SHAME On You Rhonda...

"Which means she either lied under oath"

lol why? It's clear that these cases aren't happening to every second owner. If it's an electrical gremlin, it may never happen again on the vehicle, or it could happen tomorrow.

...Or it could just be happening as it is to Toyota and you can just swallow the damn pill...

it is ONLY happening to idiots who don't know what "N" is for.

this woman likely didn't even know the diff bet'n N R and P, and just learned AFTER all the publicity that selecting N was the correct action.

hubby likely advised her to get out of D, and she CLAIMS she went thru ALL the supposed options, even tho' P and R would've been locked out at speed.

"The car actually tried to start itself"

Christine is back !!!

BTW she looks so much like the typical Lexus owner - good casting

The plot thickens....

"one crazy canadian"
Who's that, Don Cherry ?

"Didn't I tell you all it was human stupidity all along?"

and me too.

with this flurry of comments, mine woulda been ~#30 or so, so i'm sneaking in line here.

told you so.

Toyota has admitted there is a problem and is trying to fix it!

Eric Snyder, co-counsel in five lawsuits seeking class-action status against Toyota, says electromagnetic interference is "certainly what we think is going on" in the case of Guadalupe Alberto, who died when witnesses say her 2005 Camry accelerated out of control into a tree. That model isn't part of the floor mat or sticky-pedal recall.

it is clear toyota unintended acceleration problem does not happen in any systemic way our with any consistency. But the problem does exist and has killed too many people!

I have one question for all....Do you believe this?....an answer to that question will allow us to understand the average IQ of the north americans.

I certainly believe that her car accelerated without her intention. However, her interpretation of the events is somewhat suspect but that does not negate the fact that toyota has problem with their cars!

i think your attempt at generalizing the average IQ of an entire continental population based on a couple of opinions on a car forum ultimately shows just how stupid you are. :P

anyone with an average IQ of 100 can see that you're making no sense at all. moreover, you obviously did not learn proper math in school... i suggest understanding basic principles of statistical analysis before making any sort of statistical statement.

so you're basically agreeing with me then, because you're basically saying that nothing and nobody is infallible. but to absolutely believe that toyota is incapable of any wrong-doing just because it's toyota is ridiculous and childish.

let me remind you that you are not an expert in this investigation to confirm or deny any allegations by the plaintiffs. don't talk as if you know shit and learn your place.

If you read the gadget blogs, they are obsessed with computers/robots taking over and enslaving mankind. Maybe some Japanese robot has become self aware like SkyNet and is secretly plotting to take over all our vehicles.

I don't see a problem with her actions. She says her car is broken. Toyota says that its is fine. She refuses to drive it. Toyota still says its fine and won't take the car back. So she sells it. Its not her job to certify the safety of a car, its Toyota's responsibility.

Toyota has problems:
1. Credibility to repair-There IS a technical problem. Toyota has confused safety with lobbying and this is going to take a long time to resolve:
http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2010/02/23/is-this-toyotas-smoking-gun.aspx?source=ihpdspmra0000001&lidx=4
2. A minority of customers see opportunity to divert attention from their mistakes, which they could have made in any model car, and they have nothing better to do than get on the bandwagon.
3. These are tough times and people are getting a little desperate. An even smaller minority of customers see an opportunity to commit suicide or some other atrocity using their Toyota, and Toyota will give their family a substantial sum, no questions asked. Better than insurance fraud and you don't even have to finish paying off the car. Depress Pedal to the right and straight on till gone.

just how many people where killed by computers last year?

Wasn't the British Navy trying to install Windows onto warships. Man - that would give a new meaning to BSOD.

wow badge whore how many fake acccouts do you have?

vladyxa... do you know what "AS is" means when you buy a used car?

funny how the cowards only deboost you on this site instead of replying to your comments. Like I care about being deboosted if you don't agree with me our think I got it all wrong prove it!

(always thinking)

WHAT DOES “AS IS” MEAN?
Words in a contract intended to signify that no guarantees whatsoever are given regarding the subject
property and that it is being purchased exactly as it is found. An "As Is" indicator is intended to be a
disclaimer of warranties or representations. The recent trend in the courts to favor consumers tends to
prevent sellers from using " As Is " wording in a contract to shield themselves from possible fraud charges
brought by neglecting to disclose material defects in the property.

http://www.kaarmls.com/What%20Does%20As%20Is%20Mean.pdf

(always thinking)

Whomever bought that car from her could probably sue her for endangerment.

They could not sue her but they could sue Toyota just like everyone els is doing. She did not bulid nor design the car.

What's with this biAtch is she retarded?

