Braking News: Runaway Prius Saved By CHP – Video

Paul Niedermeyer
by Paul Niedermeyer

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Paul Niedermeyer
Paul Niedermeyer

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  • Odomeater Odomeater on Mar 09, 2010

    I still cannot believe what I am seeing. Once mighty Toyota being reduced to rubble right before my eyes. Astounding!

  • CarPerson CarPerson on Mar 09, 2010

    This was the NBC lead story Tuesday night. Toyota got hit with everything NBC could pick up and throw at it. People across the U.S. will go to bed tonight with the vision of the police car blocking the Toyota. Damage was done. Never piss off someone who owns a coast-to-coast cable channel.

  • Micheal Blue Micheal Blue on Mar 10, 2010

    Carperson: "When I bought my current car, the dealer had classes every two weeks for new buyers and drivers. It lasted about 90 minutes and covered a wide range of topics. Many handouts and displays. We all got to climb in a car and feel what the anti-lock system felt like after we learned how to apply this type of brake. Did this guy blow off similiar training or was it even offered? Did the dealer spend about 15 minutes and walk him through everything, including the Driver’s Handbook?" Every car comes with a nifty manual that describes how to properly operate all features of the car. There is absolutely no excuse for a driver not to know how to operate his/her own car - the system-critical components such as brakes, transmission, accelerator, etc. If this problem would happen on the way from the dealership - the maiden voyage, that would be one thing, but this was not the case. Either the guy is lying, or he is incompetent.

    • Wolfw1 Wolfw1 on Mar 11, 2010

      I agree with you - partially. Please read the comment right after yours. In my life I learned that the customer is nearly always right! One exception I found in Puerto Rico. But that was one in more than 50. And I do not believe that any manual talks about runaway conditions! And I do not know if the exist or not. That this guy did not put his car in Neutral -- many people loose their mind when something unexpected happens. And I found a lady yesterday who tried to put her car into neutral and claims it does not work. It works on mine!!!! Have a nice day - and fun! wolfw1

  • Wolfw1 Wolfw1 on Mar 10, 2010

    I was a techno at a computer company which often sent out a tiger team to "talk the problem away" (sometimes they actually fixed a problem). I will accept Toyota's fix - after they take this car, (the one with the problem), one logic analyzer attached to relevant signal points, and travel 50000 Miles - or until the problem happens. During my work with computers I had too many intermittent problems which happened every other day - or once per week - to understand how easy it is to talk the problem away and how difficult it is to fix it. Engineering is afraid ot the cost involvement - and too often too proud to admit that something might be wrong. Until this is done, I will drive my Prius - always ready to put it into neutral - very carefully

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