4 ms·

Early Tests Pin Toyota Accidents on Drivers

40 points by muriithi 16y ago

Devilboy 16y ago
Already on front page: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1513000 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1513000
- deleted 16y ago
  [deleted]
there 16y ago
dear toyota, we know how you feel. signed, audi
- deleted 16y ago
  [deleted]
delackner 16y ago
The last line of the article says a lot, a quote from someone in the long tradition of "its all because you are prejudiced against [insert whatever group the person feels they are an aggrieved member of]."
- electromagnetic 16y ago
  Agreed, when I first heard about this problem I said to my wife "it sounds like people are hitting the gas not the brake". There were complaints of the vehicle accelerating faster the more the brakes were depressed, which is the mechanical effect of depressing the accelerator. I don't care if you're 20 or 80, male or female, everyone makes mistakes and everyone panics. I'm sure if I hit the brake and noticed no braking action (or even acceleration) my first reaction would probably be to floor the brakes, and I'd be screwed if I'd caught the gas by accident.
  - flog 16y ago
    What I find very interesting is the rise in occurrences of this behaviour after the media announcement. Is this an example of some sort of mass hysteria or did everyone just blame the car for any small thing? Or were they looking for legal settlement money?
Mark_Book 16y ago
I suspect a lot of Toyotas problems have to do with the standards in their overseas factories not living up to those on Japan My father has driven toyotas for 30 years without a single breakdown. I have had 2, I had trouble with one of them. It had a sticky accelerator (which I never considered serious as it only ever happened at the start of a journey), the wipers stopped working one rainy day, the driver seat adjustment lever gave up with the seat stuck in reclined and one time the brake pads stuck to the cylinder when the car had wasn't driven for a month. Interestingly it was the only one of the lot that sported a "Made in Britain" sticker.
apower 16y ago
How much were the testers paid?
hackermom 16y ago
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Y8NC7AZJdqs/SwrOEjyHWXI/AAAAAAAAACg/A_fjA0XARaM/s1600/Wall-eFatChair.jpg http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Y8NC7AZJdqs/SwrOEjyHWXI/AAAAAAAAAC... wrrrooom wrooom

40 points by muriithi 16y ago

Devilboy 16y ago

Already on front page: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1513000 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1513000

deleted 16y ago
[deleted]

there 16y ago

dear toyota, we know how you feel. signed, audi

deleted 16y ago
[deleted]

delackner 16y ago

The last line of the article says a lot, a quote from someone in the long tradition of "its all because you are prejudiced against [insert whatever group the person feels they are an aggrieved member of]."

electromagnetic 16y ago
Agreed, when I first heard about this problem I said to my wife "it sounds like people are hitting the gas not the brake". There were complaints of the vehicle accelerating faster the more the brakes were depressed, which is the mechanical effect of depressing the accelerator. I don't care if you're 20 or 80, male or female, everyone makes mistakes and everyone panics. I'm sure if I hit the brake and noticed no braking action (or even acceleration) my first reaction would probably be to floor the brakes, and I'd be screwed if I'd caught the gas by accident.
- flog 16y ago
  What I find very interesting is the rise in occurrences of this behaviour after the media announcement. Is this an example of some sort of mass hysteria or did everyone just blame the car for any small thing? Or were they looking for legal settlement money?

Mark_Book 16y ago

I suspect a lot of Toyotas problems have to do with the standards in their overseas factories not living up to those on Japan My father has driven toyotas for 30 years without a single breakdown. I have had 2, I had trouble with one of them. It had a sticky accelerator (which I never considered serious as it only ever happened at the start of a journey), the wipers stopped working one rainy day, the driver seat adjustment lever gave up with the seat stuck in reclined and one time the brake pads stuck to the cylinder when the car had wasn't driven for a month. Interestingly it was the only one of the lot that sported a "Made in Britain" sticker.

apower 16y ago

How much were the testers paid?

hackermom 16y ago

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Y8NC7AZJdqs/SwrOEjyHWXI/AAAAAAAAACg/A_fjA0XARaM/s1600/Wall-eFatChair.jpg http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Y8NC7AZJdqs/SwrOEjyHWXI/AAAAAAAAAC... wrrrooom wrooom