WSJ: Release of Toyota Documents Blocked, Ex-Official Says

DOT officials are sitting on it because LaHood and NHTSA administrator Strickland are in a conspiracy with ATAC, Ralph Nader, Ditlow, Kane, and Consumers Union against Toyota. Strickland is the guy who wants to hurt hybrid sales (most of which are Toyota's) with the "bell-the-hybrid" studies, which he lied to Congress about. Maybe he's just jealous since he obviously couldn't get into a Prius...

 

I have no doubt that the suppression of Prius favorable data is going on. Christopher Hogan, myself and retired professor Mark Larsen of Utah State University have all found compelling data in the FARS and other sources that our Prius is actually safer than the average USA vehicle including for pedestrians. The facts and data suggests Prius are improving USA traffic safety with demonstrative, fewer fatalities.

I know it is easy to project malodorous motivations to others. Certainly understanding where their paycheck comes from is relevant. But there are cases where parallel goals appear to be a conspiracy when no conspiracy exists. Think of it as parallel evolution where different species evolve critters with similar characteristics. So let's look at motivations:

• Blind - they want an independent life with access to the world. An independent life means only their ears, no dogs or electronic assistance. For those without a dog, noise is their primary sense for things at a distance.
• Automotive Alliance - with 98% of their market being engine equipped vehicles, having a minimum noise standard makes it easy to stop engineering cars quieter than that noise floor. There is both an engineering and manufacturing cost savings and it doesn't hurt to throw a bump at the hybrid 2% of the market.
• NHTSA - gains credit for the appearance of improving safety, not necessarily fact-based, safety. Their abysmal performance in recalls followed by public assault on Toyota shows image is as important even if the facts and data are not there.
• "Nader-lite" - gains attention for the appearance of safety concerns even if their claims lack scientific validity. In one case, they sell a 'safety report' to sustain their efforts.

I don't think they conspired as much as their different motivations run towards a parallel if deadly future. When four drunks fall in the same direction, it is not proof of a conspiracy. But by ignoring the 'blood on the streets' for illusions and false claims behind "Bell the Hybrid," they delay effective action to make all of our vehicles and all of our citizens safer.

Bob Wilson

 

Why is this "data" favorable to Toyota...?

Does anyone of us have even the smallest doubt that the many "short term" SUA incidents are more often the result of brake pedal vs gas pedal confusion than otherwise...??

But that quite clearly does not account for the four "long term" incidents that we have all become aware of, Mrs. Smith, Saylor's, Sike's and the person who drove into the dealership with the engine still at WOT.

 

Did you by any chance include another common QUIET "vehicle" in your survey...??

Bicycle/pedestrian accidents...??

Talk to any downtown bicycle courier about the number of times they have that problem on daily basis.

And why do you think motorcycles are now required to have headlights on 24/7, Flashing headlights even in some states.

That's because they differ in a really significant way beyond what "we", collectively, are looking out for on the roads.

Oh, and have you yet learned to keep a special watch out for all the pedestrians nearing a crosswalk inattentively talking on cellphones or even wearing two Ipod earpieces...??

 

My report is here:
Prius Fatalities 2001-2007

Please read the report and tell us what you found.

I am also a former bicycle commuter and motorcycle rider and know the lie that "noise saves lives." The cemetaries are full of those who believed that nonsense. Better still, ask the deaf motorcyclists and bicycle riders. Would you propose to ban deaf riders?

One thing two-wheel riding taught me is we are invisible. This is the only rule that saved my life and limb time and time again.

When they tie flashing lights to their horns, you'll begin to make a cogent argument. Or for humor, put playing cards so they strike the spokes.

You wrote:

• Your exact words - "are looking out for"
• Not these words - "are listening for"

Bob Wilson

 

"...we are invisible..."

EXACTLY, motorcycles are not seen as a "threat" to anyone riding in a nice metal and glass wrapped "cocoon" so they become invisible to anyone driving with their mind not engaged, fully engaged, on the current task at hand.

Like it or not most of us drive that way the clear majority of the time.

As a matter of fact my '01 911/996 C4 has DRLs that use 4 watt LEDs with collimator lense that go into rapid flashing mode when the horn is used.

 

"..looking out for..." in this case was used as a "generic term". Used to mean ALL senses attuned to the task.

Picky, Picky....

