Update 11/21/2019 - This 11/3/2019 article exposes the scandal of thug goon Toyota's many dangerous vehicles that are still on the road. If the link doesn't work (Toyota's rep mgmt thugs must be working overtime to block access to this article), search for Salon's article titled "In echo of notorious safety scandal, Toyota has settled hundreds of sudden acceleration cases". Of course, no comments are allowed. Excerpt (emphasis mine):"But in three courthouses in the United States, Toyota is continuing to settle unintended acceration suits brought by crash survivors or families of those killed." If Amerika had a free mainstream media, this story would be making daily headlines.
This article demonstrates that mainstream media knows better than to allow comments. Amerika's "free speech" is controlled by crooked corporations like Toyota. Meanwhile, people are getting killed and being imprisoned because of runaway vehicles. But in three courthouses in the United States, Toyota is continuing to settle unintended acceration suits brought by crash survivors or families of those killed.
I recently heard from a guy who has a good case for electronically-induced unintended acceleration - he had read this blog - but is currently charged with vehicular homicide and may well be incarcerated. The vehicle he says sped out of control on its own is an '07 Camry. I wish him and all victims of sudden unintended acceleration the best of outcomes - he'll keep me posted.
Showing posts with label sudden acceleration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sudden acceleration. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 24, 2019
Sunday, April 22, 2018
Runaway Lexus: Toyota "settlement" prompts lawsuit against victim's attorney
Azar Brannan's lawsuit against Toyota was finally settled. At least in a manner of speaking.
She says the suit was settled without her knowledge, that she was removed as plaintiff but led to believe that had not happened. She is currently suing the attorney who represented her, claiming - among other things - that future medical bills for catastrophic injuries to her legs will exceed $7.5 million, yet the case was settled without her permission.
Hooray for Azar exposing what happened and daring to sue her former attorney for legal malpractice. Her current actions are consistent with her determination to expose the nightmare consumers encounter when confronting corporate thugs like Toyota.
If only more consumers would confront and expose systemic abuses of power like Azar has done from the get-go. It's no coincidence that something weird happened in a case wherein the plaintiff was outspoken, posting opinions all over the Internet, and was holding out for a jury trial, which would have probably ended in her favor, embarrassing "Cover-up King" Toyota.
Things are often not what they appear to be, especially when corporate interests are at stake. A good example is Consumers Unions so-called campaign against robocalls, which I recently blogged about, exposing CU's real attitude toward consumers.
Amerika is a pervasively corrupt little rat-hole, the result of crooked corporate interests purchasing what's left of Amirika's government. It's no surprise that so many folks wonder which side "their" attorney is actually working for. Stay tuned for more on Azar's case.
Meanwhile...
RIGHT ON, AZAR. SUE THE PANTS OFF ALL OF 'EM.
She says the suit was settled without her knowledge, that she was removed as plaintiff but led to believe that had not happened. She is currently suing the attorney who represented her, claiming - among other things - that future medical bills for catastrophic injuries to her legs will exceed $7.5 million, yet the case was settled without her permission.
Hooray for Azar exposing what happened and daring to sue her former attorney for legal malpractice. Her current actions are consistent with her determination to expose the nightmare consumers encounter when confronting corporate thugs like Toyota.
If only more consumers would confront and expose systemic abuses of power like Azar has done from the get-go. It's no coincidence that something weird happened in a case wherein the plaintiff was outspoken, posting opinions all over the Internet, and was holding out for a jury trial, which would have probably ended in her favor, embarrassing "Cover-up King" Toyota.
Things are often not what they appear to be, especially when corporate interests are at stake. A good example is Consumers Unions so-called campaign against robocalls, which I recently blogged about, exposing CU's real attitude toward consumers.
Amerika is a pervasively corrupt little rat-hole, the result of crooked corporate interests purchasing what's left of Amirika's government. It's no surprise that so many folks wonder which side "their" attorney is actually working for. Stay tuned for more on Azar's case.
Meanwhile...
RIGHT ON, AZAR. SUE THE PANTS OFF ALL OF 'EM.
Saturday, June 10, 2017
Appeals court finally rules: Bitter Toyota must accept jury's verdict re Koua Fong Lee
Talk about a filthy-rich corporate slob making people's lives miserable. Look no further than admitted-crook Toyota's long-drawn-out battle to have the will of the people thrown out in the tragic case of Koua Fong Lee, the unjustly jailed Toyota driver who spent years in prison until the facts finally came out about Toyota's shoddy products.
It's important to realize that Koua was at a disadvantage throughout the trial.
Yesterday - almost two and a half years after Toyota appealed the jury's verdict - the appeals court ruled unanimously against Toyota, ending yet another inexcusable nightmare for survivors of the horrific crash. A grateful Koua said he wants everyone to know that he was pressing the brakes, not the accelerator.
Toyota has no feelings for their customers or the public, and the dishonest slob loses almost all the time when there's a showdown in court. Of course, Toyota knows this and has become notorious for arranging confidential, out-of-court settlements in an effort to keep their mischief quiet and avoid punitive damage awards when juries are given a close look at the way Toyota does business.
Toyota's bitterness has come through loud and clear ever since the admitted crook lost this case in February of 2015. Meanwhile, much to his credit, Koua has quite admirably gone on with his life.
Wonder whose life Toyota will seek to ruin next.
9/22/2017 update: Bitter Slob Toyota is now asking the appeals court to reconsider its ruling.
6/16/2017 update: Here a link to a great article from Consumer Affairs.
It's important to realize that Koua was at a disadvantage throughout the trial.
Yesterday - almost two and a half years after Toyota appealed the jury's verdict - the appeals court ruled unanimously against Toyota, ending yet another inexcusable nightmare for survivors of the horrific crash. A grateful Koua said he wants everyone to know that he was pressing the brakes, not the accelerator.
Toyota has no feelings for their customers or the public, and the dishonest slob loses almost all the time when there's a showdown in court. Of course, Toyota knows this and has become notorious for arranging confidential, out-of-court settlements in an effort to keep their mischief quiet and avoid punitive damage awards when juries are given a close look at the way Toyota does business.
Toyota's bitterness has come through loud and clear ever since the admitted crook lost this case in February of 2015. Meanwhile, much to his credit, Koua has quite admirably gone on with his life.
Wonder whose life Toyota will seek to ruin next.
9/22/2017 update: Bitter Slob Toyota is now asking the appeals court to reconsider its ruling.
6/16/2017 update: Here a link to a great article from Consumer Affairs.
Wednesday, September 21, 2016
Driver of runaway Lexus is Toyota's worst nightmare
Update 5/2/2017 - Full throttle, unintended acceleration has now been officially linked to a software defect, no room for doubt. Here's more. So we now know that a faulty DOOR can cause a vehicle to speed out of control whether in drive or park, and the problem hasn't occurred in older models. AMAZING what's revealed when auto-industry-lapdog NHTSA is removed from investigating instances of unintended acceleration. This comes at a time when motorists may FINALLY be catching on to the scam of "driver error," evidenced in this lawsuit against Tesla.
5/4/2017 - As a corrupt, corporate-controlled government turns its back on the public, this just in: Multiple fatalities and injuries re the well-documented, ongoing problem with unintended acceleration in Jeeps. Here's a link to another article. And another with video.
"America is lost The total corruption of every public and private institution is complete. Nothing remains but tyranny. And lies. Endless lies." - Former Assistant Secretary of the Treasury Dr. Paul Craig Roberts, from his 7/3/2016 article, "America Destroyed."
Toyota is such a bully. Such a cheat. Such a liar. Real shame that Americans have come to accept that kinda behavior from corporations.
Azar Hadi is one of the rare exceptions to that rule.
Her Lexus - Toyota's "Flagship" model that first got the sudden unintended acceleration issue headlined in the now notorious Saylor case - sped out of control, crashed, and left Azar with catastrophic injuries. I'll never forget her terrifying account - which she posted on Facebook - of what she encountered:
"As I was coming up to the red light at the intersection, my car suddenly lurched forward. I had to veer to the right to avoid hitting the other cars in front of me that were stopped at the light. I went up over the curb and through the grass and landscaping, terrified about possibly hitting a pedestrian on the sidewalk. I then continued onto the street again with a very high speed and I felt my car went over a median going airborne before crashing into an SUV."
Azar has now had many surgeries and faces many more. But unlike most of Toyota's other victims, Azar has responded based on principle. Instead of buckling under enormous pressure and accepting an out-of-court settlement with a confidentiality agreement designed to protect Toyota, she's determined to have her case decided in court to publicly expose the facts about Toyota's lousy products. Given the potential for headline-grabbin' publicity, a courtroom showdown is the absolute last thing Toyota wants, especially with yet another case involving sudden unintended acceleration in their "Flagship" Lexus. Azar's trial was originally scheduled to start in October of this year, but when Toyota realized Azar wasn't bluffing about taking 'em to court, they recently got the date postponed until January of 2017.
Ever since Toyota lost that landmark unintended acceleration case in Oklahoma back in 2013, the Cover-up King has been desperately trying to quiet things down regarding their ongoing unintended acceleration problems. Meanwhile, crashes pointing to electronically-induced unintended acceleration are a dime a dozen, exemplified by this horrific 6/19/2016 accident involving another Lexus. Out-of-court-settlements featuring confidentiality agreements - complete with Toyota "admitting to no wrongdoing" - have become the Cover-up King's trademark since the corporate bully is usually successful in exploiting the vulnerabilities of its victims. Azar is indeed Toyota's worst nightmare.
