In Toyota's Defence

T

The_Unbeliever

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http://www.wheels24.co.za/Content/C...59/11-02-2010-03-00/Column_In_Toyotas_defence

If there is one stereotype I do wish to indulge in, it’s this: Americans, almost to a fault, drive dual-pedal cars. Automatic is the only transmission set-up they know.

Now ask yourself: if nearly your entire automotive culture of driving and awareness is based upon the movement of only your right foot between two pedals, guess what happens when the throttle sticks open? Exactly, you panic and forget to stick it into neutral. Now, whose fault is that?
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Sounds as if he might have a point there.
 
WTF? Is it MY problem coz I'm used to a auto? If the car's pedal is stuck its the cars fault,seeing as we can't complain to a non living entity...The car's manufacturer should be blamed...this is by far the DUMBEST argument I've ever heard...sies, shame on you!
 
A fault is a fault. Thats a dumb argument lol.
 
I really think that this whole thing is because of some American that as stated got all panicky in his fully automatic car. I do not claim to know the stats but I'd be willing to bet that less than 0.01% of the cars that get recalled actually had any problem at all. But American media has gone way overboard as usual (due to some very unfortunate deaths) and now Toyota is in the $h!t. If this had happened to me, and I managed to stop the car I would simply go to a mechanic and have it fixed. Simple. The one in a million mechanical fault is fixed, no need for a total recall. Unless you live in the USA of course.
 
Archer said:
I really think that this whole thing is because of some American that as stated got all panicky in his fully automatic car. I do not claim to know the stats but I'd be willing to bet that less than 0.01% of the cars that get recalled actually had any problem at all. But American media has gone way overboard as usual (due to some very unfortunate deaths) and now Toyota is in the $h!t. If this had happened to me, and I managed to stop the car I would simply go to a mechanic and have it fixed. Simple. The one in a million mechanical fault is fixed, no need for a total recall. Unless you live in the USA of course.
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You are the man for willing to pay out your own pocket to have a mechanic fix the problem which is clearly a fault of the manufacturer and probably one they are obliged to fix because of a motorplan.

One life is worth more then then the crap toyota are dealing with.
 
Archer said:
I really think that this whole thing is because of some American that as stated got all panicky in his fully automatic car. I do not claim to know the stats but I'd be willing to bet that less than 0.01% of the cars that get recalled actually had any problem at all. But American media has gone way overboard as usual (due to some very unfortunate deaths) and now Toyota is in the $h!t. If this had happened to me, and I managed to stop the car I would simply go to a mechanic and have it fixed. Simple. The one in a million mechanical fault is fixed, no need for a total recall. Unless you live in the USA of course.
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What if you never managed to stop and died?
 
Well what if your brake line broke? There are lots of things that can go wrong in a car, this just being one of them. Total recalls really should be a last resort. And I would like to think I would have stopped since I know what to do (turn ignition off or put into nuetral and brake, if that fails just use the brakes with the engine revving). But I havent followed this whole thing too closely because of my previously stated opinion, so I'll keep quiet now until I know more :)
 
Pedal got mashed to the floor of my Benz a while back... it didn't come back up. (old 92 model 300SE auto)
Just so happened I was driving down the bottom end of Van Reenan's pass just before the toll plaza.

Speed climbed from 100km/h to 150km/h before you knew what happened

I sh@t proverbial bricks but I managed to gear the car down to reduce speed and then eventually yank the handbrake up while doing 40km/h or so.
I learned how to drive on a manual car... but when you're in that position you have seconds to make the right series of choices or you're toast.
You don't plan for something like that to happen... and when you're in an emergency without a plan, things can go very wrong.

It's very easy to say "why didn't you do this or that?" when we all know hindsight is the keenest of all sight... but saying "Dumb American Yankee cowboy" after people have lost their lives... is not only insensitive, but indicative of the narrow mindedness you so clearly possess.

I've been in many hairy situations... some turned out okay, some didn't... but I will never criticize ANYONE for mistakes they've made under pressure in a life threatening situation.
If you've never been there, then STFU.

People have died, some father or mother no longer have their children because of this indecent and you're trying to belittle that by calling "Stupid Autobox driving Yankee"
GTFO, before you make me sick.
 
Very weak argument.

Thats like saying to "In the attackers defense, the victim could have worn a bullet proof vest".

No. Its a serious fault & Toyota is recalling as they should (maybe a bit late).

Even with manual cars its all pure instinctive. I've had the clutch stuck too. You know instantly that something is wrong, but it takes 2 solid seconds to consciously work out what. With the clutch its harmless (foot mat was the cause), but I totally understand the people who fail to react correctly.

Same thing with brakes that don't have any effect. Been there done that too (Just installed pads had a layer of something on them). You get an immediate fight/flight response & adrenalin. Its just not possible for the average driver to think clearly in that situation.
 
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