 

Sikes was completely discredited in the report by the responding officer. In his report he stated that he observed the brake lights flashing on & off. Sikes stopped his car on his own. The police car was parked up against it as a precaution due to the nature of the call.

 

Well, in spite of what YOUR congress or government bodies want, the "report" is released! At least the gist of what it says.

I was in Courtney, B.C. last week. The little rag they call a newspaper had, on the bottom of the second page, a report of Toyota being cleared in all but one incident out of about 400. In all but one case the cause of the accident was "the nut behind the wheel".

If a small paper like that can print the report, who cares if your govt. bodies release it! It's the news media who are suppressing it! It's already available for printing the results.

 

It is entirely possible that the report you found in your "rag" was the one "planted" by Toyota's PR for which the NHTSA denied having released.

NHTSA even went public to say the "planted" report was not of their doing.

 

Source?

Bob Wilson

 

So, what would be your actions on/with the brake pedal in the Sikes incident...?

Hold them down firmly until you realize they are beginning to fade due to the extreme(***) heat...?? Or maybe even repetitively "stab" the brake pedal in a fervent hope the engine control will notice and drop out of cruise control accelerate mode, or whatever.

Or maybe both intermingled.

*** See the pictures of Saylor's brake rotors and pads post crash.

 

Follow the instructions of the 911 operator and put the car in "N" and come to a complete stop.

Better still, "Hold them down firmly" and come to a complete stop which several of us have already proved works.

Sorry but Sikes, "Corvette Club Jacket," has moved on and should join the "Dust-to-Dust" report in the dust-bin of history.

BTW, were is that source from the NHTSA about the report?

Bob Wilson

 

Pretending for the moment that it was really a run away that couldn't be stopped by turning the power off or putting it in neutral. One hard long press on the brake pedal to stop the car as quickly as possible. They won't fade if you stop that way.

Let's say the car was going 100 mph and weighed 3400 lb, feel free to substitute your own numbers.

That is 1,141,000 ft-lb of KE.

Let's assume the car is capable of 0.9 g stop, entirely reasonable for a modern car.

From 100mph, that means it will stop in 5.1 seconds.

1,141,000 ft-lb/5.1 seconds = 223,725 ft=lb/sec, an average of 406 hp absorbed by the brakes.

But, there is also wind and rolling resistance plus engine power form the allegedly run away engine.

Available extra power at 100mph is close to zero, as speed drops close to zero, available power is close to 100 hp. Let's assume that's an average of 75 hp for 5.1 seconds. Because we know it's over 50 hp and under 100 and this is just a sanity check.

That means the average brake load was increased by 18% over no power.

 

...

 

Both the Saylor and Smith SUA incidents appear to put the lie to being able to stop a FWD car with a run-a-way engine using the brakes. Besides which do we know for sure that ABS wouldn't restrict the rear braking effort if the rear wheels tended to slow faster than the fronts...?

 

Having shifted into "N" at high speeds, I trust it. Do the experiment.

Sad to say, Sikes didn't and risked a cop having to follow him at high speed and pull along side to use his speaker to tell Sikes to do the right thing.

Some of us have done the experiment and found the car comes to a stop. Certainly that is true with our ZVW30.

Shift into "N" and live. Do anything else and die . . . driver's choice. Saylor's fatal accident also involved descending a high-speed grade. Because of Saylor's death, the 911 operator knew what to tell Sikes who chose to ignore it.

Seriously, take your car out and replicate the scenario. Hold your accelerator down and try the brake alone and also try shifting into "N". Do it at different speeds:

• 20 mph
• 30 mph
• 40 mph
• 50 mph
• 60 mph
• 70 mph

There is no need to be afraid of the car. By starting at small speeds, build up to whatever seems scary.

Is that NHTSA denial found at: http://www.nhtsa.gov/ ?

Bob Wilson

 

I have an idea, you study the ABS system well enough to understand how it works then you can tell us what will happen if the rear wheels turn slower than the front wheels.

 

U.S. Government Accused of Withholding Exonerating Toyota Information | The Truth About Cars

From the Wall Street Journal article:
Release of Toyota Documents Blocked, Ex-Official Says - WSJ.com

Facts and data, a difficult thing to ignore. But I have to admit some hesitation when the Cato Institute picks up this story . . . even a blind pig finds an acorn.

Bob Wilson