Victoria Car Share Co-op Board of Directors

Look how happy and summery we are!

Not so smart car

The Victoria Car Share Co-op has a new Smart Car. I've always thought these cars were kind of silly because they do not fulfill my vehicle needs, such as moving medium to large objects, transporting more than two people and/or enabling a road trip (this last one is debatable, but I know I wouldn't feel safe traveling at high speeds in such a little thing).

Still, Michael and I were excited to try one out, as were my folks, so we made a special trip to Dockside Green (where the car is parked) while they were in town. We took turns driving around the block.

I still think Smart Cars are silly, even though they're more spacious than they appear. In addition to confirming the concerns listed above, I discovered one more quibble during the test drive: the pseudo-manual nature of the car. You have to shift this car into different gears, even though there is no clutch.

Billy Brown (Vincent Gallo in Buffalo 66) and I are on the same page when it comes to manual cars. We only drive cars that shift themselves.

Too much transportation?

Last week I had the opportunity to attend the opening reception of the 3rd Gaining Ground Sustainable Urban Development Summit. I was invited through the Victoria Car Share Co-op, where I'm a board member. While there, I was interviewed with a fellow board member. The interview was shown to the conference delegates, including some local movers and shakers. Do you think I sold them on the car co-op?

No, that's not how I spell my name.

Also, what do you think of the new car co-op website?