Ms. Hadi is one tough lady when it comes to exposing facts relevant to electronically-induced unintended acceleration. In the tradition of Koua Fong Lee - the jailed Toyota driver who heroically went to trial - and won - rather than accept a crooked plea bargain, it looks like Toyota has once again met its match.
Update 9/21/2016 - Just now got word that Toyota has AGAIN postponed Azar's court date, this time to April of 2017.
5/4/2017 - As a corrupt, corporate-controlled government turns its back on the public, this just in: Multiple fatalities and injuries re the well-documented, ongoing problem with unintended acceleration in Jeeps. Here's a link to another article. And another with video.
"America is lost The total corruption of every public and private institution is complete. Nothing remains but tyranny. And lies. Endless lies." - Former Assistant Secretary of the Treasury Dr. Paul Craig Roberts, from his 7/3/2016 article, "America Destroyed."
Toyota is such a bully. Such a cheat. Such a liar. Real shame that Americans have come to accept that kinda behavior from corporations.
Azar Hadi is one of the rare exceptions to that rule.
Her Lexus - Toyota's "Flagship" model that first got the sudden unintended acceleration issue headlined in the now notorious Saylor case - sped out of control, crashed, and left Azar with catastrophic injuries. I'll never forget her terrifying account - which she posted on Facebook - of what she encountered:
"As I was coming up to the red light at the intersection, my car suddenly lurched forward. I had to veer to the right to avoid hitting the other cars in front of me that were stopped at the light. I went up over the curb and through the grass and landscaping, terrified about possibly hitting a pedestrian on the sidewalk. I then continued onto the street again with a very high speed and I felt my car went over a median going airborne before crashing into an SUV."
Azar has now had many surgeries and faces many more. But unlike most of Toyota's other victims, Azar has responded based on principle. Instead of buckling under enormous pressure and accepting an out-of-court settlement with a confidentiality agreement designed to protect Toyota, she's determined to have her case decided in court to publicly expose the facts about Toyota's lousy products. Given the potential for headline-grabbin' publicity, a courtroom showdown is the absolute last thing Toyota wants, especially with yet another case involving sudden unintended acceleration in their "Flagship" Lexus. Azar's trial was originally scheduled to start in October of this year, but when Toyota realized Azar wasn't bluffing about taking 'em to court, they recently got the date postponed until January of 2017.
Ever since Toyota lost that landmark unintended acceleration case in Oklahoma back in 2013, the Cover-up King has been desperately trying to quiet things down regarding their ongoing unintended acceleration problems. Meanwhile, crashes pointing to electronically-induced unintended acceleration are a dime a dozen, exemplified by this horrific 6/19/2016 accident involving another Lexus. Out-of-court-settlements featuring confidentiality agreements - complete with Toyota "admitting to no wrongdoing" - have become the Cover-up King's trademark since the corporate bully is usually successful in exploiting the vulnerabilities of its victims. Azar is indeed Toyota's worst nightmare.
Ms. Hadi is one tough lady when it comes to exposing facts relevant to electronically-induced unintended acceleration. In the tradition of Koua Fong Lee - the jailed Toyota driver who heroically went to trial - and won - rather than accept a crooked plea bargain, it looks like Toyota has once again met its match.
Update 9/21/2016 - Just now got word that Toyota has AGAIN postponed Azar's court date, this time to April of 2017.
Sunday, May 3, 2015
Ruginis EDR data prompts government whitewash for Toyota
Toyota's good friend NHTSA has rushed to the admitted crook's aid once again. This time, it's the case of Bob Ruginis, who lucked out and happened to get his hands on his Corolla's EDR readout after his wife experienced an unintended acceleration episode resulting in a crash.
Amidst an epidemic of runaway vehicles - most often Toyotas - crashing into buildings, NHTSA performed its all-too-familiar song and dance about "driver error," and the government's presstitute mainstream media pumped out more propaganda designed to protect the auto industry. Interestingly enough, NHTSA still isn't willing to challenge NASA physicist Dr. Henning Leidecker's warning about increased risks of unintended acceleration in '02-'06 Camrys, and informed consumers realize that admitted-crook Toyota has been in "settlement mode" ever since an Oklahoma jury found Toyota at fault in that landmark unintended acceleration case back in October of 2013.
Meanwhile, vehicles are beginning to speed out of control without anyone even being in the car. Not long ago, I blogged about an unattended Lexus taking off from a carwash, and now another unattended vehicle has suddenly started up on its own - there were witnesses - and followed the driver into a Papa John's.
