A Few Comments on the Toyota Recall
It is incredibly unfortunate to have such a failure in a new car. As a major fan and proponent of Toyota over the years my interest in their newer vehicles has certainly been shaken. What’s more unfortunate, though, is how few people know how to properly pilot an automobile.
We’re not talking about cell phone use, or not signaling, or whatever, this is a fundamental question of being able to safely operate modern transportation; when your vehicle won’t stop accelerating and braking is insufficient: PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL!
This is as basic a concept as there is, and one of the earliest things you learn in driver’s training. Unfortunately, it has become apparent that a great deal of people lack this specific knowledge, in fact one person claims to have learned this from a recent ABC news report.
I think we need to re-evaluate the testing processes for issuing driver’s licenses and spend less time demonizing Toyota.
UPDATE (03/03/2010) – Toyota has released this automotive training video: http://www.toyota.com/recall/videos/stoppingprocedure.html
UPDATE (03/19/2010) – It looks more and more like the “sudden acceleration” problem can be more directly attributed to “sudden dumb-ass driver syndrom.” More info here: http://www.greencarreports.com/blog/1043566_the-punching-bag-hits-back-prius-crash-was-driver-error-toyota-says
UPDATE (07/14/2010) – NHTSA further confirms what rational people already knew: the drivers are at fault
Do you think they’ll will do say in the congressional hearings? These recalls are killing them. Seen the stock after the recalls? web sites like http://www.americanjobadvocate.com are tearing them apart
I haven’t paid much attention to it all, but I will add that for a long time Toyota had as little had as half the casualty rate in their cars than other manufacturers (http://www.informedforlife.org/demos/FCKeditor/UserFiles/File/DEathRatescombined1994to2004alpha.pdf) and no one really paid attention. Now there’s a defect in US made Toyotas and everyone has an opinion.