The Smart Car looks like it could meet my needs just fine... though I'm currently considering a moped, actually.
The majority of my driving is a 7 mile commute, with only one bit that goes at 50mph for a mile or so, the rest on hilly country roads with a top speed of 30mph, until I get to campus, at which point the speed limit drops to 25. We have another car, but I doubt I'd need it 90+% of the time. Once I'm on campus, I usually walk or use my bike, anyway.
RSE, I respect your need for other choices, and your right to make choices that match your needs. But (and I know this is very hard for Texans to believe), not everyone lives in Texas, and deals with Texan geography and roads every day.
Some of us can quite reasonably make other choices, and I think if we could all accept that, we'd start to see other choices on the market. From where I sit, the "Everything must be bigger!" culture is
denying me choices, and making my few choices more expensive, and I don't think it's just a matter of what people (Americans) would honestly prefer, given free range of options and honest information. It's firmly in the interest of certain parties to keep selling large, fuel-inefficient vehicles, whether we all need them or not. Again, this situation may be meeting your needs perfectly, and I'm not out to deny you choice, but
I am having a very hard time meeting
my needs.
Your point about safety, however, is well-taken, and that is something I check before any vehicle purchase. One of the things that impressed me about the V-One was the steel frame surrounding the cabin. I'm indifferent to motorcycles in general, but the economy of them does attract me, if my safety and weather needs could be addressed.