Out of Control

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Nightline (11/03/09) -- Brian Ross Investigates the cause of hundreds of accidents with Toyotas.



<a href="http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=8990979">http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=8990979</a>
 
It's scary (considering I own a glorified Toyota) but I am leery of anecdotal evidence...Not saying that the concern is not legit but I do not care for journalists who use particular incidents to prove their points (i.e. vaccines).



The floor mats are a problems but I had similar problems when I drove a Honda.



I like the advice about what to do...hit the brakes (don't pump them), shift into neutral, and turn off the car...hope I remember to do that if something happens (gulp)
 
Should the order be shift to neutral, then hit the brakes?



Anyway, I think we need a video camera on every car to record the action of the feet and pedals. I wonder how difficult it is to test the microprocessor and see if the speed surge can be replicated.
 
[quote author="bkshopr" date=1257391581]Now that explain it why we have all the erratic drivers at the (2) 99 Ranch market parking lots,</blockquote>


OMG! I went to the one off Jeffery about three weeks ago. Parked almost at the street - still no help. The worst drivers I've ever seen. Driving on the wrong side, driving too slow, driving too fast, inattentive, over attentive , distracted, whatever - it was a veritable bad driving clinic!



I almost got hit twice (once by the lady driving on the wrong side of the street, once as a pedestrian). I'm not willing to make stereotypes based on race, but damn! People who shop at 99 Ranch can't drive. Do they have a vending machine in there I missed that dispenses California Drivers Licenses?
 
[quote author="IrvineCommuter" date=1257389000]It's scary (considering I owned a glorified Toyota) but I am leery of anecdotal evidence...Not saying that the concern is not legit but I do not care for journalists who use particular incidents to prove their points (i.e. vaccines).



The floor mats are a problems but I had similar problems when I drove a Honda.



I like the advice about what to do...hit the brakes (don't pump them), shift into neutral, and turn off the car...hope I remember to do that if something happens (gulp)</blockquote>


Actually, when you take the time to run through a scenario in your head step-by-step (from this kind of thing, to accident-avoiding lane changes, to self-defense) you have a much greater chance of executing the proper actions when the time comes. Still, there are millions of cars on the road and its a pretty small %.



Hmmm, my wife drives a toyota. Do I look into changing her automobile or increasing her life insurance? Choices choices.... ;)
 
[quote author="MojoJD" date=1257393092]Hmmm, my wife drives a toyota. Do I look into changing her automobile or increasing her life insurance? Choices choices.... ;)</blockquote>


If you are young and good looking, and enjoy slow walk on the beaches, I suggest you increase her life insurance ;)
 
Those lousy drivers? Blame their genes

<A href="http://healthyliving.freedomblogging.com/2009/10/29/those-lousy-drivers-their-genes-may-be-to-blame/12227/">http://healthyliving.freedomblogging.com/2009/10/29/those-lousy-drivers-their-genes-may-be-to-blame/12227/</A>



UC Irvine researchers who found that lower secretion levels of the BDNF protein could be a factor in all that awful driving.
 
[quote author="MojoJD" date=1257393092][quote author="IrvineCommuter" date=1257389000]It's scary (considering I owned a glorified Toyota) but I am leery of anecdotal evidence...Not saying that the concern is not legit but I do not care for journalists who use particular incidents to prove their points (i.e. vaccines).



The floor mats are a problems but I had similar problems when I drove a Honda.



I like the advice about what to do...hit the brakes (don't pump them), shift into neutral, and turn off the car...hope I remember to do that if something happens (gulp)</blockquote>


<strong>Actually, when you take the time to run through a scenario in your head step-by-step (from this kind of thing, to accident-avoiding lane changes, to self-defense) you have a much greater chance of executing the proper actions when the time comes. </strong> Still, there are millions of cars on the road and its a pretty small %.



Hmmm, my wife drives a toyota. Do I look into changing her automobile or increasing her life insurance? Choices choices.... ;)</blockquote>


I agree with this 100% - ive run through a bunch of scenarios in my head so i can train myself on how to react and even place things in certain places just in case.
 
Update on this topic:



<a href="http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-toyota-recall26-2009nov26,0,3295310.story">http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-toyota-recall26-2009nov26,0,3295310.story</a>



"Toyota expands recall to target gas pedals in 4 million vehicles



A September recall had focused on floor mats as a cause of runaway acceleration. Now the company says starting in January it will fix or replace pedals in selected 2004-2010 Toyota and Lexus models.



Toyota Motor Corp. said today it would reconfigure or replace the gas pedals in about 4 million Toyota and Lexus vehicles to prevent the episodes of runaway acceleration that prompted the largest vehicle recall in the company's history.



The announcement dramatically expands the scope and likely expense of the recall, which was announced on Sept. 29. Toyota had initially focused on the possibility that improperly installed floor mats might be causing the unintended acceleration problems, and urged owners of affected vehicles to remove the mats until they could be replaced.



Now, beginning in January, Toyota dealers will start reconfiguring the gas pedal "to address the risk of floor mat entrapment."



The recall affects the 2007-2010 Toyota Camry, the 2004-2009 Toyota Prius, the 2005-2010 Toyota Avalon, the 2005-2010 Tacoma, the 2007-2010 Toyota Tundra, the 2007-2010 Lexus ES 350 and the 2006-2010 Lexus IS 250 and IS 350.



For the ES 350, Camry and Avalon models involved, not only will the gas pedal be revamped but the shape of the floor surface underneath will also be reconfigured to increase the space between the accelerator pedal and the floor, the automaker said.



As an extra safety measure, Toyota will install a brake override system on the Camry, Avalon, and Lexus ES 350, IS 350 and IS 250 models. This system cuts engine power in case of simultaneous application of both the accelerator and brake pedals."
 
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