Morning Roundup: Goodbye, Abe Edition
D.C. Police Seek Suspect in Series of Bank Robberies
Suspect in 9-Year-Old's Murder Found Dead in D.C. Jail
Photo of the Day: November 25, 2009
Listen to DCist on WAMU at Noon
WTOP's Mark Segraves has the scoop on Mayor Adrian Fenty's sweet new ride: he just bought a Smart Car.
Fenty says he made the switch from big to small for the same reasons that are driving many Americans to rethink what they drive, and because he wanted to lead by example.Good on ya, Mr. Mayor. We applaud your effort to lead by example. Although we can't help but imagining that your tall frame is going to look kinda silly in that tiny, fuel efficient vehicle. The official summertime Spot Mayor Fenty in his Smart Car game has now begun!"I think everyone should do their part, but I have to be honest, a lot of people in our government and other governments have been going in that direction, so I just consider this my own individual part of what many D.C. residents are already doing, and that's trying to go with the smallest car as humanly possible that uses as little gas as humanly possible," says Fenty.
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I wondered how you got access to such an up-close and personal shot of Mayor Fenty's new car so quickly, until I realized that he got the convertible Smart Car so your photo must be photoshopped. Aha! Gotta wake up pretty early in the morning to pull a fast one on ol' voteprime.
Nice! Go Adrian! Although I think an even stronger statement would have been to not get a new car at all.
But, but, there's no room for his security detail in there. Unless he's hired "Mini-me" as his new bodyguard.
Best. Photoshop. EVAR.
The mileage on the Smart Cars ain't all that great. Real world mileage in DC stop-and-go traffic with the AC on is probably closer to 30-35 MPG. He'd be better off getting a TDI Jetta. The diesel Smarts (available in Canada but not here) get closer to 70 MPG.
If he really wanted to go all eco-friendly metrosexual, he'd just buy a Vespa. His head's about as aerodynamic as they come.
amen, yonas. the funny thing is, given what the fentys probably do with hauling their kids around, you know he's not going to be able to use that car to haul the spawn around.
i know he knows how to bike to work, but i guess he doesn't want to be sweaty when he pulls up to a community meeting at the top of a hill.
Smart Cars are the cutest little things. I am definitely thinking about gettin one. They are all over Paris, London, and even Edinburgh.
agreed on all points, monkey.
i heart DCist's photoshopping skillz. gives a girl something to smile about while working through budgets on a friday afternoon. that might be the saddest statement evar.
yeah, i heard the smart car's mileage isn't that great.
would the helmet ruin fenty's baldy aerodynamic gains though? do
That pic reminds me of one of the best Simpson's episodes... 22 Short Films About Springfield
Very Tall Man: (lifts Nelson out of the sewer by his head) Do you find something comical about my appearance when I'm driving my automobile?
Nelson: Yeah.
Very Tall Man: Everyone needs to drive a vehicle, even the very tall. (turns Nelson to face the car) This was the largest auto that I could afford. Am I therefore to be made the subject of fun?
Nelson: I guess so....
I neglected to credit DCist's own Matt Sedlar for his photoshop job there. Thanks, Sedlar!
the Smart is incredibly roomy so he should fit in there just fine, but probably not with his wifey and offspring. i think this is more of a publicity gag than actually trying to go green. it's a new toy basically, cuz all the cool kids got 'em.
i think he should have gone for a Segway.
I applaud Mayor Fenty's environmental sensibilities. It frees up more parking space for my Canyonero.
So who's game for picking his car up and turning it sideways in his parking spot?
I bow before the photoshopping skills
Aww, TimmyTucker beat me to it! :)
"that uses as little gas as humanly possible"
Umm Hybrids get much better mileage than the Smart Cars; 33/41 mpg vrs 40/45 mpg, plus you don’t have to use premium fuel and you get a trunk.
I wonder if we'll see him and his new husband cruising up and down 17th Street in that thing, with the top down.
I read this morning that the city paid for the car. So he won't be toting the fam' around.
I hear the shop modified the floor panel to offer an auxilary method of getting around in case - just like the flintstone mobile - he runs out of gas.
@TimmyTucker
Around these parts we don't often introduce our Simpsons quotes. Just paste 'em up and let 'em fly. Loved that episode though. Top quality.
Fenty's not that tall. There's something about how he appears on TV that makes folks think he's tall, but when you see him in person, he's clearly just average height. His dad is a little guy, too.
@Boondoggle
Yeah, my bad. I wasn't going to preface the quote at first. But I was worried that those living on a deserted island for the past 15 years and those having Comcast wouldn't get the reference, seeing as how neither gets a reliable television signal.
Why does Mayor Fenty's Smart Car have the words Fleet Feet painted on the sides above the "swoosh"?
GhettoBurbs, your comment had me laughing out loud for a good minute. nice one.
Seen the new custom paint job on Mayor Fenty's Smart Car?
http://notionscapital.wordpress.com/2008/06/24/mayor-fentys-smart-car/