ABC reports feds question runaway Prius account . . .

[f1reverb]

Say it isn't so Jimbo. As I said, time will tell, and not much time at that . . .

Full story . . .

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=10094391

"Federal and company investigators probing a dramatic high-speed incident on a California freeway involving a Toyota Prius didn't find as much wear as they expected on its brakes, the Wall Street Journal reported Saturday.

James Sikes, 61, said afterward that he hit the brakes hard and kept the pedal down. His car reached 94 mph before a Highway Patrol officer helped him bring it to a stop on Interstate 8 near San Diego Monday.

The Journal said three people familiar with the probe, whom it did not name, said Sikes' brakes didn't show wear consistent with having been applied at full force at high speeds for a long period. Instead, they may have been applied intermittently, the newspaper said." . . .

And poor Jimmy was able to turn the car off at 50mph, and was afraid to put it in neutral when going fast as he though it would flip . . .

"Sikes called 911 from the freeway and reported that his gas pedal was stuck and he could not slow down. In two calls that spanned 23 minutes, a dispatcher repeatedly told him to throw the car into neutral and turn it off.

Sikes later said he had put down the phone to keep both hands on the wheel and was afraid the car would flip if he put it in neutral at such high speed.

The officer — who eventually pulled alongside the car and told Sikes over a loudspeaker to push the brake pedal to the floor and apply the emergency brake — said Sikes braking coincided with a steep incline on the freeway.

Once the car slowed to 50 mph, Sikes shut off the engine, the officer said." . . .

[scestes]

Sad Story J. I've gotta say though, if this is found out to be fraud, he better get a couple of years just like the woman who put the finger in the chili.

[TonyHavana]

This story has sounded fishy to me right from the first time I heard it on the radio.

I can't imagine driving a car with the accelerator stuck in traffic, and taking the time to dial 911 and asking them how to stop it.

Sounds completely bogus to me. If it's proven to be bogus, they should really make an example of him. Tar and feather, I say!

[f1reverb]

then he could have turned the car off anytime but chose not to. Of course, it takes time to build a lawsuit. How many other "unintended accelerators" could shut it down if they had wanted to or if they had any brains to know what to do in an emergency?

[Jim_75Sahara]

Sikes lied. So what? That doesn't have anything to do with what I was saying. I don't profit one way or the other from the Toyota story.

[f1reverb]

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20100315/D9EF9EH80.html

[scestes]

Read about this one a couple of weeks ago.. Sad sad ordeal.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2010/02/22/2010-02-22_toyota_recalls_may_help_free_jailed_camry_owner_koua_fong_lee.html