Robert Foster

To put it simply yes the clean air restrictions for our air standards are pretty high for particulates. They have suggested lowering them to the same standards that Europe now uses because it would be stricter on CO-2 but the environmental movement in the US would have a fit. That is why the US is starting to move towards Hybrids and EVs rather than diesels.
And like the poster asked earlier the old Mini cooper left these shores because of bumper crash standards. They sold them in Canada for years after they left here and people in the US would covertly cross the border and replace all of the ID plates on their old coopers and have them attached to newer ones. But they were not legally imported.

contango 

Are those laws nationwide, or specific to California? The reason I ask is I've seen so much smoke belching from trucks in eastern parts of the US it seems odd to be talking about how strict the emissions laws are.

Robert Foster

There are several states that ascribe to California air standards because they are about the strictest in the nation. They are not the majority however. We have special gas that is lower in sulfur and it naturally costs more. Most of our belching trucks have to use a different diesel when in these states as well but their standards are controlled by the Federal government as long as they are not registered in a State like California. Cars even have to be certified for California specially to be registered here. There has been a movement to phase out diesel busses and convert to natural gas. California even made the heavy construction industry get cleaner diesels but they sold all of that heavy equipment to China so it hasn’t made a big difference in world pollution.
How does California get away with it if there are federal standards? Because California had their air quality board first well before the Feds. If bio fuel becomes more available diesel in this country for passenger cars could see an increase but unless that happens we will more than likely not see that many diesels unless they come in a hybrid format.

wahoonc

Very few if any small diesels available in the US. AFAIK Volkswagen and possibly Audi are the only small diesels available, and they are at a premium, a base Jetta retails for ~$19k usd the diesel is $5k more. Otherwise you only get them in 3/4 ton trucks and larger.

Aaron

Newspaperguy

My car isn't quite as small as the ones in the original poster's article and video. I'm driving a 2001 Honda Civic with a low odometer reading. The fuel economy, however, is amazing. According to my calculations, I can get close to 40 miles to the U.S. gallon in highway driving. A car that efficient fits in well with my vision of car-light living, as well as with my concept of a frugal, responsible lifestyle.

SurlyLaika

how have you gotten away for so many years without registration and insurance? I rode around like that for about a year, always peering over my shoulder paranoid, avoiding driving at night when I can't see cops as well. Then one day coming home late from an old crappy travelling salesman job, I got bent over good by one of three cops in the same cop infested neighborhood. Set me back $950!
That was the last straw that convinced me to ditch the car and getting something that doesn't require gas, insurance, and registration. I briefly considered mopeds but I settled on a bike.

wahoonc

I don't think he drives it.

I have a 1963 Dodge truck that hasn't been licensed in over 10 years, it runs and we drive it around on the farm. It never leaves private property. I think we still pay a pittance in taxes on it.

Aaron

Roody

My sister had a 1960-something VW van in her driveway. The engine was sitting in the rotted out back seat, and there was a sapling growing out of it. One day a guy driving by her house stopped and gave her $800 cash for it.

wahoonc

Hold onto something long enough and it goes from junk to antique or collectible

Aaron

Smallwheels

It would be great if tiny cars were available for sale in the USA. If it is OK for people to select riding a motorcycle on the highways why wouldn't it be acceptable for people to choose tiny cars that get great gas mileage? In a way they would be a bit safer than motorcycles due to having at least three wheels which eliminates the need to balance on slick roads.

If I were a welder I'd have already built a three wheeler using a motor scooter motor and transmission. With a good aerodynamic fiberglass body it would get even better mileage than the original scooter even though it would weigh triple.

I'm really getting tired of pedaling in below freezing weather this year. I'm to the point that if the temperatures are in the twenties I'm happy that I don't need to wear a second layer of pants. We've had too many days near zero already this winter and the coldest months are yet to come.

In Montana any ATV four wheeler with a headlight and brake light can be registered for highway use. I considered doing that but I could buy a good used car for the price of one of those things. Even the good used ones cost $2500. I'd prefer a cheap car over an ATV.

Doohickie

I had a 63 hp '95 Ford Aspire that never got less than 30 mpg over about 10 years, even in the city. Not the most awesome car when it came to status, but it was always reliable. Sometimes I wish I still had it.

Frankly I think most cars would be just fine in normal traffic with less than 100 hp.

Funny thing-- I'm a pretty big guy- 6'2"- and out of all the cars I've owned, they've all been compact or subcompact except for my wife's current Ford Taurus, a '72 Dart I bought as a second car many years ago, and (depending on how you classify it) my current Hyundai Elantra (which is generally classed with compacts but is technically a mid-size according to the EPA based on interior room). I plan to keep the Elantra for a while but when I do replace it, it will be with a smaller car, something like a Fiesta.

Caretaker

A Citroen ad that is playing here on TV at the moment. Could only find french version.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vo5xM24YkRU

sauerwald

I became car free when I moved to California, which has some very tight pollution control standards. The car which I drove prior to the move was a VW Jetta TDI (Diesel). I got 50mpg of diesel fuel. One of the issues is that this is listed as a car, and as such has to meet car emission standards, which include a limit for particulates, which the older VWs did not meet (2010 model year TDIs do meet this standard). One of the strange things is that many people drive vehicles as their personal 'cars' which are classified legally as trucks - these would include things such as the Ford F-350 Turbodiesel pickup truck (400hp), or an Escalade SUV. Since technically these aren't cars, they don't need to meet fuel efficiency standards. Ford has a video available in which they boast about the great fuel efficiency of their vehicle at 19mpg here. In my opinion, there should be far higher registration fees for trucks vs cars to compensate for the environmental cost, and this might make trucks less attractive as everyday commuter vehicles.

Newspaperguy

When I bought my car, I was initially looking at something smaller, but the driver's seat did not go back far enough. My knees would push against the dash and steering wheel. I'm 6'1" and while I have long arms and legs, I'm not abnormally proportioned. The cramped quarters in some cars surprised me.

Robert C

another for this one. This is what I do. I have a bicycle that I use for normal commuting and bike/bus combo commuting. However, for the tines I have to do something unusual (e.g. Monday I had to go to San Francisco to apply for a visa and on Thursday, tomorrow, I ill have to return to pick it up [no, they will not mail it back]) I use my motorcycle. Sure, its 4-5 hours each way, but it is the same time in a car.

As far as the cold, I have good riding gear. So, for the limited motor transport I need, I get about 50mpg and my insurance is about $16mo. The few times I need to move something large, there is U-Haul. The cost of a rental truck 3-4 times per year (not even that much this last year) is a lot less than the cost of owning my own truck.

Roody

I'd like to see you try this trip in Michigan. I'm 55 years old and I have literally never seen a motorcycle on a Michigan road in January. I see dozens of bicycles every day, on the other hand.

Robert C

Of course you have a point, when I pulled out of the garage on Monday it was a balmy 31f. My coldest long ride (which is about the only reason I ride) without a heated liner was 13f. I like to toss on the heated liner once it gets to 40f and I know it is good for <0f, I have done it.

As far as not many riders in the winter, I see that too. I have heard the reasons from some and they quickly start sounding like the reason for not riding a bicycle for trips where they are most appropriate.

As far as riding on ice and snow, I have seen that I do about as well on my motorcycle as the people around me are doing in their cars and light trucks. As far as seeing more bicycles, that makes sense, you ride a bicycle, ignoring the psychological principle, it also means that you are in places where a bicycle is a highly appropriate mode of transportation.