You know, when you sign up for car sharing services like Car2Go, I don't think "lead the police on a chase in an attempt to evade arrest" is considered part of the acceptable terms of service. But that's exactly what an Austin, Texas man tried recently in not one but two Car2Go Smart Fortwos.
Austin TV station KXAN says the suspect was spotted by police going 75 mph in a 60 mph zone of Interstate 35 in a rent-by-the-minute Car2Go. When an officer followed the driver, he sped (as much as one can in the Smart Fortwo) away, KXAN says. He exited in South Austin, at one point pulling a U-turn, before driving into a residential street where he crashed and fled.
Then he jumped into a second Car2Go and kept going. That's a man who believes in car sharing!
The TV station says police chased the microcar down a dead-end street, and when the man — identified as 33-year-old Ricard Delarosa — tried to run away, officers subdued him with a stun gun. They added this in their report:
Car2Go vehicles are equipped with GPS. The company said they can help police track someone down if they used a Car2Go in a crime. The terms of use require the customer to drive responsibly.
After this accident, a spokeswoman says they will "evaluate" DeLarosa's membership status.
They should. This kind of maneuver wasn't very... wait for it... WAIT FOR IT... smart.