving smaller cars. Hybrids are being sold as fast as they come onto the lot. One of the vehicles catching a great deal of attention is the Smartcar that is out of France.

Already, seeing this vehicle on the streets is no longer a curiousity. This small car gets about 40 mpg, which though better than the 24 mpg I get on the Taurus, it is not as high as I would think such a small car should get. The Smartcar, which starts at $12,000, now has a year's waiting list. It is an option for many families as second a local run around town vehicle. I am not sure I am ready to pay $99 to put my name on a waiting list.