Neil -
Yes, you are right. I finally got the scoop on this from the LA Times today :
Runaway Prius driver: 'I was laying on the brakes but it wasn't slowing down' - latimes.com
Quote:
When the accelerator stuck, he said he weighed all his options. He feared turning the car off in the middle of traffic, expecting the steering wheel to lock. If he shifted into neutral, he worried that it would slip into reverse. The floor mat, he said, wasn't interfering with the gas pedal.
"It was accelerating out of control. Period," Sikes said.
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So, he had all the options that you are presenting, but he was too scared and not trained to use them. The YouTube video is at least a semi-controlled event. The person was trying to prove a point, and also getting some practice at the same time. You can fault the fellow for not "practicing or preparing" to turn off the car, but I think that's a separate issue. In today's driving schools, I don't think most people are being trained for this.
Ha ha, instead of the
Corbomite Maneuver, maybe they will start training for the Toyota Maneuver.
CarloSW2