There's evidence galore pointing to both mechanical and electronically-induced unintended acceleration, and Toyota has lost hard when such evidence is presented to juries. The government is simply determined to protect murderous thugs like Toyota and GM as the auto industry's blood-spattered scandals continue.
Update 5/4/2015 - Judging from comments about the vehicle that started up on its own and crashed into the Papa John's, it was a Honda. As I've mentioned in other blog posts, government and industry's presstitute mainstream media usually keeps things quiet regarding vehicle make, model, year, what drivers say happened, etc. Maybe surveillance video will be made public, maybe not. I blogged about Honda's recent admission of electronically-induced unintended acceleration.
Amidst an epidemic of runaway vehicles - most often Toyotas - crashing into buildings, NHTSA performed its all-too-familiar song and dance about "driver error," and the government's presstitute mainstream media pumped out more propaganda designed to protect the auto industry. Interestingly enough, NHTSA still isn't willing to challenge NASA physicist Dr. Henning Leidecker's warning about increased risks of unintended acceleration in '02-'06 Camrys, and informed consumers realize that admitted-crook Toyota has been in "settlement mode" ever since an Oklahoma jury found Toyota at fault in that landmark unintended acceleration case back in October of 2013.
Meanwhile, vehicles are beginning to speed out of control without anyone even being in the car. Not long ago, I blogged about an unattended Lexus taking off from a carwash, and now another unattended vehicle has suddenly started up on its own - there were witnesses - and followed the driver into a Papa John's.
There's evidence galore pointing to both mechanical and electronically-induced unintended acceleration, and Toyota has lost hard when such evidence is presented to juries. The government is simply determined to protect murderous thugs like Toyota and GM as the auto industry's blood-spattered scandals continue.
Update 5/4/2015 - Judging from comments about the vehicle that started up on its own and crashed into the Papa John's, it was a Honda. As I've mentioned in other blog posts, government and industry's presstitute mainstream media usually keeps things quiet regarding vehicle make, model, year, what drivers say happened, etc. Maybe surveillance video will be made public, maybe not. I blogged about Honda's recent admission of electronically-induced unintended acceleration.
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Deadly RAV4 crash, driver blames vehicle, no charges filed
I'll say it again: There are literally too many crashes suggestive of electronically-induced unintended acceleration to keep track of and write about. Yesterday in Great Neck, New York, a 2006 RAV4 took off from a parking lot, crashed into an AT&T office, and killed a woman inside the building. Newsday hastily closed the comments on its article, and a television station in New York is now reporting that the driver says she couldn't stop the vehicle. RAV4s are figuring prominently in runaway vehicle crashes.
Amidst an epidemic of runaway vehicles, it seems police are becoming less likely to charge drivers. I sensed a trend in that direction some time ago, but only for crashes involving no injuries or fatalities. It's extremely significant that no charges are being filed in a runaway crash resulting in a fatality. Judging from the comments on Newsday's article, the public may be starting to realize how ridiculous it is for auto manufacturers to blame drivers when vehicles suddenly speed out of control. One comment made specific reference to the high number of vehicles crashing into buildings; another warned against allowing Toyota to have the say-so regarding what the Electronic Data Recorder (EDR) reveals.
Maybe Toyota's big losses in landmark lawsuits involving unintended acceleration is finally beginning to register with a brainwashed American public. Details are spreading despite the best efforts of presstitute mainstream media to keep incriminating evidence quiet. Toyota has now been found guilty of mechanical as well as electronic defects leading to unintended acceleration, the National Carwash Association is keeping records - Jeeps are notorious - of vehicles prone to suddenly take off, and Honda has admitted to electronic defects associated with unintended acceleration. No brand is immune, yet auto-industry-lapdog NHTSA refuses to address the issue.
How many more lives will be needlessly lost due to a corporate-controlled government and a cowardly American public that tolerates being kicked around by the 1% and its paid-off legislators?
Updates 3/31/15 - CBS New York has aired the story of this latest RAV4 crash, and comments are being "moderated" with a heavy bias favoring anonymous, name-calling trolls. PEOPLE LIKE ME, WHO GIVE THEIR REAL NAMES AND CONVEY USEFUL INFORMATION, ARE BEING HARASSED, AND THEIR COMMENTS ARE BEING REMOVED.
Updates 4/2/2015 -
> As if to underscore the frequency of crashes pointing to electronically-induced unintended acceleration - especially in Toyotas - today's headlines featured a Camry crashing into an AutoZone as the vehicle left a - yes, you guessed it - carwash. ONCE AGAIN, COMMENTS -INCLUDING MINE - EXPOSING FACTS ABOUT ELECTRONIC ISSUES ARE BEING BLOCKED. UNWARRANTED CENSORSHIP IS ALIVE AND WELL IN THE "LAND OF THE FREE."
