Dafuq? Woman's accelerator gets stuck

[Imp]

Saw this on CNN over the weekend. My first impression was also "wtf". Then I saw the driver and that it was an SUV... Pieces kinda fit together.

When I went to do my first driving test, the tester got in the car, and when we were about to start, the shifter got "stuck". It was an auto and it wouldn't go for park to drive. I motioned to my driving instructor to come help since he was nearby... Then I realized that I had to be on the brake to shift out of park. No, I did not pass and the bitchy tester gave me attitude throughout the test. Bitch.

Sounds like the accelerator was stuck in this story, but I'm guessing sheer panic affected her ability to shift it into neutral or turn the car off. Button starts, you're apparently suppose to hold it down for a few seconds like a modern computer.

 

[NikolaeVarius]

Saw this on CNN over the weekend. My first impression was also "wtf". Then I saw the driver and that it was an SUV... Pieces kinda fit together.

When I went to do my first driving test, the tester got in the car, and when we were about to start, the shifter got "stuck". It was an auto and it wouldn't go for park to drive. I motioned to my driving instructor to come help since he was nearby... Then I realized that I had to be on the brake to shift out of park. No, I did not pass and the bitchy tester gave me attitude throughout the test. Bitch.

Sounds like the accelerator was stuck in this story, but I'm guessing sheer panic affected her ability to shift it into neutral or turn the car off. Button starts, you're apparently suppose to hold it down for a few seconds like a modern computer.

If you don't know how to shift a car from park to drive, you definitely don't deserve to drive.

 

[surfsatwerk]

Saw this on CNN over the weekend. My first impression was also "wtf". Then I saw the driver and that it was an SUV... Pieces kinda fit together.

When I went to do my first driving test, the tester got in the car, and when we were about to start, the shifter got "stuck". It was an auto and it wouldn't go for park to drive. I motioned to my driving instructor to come help since he was nearby... Then I realized that I had to be on the brake to shift out of park. No, I did not pass and the bitchy tester gave me attitude throughout the test. Bitch.

Sounds like the accelerator was stuck in this story, but I'm guessing sheer panic affected her ability to shift it into neutral or turn the car off. Button starts, you're apparently suppose to hold it down for a few seconds like a modern computer.

Tester did a good job.

 

[fatpat268]

Its a local station. What do you expect?

That's not the point.

Openings like (paraphrasing here) "this not footage out of a movie like the fast and furious, but it actually happened."

No shit

"All the time, she was driving with one hand... she might give Danica Patrick a run for her money..."

*cringe*

It's just corny shit that doesn't deserve to be there. It's why news stations suck so much because they spend more time *trying* to think up one liners than actually reporting the news. Instead of actually doing their jobs, all they did was show the video and regurgitate facts instead of actual investigation. It's a fucking joke.

When I went to do my first driving test, the tester got in the car, and when we were about to start, the shifter got "stuck". It was an auto and it wouldn't go for park to drive. I motioned to my driving instructor to come help since he was nearby... Then I realized that I had to be on the brake to shift out of park. No, I did not pass and the bitchy tester gave me attitude throughout the test. Bitch.

LOL, what? Was that your first time in a car, or what?

I don't know how it works in canada, but here in the US (or at least in Texas), you generally do the test in your own vehicle (or parents, or whatever vehicle you've practicing on and been insured on), so you should be familiar with that vehicle's functions.

Looks like that tester did her job well that day.

 

[wirednuts]

Worst car in the world. Simultaneous failure of throttle linkage, transmission linkage, and ignition switch. Or was it ineptitude? I wonder which is more plausible?

i agree. she said she tried everything, but that is clearly false for anyone that knows how cars work.

put it in nuetral and if that doesnt work for some magical reason, then turn the key off. ooooo you loose steering! well, you dont really lose it, it just gets hard to turn. but not at speed! and big deal, why do you need steering if youre stopped!

 

[jupiter57]

"All the time, she was driving with one hand..

This is what I thought as soon as I saw the story.
Hard to shift out of drive with one hand on the steering wheel and the other hand full of phone!

I can't wait until the whole story here gets out, I believe there is a lot of fail here.

 

[AstroManLuca]

Does this ever happen to men?

Yes.

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2095734

Guy was driving a '96 Camry and killed three people. Was sent to prison. Once the stuck accelerator thing became big news, he capitalized on it and managed to get released early even though two separate experts concluded there were zero problems with his car. Had the recall not become big news, or if he had been driving a Chevy instead of a Toyota, I'm sure he wouldn't have gotten out.

On the other hand, the guy had already been in prison for two and a half years and I think the families had forgiven him. So it wasn't a huge miscarriage of justice, but it still makes you wonder.

 

[Imp]

LOL, what? Was that your first time in a car, or what?

I don't know how it works in canada, but here in the US (or at least in Texas), you generally do the test in your own vehicle (or parents, or whatever vehicle you've practicing on and been insured on), so you should be familiar with that vehicle's functions.

Looks like that tester did her job well that day.

