Ok, there is one thing I don't understand about the recent gas pedal issue. Please read on and bear with me. I have been losing it when I see all this news coverage, all this forum coverage, and even the 911 call recently released when no one says anything about putting the runaway cars in neutral! I haven't seen ANY news story where someone has spoken up, and I didn't see a reply or comment on the board about this. It should be mentioned and taught at the begining of every news story about this and discussed on every forum! If there was some kind of electronic shifter on that Lexus, fine, but every other car has that option. I don't care if you are driving your 2010 luxury car or your 1936 hotrod, the same method is the one my dad taught me when I was learning to drive: If your throttle sticks, put the car in neutral and shut it down, or at least come to a stop. Let the motor tank itself, its better than being dead! Had those people, or even the 911 operator, in that Lexus runaway incident known that, then those people would not have had to die. Comments are welcome, but I believe people will agree with me on a level at least. Thank you, Ian
I have not watched anything on the news about this.. sucks though but if you have a license and you drive on a daily basis, you should know to turn the motor off, or pop it out of gear.. no reason why people should be losing their lives because of this. anyone got a link to that "lexus" story??
I heard the 911 call, they were doing 120mph, You car doesn't accel to 120 instantly, they had sometime, if it had happened to me, I would have slammed it in neutral within a few seconds! He burt out his brakes and they flew through an intersection, were hit, tumble and all burned to death. A lot of new cars have ignition lock outs in gear but not in neutral. The driver was an off duty CHP (california highway patrol).
If he was doin 120 mph, makes me wonder when the limiter was goin to kick in. But I do agree, people should've known to put it nuetral.
I would think that much is common sense. Thats the first thing I thought of when I started hearing about all of this.
The driver was an off duty CHP (california highway patrol). Don't law enforcement officer go threw an intense training course in the academy? When I drive by the police academy over here in Miami, I see them on a driving course with obstacles. The cops and FHP over here drive crazy. 120 mph is cruising speed for them.
I have been commenting about this locally and everyone has some reason why it's not that simple, but goddammit, it is! It frustrates me too and I agree, they should be telling people what to do all the time! Shift it to neutral, coast to a stop, turn off the ignition. I am amazed at the lack of reporting on this. The news media these days never ceases to disappoint me.
Well, here's the thing... if people weren't out dying, then there wouldn't be much to report, now would there? This stuff happens all the time! I had a friend who had this happen on a Ford when the after market carb openned up and didn't close... he put it into neutral and blew his motor, but he is still alive for it... But then again, the person is smart... the people are stupid... and never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups...
i've had it happen on a few occasions, each time in a different car. neutral worked just fine for me...
well the CHP driver burnt out the brakes because he tried to break right over the full throttle cruising, so it would have been tough to stop after that, but before that you brakes work fine in neutral. I dunno, I just had to bring the subject to at least give a life lesson on WOT runaway vehicles. It is something that could and might just happen to everyone, it has happened to me, but that small tip learned when young has saved me before. Just bring it up to friends, You'll be shocked to see how many dont know to put it in neutral... you might just save their lives some day.
I can agree with that. For people who have never driven anything besides an automatic (and generally don't understand how the transmission or the car itself works), the solution isn't so obvious.