> Another Toyota recall due to electronic/software issues. RAV4 and Camry are on the list.
> Yet ANOTHER Toyota - this time a Lexus - making headlines over the past few days for speeding out of control. As with most runaway crashes, the Lexus took off from a parking lot. This case - as I've said, there are too many to keep up with - confirms that drivers are still being unjustly charged.
Updates 3/31/15 - CBS New York has aired the story of this latest RAV4 crash, and comments are being "moderated" with a heavy bias favoring anonymous, name-calling trolls. PEOPLE LIKE ME, WHO GIVE THEIR REAL NAMES AND CONVEY USEFUL INFORMATION, ARE BEING HARASSED, AND THEIR COMMENTS ARE BEING REMOVED.
Updates 4/2/2015 -
> As if to underscore the frequency of crashes pointing to electronically-induced unintended acceleration - especially in Toyotas - today's headlines featured a Camry crashing into an AutoZone as the vehicle left a - yes, you guessed it - carwash. ONCE AGAIN, COMMENTS -INCLUDING MINE - EXPOSING FACTS ABOUT ELECTRONIC ISSUES ARE BEING BLOCKED. UNWARRANTED CENSORSHIP IS ALIVE AND WELL IN THE "LAND OF THE FREE."
> Another Toyota recall due to electronic/software issues. RAV4 and Camry are on the list.
> Yet ANOTHER Toyota - this time a Lexus - making headlines over the past few days for speeding out of control. As with most runaway crashes, the Lexus took off from a parking lot. This case - as I've said, there are too many to keep up with - confirms that drivers are still being unjustly charged.
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Lexus dealer in Saylor case reaches confidential settlement
"Owner Bob Baker said investigators failed to fully examine possible manufacturing defects."
Amidst news of a major auto dealer in Maryland blowing the whistle on manufacturers for directing dealers to conceal dangerous defects, Bob Baker, the Lexus dealer associated with the Saylor case, which focused national attention on Toyota's problems with unintended acceleration, has reached a last-minute, confidential settlement with the parents of the victims. Interestingly enough, back in 2010, when Toyota settled its case - confidentially, of course - regarding the Saylor crash, Mr. Baker was outspoken in favor of making details of that settlement public.
Since the Saylor tragedy, evidence has emerged revealing electronic defects galore in Toyota's throttle control. Worse yet, cases of runaway vehicles - most often Toyotas, but affecting other brands as well - are continuing. Vehicles crashing into buildings has reached epidemic proportions, and the National Carwash Association has started documenting which vehicles are most prone to speed out of control. Note the comments by Bob Schrum in this article updating readers that no charges will be filed regarding a Jeep that unexpectedly sped away at a carwash in Flagstaff, Arizona.
Then there's the ongoing case of Bob Ruginis, a Toyota customer who lucked out and managed to obtain a copy of the EDR readout after his Corolla sped out of control. As I've mentioned in other posts, there are literally too many runaway vehicle cases pointing to electronic defects to keep up with.
Once again, folks: What kind of "government" allows automakers to kick consumers around, conceal dangerous defects, and get away with never-ending parades of blood-spattered scandals?
Amidst news of a major auto dealer in Maryland blowing the whistle on manufacturers for directing dealers to conceal dangerous defects, Bob Baker, the Lexus dealer associated with the Saylor case, which focused national attention on Toyota's problems with unintended acceleration, has reached a last-minute, confidential settlement with the parents of the victims. Interestingly enough, back in 2010, when Toyota settled its case - confidentially, of course - regarding the Saylor crash, Mr. Baker was outspoken in favor of making details of that settlement public.
Since the Saylor tragedy, evidence has emerged revealing electronic defects galore in Toyota's throttle control. Worse yet, cases of runaway vehicles - most often Toyotas, but affecting other brands as well - are continuing. Vehicles crashing into buildings has reached epidemic proportions, and the National Carwash Association has started documenting which vehicles are most prone to speed out of control. Note the comments by Bob Schrum in this article updating readers that no charges will be filed regarding a Jeep that unexpectedly sped away at a carwash in Flagstaff, Arizona.
Then there's the ongoing case of Bob Ruginis, a Toyota customer who lucked out and managed to obtain a copy of the EDR readout after his Corolla sped out of control. As I've mentioned in other posts, there are literally too many runaway vehicle cases pointing to electronic defects to keep up with.
Once again, folks: What kind of "government" allows automakers to kick consumers around, conceal dangerous defects, and get away with never-ending parades of blood-spattered scandals?
