Runaway Prius driver: Brakes were 'almost burned' [But he wouldn't shift into neutral!]

Yahoo News ^ | 2010-03-10 | ELLIOT SPAGAT

[justlurking]

Before he called 911, James Sikes says he reached down with his hand to loosen the "stuck" accelerator on his 2008 Toyota Prius, his other hand on the steering wheel. The pedal didn't move.

"My car can't slow down," he began when a California Highway Patrol dispatcher answered his call.

[...]

During the two 911 calls, Sikes ignored many of the dispatcher's questions, saying later that he had to put his phone on the seat to keep his hands on the wheel.

Leighann Parks, a 24-year-old dispatcher, repeatedly told him to throw the car into neutral but got no answers.

"He was very emotional, you could tell on the line he was panicked," Parks told reporters outside the CHP's El Cajon office. "I could only imagine being in his shoes and being that stressed."

Neibert told Sikes after the CHP caught up with him to shift to neutral but the driver shook his head no. Sikes told reporters he didn't go into neutral because he worried the car would flip.

[NappyOne]

I had to laugh at this whole thing. First this idiot owns a Prius, the mark of the stupid IMO. Then this, with a “runaway” hitting 90-95 mph, really points out how deceptive this hybrid design. This guy can place a 911 call, but can’t put the car in neutral when requested by the 911 operator because he said he was too busy controlling the car. Yea, this whole thing smells. He wasn’t telling the 911 operator he was afraid the car would flip at the time, just after the fact. Fellow Freepers, this is the quality of drivers that share your highways.

Back in 1990, I bought a car, out the door TT&L $5,000, that got 50 mpg city and 65 mpg highway. The massive 1 liter, fuel injected power plant could accelerate that monster to past 90 on a flat stretch of highway. It wasn’t a hybrid and it gave me 13 years of service and 150,000 miles with regular maintenance, tires, brakes and battery. No other fixes were needed. Prius: what a con.

The NappyOne

[Republic of Texas]

True, but I doubt the key was in at the time. No one I know with a Prius uses that key. Now given all the phone calls and other activity going on at the time, I don’t see why pulling the key out of your pocket would be that difficult. Nothing would have been as simple as putting the car in Neutral though.

[Presbyterian Reporter]

Sikes was also calling John Edwards the Trial Lawyer.

What a scam!!!!!

[Cheerio]

Another American in search of his own “Obama Stash”.

I love that video and have a shortcut on my desk top. Certainly a good reason why there desperately needs to be a test before voting or the 'American Experiment' is going to be over. Never forget.............

'A democracy is always temporary in nature: it simple cannot exist as a permanent form of government. A democracy will continue to exist up until the voters discover that they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority will always vote for the candidates who promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse due to loose fiscal policy, (which is) always followed by a dictatorship.'

Goes for a Constitutional Republic also.

[tom paine 2]

Listened to the 911 call and thoughgt it was a scam like the rat in my soup ploy

[Tex-Con-Man]

I dunno...

How much would it cost the UAW to hire an out of work Hollywood stuntman to help GM get more biz? (And I call the birthers crazy.)

[ROLF of the HILL COUNTRY]

If what you and others are saying is correct, that there is is no mechanical connection in the ignition loop and everything is controlled by computer, that's a d@mn good reason not to buy such a vehicle!!!

Trust your life to a computer? NO WAY!!

[justlurking]

Am I the only one that finds that feature a metric ton of crap? A key to activate a button?

If you ever drive one, you'll understand why.

You don't "start" a Prius. You can turn it on and drive a short distance before the engine starts for the first time.

The button also works as an interlock: you have to press the brake pedal before you press the button. Otherwise, it interprets it as "turn on the accessories" and the car will not move.

[CharlesWayneCT]

The Prius will go into neutral while moving. I don’t know if it will go into neutral at 90mph while driving, I’ll have to try it out.

But the shift in the Prius isn’t mechanical, it’s electronic. There’s a little lever, but it’s just an electric button-pusher, the car has to WANT to go into the gear you select.

It won’t go into reverse or park if you are moving much at all.

Also, the power is not a key that you can move to “accessory” so as to not lock the steering wheel, it’s a pushbutton that turns of the power if the computer lets you. Sometimes you have to hold it down. Then once it is off, if you take your foot off the brake and push the button it will go into auxiliary mode.

So it’s just a bit complicated, but you should familiarize yourself with your car after you buy it.

The Prius engine won’t over-rev either, the gas pedal isn’t mechanical, it’s a signal to the computer, and the computer decides how fast to rev the engine, and how much to run the two electric motors. In neutral, it won’t overrev the engine.

And in any case, once in neutral you will stop the car in 10 seconds or so, and then you can turn off the key. Or, if you have a camcorder, you can get out and film your car revving the engine while sitting in neutral on the side of the road, or use your cell phone to take pictures with sound of your gas pedal NOT being held down by the carpet while the engine sounds are revving.

[devere]

“I think Government Motors (GM) is sending out union dupes to stage problems with Toyotas. Isn’t that what competition is all about in nobama world????”

I’m up for paranoia, but aren’t all us rubes going to buy Fords and Hondas? Sounds like a rather ineffective plot.

[McGavin999]

Wait a second, he’s driving in CA and doesn’t have bluetooth? I thought it was illegal to use a cell while driving in CA. Wouldn’t every driver have a hands free device? Especially someone liberal enough to be driving a Prius.

[SoggyBottomBoys]

I could stop my truck, but I don’t think my wife could. I’d find out, but it is my service to the community to keep her from driving on our roads. We could try in a parking lot, but the store owners might get nervous.

LOL..and we thank you for your service.

[longtermmemmory]

but he told 911 “i am trying to control the car”

fishy.

does anyone know if his backgroud has been checked out?

[DJ MacWoW]

Ok. Thanks. On another thread they were saying it was different and you explained the difference, electronic vs mechanical.

[ROLF of the HILL COUNTRY]

” better for someone who doesn’t know the key position you’re talking about.”

I'm sorry you didn't get taught this in Driver's Ed: rule number one is to know your vehicle before driving! When you get a new car, READ THE OWNER”S MANUAL!!!

[RobRoy]

You bring up an interesting point. He said the gas pedal was stuck. Unless he had a stiff floor mat that was blocking it, that is odd.

It is possible he did this on purpose. That is what Toyota will attempt to resolve. And you know that is what they are thinking.

[Postman]

I said it was hugh...I didn’t say it was DAMN HARDER....that was somebody else said it and your right its harder but not imprehensible

[ROLF of the HILL COUNTRY]

“Best thing - familiarize yourself with your vehicle. Find a parking lot and try different things.”

EXACTLY!!!

[RobRoy]

I had a stuck accelerator when I was in my teens. I turned off the engine. Now, back then it didn’t lock your steering wheel, but it was a natural thing to do and I had only been driving a couple of years.

Is it too late to sue American Motors?

[Charles Martel]

Re: #35...

Y'know, I don't recall hearing any "unintended accelleration" or "stuck accelerator" stories out of Al-Jazeera. One can just imagine a truckload of jihadis trapped in the back of a runaway Toyota pickup. :-)