I am baffled as to why the news media want to stick it to Toyota because a subcontractor supplied gas pedals with a design flaw. While I’m very sorry that some folks have been hurt or killed when the accelerator stuck, why on earth didn’t the drivers flip the cars into neutral, turn off the ignition, or simply mash down on the brakes. I have demonstrated to several people now that I can run my Pontiac GTP up to triple digit speeds, keep the gas to the floor, and still stop the car with the brales. This is as ridiculous as the unintended acceleration scam that hurt the sales of the Audi 5000 in the 1980’s. CBS’s 60 minutes demonstrated the problem by rigging the throttle, cruise control, and brakes to all fail so that the car accelerated out of control. They never mentioned the sabotage when presenting the video of the runaway car.
As for the brakes in the Prius, the pedal does feel odd because the car uses vehicle momentum to help charge the batteries.
Personally, I have never owned a Toyota but I know from my job that they are beautifully engineered, well constructed, and very safe and reliable. I have dealt with Toyota factory people and they have always been very honest and helpful.
Not surprisingly there are legions of bottom feeding lawyers skulking in the shadows.
Politics at it’s best. Who’s to benefit from this debacle? US automakers. Recall expounded upon in the media….an element of trust in almighty Toyota reduces and Ford benefits. NTSB might have been prodded to lay down the law and the hammer giving US automakers a bump. Uh-huh.
The references within this article that seem to point toward a decline in Toyota’s workforce ethic and integrity are tell tale. What all industries and manufacturers may well want to do is to take a close look at those declining indicators in their own fields. Since the early 90’s I have seen it happen the same way in Insurnace, Health care, Construction, and retail, and I feel the US education system and courts share a culpability in the degradation of America’s work forces. It can’t JUST be about the paycheck!
Nice to see folks having discussion around what to do in sudden acceleration scenarios and becoming better educated about what actions you might take. Molecule’s Pontiac and most other cars are designed so that you can step on the brakes and stop the car even if the peddle is all the way down. Nice safeguard. My understanding is that is not the case with Toyota as they elected to not have that particular design included in their vehicles.
Isn’t it interesting that the Obama administration is promoting all of this after helping the United Auto Workers in the General Motors deal!!!!! Cook County politics at it’s finest!!
Action Handling Equipment Ltd is one of the most trusted names in the UK when it comes to material handling equipment, lifting equipment, office supplies, industrial weighing equipment, packaging and warehouse equipment
Lifting Equipment
I am baffled as to why the news media want to stick it to Toyota because a subcontractor supplied gas pedals with a design flaw. While I’m very sorry that some folks have been hurt or killed when the accelerator stuck, why on earth didn’t the drivers flip the cars into neutral, turn off the ignition, or simply mash down on the brakes. I have demonstrated to several people now that I can run my Pontiac GTP up to triple digit speeds, keep the gas to the floor, and still stop the car with the brales. This is as ridiculous as the unintended acceleration scam that hurt the sales of the Audi 5000 in the 1980’s. CBS’s 60 minutes demonstrated the problem by rigging the throttle, cruise control, and brakes to all fail so that the car accelerated out of control. They never mentioned the sabotage when presenting the video of the runaway car.
As for the brakes in the Prius, the pedal does feel odd because the car uses vehicle momentum to help charge the batteries.
Personally, I have never owned a Toyota but I know from my job that they are beautifully engineered, well constructed, and very safe and reliable. I have dealt with Toyota factory people and they have always been very honest and helpful.
Not surprisingly there are legions of bottom feeding lawyers skulking in the shadows.
Politics at it’s best. Who’s to benefit from this debacle? US automakers. Recall expounded upon in the media….an element of trust in almighty Toyota reduces and Ford benefits. NTSB might have been prodded to lay down the law and the hammer giving US automakers a bump. Uh-huh.
The references within this article that seem to point toward a decline in Toyota’s workforce ethic and integrity are tell tale. What all industries and manufacturers may well want to do is to take a close look at those declining indicators in their own fields. Since the early 90’s I have seen it happen the same way in Insurnace, Health care, Construction, and retail, and I feel the US education system and courts share a culpability in the degradation of America’s work forces. It can’t JUST be about the paycheck!
ALL I HAVE TO SAYS IS: BUY AMERICAN! WE OWE THE COMPANIES SO BUY FROM YOURSELF!!!!!!!!!!
Nice to see folks having discussion around what to do in sudden acceleration scenarios and becoming better educated about what actions you might take. Molecule’s Pontiac and most other cars are designed so that you can step on the brakes and stop the car even if the peddle is all the way down. Nice safeguard. My understanding is that is not the case with Toyota as they elected to not have that particular design included in their vehicles.
Isn’t it interesting that the Obama administration is promoting all of this after helping the United Auto Workers in the General Motors deal!!!!! Cook County politics at it’s finest!!
Action Handling Equipment Ltd is one of the most trusted names in the UK when it comes to material handling equipment, lifting equipment, office supplies, industrial weighing equipment, packaging and warehouse equipment
Lifting Equipment