Wednesday, February 4, 2015
Manufacturing defect + Koua Fong Lee's account + similar accounts of runaway '96 Camrys = 100% Toyota's fault
It doesn't make sense to hold Koua Fong Lee 40% accountable for the tragic accident that claimed the lives of three people. You can't have it both ways. Either the vehicle had a manufacturing defect in the accelerator assembly or it didn't. The jury ruled that it did, giving credence to testimony given by Lee as well as other drivers who said they had unintended acceleration problems with '96 Camrys. So how on earth did the jury jump from agreeing with the crux of Koua's case to concluding that he was 40% at fault for the accident? It's anybody's guess as to how such a thing happened, and I certainly hope the miscarriage of justice is remedied on appeal.
The entire matter boils down to corroborating evidence of Lee's account of what happened. Fact is, such evidence has been there by the boatload ever since the accident occurred. The penniless immigrant was railroaded from the get go, and the disgraceful spectacle continued throughout his effort to sue Toyota - an admitted crook that deserves to be known as the Coverup King of the automotive industry - for a manufacturing defect.
Koua's lawsuit was stymied at the outset by a ridiculous legal shenanigan which took away his right to claim punitive damages. If anyone ever deserved punitive damages from an automaker, it's Koua Fong Lee, who spent a whopping two and a half years in prison as a consequence of Toyota's now-established manufacturing defect. And don't hand me any nonsense about shifting the blame for Lee's incarceration to Minnesota's sorry excuse for a justice system, then cleverly passing false imprisonment costs along to the taxpaying public. It's time automakers - especially admitted crooks like Toyota - are held accountable to the Nth degree for the consequences - both direct and indirect - resulting from manufacturing defects. Lee was further hamstrung by not being allowed to claim Toyota was guilty of a cover-up. Never mind complaints lodged with NHTSA about unintended acceleration in '96 Camrys. And don't dare to breath a word about the Coverup King - er I mean Toyota - pleading guilty to that federal fraud charge for misleading safety investigators about defective products.
Of course, "Judge Ann" quickly instructed the jury that it couldn't consider Lee's time in prison, nor the automaker's headline-grabbing parade of recalls, some of which resulted in record-setting fines for delays in reporting safety defects. Rounding out the picture, Lee's attorney's plans to present at additional witnesses were also quashed by the ever vigilant "Judge Ann," who kept a watchful eye lest a filthy rich corporate crook - at last count harboring $60 billion just in cash - be treated unfairly. If only folks had the same degree of concern for penniless immigrants and taxpaying citizens...
At one point, the kindly judge even assisted Toyota's attorney during a cross-examination of the hapless immigrant whose "peers" on the jury, I hasten to add, did not include anyone of Hmong descent. But perhaps "Judge Ann's" most notable "assistance" was allowing Toyota to present sworn depositions regarding that crux-of-the-case manufacturing defect. I'm sure the good judge wasn't aware of the fact that it's kinda difficult to conduct a cross-examination of a deposition. No wonder an Associated Press investigation concluded that Toyota uses evasion as a legal tactic. Moreover, according to Lee's lawyer, Toyota spent "tens of millions" of dollars in an effort to "frame" his client.
Don't get me wrong. Given the lopsided advantages granted to Toyota, it's a miracle the jury established that a manufacturing defect did exist, found Toyota 60% responsible for the accident, and awarded $11.4 million to the plaintiffs, $2.2 million of which will go to Lee. For all that, I'm exceedingly grateful. Unfortunately, the fact remains that many lives have been lost and shattered, the tragic nature of which was addressed quite admirably by a downcast and sorrowful Koua Fong Lee immediately after the verdict.
Toyota, there are some things money just can't buy.
Monday, January 12, 2015
Admit it, Toyota: The Camry's sudden surge is what "startled" Koua Fong Lee
Please spread the word: There may be hope yet for folks who were victimized by Toyota regarding the "pre-cat" manufacturing defect in MR2 Spyders.
###
Leave it to the attorneys for an admitted crook to try to pull a fast one in court. As Koua Fong Lee's lawsuit got underway, Toyota's attorney tried to fool the jury into thinking that "when Lee took the off-ramp, he was startled (emphasis mine) by many cars in front of him and stepped on the accelerator instead of the brake." The guise is based on a fallacious 1989 "study" by NHTSA - the automotive industry's little lapdog - that blabbers about unintended acceleration events coming about because the driver is "distracted" or "startled."
A common-sense analysis shows how utterly absurd the notion is, especially when applied to unintended acceleration events that happen on highways, when the driver's foot is most assuredly already on the accelerator, as was the case with Koua Fong Lee. What makes NHTSA's much-ballyhooed "study" so ridiculous is the fact that no explanation is offered regarding precisely why a "distracted" driver would respond by pushing more forcefully on the accelerator pedal.
