Driving the Microlino OnThe Outskirts of Geneva

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The Microlino is made by the same people that made the trottinette that I loved getting around with when I was unable to drive for a month due to overtaking a slow moving vehicle where I had plenty of visibility.

The beauty of the Microlino is that it’s a small light weight car, where you get in from the front of the car, rather than the sides. The other nice thing about the Microlino is that it has a roof that opens. You can stargaze with your lover, if you have one, or enjoy the fresh air in the warmer months.

The two things I noticed immediately is that the steering feels heavy, but also that the brakes feel sluggish. In the case of the steering weight you forget about it within seconds. This is very easy to get used to. What does get some getting used to is the braking. It feels slower and more sluggish than with other cars so I felt the need to start braking sooner. I did find that I always stopped where I wanted to. I think this is the effect of driving modern cars where braking is really aggressive. This car is gentle. I could think of a better term, I’m sure.

The boot is large enough for your week’s shopping, but too small for a bike. the volume is good, so you can transport things for hikes that are within driving range of the car.

Getting in and out of the car is fun. It is also fun that you have to move the “love seat” as I’ll call it, forwards and backwards, to suit your arm and leg lenghths, to drive, and press the pedals comfortably.

I call it a love seat because it’s a bench and there is nothing to separate the driver from the passenger, hence why it could be called a love seat. It’s a car that encourages a more intimate driving experience than most. At the start of a day of hiking this would be nice, but at the end of a day of hiking this might be sub-optimal.

I personally really like this, car, especially now, in the pandemic era. Now that I don’t drive long distances to do various sports I don’t need a petrol car with a long range. I need something to get me to the recycling centre, and to go shopping. The adventure side of life was killed when people decided to live with COVID, rather than eradicate it.

I like this car because it’s unique, because it’s eccentric, and because it has character. Most cars are dull and boring. This one attracts people’s gaze, without being a friend of carbon dioxide and global warming. It’s electric, so you never have to go to a petrol station again.