The Prius situation is a classic example of how the M$M narrative can swing public opinion..

[Fumesucker]

Six months ago Prius was *the* progressive car, beloved by many here on DU..

Now after a hysterical media barrage it has become a demon car, the Japanese version of Christine right here on the very same place. "I wouldn't have one if you *gave* it to me." I'm hearing.

I have to say watching the opinion of many here on DU swing so rapidly has opened my eyes to how easily the M$M manipulates us and I was already pretty cynical about it.

Disclaimer: I haven't owned a Toyota in fifteen years, drive a '97 Expedition right now and have an '84 F150 I'm restoring, don't own stock in or work for Toyota, I have no emotional connection with the company or the cars..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christine

[msongs]

1. it still is a progressive car, just has problems that kill people that need to be fixed nt

[Fumesucker]

3. As DemoTex put it on another thread..

There are anecdotal but not statistical reasons to have concerns yet.

[DefenseLawyer]

2. Why does it have to be either/or?

It would seem to me that people could quite reasonable like the Prius and its design and function and still be alarmed if legitimate concerns about its safety come to light.

[Fumesucker]

4. I've been reading hysterical stuff about it on a number of threads on DU..

Those who actually have the car don't seem to be all that worked up but there are a lot of people calling it everything short of a demon from hell.

[DefenseLawyer]

5. Dead bodies tend to do that.

Sorry Toyota, buy the ticket, take the ride.

[Fumesucker]

7. 30,000 people died in automobile crashes last year..

Not all in Toyotas..

The last time there was a huge flap over unintended acceleration it turned out after a 60 Minutes story and a lengthy investigation to be entirely driver error.

Not saying that is the case this time but it wouldn't surprise me at all if a lot of the deaths were indeed due to driver error.

[Electric Monk]

9. There were some 33,000+ Americans traffic related fatalities last year, and 56 of those were

from uncontrollably accelerating Toyotas.

(from what I've read, feel free to correct those numbers if you have a more reliable source)
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/

[DefenseLawyer]

10. 56 dead people isn't insignificant

Statistically, it may be, but if you or I made a mistake that killed 56 people, we might have to answer a few questions.

[Fumesucker]

13. As I said, this has been an issue in the past that has turned out to be nothing at all..

Not saying it is now, but there should be some skepticism shown.

[Hepburn]

28. My thoughts exactly...

...and from what I have read, it is only Toyota that has fatal accidents due to this acceleration problem. Needs to be investigated and not stonewalled. Seems simple to me: Investigate the problem, fix it, and if it was intentionally covered up, make them pay. I worked on the tail end of Mark Robinson's case Grimshaw v. Ford Motor Company. So I am pretty aware of what auto manufacturers are all about -- bottom line is profit.

JMHO

[Fumesucker]

12. Is it firmly established that in every case the Toyota was indeed uncontrollably accelerating?

I don't know, I'm not asking a rhetorical question.

[sailor65]

6. It does show a couple of other things as well;

That many DU'ers are nowhere near as smart as they think they are, and that while political awareness is great here, engineering talent is sadly lacking (Although I have seen a few lucid posts from at least a couple of exceptions).

Your point is also well proven.

[Fumesucker]

8. Engineers tend to be right wingers.. Rather strongly so actually..

I'm not sure why that is but I've seen it over and over again.

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20227127.200-can-university-subjects-reveal-terrorists-in-the-making.html

We also collected data on non-Muslim extremists. We found that engineers are almost completely absent from violent left-wing groups, while they are present among violent right-wing groups in different countries.

Edited to add link.

[sailor65]

14. Wow, thanks!

I was actually taking your side! :-)

And it's nonsense....we are not right or left wingers. Think about it. We engineers think, create, repair, sustain. We don't look for blame, we look for the solution. Engineering is one of the most progressive professions out there, if I do say so myself!

Reform and progress are not pulled out of a hat, they are ENGINEERED!