What actually happens is confirmed by electrical engineer Dr. Antony Anderson in his lengthy and highly detailed study of unintended acceleration events. The driver is "distracted" or "startled" by the sudden surge in the vehicle's SPEED. Because the driver's foot is already on the accelerator, it's implausible - indeed, it's ridiculous - to assert that the driver would respond by pressing harder on the accelerator pedal. Such blabber was cooked up by NHTSA and the automotive industry as part of a well-orchestrated effort to dupe the public. As anyone who's driven a vehicle knows, in such a situation the spontaneous response would be to stomp on the brake pedal. And during Koua's appeal for a re-trial, it was demonstrated - by a burnt brake light filament - that he did just that when his 1996 Camry suddenly picked up speed as he exited the highway.
Another issue the NHTSA blabber conveniently avoids is the fact that runaway vehicles are exceedingly difficult - if not impossible - to stop. Consumer Reports' engineers "found that it's difficult to stop some vehicles with a stuck throttle at highway speeds by pressing on the brakes alone." As did highway patrolman Saylor - the doomed driver of the runaway Lexus ES 350 whose screams for help were caught on a 911 recording - Koua too began screaming that he couldn't stop the car.
What's important to bear in mind is evidence galore confirming Coverup King Toyota's dishonest behavior when the now admitted crook argues a case in court. An Associated Press investigation, concluding that Toyota "has routinely engaged in questionable, evasive and deceptive legal tactics when sued" is apparently an understatement.
I'll say it again: Koua Fong Lee still needs all the luck he can get.
Update 1/13/2015 - The burnt filament in Koua's brake light - proving that Koua had his foot on the brake - was spotlighted in yesterday's testimony by an expert witness. Of course, this had already been established during Koua's bid for a re-trial prior to charges against him being dismissed. Nonetheless, it's appalling that such testimony hasn't been headlined by mainstream media.
Update 1/14/2015 - A mysterious pause in Koua's lawsuit took place yesterday, and it's rumored that Toyota is trying to settle the case out of court. If there's anything admitted crook and Coverup King Toyota can't stand, it's the truth, and lots of it has been coming out since Koua's lawsuit started. Nobody should be surprised if wunna Toyota's "confidential" settlements is reached in an obvious effort to shut things up. Bear in mind that Toyota has been in "settlement mode" ever since that landmark unintended acceleration trial in Oklahoma unveiled evidence of electronic defects in the Coverup King's throttle control: "After the Oklahoma verdict, Toyota's (settlement offer) increased substantially." Stay tuned.
###
Leave it to the attorneys for an admitted crook to try to pull a fast one in court. As Koua Fong Lee's lawsuit got underway, Toyota's attorney tried to fool the jury into thinking that "when Lee took the off-ramp, he was startled (emphasis mine) by many cars in front of him and stepped on the accelerator instead of the brake." The guise is based on a fallacious 1989 "study" by NHTSA - the automotive industry's little lapdog - that blabbers about unintended acceleration events coming about because the driver is "distracted" or "startled."
A common-sense analysis shows how utterly absurd the notion is, especially when applied to unintended acceleration events that happen on highways, when the driver's foot is most assuredly already on the accelerator, as was the case with Koua Fong Lee. What makes NHTSA's much-ballyhooed "study" so ridiculous is the fact that no explanation is offered regarding precisely why a "distracted" driver would respond by pushing more forcefully on the accelerator pedal.
What actually happens is confirmed by electrical engineer Dr. Antony Anderson in his lengthy and highly detailed study of unintended acceleration events. The driver is "distracted" or "startled" by the sudden surge in the vehicle's SPEED. Because the driver's foot is already on the accelerator, it's implausible - indeed, it's ridiculous - to assert that the driver would respond by pressing harder on the accelerator pedal. Such blabber was cooked up by NHTSA and the automotive industry as part of a well-orchestrated effort to dupe the public. As anyone who's driven a vehicle knows, in such a situation the spontaneous response would be to stomp on the brake pedal. And during Koua's appeal for a re-trial, it was demonstrated - by a burnt brake light filament - that he did just that when his 1996 Camry suddenly picked up speed as he exited the highway.
Another issue the NHTSA blabber conveniently avoids is the fact that runaway vehicles are exceedingly difficult - if not impossible - to stop. Consumer Reports' engineers "found that it's difficult to stop some vehicles with a stuck throttle at highway speeds by pressing on the brakes alone." As did highway patrolman Saylor - the doomed driver of the runaway Lexus ES 350 whose screams for help were caught on a 911 recording - Koua too began screaming that he couldn't stop the car.
What's important to bear in mind is evidence galore confirming Coverup King Toyota's dishonest behavior when the now admitted crook argues a case in court. An Associated Press investigation, concluding that Toyota "has routinely engaged in questionable, evasive and deceptive legal tactics when sued" is apparently an understatement.
I'll say it again: Koua Fong Lee still needs all the luck he can get.
