Driving The Elio?

[Jim H]

We occasionally have swarms of very colorful Locus up to 4 inches long in New Mexico and they cover Interstate10 going from El Paso, Tx to the Arizona border. Sounds like you are driving on a gravel road. Don't stop at a gas station or restaurant unless you want to step on them because they absolutely cover the ground.

 

[Keith Stone]

We occasionally have swarms of very colorful Locus up to 4 inches long in New Mexico and they cover Interstate10 going from El Paso, Tx to the Arizona border. Sounds like you are driving on a gravel road. Don't stop at a gas station or restaurant unless you want to step on them because they absolutely cover the ground.

Sometimes those locus make great fishin bait!

 

[Danno]

Skis!

 

[Carolyn]

You know, the problem with the video of the Elio driving on snow is that the video shows well plowed streets, not the 2-4" of snow that occurs during lake effect snow storms, before the plows get out. Those conditions are very difficult for driving: it's snowing heavily with wet, slushy snow, poor visibility, snow builds up on windshield wipers and in wheel wells, the road can be very slippery, and many other drivers are driving far too fast for the conditions. Many times, we have not had to the option to *not drive" or to stop. I want to know that my Elio will handle these conditions as well as my regular car would. I wonder about the Elio's light weight, I wonder if the car will fish tail when I brake (as front wheel drive cars will), I wonder if other cars will be able to see my front wheels and stay far away from them. I am a sensible and responsible driver, but sometimes conditions change en route, and then you have to cope with what is (literally) thrown at you.

 

[Lil4X]

Sometimes those locus make great fishin bait!

I have exacted my revenge on the species in just such a manner.

 

[Lil4X]

You know, the problem with the video of the Elio driving on snow is that the video shows well plowed streets, not the 2-4" of snow that occurs during lake effect snow storms, before the plows get out. Those conditions are very difficult for driving: it's snowing heavily with wet, slushy snow, poor visibility, snow builds up on windshield wipers and in wheel wells, the road can be very slippery, and many other drivers are driving far too fast for the conditions. Many times, we have not had to the option to *not drive" or to stop. I want to know that my Elio will handle these conditions as well as my regular car would. I wonder about the Elio's light weight, I wonder if the car will fish tail when I brake (as front wheel drive cars will), I wonder if other cars will be able to see my front wheels and stay far away from them. I am a sensible and responsible driver, but sometimes conditions change en route, and then you have to cope with what is (literally) thrown at you.

Unfamiliar as I am with snow, I get your point. The few times I've had the experience, driving on a plowed street is considerably easier than on fresh snow. Now ice is another matter. You're pretty well hosed whatever you do. That's a good day to stay home.

What makes any kind of severe weather driving dangerous is that the worse the weather the more it selects for the presence of morons on the road. I've watched plenty of cars drive the "I-10 canyon" as it cuts through Houston below grade, running straight into water over five feet deep. I've seen people in subcompacts follow 18-wheelers into water at least 3' deep, thinking "Well, if that truck can get through, so can I . . . " Yeah, but 3 feet isn't up to HIS door handles.

Maybe Darwin was right . . . nature has a very effective way of cleaning the gene pool. o_O

 

[Coda1]

Snow building up in the wheel covers may be an issue but Elio is saying the P3 style fenders will be available as an option and that should eliminate most of the problem. The other issue I am concerned with on poorly plowed roads is the rear wheel will not be following the two ruts ever one is using. That will make it more likely to get stuck and may make it want to fishtail or other undesirable effects. I will still own another vehicle so if the conditions get too bad I will just drive my other car/truck.

 

[zelio]

Snow building up in the wheel covers may be an issue but Elio is saying the P3 style fenders will be available as an option and that should eliminate most of the problem. The other issue I am concerned with on poorly plowed roads is the rear wheel will not be following the two ruts ever one is using. That will make it more likely to get stuck and may make it want to fishtail or other undesirable effects. I will still own another vehicle so if the conditions get too bad I will just drive my other car/truck.

I would think there would be less fishtailing since the rear wheel is not riding in the ruts. In fact it may be "fenced in" by the accumulated snow deposited there and thus be prevented from fishtailing. Fortunately I am retired so I can simply choose to stay home on snow days of which there have been very few since I moved here in 9/2009. We had snow last Thanksgiving that hung around for a week and it was messy because the area is not prepared for it but I simply avoided areas that might cause problems and stuck to main roads. :-) Z

 

[Folks]

I would think there would be less fishtailing since the rear wheel is not riding in the ruts. In fact it may be "fenced in" by the accumulated snow deposited there and thus be prevented from fishtailing. Z

Makes sense to me. Of course I have this nasty habit of straddling pot holes and other objects. Maybe I could retract that center wheel momentarily.

 

[olddog1946]

OK, I keep seeing this post about a fishtailing rear wheel.......Have you forgotten that this is a front wheel drive vehicle, the rear wheel will do nothing but trail the front end. You may get some movement but little to NO fishtailing unless you force the front end hard around a corner. AND that's all I've got to say about that !!