Took the driving instructor's car. Think I had about 20 hours in a car with an instructor at that time. Definitely wasn't ready and probably (duh?) panicked. I also pulled over about 4' from the curb.

 

[SillyOReilly]

Took the driving instructor's car. Think I had about 20 hours in a car with an instructor at that time. Definitely wasn't ready and probably (duh?) panicked. I also pulled over about 4' from the curb.

I was going to hate on you, but muscle memory is a bitch.

Going from your DD to your weekend classic car takes one or two misses grabbing at the console shifter vs the steering wheel.

 

[Imp]

I was going to hate on you, but muscle memory is a bitch.

Going from your DD to your weekend classic car takes one or two misses grabbing at the console shifter vs the steering wheel.

Meh, hate all you want. That was about 5 years ago, at least 5 different cars, and more than 20,000km ago.

 

[7window]

so when you are drunk, popo pulls you over. get on cell call 911 then step on accelerator claim stuck for one hour. Drive around freeway. No dui.

 

[Fayd]

If you don't know how to shift a car from park to drive, you definitely don't deserve to drive.

i drive a manual...

when i drive someone else's car (automatic) there's a learning curve as i relearn to press brakes when using the shift lever, not trying to toe the non-existant clutch, etc.

 

[jagec]

i drive a manual...

when i drive someone else's car (automatic) there's a learning curve as i relearn to press brakes when using the shift lever, not trying to toe the non-existant clutch, etc.

It sucks when you go from a manual to an auto, and the first time you try to stop your left foot almost goes through the floorboards trying to press the nonexistent clutch.

It sucks even more when it has one of those super-wide brake pedals, and you end up inadvertently two-footing the brake pedal and briefly locking the tires.

 

[DCal430]

I know on my car if I turn the car off I don't just lose power steering, I lose all steering, the steering wheel will LOCK. Her car could have been the same way, also this was a keyless car, she couldn't turn the car off.

 

[BassBomb]

Idiot

 

[wirednuts]

I know on my car if I turn the car off I don't just lose power steering, I lose all steering, the steering wheel will LOCK. Her car could have been the same way, also this was a keyless car, she couldn't turn the car off.

thats why they dont advocate turning the key off, because if you turn it too far it will lock the wheel. but you will still stop.

i still think thats 1000x better then flying down a freeway at 120mph with steering.

and these push button cars... i guess i can understand why people dont think to hold the button down. maybe they should keep the fuel cutoff switches inside the gloveboxes from now on just in case.... yikes....

 

[BassBomb]

thats why they dont advocate turning the key off, because if you turn it too far it will lock the wheel. but you will still stop.

i still think thats 1000x better then flying down a freeway at 120mph with steering.

and these push button cars... i guess i can understand why people dont think to hold the button down. maybe they should keep the fuel cutoff switches inside the gloveboxes from now on just in case.... yikes....

neutral??

even the push button cars can do that

 

[Imp]

If the article below is right, the car had a mechanical shifter and testing showed that the problem was not "reproducible" (is it ever?).

http://www.wheels.ca/news/insider-editorial-a-high-speed-nightmare/

 

[DCal430]

neutral??

even the push button cars can do that

My car can't go into Neutral if it is being driven, I assume hers is the same.

 

[LTC8K6]

Hard to believe a 2011 vehicle with proximity key would have a transmission cable.

 

[LTC8K6]

My car can't go into Neutral if it is being driven, I assume hers is the same.

Why not? How do you avoid engine braking such as on ice?

What vehicle?

 

[jupiter57]

My car can't go into Neutral if it is being driven, I assume hers is the same.

Why not? How do you avoid engine braking such as on ice?

What vehicle?

Yeah, what vehicle?
ALL motor vehicles can be shifted to neutral while being driven.
To build one otherwise would not only be foolish, but I'm quite sure it wouldn't cut Federal safety regulations(?).

 

[Zeze]

So what? You lose POWER steering, you don't loose the steering itself. At highway speeds going in essentially a straight line power steering is pretty much meaningless, it provides no benefit whatsoever.

Turn off the ignition you stupid broad.

Have you actually tried this? I have.

My Mazda 6 2003 totally locks the steering wheel when I turned it off in the middle of highway (I did out of sheer curiosity and turned it back on without probs).

 

[jupiter57]

Have you actually tried this? I have.

My Mazda 6 2003 totally locks the steering wheel when I turned it off in the middle of highway (I did out of sheer curiosity and turned it back on without probs).

Zeze, seriously, you need to take your car to the Dealer or a knowledgeable mechanic because you have a serious safety issue failure.
(Possibly, a previous owner has overridden the wheel lock so as to not need to put it in Park (Automatic), or push the wheel lock button (Stick Shift).

I bought a 5 speed pickup once where someone had put a screw in the wheel lock button & disconnected the wire to the override.

 

[Eos]

If the article below is right, the car had a mechanical shifter and testing showed that the problem was not "reproducible" (is it ever?).

http://www.wheels.ca/news/insider-editorial-a-high-speed-nightmare/

Well, I for one, am shocked! :sneaky: