Safety note (kinda rant-y)

Being able to see both sides of any given situation is what we have intelligence for.

Can we definitively state that the Officer in question panicked?
No.

Can we definitively state that we wouldn't panic if we were in the same situation?
No.

Oh, we'd like to say that though, that "I'd never panic like that". The truth of the matter is that most people will never know how they would react in extreme situations. A bad ass cop might piss his pants when finally caught up in a gunfight. A soldier might hide himself and cry when finally confronted with combat. You never know until the moment of truth arrives.

For those of you who think you're immune to panic, you're full of shit. Period. Grow up and learn to have an intellectual conversation like an intelligent adult. For those who've had something like this happen in their car and did the right thing, kudos to you.

For those that never gave it any thought before, well, here's your opportunity to figure it out before it happens to you. I think that was the original posters intent.

 

well 500 miles has me beat anyway...I didn't mean to come across as judgemental. Some stories like this the facts don't add up to me, especially since it seems these days everyone is corrupt. I would like to know for a fact that the car had no way of turning off the key, popping into neutral, SLOWLY applying the e-brake, etc. because I have been in those situations a few times: no brakes heading downhill towards a red light without e-brake, and stuck throttle and having certain knowledge of the machine, I remained calm and did what needed to be done.

but those were my cars (and my fault that they had problems) and had no family to worry about.

 

luxury car for American market...in Europe the same cars are Toyotas, Acuras are Hondas, same for infinity

 

Right and if its an automatic column shift it want lock unless it in park anyways!!!

 

***edit*** I see what you are saying now.

 

So if I pull up in front of my house and I want to back in the driveway, I have to turn the engine off to put it in neutral and then into reverse???? They still use the federally mandated PRND321 don't they?

I suppose they could have a speed lock out but I have no idea why.

I'll put a ten spot up that we don't have all the facts. Everyone here is relying on a newspaper report or facts recited from some other not necessarily reliable source. We probably never will know the whole truth.

 

One issue I see in this thread is that most people seem to be assuming that the floor mat was the cause of the problem.

Actually...that is what Toyota is saying.

In reality...there may...and that's may, not is definitely...be a problem with the electronic control module on the cars. Or at least some of them. Toyota has not, as of this time , been able to duplicate any ECM problem. That does not mean that a problem does not exist.

My understanding is that, in the case of the CHP officer & his family, and according to the transcript of the 911 call (which was made by a passenger in the back seat, not the driver)....the car would not allow the driver to shut the engine off; hitting the brakes did no good (I have read various explanations for this, from "not powerful enough" to "ECM wouldn't allow it", and if the ECM went haywire, who knows what it would do/not allow?), and downshifting the trans would not work, either.

At that point, I would think his options were fairly limited...perhaps try to sideswipe a concrete barrier wall to slow the car & trigger the fuel pump shutoff.

Regardless, people died...and whether the driver could have done SOMETHING to prevent it, or not...I fail to understand why some people on here are so self righteous & superior about his actions....particularly when it appears that several of you didn't even bother to do any research before opening your Internet mouths. None of us were there.

These people DIED, for Christ's sake. They left behind loved ones...friends...show a bit of respect. I'm sure some of you would feel just a bit differently if it was your wife, mother, father, or best friend behind the wheel that day. Why is it so hard to keep from making judgments?

Just another example of the decline of the civilized world today...

 

Toyota does make Lexus of course and they have admitted the Lexus pedal/mat design is similar among several models of amongst brands. Still, looking at our Prius which is part of the recall, I still can't honestly see how it could be a problem. We have the factory winter mats and they are clipped to the floor and there seems to be plenty of clearance to the pedal. Again, we have never had a single issue with the car, not even a squeak, let alone any problems with the pedal or mat. But maybe using different mats or stacking another set on top for some odd reason, not sure.

I don't know how the Lexus could differ or why he couldn't brake it hard to slow it down or shift into neutral or kill the ign. But, obviously something went pretty wrong and wasn't like he was an 80 year lady who was half out of her mind. I say let's probably assume something happened he couldn't over come in the situation, probably a couple of small things combined, and unfortunately they all died as a result.

Knowing your car well and smart driving is traditional and that does have advantages for sure. But modern cars are so easy to drive any fool can do it and that allows for a lot more control in some ways, but a lot less in some as well.

 

I had a '76 Honda while in school. At least in this car, you definitely COULD lock the column with the key in the ignition. I ended up atop a stone wall when the accelerator cable jammed.

I also have a Prius. Floor mats look fine,and are well anchored. I'll let the dealer change my accelerator pedal. As far as I know, you can't shift to neutral while in gear and you have to seriously push and hold the ignition button to shut it down,not just stab at it (to avoid accidentally hitting the button while driving.)

If you'll never own a car without an ignition keylock, fine with me, I don't really care one way or the other.

If you feel anything other than great sorrow at the loss of life and the destruction of this family, who knew it was coming, then you are nothing more than a sub-human ass-but that's just my opinion.