I've seen strange vehicles before

[stealth1]

but this is one of the stranger ones. I guess it might make sense in Tokyo.

https://motorsportsnewswire.wordpress.com/2015/02/26/park24-and-toyota-to-trial-i-road-sharing-service-in-central-tokyo-0226159/

So would it be considered a car or a motorcycle?

 

[Fred W]

Not so strange a vehicle. That looks like either a direct ripoff or a licensed version of a Piaggio MP3 scooter with an enclosure added. The rest seems about the same.

What is more strange (and personally unacceptable from this western viewpoint) is the idea of "sharing" a vehicle with millions of others. People love their rides and want to make them their own.

Ride sharing makes the thing even more of an appliance than most budget commuter cars, "and so, for that reason, I am out."

 

[MadRussian]

No helmet required for use in Japan, so it's a car.

 

[Uncle Hud]

Reminds me of the cool little moto-thingies from Jay Leno's garage that someone posted last month. They were built on the Piaggio, too, IIRC.

 

[Geezer]

I say it's a car because it has a steering wheel, but the laws vary from state to state in the US, so they probably vary in other countries as well.

 

[numb41]

It looks like a hoot to drive, I don't care what u call it

 

[G Squared]

Says Toyota on it. Makes it a car.

 

[Uncle Hud]

Says Toyota on it. Makes it a car.

Great reasoning. If it says Husqvarna, does that make it a chainsaw? If it says Honda is it a lawn mower? If it says Yamaha is it a grand piano?

 

[wfooshee]

That thing steers by the rear wheel! No thank you!

 

[DennisJ]

ZipCar seems to have a growing market in Seattle. I seem to remember they plan to double the number of vehicles they have by the end of the year so something like that. I know when I am in Ballard to visit my friend I see a number of them along Market and in that area. I can see the attractiveness but since my trips always seem to involve one of the bridges across Lake Washington and stretches of freeway followed by stretches of arterials I don't see me using them. Especially as I live on Mercer Island and have never seen one here. Given the population of blue and silver hairs on the Island maybe that is a good thing. They are dangerous enough in the full size barges they drive ever so casually, sort of following the road and signs but not so closely that you would remark on it.

 

[infrared]

Oh, right . . .Here we go.

Dare to say it? Motorcycle tires on a CAR! NNOOooo !!. . .

 

[SacramentoMike]

That thing steers by the rear wheel!

So it's a forklift!

 

[Uncle Hud]

Oh, right . . .Here we go.
Dare to say it? Motorcycle tires on a CAR! NNOOooo !!. . .

Chuckle, chuckle!

 

[MrZappo]

Cool but they would need a gallon of butter and a hydraulic jack to get me in and out of that thing ...