Quote:
Originally Posted by Nyororin
Not having the means and delaying are completely different things. But there is also a difference between conveying information and fear mongering.
How about "How to protect yourself in a runaway VEHICLE"? Because you know, my friend was in a wreck with a stuck pedal in a Ford - years and years ago, but the point is the information shouldn`t be Toyota specific. It ISN`T. (She cut the engine, the power steering and power brakes went off and she couldn`t control or stop the car.)
Either way, I find it kind of silly to have seen reports acting like EVERY Toyota car on the road is a cage of death, and that everyone who even looks in the direction of one is going to be run down. Media thrives on fear and shock. No different in this case.
Lack of immediate action does NOT equal "ignoring". That`s the reaction of the dealers. If there is a POSSIBLE problem, not confirmed, not known if it`s a complete and total fluke - you don`t announce it. You try to figure it out as quickly as possible and take action. They didn`t ID the problem wrong - they were just extremely unlucky that there were two separate problems happening at the same time. They identified ONE of them before the other (the floor mat issue) and took action on it first. Should they have ignored that problem and waited until they knew the other? That would be stupidity.
With Steve, I really have to cringe as he is doing something that will cause an issue with almost ALL the electronic cruise control systems out there. The car does not instantly speed up when you push the button - the Prius isn`t a sports car, it takes a few seconds to react. Push the button again, and again, impatiently because the car isn`t hitting the speed you want... and what do you know, you want the car to go 80, but you`ve knocked the setting up to 95... And then the car starts picking up speed, and you panic because it`s more than you wanted. Just pressing the down button, again, will not immediately slow the car down as it doesn`t brake for you... If you`ve picked up momentum speed continues to rise temporarily even without the engine.
Either way, even Steve admitted there was no real safety issue because - as normal - braking works and turns the cruise control off. The cruise control safety radar also worked normally.
I also love the fact that he complains about not being given special priority service based on who he is. Even though he says HIS phone dropped the calls, etc. What an ego! 
Guess you also missed the follow up where it turns out he actually had gotten through and that Toyota has his car now and is running it through tons of tests.
They DID find the problem. The investigation didn`t stop. They just took action on the problem they found FIRST - the floor mats. I`m sure they were crossing their fingers that it was the only issue, but they certainly didn`t stop at the floor mats. I really do not get this big uproar about acting on the first problem they found, first, when they found it... and then acting on the second problem they found - second, when they found it. Should they have waited and ignored the first problem until they had found all of them? Should they have let other people potentially die because they hadn`t found ALL the problems yet?
Remember, I`m in Japan. Clips of US news are just what I see clipped on TV here. I`m sure it`s just one tiny program, with one crazy newscaster... but it`s still stupidity. And there are people out there who will happily slurp up the latest fear craze. |
Toyota had the means... its called the mass media.
Sugar coating headlines do not make people take the time to watch or read it.
The information provided about how to stop the recalled vehicles is Toyota specific. Why would they confuse people in the same report how to stop different vehicles in different situations with different problems.
Steve only got attention from Toyota AFTER the media got involved. Think of how many people like Steve are out there that can't get on National TV.
(I do like how the I-phone dropped his call though).
Cruise control taking your car to excess speed without the driver asking for it is a safety issue - despite what Steve might have been quoted as saying.
Why do you demonize someone with a reputable reputation as crying wolf?
Lack of immediate attention IS ignoring the problem. I'm not saying call for a recall on one or two cases, but seriously, determine what the real problem is and don't have CEO come out and say it is a definite on the floor mats, there isn't a safety issue, case closed. There is not a defense to Toyota lack of *immediate* attention and the fact they said case closed when they said floor mats. ABC had to drag Toyota to the fact, not Toyota.
Yes, I remember you are in Japan. Stop calling this a Media Hyperbole if all you are watching is one tiny program with one crazy newscaster. Please direct me to the media you have seen that is calling all Toyota vehicles death traps. You write:
"Either way, I find it kind of silly to have seen reports acting like EVERY Toyota car on the road is a cage of death, and that everyone who even looks in the direction of one is going to be run down. Media thrives on fear and shock. No different in this case."
Please direct me to these reports or links.