Peace

[Fumesucker]

15. I said "tend".. I didn't mean to be insulting and I'm sorry if you took it that way.

I understand what you are saying but the fact remains that a great many engineers are right wingers.. Not all by any means but I think certainly a majority of those engineers who are political (and quite a lot aren't).

You'll note that I included a link to some research for my position. :)

:toast:

[Dappleganger]

29. This is true.

I married one and the entire culture of engineers we've experienced has largely been right-wing. Most all of them come from strong RW families as well. Let me tell you, there's a lot of engineers who aren't doing so swell right now either.

[NYC_SKP]

11. I have one and will buy one again. If it goes berserk, I'll handle it.

That's how I roll.

Sorry for those injured by it, but I am not concerned.

(knocks on wood)

[ingac70]

16. Prius parts are made with child labor in Myanmar....

The progressive car my ass!

[Fumesucker]

17. Parts for a great many things are made that way these days..

Including things that you own too I wouldn't be surprised.

[ingac70]

18. Please quit making excuses for child labor. n/t

[Fumesucker]

21. Are you *positive* that nothing you own was made that way?

I'm not making excuses, I don't think it's possible to know how and where everything we own was made these days.

[ingac70]

24. I'm pretty sure nothing in my 2000 Volvo was....

made by small children.

[Stinky The Clown]

19. In fairness, the real anger is toward Toyota for covering up known problems for years

There is a federal law that says they had to report defects within a specified time.

They failed to do that.

Now there are dead people.

No one hates the Prius.

Lots of us are angry at Toyota.

[Fumesucker]

23. "I wouldn't have one if you gave it to me"..

Said about the Prius..

I see your point though and it's a good one..

[Stinky The Clown]

26. I, too, have been known to join the world of the hyperbolic from time to time.

I dare say there are very few who would actually refuse one if gifted to them.

[Fumesucker]

27. I'm not so sure, some of these people seem really hysterical.. n/t

[mucifer]

20. I drive my 2007 prius all day as a hospice nurse and I gotta say I'm nervous.

The thing feels like it accelerates a bit when it hits bumps. Even in park with the engine on I feel the engine surge. But, it hasn't gone out of control. Someone told me the anti lock breaks make the thing accelerate when I hit bumps.

[Fumesucker]

22. Here is an article by experts outlining what to do if it does take off ..

http://www.caranddriver.com/features/09q4/how_to_deal_with_unintended_acceleration-tech_dept

Keep in mind if you're going to use the brakes to go ahead and come to a full stop as rapidly as is safe, if you just use the brakes gently for too long, particularly at high speed, they'll overheat and become useless.

[Strelnikov_]

31. There are a couple of points in that article that Toyota can/are addressing

Since the advent of electronic throttle control, many automakers have added software to program the throttle to close—and therefore cut power—when the brakes are applied. . . . As a result of the unintended-acceleration investigation, Toyota is adding this feature posthaste.

Owners need to be aware that these systems require a long press of the button to shut off power when the car is moving (so that an inadvertent touch of the button by the driver doesn’t kill the engine). Here, too, the Toyota was slightly behind the curve; the Infiniti’s engine shut down after a 2.5-second press of the button versus 3.3 seconds for the Camry. In an emergency, that would probably feel like an eternity. For some perspective, if a V-6 Camry’s throttle became stuck at 60 mph, the car would accelerate to nearly 80 mph before the engine would surrender.

Furthermore, short, frantic pressing of the Toyota’s start/stop button—the probable response in an emergency—does nothing, whereas the Infiniti kills the engine after three rapid-fire presses.

[Tesha]

25. In the Prius, the engine speed is only loosely related to the car's power output.

The hybrid control system raises and lowers the engine speed to
maintain the level of charge in the battery and those speed changes
can occur at pretty-much any time.

Tesha

[bemildred]

30. I've been wondering for some time now who was behind the media offensive.

It was obviously not spontaneous.