Really?

oldmattb wrote:
I thought the whole idea of the car was to be able to perpendicular park on urban streets. I was surprised that they are not commonly used that way, and they get worse mileage than my four-door, huge trunk, safe at 80 MPH Toyota Echo.

Matt B

Nose-in parking at the curb is the reason for the popularity of these mini-cars in large European cities, where it is either permitted, or where parking is poorly enforced (like Rome, where Smart cars often end up in spaces designated for motor scooters). Some countries simply don't allow this parking trick anywhere, and in other places, like U.S., it is up to local governments to decide what to allow.