Conspiracy Theorists Unite!
First, let me say I'm not a crackpot (no matter how my posts read)
Let's connect the dots...

• Toyota supplants GM as the leading seller of autos in the US
• GM and Chrysler go into bankruptcy
• Ford, while not bankrupt is on shaky ground
• US takes over GM and hands control to the UAW (a wholly owned subsidiary of the DNC)
• Reminder...Toyota factories are not part of the UAW (GM, needless to say, are)
• Congress (a wholly owned subsidiary of the DNC) passes 'cash for clunkers' (CFC) to improve national gas mileage *cough*...okay, I couldn't say thatt with a straight face...they did it to throw a bone to the UAW
• Toyota spanks the US manufacturers with CFC sales, dominating the charts...oops, I guess someone forgot to tell the US consumer that they had to buy a UAW manufactured car
• A relatively minor (and somewhat old) issue "car floor mats", becomes the subject of a major recall
• News media (a wholly owned subsidiary of the DNC) reports this massive recall and starts to question whether this will affect Toyota's reputation for safety

Okay, I know this is a stretch, but auto manufacturers don't like to issue a major recall and they do so after some long term negotiations with 'the powers that be'.
I believe this is a serious matter, but in the grand scheme of things, I don't think it's up there with the Audi unintended acceleration, exploding Ford Pintos, the Ford SUV rollover or Ford/Bridgestone (?) SUV tire issues.
The timing of this 'story' and the above cited events are too coincidental to assume that the heavy hand of the government (a wholly owned subsidiarly of the DNC) wasn't involved. Could this be their attempt to knock Toyota (a company with the best reputation in the auto business) down a few pegs. Every news story said the same thing "Toyota, a company known for making safe cars...."

By the way, is Toyota the only company that has floor mats that can bunch up and interfere with the pedals?

Okay, folks....am I nuts? (no, I haven't been abducted by aliens)

 

Oh, I like where this thread is going... What's weird is on a few of the blog sites many folks are already howling about "see, this is why I will always buy 'murrikin cars". So maybe you are on to something.

But beyond that, it appears as though the driver in this wrecked Lexus was a California Highway Patrol Officer. I'm speechless. Cannot believe it. WTH happened here??

 

Name me one car that doesn't have a mat that (if not properly hooked up) wont interfere with the pedals.
Every car I've ever owned had mats that moved around.
O and his Union pals have taken down (or are attacking); bankers, insurance companies, doctors, traders and now they got their sights set on Toyota (let's face it, they hate anyone who is successful).
If I were the NY Yankees...I'd be worried. I expect, any day now, an excise tax on any major league baseball team that has won in excess of 26 World Series.
Fear not Hollywood, you'll be protected.

 

Well, always being the one to want the facts, I tried an experiment on my way to work. On an empty stretch of road I floored the accelerator, and at about 50 MPH I shifted into neutral while keeping the accelerator depressed. All drive power was indeed disconnected from the wheels, and applying the brakes brought the car to a quick, easy, and safe stop. Judging from the sounds, it seems the engine did not over-rev. I also verified that it is not possible to disconnect power by pushing the power button while driving.

 

I'd vote that we keep this board clear of politics and conspiracy theories (or at least restrict them to "Anything Goes").

 

Thanks, I never wanted to try that, but always wondered if you could shift while accelerating. Of course your 50 MPH test isn't quite the same as driver's 120 MPH nightmare. Please don't try it, but I wonder if there is a speed at which the shifting isn't possible.

 

Toyota says you need to hold the on/off button for 3 seconds to force a power down.

 

Not sure if I'd want to do one hand driving for three seconds at 120 MPH (reflecting the case highlighted in the video above). Then, I imagine the sluggish steering and lack of power brakes might make controlling the car a wee bit of a challenge, no?

 

They were on a two-lane highway with a speed limit of probably 45-50mph. Personally I would be mashing that button as I passed through 60 or 65 in an un-commanded manner.

The steering needs very little force at cruise speed. With enough momentum, it acts more like a rudder. Power assist really helps a lot in parking lots and city driving.

The brakes use a vacuum reservoir, much like on a conventional car, that is good for 3 or 4 full pedal strokes of boosted assist after power is lost.

We don't know the whole story yet. CHP officers are generally quite knowledgeable about the vehicles they police.

 

Check this out from May 2007.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6d2aOcziDA