Not supportting Toyota, but I'll bet a big % are lotto seekers.

How about the big story of the guy in Ca that couldn't stop, reporters asked why he didn't just put it in neutral. He was afraid to let go of the wheel, of course he had his cell phone in his hand.

I can't figure out how these people can be so stupid to have the sense to call someone and yet be SO STUPID to not think of the basic neutral, turn off key ....

Of course the other day watching the women next to me driving along doing the Italian speak with her left hand and the cell plastered to her ear with the right hand and driving with ????

and I love the sub line of this Forbes article

"In their Toyota coverage reporters aren't letting facts get in the way of a good story."


http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2010/0809/opinions-toyota-cars-acceleration-brakes-93-and-counting.html

interesting article.

__________________
KLK, MCSE

1990 500SL

I was always taught to respect my elders.
I don't have to respect too many people anymore.

As long as DLs continued to be issued over the Internet, on-line in many states......anything goes and will continue to go, on the streets and highways.

__________________
'06 E320 CDI
'17 Corvette Stingray Vert

and the wall street journal is owned by ... that fun-loving, apolitical ( ) australian guy. more "fair and balanced".

__________________
"The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread."

I have to disagree. This report was obviously leaked from a source that has no fear of getting outed (i.e., the "senior administration source" that turned out to be Cheney). This is a credible leak, as much as I abhor the cowardice that journalism permits in allowing top administration officials to leak news. Such is the world we live in.

The lead fully supports the headline. People say they were braking but the accelerator was floored. Translation: driver error.

Toyota's problem is that the company makes cars that are purchased disproportionately by bad drivers. That's part of the onus of being the world's largest car company, but it's also related to the company's reputation for brain-dead reliability. People who basically don't like cars or driving generally go for Toyota, IMO. The Toyota buyers I know don't want to be troubled by their cars. I tell them they should pick up a set of snow tires (we're in Wisconsin, and they're driving 20 miles to work) and they look at me like I'm nuts.

In particular I believe that Toyota Avalon drivers are consistently the worst on the road. I'd rather drive behind a dozen octogenarian Mercury Marquis drivers than one Avalon driver of any age. In fact, the older the Avalon driver the better, because they're less likely to be on a cell phone.

I remember hearing of a survey, back before all this hoorah with Toyota had even started, of which model car would most likely have a piss-poor driver behind the wheel.

# 1 on the list? Toyota Prius.

From the way they drive them here in SA, I can well believe it.

__________________
Just say "NO" to Ethanol - Drive Diesel

Mitchell Oates
Mooresville, NC
'87 300D 212K miles
'87 300D 151K miles - R.I.P. 12/08
'05 Jeep Liberty CRD 67K miles
Grumpy Old Diesel Owners Club

I became suspicious as the avalanche of complaints rose. Some of these cars were 10+ years old with no complaints until this episode. Can anyone explain how a car develops a MAJOR safety defect after 10+ years of stone cold reliability, and all the "defects" began at about the same time?

Simple: driver error. They applied the wrong pedal. yes, Totoyta attracts more brain dead drivers than other brands--there is your story!

__________________
1982 300SD " Wotan" ..On the road as of Jan 8, 2007 with Historic Tags

I know but Dow Jones was pretty good before News Corp bought them out. It's the intelligent arm of that evil corporation. The plebs have their Fox News channel :p

__________________
-Typos courtesy of my mobile phone.

tonkovich,
As another "fun loving apolitical Australian guy", I two are "fair and balanced"!! I even originate from the same town as him. I think he has USA citizenship now & had it when he took over that well written paper you refer to !!

__________________
Grumpy Old Diesel Owners Club group

I no longer question authority, I annoy authority. More effect, less effort....

1967 230-6 auto parts car. rust bucket.
1980 300D now parts car 800k miles
1984 300D 500k miles
1987 250td 160k miles English import
2001 jeep turbo diesel 130k miles
1998 jeep tdi ~ followed me home. Needs a turbo.
1968 Ford F750 truck. 6-354 diesel conversion.
Other toys ~J.D.,Cat & GM ~ mainly earth moving

i was trying to be, uh, witty? creative? "dry"? (which i should leave to the english- they do it best) anyway, he's still an aussie d-bag to me, and everything he touches turns to dross.

__________________
"The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread."

Might want to check the problem they are having with rust on the frames of their trucks.
Tom

That only occurs if the frames become wet, or the vehicles are driven outdoors...

Take your new Toyota to Gulfport, take a drive along the beach, receive free undercoating.

__________________
Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.

Steering Issues Cause Further Toyota Recalls

Published: July 29, 2010 - NY Times

Toyota, the Japanese automaker, said Thursday that it was recalling almost 373,000 of its 2000 to 2004 Avalon sedans because of a steering problem that could cause a crash.

The automaker said it was also recalling about 39,000 2003-7 Lexus LX 470 sport utility vehicles for a different steering defect.

Avalon’s problem, Toyota said in a statement, involves “the improper casting” of part of the steering interlock system. It is possible that the casting could crack and eventually the lock bar could break.

The interlock system could be difficult to unlock when the vehicle is parked, Toyota said.

It is quite funny, The only "reports" of unintended acceleration our dealership gets is from parents of teenagers after speeding tickets and from elderly people who have jumped parking curbs.....Draw your own conclusions.

On another note, i had a customer request to have their vehicle inspected for the recall and we found five, yes FIVE floor mats piles on top of each other. I'm convinced american's are getting dumber and dumber every day. What the F@*K is wrong with people.

__________________
83 300SD.......sold
96 integra SE....sold
99 a4 quattro....sold
2001 IS300.......sold
2002 330i.........current.
2004 highlander limited....current.

HEY!!!!!






You leave my new car, "Zbigniew Mercury", alone!!!!!!!


grrrrrrrrr



My posse will come and beat the carp you of you with their canes !!!!

__________________
1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)