smok Posted March 14, 2010 Share Posted March 14, 2010 (edited) This guy (James Sikes) is actually helping Toyota. Forbes has an article practically alleging this is a hoax. They go through some interesting details that definitely put doubt on the credibility of this guy. http://www.forbes.com/2010/03/12/toyota-autos-hoax-media-opinions-contributors-michael-fumento.html Turns out the guy is bankrupt, owes $700,000. He is owner of Adult SwingLife.com. :-) LOL Edited March 14, 2010 by smok Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlRozzi Posted March 14, 2010 Share Posted March 14, 2010 This guy (James Sikes) is actually helping Toyota. Forbes has an article practically alleging this is a hoax. They go through some interesting details that definitely put doubt on the credibility of this guy. :-) LOL I thought this was a hoax from the time it made the news because it does not make sense that a 61 year old guy, who probably has been driving cars for over 4 decades, couldn not figure out how to throw a car into neutral and shut off the engine. Made no sense that it took 20 miles to figure that out, especially with the news media telling that to Toyota drivers for weeks now. However, I thought this was a setup by General Motors. If This wasn't happening to Toyota right now then they would have passed GM in U.S. sales this year. I still believe this is an attempt by GM to keep Toyota down so GM remains #1 in U.S. sales. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mettech Posted March 14, 2010 Share Posted March 14, 2010 I have a feeling that more "runaway stories" will surface. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToBeHuman Posted March 14, 2010 Share Posted March 14, 2010 Of course the investigators cannot duplicate what happened. It's something in the electronics that only happens every once in awhile. Also they said that his breaks did not show wear that would be consistent if he was trying to apply full force to the break pedal. Who knows if he was? The car's brakes have all kinds of electronics controlling them too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92merc Posted March 14, 2010 Share Posted March 14, 2010 And if a Toyota add has ever appeared in Forbes, one could say this guy is a Toyota apologist and probably being paid by Toyota to refute the claims. Now, I don't actually believe that. But the accusations will flow both ways that's for sure. Odds are, they can never prove for sure the car didn't actually have the sudden accel. All they can do is show a lot of circumstantial evidence he "probably" staged it. In the end, only Toyota's image will be damaged. I can live with that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomServo92 Posted March 14, 2010 Share Posted March 14, 2010 I have a feeling that more "runaway stories" will surface. It could be that the runaway stories have always been there but never made it to the national level until the Toyota recall became a lead news item. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timmm55 Posted March 14, 2010 Share Posted March 14, 2010 It's like rape cases where victims speak out afterwards. Some may in fact be bogus. But it still doesn't refute the crimes. If Toyota's lawyers are too heavy handed in this, this too will backfire. There's an article I posted earlier about women rejecting Toyota........they can see the similaries more than anyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weiweishen Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 This guy (James Sikes) is actually helping Toyota. Forbes has an article practically alleging this is a hoax. They go through some interesting details that definitely put doubt on the credibility of this guy. http://www.forbes.com/2010/03/12/toyota-autos-hoax-media-opinions-contributors-michael-fumento.html Turns out the guy is bankrupt, owes $700,000. He is owner of Adult SwingLife.com. :-) LOL I don't think this guy can help Toyota anyhow. What Toyota can do with this case? Discredit all of the runaway problem? Actually this guy just give everyone a hint about how bad the toyota situation could be. There were real runaway toyota, there were faked runaway toyoda. There were runway case that were not identified several years ago but now been identified. There were people intendedly runway, there were toyota unintendedly runway. There were guys put in jail for killed people by his camry but now may been out of jail for claiming not able to stop the car,...... It is a drama, I am really looking forward to hearing what Toyota's commnent on this guy and his prius Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92merc Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 CNN article http://money.cnn.com/2010/03/15/autos/toyota_prius_presser/index.htm?hpt=T2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xr7g428 Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 It's like rape cases where victims speak out afterwards. Some may in fact be bogus. But it still doesn't refute the crimes. If Toyota's lawyers are too heavy handed in this, this too will backfire. There's an article I posted earlier about women rejecting Toyota........they can see the similaries more than anyone. That is a very insightful observation. An interesting point that we have to consider: who is credible, and to whom... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smok Posted March 15, 2010 Author Share Posted March 15, 2010 "Data from on-board computers indicated that Sikes had applied the brakes and gas pedal, alternately, at least 250 times during the incident, Toyota executives said." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PREMiERdrum Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 "Data from on-board computers indicated that Sikes had applied the brakes and gas pedal, alternately, at least 250 times during the incident, Toyota executives said." It's funny how quickly they can read the black box when the results are helpful to them... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FordBuyer Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 And if a Toyota add has ever appeared in Forbes, one could say this guy is a Toyota apologist and probably being paid by Toyota to refute the claims. Now, I don't actually believe that. But the accusations will flow both ways that's for sure. Odds are, they can never prove for sure the car didn't actually have the sudden accel. All they can do is show a lot of circumstantial evidence he "probably" staged it. In the end, only Toyota's image will be damaged. I can live with that. I can live with that also. While I hope Toyota's reputation has been severely damaged long term, I vote for scam. I would bet he had foot on brake while other foot was on gas pedal in order to cook the brakes and make it look like it was all braking. The scoring of brakes give ample credibility to that theory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2b2 Posted March 16, 2010 Share Posted March 16, 2010 (edited) imho Toyota has been ALREADY proven guilty of a number of crimes easily enough to keep any sensible person from driving one or EVEN driving their car NEAR ONE! this driver still has his "presumed-innocence" - not that THAT means anything to TM - & with their cluster-*** enginerring+business practices; imho No One will ever be able to PROVE that Prius was working properly Edited March 16, 2010 by 2b2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CKNSLS Posted March 16, 2010 Share Posted March 16, 2010 imho Toyota has been ALREADY proven guilty of a number of crimes easily enough to keep any sensible person from driving one or EVEN driving their car NEAR ONE! this driver still has his "presumed-innocence" - not that THAT means anything to TM - & with their cluster-*** enginerring+business practices; imho No One will ever be able to PROVE that Prius was working properly Well, it's no question that this guy who is essentially "broke" wanted to get a new car out of the deal from Toyota since his lease was coming to a close on his Prius and he had no money to get another car. Now, all we have to do is to find out how many of these other cars that ran in to buildings and walls were from elderly drivers and those that plain didn't know how to drive. PLEASE NOTE - I haven't said there isn't possibly a problem with SUA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardJensen Posted March 16, 2010 Share Posted March 16, 2010 Well, it's no question that this guy who is essentially "broke" wanted to get a new car out of the deal from Toyota Hey CKNSLS, check out this story: http://consumeraffairs.com/news04/2005/ford_rollover_trial.html Have you heard of it? Ford was smart enough not to publicly attack people who claimed to be victims of their faulty products. Yes, Ford attorneys spoke on the record on this issue. But they certainly didn't hold a press conference and make a spectacle of this. ---- Toyota is really screwing themselves over. They're not going to convince anyone aside from the people who need no convincing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardJensen Posted March 16, 2010 Share Posted March 16, 2010 It's funny how quickly they can read the black box when the results are helpful to them... indeed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CKNSLS Posted March 16, 2010 Share Posted March 16, 2010 (edited) No need for Toyota to do it - there is plenty coming to light from other sources: http://jalopnik.com/5491101/did-bankrupt-runaway-prius-driver-fake-unintended-acceleration http://jalopnik.com/5491543/bankrupt-runaway-prius-driver-owns-adult-swinger-site Edited March 16, 2010 by CKNSLS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardJensen Posted March 16, 2010 Share Posted March 16, 2010 (edited) No need for Toyota to do it - there is plenty coming to light from other sources: http://jalopnik.com/5491101/did-bankrupt-runaway-prius-driver-fake-unintended-acceleration http://jalopnik.com/5491543/bankrupt-runaway-prius-driver-owns-adult-swinger-site Well that's good. They can spend more of their time discrediting the 70% of sudden acceleration cases that AREN'T covered by recall. Edited March 16, 2010 by RichardJensen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangerM Posted March 16, 2010 Share Posted March 16, 2010 I have a feeling that more "runaway stories" will surface. For that reason, I have to question (all of) them. A few years back, you may remember the rampant shark attacks off the East Coast, yet once the numbers were crunched (doh!), the actual number wasn't any greater than in years' past. It's the news coverage that made it seem so widespread. Some of these stories seem like piling on (for cash) to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangerM Posted March 16, 2010 Share Posted March 16, 2010 "Data from on-board computers indicated that Sikes had applied the brakes and gas pedal, alternately, at least 250 times during the incident, Toyota executives said." Didn't this "incident" go on for 20 minutes? I thought the black box only recorded data for a short period, like 5 seconds or something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weiweishen Posted March 16, 2010 Share Posted March 16, 2010 For that reason, I have to question (all of) them. A few years back, you may remember the rampant shark attacks off the East Coast, yet once the numbers were crunched (doh!), the actual number wasn't any greater than in years' past. It's the news coverage that made it seem so widespread. Some of these stories seem like piling on (for cash) to me. I remembered that last week on my way home, I saw a green Honda accord with a bumper sticker said "Toyota, please do not follow me". Guess what, it was a corolla followed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smok Posted March 16, 2010 Author Share Posted March 16, 2010 There is definitely something going on with the Toyotas. But if you analyze the numbers on a complaints/100,000 vehicles, VW/Audi comes at number 1. Data Link Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timmm55 Posted March 16, 2010 Share Posted March 16, 2010 There is definitely something going on with the Toyotas. But if you analyze the numbers on a complaints/100,000 vehicles, VW/Audi comes at number 1. Data Link Check some of the other years and you'll find some interesting stats. 2010 has Toyota with 77% of all complaints. Suzuki has had a high incidence rate a few years ago....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92merc Posted March 17, 2010 Share Posted March 17, 2010 Didn't this "incident" go on for 20 minutes? I thought the black box only recorded data for a short period, like 5 seconds or something. CNN video article posted today, on exactly that subject. Basically asking why Toyota doesn't have their systems setup to record the data... http://www.cnn.com/video/?/video/us/2010/03/17/feyerick.toyota.black.box.cnn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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