If my 200+HP car suddenly down shifted and accelerated without abatement, I have to admit, I might be a little disoriented while I think about what would be needed to stop this, all the while keeping track of all the traffic ahead, beside, and behind me.
I don't think this woman has enough time to deal with the panic and loss of control at the same time.
She expected the brakes to brake and the car come to a stop. She does get an honorable mention for at least trying to shift the trans, she may have thought she engaged park and reverse, but surely was locked out by the shift interlocks.
I liken the effect as when your stopped at a traffic light and the vehicle next to you starts to roll forward, for a split second you might think your the one moving, until your other senses catch up with you to reasure you your not. Has this ever happened to anyone else?

good points all.

i would suggest, the downshifting part likely WAS intentional. people wanting to squirt ahead on a freeway will often floor the gas to downshift.
if she --and others-- pressed hard enuff, the pedal may have stuck. the UNintentional acceleration part happened ONLY WHEN she/others lift off because they NO LONGER want to accelerate.

then panic ensues. and clear thinking goes out the window.

validus00: Sadly so far reading the comments you are the only one in this post that do not see my point, (I do not need to insult you to show it). Toyota is a good car but Americans (not all), try to get advantage over a situation as much as it is posible and that is sad. There is a lot of people that is looking for an oportunity to get money, even in disloyal ways. Most of the problem are solved in a court in your country, Not because the IQ of the people is low but for that attitude of to take advantage with the less effort (agin for you to understand: not all). Any Toyota is better than most of the american cars. The reason because I have a Cadillac STS is because is american and I like it, not because it is better than a Lexus GS which I wish. America is replacing Common sense with laws and that is the main problem here. I am not saying that the Toyota do not have problems, but if you need Warnigs for "everything" you do in your life, your goverment is working hard to make you an stupid person. Regarding Your entire Population: You have the some of the best Universities in the world but must of the best students are foreigners looking for a better education Because the statictis say that America is falling down. If you think that I like that, you are wrong. Your country is first to help anywhere and always willing to fight for the liberty of the others including my country(Thats for the Europeans Here). Is good to see here that most of people is very smart, however the world statistcs say that the IQ in USA is in free fall and the problem is not the people, is your goverment. I recomend you to see this videos, http://www.zeitgeistmovie.com/ I believe in GOD just to clarify, some things are just BS, but most of the stuf there will help you to understand what is goning on here with Toyota. What is the best path to follow? investigation but the mass media are assuming and that is incorret too.

the problem is this: the judicial system (not only american but most systems in the world) asks the judges or the jurors to remain impartial and without personal agendas during the whole judicial process.

i'm not saying toyota is necessarily a good or bad car company, not at all. the problem is that you cannot jump to conclusion without perceiving all the evidence available. and you cannot certainly let the halo effect of toyota's reliability in the past cloud the decision making in the end.

toyota certainly as the right to remain innocent until proven guilty, without a doubt. and you are certainly entitled to your opinion of toyota as a whole. but toyota's reliability in the past shouldn't be the basis for rejecting the testimony of this victim without reasonable doubt.

your prejudice effectively represents everything that's wrong with every judicial system in the world.

pennfootball: I donot think so but may be she wants some money.

"So using your logic, you should return your 3/4 eatin Big mac to McDonald because you think it could give you heart disease, you're not going to finish it, you don't feel safe, it's not your job to certify that the food is healthy, but McDonald won't take it back. But they should because you say so?"

No, they don't have to take it back if that is the inherent nature of what they're selling and it's my choice whether or not to buy it. But they surely will take it back, and then some, if I find rat droppings in it (that would be more analogous to unintended acceleration).

That said, here are some of my feelings about this whole case:

- there apparently really is a problem; there were legitimate accidents that occurred and it never made sense to me that a person could accelerate out of control for miles and not notice that the floor mat overlapped the gas pedal (even then, the brakes should still have overridden a gas pedal that could not have been down so hard under a floor mat lip)

- Toyota may not have responded properly to the problem in the early stages.

- there possibly also are exaggerated cases simply due to "user error";

- it is a fine opportunity for knee-jerk reaction to an admittedly real problem, complete with sky-is-falling hysteria.

- it is also a fine opportunity for us to spew bile and venom on a foreign brand that leap-frogged our languishing local brands, ignoring the fact that said local brands don't seem to get that a good car company BUILDS GOOD CARS, not cash back deals, not oversize cupholders, not picture-in-picture dash TVs; GOOD.DRIVING.EFFICIENT.CARS;

- Toyota should recover without too much difficulty if they let engineers, not bean counters, have say over this issue.

- Certain things in life should stay mechanical, not digital: accelerators, brakes, fail-safe mechanisms, override systems, etc.

Oh, and on the woman's testimony, it is quite abhorrent if she really sold that car to another user (assuming her car really had a problem). I doubt anyone would have bought it knowing the problem; this isn't a slight dent or scratch.

If her case is real, the courts would more than favor her over a manufacturer refusing to take back a life-endangering factory defect.

As the facts come to light, if Rhonda was lying under oath then she could wind up in jail for perjury. WTF - if she got rid of the vehicle, why bother testifying in Congress, unless you just hate the Japanese.

So you dont think that she wants to warn others of the issue? Would you warn others of the issue after you got out of the car? She has no case in winning money here becuase she was un harmed by the product.

I first heard her speak on radio news and it sounded so fake, now looking at the video, it makes me wonder who is really paying her to speak. Someone should trace her bank accounts and see the background to her story..

All automakers will eventually realize these to be true:
1. "This is not the market we want to appeal to, we don't need to get their attention" and more carefully target their marketing to people with money and their head on straight.
2. A new bottom tier of consumer grade car is needed- one that second guesses and overrides all questionable inputs from the driver, will not damage anything if it hits anyone, and leaves no witnesses or evidence if it fails at it's task.