Remember the runaway Prius guy from a few weeks ago?

[CaliforniaDreamin]

http://jalopnik.com/5491101/did-bankrupt-runaway-prius-driver-fake-unintended-acceleration

Something fishy is definately going on. Wonder if he is related to the Balloon Boy Father?

 

[Robinrs]

I got a strange feeling about this, especially since it's been getting so much coverage. What a mess!

 

[CaliforniaDreamin]

I got a strange feeling about this, especially since it's been getting so much coverage. What a mess!

Things like this usually bring the nut bags out.

 

[momofmikey]

If it's found that he was faking it, he absolutely should get jail time. In his quest for fame/money, he could have killed someone!

People never cease to amaze me

 

[LoraJ]

I'm a Prius owner and when this story came out, many on a Prius site I frequent called BS instantly. The fact that he refused to put the car into Neutral because he was too scared but he had no problem ducking down and trying to get the pedal to come up.

I read an article today that they were investigating the car and no one could replicate the problem. They did note that the brakes were worn, but perhaps a scamming car enthusiast would know how to do that.

Incidents like this have made me better educated on how to handle this situation.

 

[golfgal]

Ah, the new get rich quick scheme-fake some kind of "incident" to get a reality show .

 

[Silent1CB]

What DH & I couldn't understand was why he didn't put it into neutral or why that didn't work, and why he needed a police car to bumper in front of him to stop.

That made no sense at all.

 

[LilyWDW]

Yep, read about this on Forbes.com....

 

[Silent1CB]

I'm listening to the 24 minute tape again & never thought of this before, but if he's going 81 mph, why did he never have to blow the horn at anyone for them to get out of his way? Because they were going faster or same speed as him?

and the dispatch operator deserves a medal. She has the patience of a saint. 24 minutes of Jim? Jim? Jim? Are you there? lol

 

[Handbag Lady]

My husband immediately thought this guy was a phony. We had NO reports of runaway Toyotas and when Toyota was all in the news, then this guy shows up with a Prius problem.

I don't know what to think.

 

[agnes!]

I have a Prius and have always thought this guy's story was bunk.

agnes!

 

[LoraJ]

What DH & I couldn't understand was why he didn't put it into neutral or why that didn't work, and why he needed a police car to bumper in front of him to stop.

That made no sense at all.

The police did not bumper in front of him to stop the car. he finally talked him into putting the car into neutral. he refused to put the car into neutral before because he thought the car would flip over.

 

[Carl]

On my 2007 Prius, if it is in neutral you can not get the motor to go faster. It just idles. However, I have noticed that when the car is in motion, it is difficult to get it into neutral. The shift lever is spring loaded and snaps back into the rest position.

 

[Jennasis]

The police did not bumper in front of him to stop the car. he finally talked him into putting the car into neutral. he refused to put the car into neutral before because he thought the car would flip over.

To prove a point (while discussing this very matter) DH revved our VW jetta up to about 80 on the Interstate and then threw it in neutral. He also went from the standard "Drive" to the other gear options, at speed.

To be fair, I would have been hesitant to put a runaway vehicle into neutral too, but that's because I am mechanically incompetant and had no idea it was safe to do it. DH's little demo cleared that right up for me.

 

[Disney Doll]

Scam.
He's not looking to sue....right....

 

[Jennasis]

I still think all this Toyota stuff is industrial espionage perpetrated by Ford and GM!

 

[Kim&Chris]

I still think all this Toyota stuff is industrial espionage perpetrated by Ford and GM!

LOL, your post reminded me of this:


http://www.hulu.com/watch/134733/saturday-night-live-weekend-getaway#s-p1-sr-i4

 

[*BTMRR*]

I didn't know a Prius could go that fast at all (especially for that length of time), even with pedal to the metal. My friend says her Prius is really pushing its limits at 75 on the Texas freeways.

 

[tiggger1]

I thought I read an new article stating the police did not think it was a fake?

 

[tiggger1]

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/22830066/detail.html