I WAS LEAVING FOR WORK IN MY SMART FORTWO 451 ON A SNOWY MORNING. MY DRIVEWAY IS RATHER STEEP, AND WHILE SLOWLY GOING DOWN THE HILL THE CAR BEGAN TO SLIDE. I APPLIED THE BRAKES AND BEGAN SLOWING TO A STOP BUT WAS STILL SLIDING. I PUMPED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND WAS STILL IN CONTROL OF THE CAR WHEN MY FOOT SLIPPED OFF THE BRAKE PEDAL AND BECAME WEDGED BETWEEN IT AND THE ACCELERATOR. I TRIED FRANTICALLY TO PULL IT OUT BUT IT WAS STUCK FAST, AND THE CAR WAS ACCELERATING (DUE TO GRAVITY) DOWN THE DRIVEWAY. I FINALLY WAS ABLE TO PULL MY FOOT OUT OF MY SHOE AND DEPRESS THE BRAKE, BUT BY THEN I WAS ALREADY OFF THE DRIVEWAY AND HEADED DOWN THE SIDE OF THE HILL. LUCKILY, I WAS ABLE TO STOP BEFORE ANY DAMAGE WAS DONE, BUT THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM HAD IT OCCURRED IN TRAFFIC. AFTER STOPPING I STILL HAD SOME DIFFICULTY REMOVING MY SHOE FROM BETWEEN THE GAS AND BRAKE PEDALS. I AM A MALE WITH SIZE 12 SHOES. *TR
2008
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) VEHICLE INFO 2008 SMARTCAR STYLE: PURE COLOR: SILVER VIN: [XXX] PURCHASE DATE: SEPTEMBER 20, 2008 PURCHASE PRICE: $17,000.00 BEGINNING MILEAGE: 417 DEALER INFORMATION [XXX] DESCRIPTION/EXPLANATION OF EVENTS BEGINNING IN JUNE 2008 TO SEPTEMBER 20, 2008, I SPENT TIME DOING MY DUE DILIGENCE REGARDING THE NEW SMARTCAR AND THE PERFORMANCE POSSIBILITIES IT WOULD HAVE IN MY FORESTRY CONSULTING BUSINESS. I TYPICALLY DRIVE 4,500 TO 5,000 MILES PER MONTH AND MY FORD F-150 WAS USING APPROXIMATELY 26 GALLONS OF FUEL PER DAY AT A COST OF $4.25 PER GALLON. THIS DUE DILIGENCE INCLUDED MEETING WITH THE GENERAL MANAGER OF SMART CENTER SEATTLE AND GIVING HIM A FULL DESCRIPTION OF WHAT WORK I WOULD BE DOING AND DETERMINING HOW I THOUGHT THE CAR WOULD HOLD UP. WE EVEN MEASURED THE CLEARANCE OF A SHOWROOM CAR WHICH WAS ACCEPTABLE. I WAS SCHEDULED FOR A TEST DRIVE AND WAS COMPLETELY SOLD ON THE CAR AND THE BENEFITS OF UTILIZING THIS VEHICLE IN MY PROFESSION. I ORDERED A CAR AND WAS TOLD IT WOULD TAKE UP TO 15 MONTHS BEFORE MY CAR WOULD BE BUILT AND DELIVERED. THERE IS A PROGRAM WHERE THE DEALERSHIP CAN SELL CARS THAT WERE ORDERED AND NOT PURCHASED FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER. THE CAR I EVENTUALLY PURCHASED WAS ONE OF THESE CARS. I WAS CALLED TO SEE IF I WOULD LIKE TO BUY THIS ONE INSTEAD OF WAITING THE MONTHS FOR MY CAR TO BE MANUFACTURED. WITH THE CURRENT COST OF FUEL AT THE TIME, I DECIDED TO PURCHASE THE CAR AND SURPLUS MY ORDERED CAR WHEN IT CAME INTO THE DEALERSHIP. THE COST OF THE VEHICLE WAS $17,000.00 PLUS THE DEALER PREP, TAX AND SO ON, FOR A TOTAL PRICE OF $19,000. THE VEHICLE HAD A STANDARD 24,000 MILE WARRANTY AND I WAS GIVEN THE OPTION TO PURCHASE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR AN ADDITIONAL FEE, APPROXIMATELY $2000 IF I RECALL CORRECTLY. BECAUSE OF THE HIGH MILEAGE I DRIVE EACH YEAR, APPROXIMATELY 70,000 MILES, I DECIDE. *TR