Did It Ever Occur to Them to...

I

iron mike usmc

Guest
...put the car in neutral?

Just saw a news piece about how a California Highway Patrolman placed his car in front of a runaway Toyota* Prius, on a highway in California. The Prius' accelerator got stuck, and the driver could not slow down. The driver called 911 for help. The patrolman used his public address system to instruct the other driver to apply the foot brake and emergency brake at the same time, while the patrolman applied his own brakes to slow the Prius.

Seems to me the other driver could have just shifted into neutral, coasted to a slower speed, then applied his own brakes while he pulled over to the side of the road. The driver could also have shut off the motor.

Kudos to the patrolman, for helping the motorist. They are still both not too smart for not using a simpler and safer solution.

*Note: For those of you who haven't heard, Toyota recalled a number (tens of thousands) of cars that have accelerator problems.
 
What is interesting is that both the Ford Escape and several GM cars as well as the entire Subaru line-up use the exact same accelerator pedal set-up. Do you here about them making a general recall?
 
Ratzki said:
What is interesting is that both the Ford Escape and several GM cars as well as the entire Subaru line-up use the exact same accelerator pedal set-up. Do you here about them making a general recall?
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The question is, are they having the same troubles?
 
This has puzzled me as well, especially after hearing a tape of a 911 call made by a group of people in a runaway Toyota. Neither the driver nor the dispatcher knew enough to just shift to neutral and coast to the side of the road. In this case the car ran through an intersection and collided with another vehicle, killing several people.
 
Quote..Seems to me the other driver could have just shifted into neutral, coasted to a slower speed, then applied his own brakes while he pulled over to the side of the road. The driver could also have shut off the motor.Unquote

This is such a easy thing to do, the first reaction would be to knock it out of gear and BRAKE, I know I Was a driver for a living so perhaps I might react better, having said that I think if the clutch action doesn't come natural,I am thinking perhaps another driving test would be the answer
 
I can't say for other countries, but I have found that there is not enough being taught about "how" to think, in this country. My wife and kids can confirm that I am always bitching about the idiots on the road who don't use their heads.
 
The proliferation of automatic gear boxes, cruise control and the like probably don't help either.
 
iron mike usmc said:
I can't say for other countries, but I have found that there is not enough being taught about "how" to think, in this country. My wife and kids can confirm that I am always bitching about the idiots on the road who don't use their heads.
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I grew up on a farm which means I was driving some kind of motor driven machine as soon as I was big enough to reach the pedals. My father taught me to drive and I got hundreds of hours of driving experience on vehicles of all kinds long before I was eligible to legally obtain my drivers license. Along with a multitude of other things, real driving skills are not something that is taught in this country. Teenagers basically read a book spend a few hours driving and then take a test to get their license. There is no practical training on things like defensive driving or the basic workings of an automobile. Most drivers out there simply don't have a whole lot of experience behind the wheel, especially in crisis situations like loss of traction, tire blowouts, or runaway engines. Combine this lack of basic skill with all the distractions drivers have today (In car entertainment systems, cell phones, etc.) and you have a recipe for disaster.
 
Just saw this story on the national evening news. The driver was a 61 year old male. He called 911 when his car accelerated uncontrollably. The dispatcher asked him if he had tried to put the transmission in neutral, to which he responded "no". Being interviewed for the news the man said he was scared that if he shifted the car into neutral "it would flip". I guess young drivers aren't the only ones who don't have much knowledge of the basic functions of the cars they are driving.
 
OK, he's not too swift, and emergency services knew what they were doing. So, only half the story is stupid.
 
iron mike usmc said:
OK, he's not too swift, and emergency services knew what they were doing. So, only half the story is stupid.
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As a 911 dispatcher, I'm glad to see that they were on the ball. The police officer was pretty sharp as well.
 
ACSpectre said:
The dispatcher asked him if he had tried to put the transmission in neutral, to which he responded "no". Being interviewed for the news the man said he was scared that if he shifted the car into neutral "it would flip".
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Seems someone is trying/preparing for a hefty claim on Toyota. Hope the judge/jury don't award stupidity...
 
The whole thing is probably spearheaded by the American big three. Without some kind of major bad press, they can see that their days are numbered. Should have never bailed them out.
 
Bert Blitzkrieg said:
Seems someone is trying/preparing for a hefty claim on Toyota. Hope the judge/jury don't award stupidity...
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I thought exactly the same thing. Watching the interview I just had this feeling that the guy had staged the whole thing.
 
ACSpectre said:
I thought exactly the same thing. Watching the interview I just had this feeling that the guy had staged the whole thing.
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To my knowledge these reports about faulty accelerators with accidents as a consequence have only occurred in the US (a country known for its huge liability settlements). I could be wrong here of course. Or are the Priuses in the US from a separate productionline ?
 
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