Update 1/13/2015 - The burnt filament in Koua's brake light - proving that Koua had his foot on the brake - was spotlighted in yesterday's testimony by an expert witness. Of course, this had already been established during Koua's bid for a re-trial prior to charges against him being dismissed. Nonetheless, it's appalling that such testimony hasn't been headlined by mainstream media.
Update 1/14/2015 - A mysterious pause in Koua's lawsuit took place yesterday, and it's rumored that Toyota is trying to settle the case out of court. If there's anything admitted crook and Coverup King Toyota can't stand, it's the truth, and lots of it has been coming out since Koua's lawsuit started. Nobody should be surprised if wunna Toyota's "confidential" settlements is reached in an obvious effort to shut things up. Bear in mind that Toyota has been in "settlement mode" ever since that landmark unintended acceleration trial in Oklahoma unveiled evidence of electronic defects in the Coverup King's throttle control: "After the Oklahoma verdict, Toyota's (settlement offer) increased substantially." Stay tuned.
Friday, January 9, 2015
Admitted-crook Toyota granted unfair advantage in Koua Fong Lee's lawsuit
Please spread the word: There may be hope yet for folks who were victimized by Toyota regarding the "pre-cat" manufacturing defect in MR2 Spyders.
###
tt was a hoot watchin' Amerika's so-called justice system exposed for the sham it is when unjustly imprisoned Toyota driver Koua Fong Lee appealed for a re-trial. The public unveiling of how Lee's case was handled confirmed the railroading of a penniless immigrant who found himself at the mercy - or lack thereof - of a pervasively corrupt system ramrodded by the incompetent, the uncaring, the politically motivated, and those hapless souls infected with this country's heritage of racism, which got underway with the American Indian. Evidence abounds - including some of the comments on news articles - that folks of Hmong descent best watch their step 'round the "Twin Cities" of Minnesota.
Once the sham of Lee's "conviction" was exposed - amidst picketing outside the courtroom, and a Facebook page committed to seeing Lee released from prison - there was little the good judge could do except free a guy who had beaten the odds when it comes to reversing injustice. And of course, with Lee winning his bid for a re-trial, his politically astute persecutor - er I mean prosecutor - suddenly saw the light and dropped all charges. She knew better than risk another trial, and that's well and good. But how many other "Koua Fong Lees" are rotting away in Amerika's corporate, run-for-profit prisons? How many other unjustly-imprisoned folks are lucky enough to have a conscientious newspaper reporter intervene, round up high-priced attorneys willing to work pro-bono and stick with the case through thick and thin?
So now we come to the Grand Opening of Lee's well-founded-if-ever-there-was lawsuit, not against Toyota, but against admitted crook Toyota. An automaker unparalleled in the annals of automotive history when it comes to lawsuits galore, congressional inquiries, record-setting fines, retaliation against whistleblowers, dirty deals with auto-industry-stooge NHTSA, and the foul-smelling list goes on ad nauseum, topped off by Toyota's guilty plea to a federal fraud charge, accompanied by $1.2 billion worth of payola forked over to a crooked government in exchange for an end to a federal investigation that threatened to blow the lid regarding evidence of electronic defects in Toyota's throttle control.
Whew. Quite a record the ol' Coverup King has established. But not to worry...
Judge Ann gonna make sure corporate-citizen Toyota - at last count sporting a $60 billion pile of cash - isn't treated unfairly by some upstart immigrant who had the audacity to file suit against the Coverup King. First off, that pesky issue of punitive damages - a consideration that's put Toyota in "settlement mode" ever since the Bookout case (see video at bottom) in Oklahoma - had to be dealt with. No problem. Simply rule that Lee isn't entitled to claim such damages. That oughta teach him to confront the likes of Toyota. No tellin' what a jury might do with a case involving a young plaintiff unjustly imprisoned for many years.
And then there's all this fuss about what the jury might be allowed to consider. Ahem. Yes, let's make sure the jury doesn't start thinking about Toyota's never-ending parade of recalls, the congressional inquiry, the fines for delays in reporting safety defects, and for double-dog certain let's not even mention the part about Toyota being an admitted crook. All the jury needs to know for sure, according to Judge Ann, is the fact that Camrys like the one Lee was driving were never part of any of the Coverup King's - er I mean Toyota's - recalls. And that fact provides the absolute perfect opportunity to rule that this pesky immigrant can't argue that Toyota covered anything up. After all, how could any informed person in their right mind entertain the notion that corporate-citizen Toyota might be somewhat less than forthright about acknowledging safety defects? And never mind that a whole slew of people have already testified that they too had been terrorized when their Camrys - just like the one Lee was driving - suddenly sped out of control. Shame on them for having the unmitigated gall to say so under oath, and it must be bothersome indeed that two of Toyota's "Lee-type Camry" victims will testify as part of Lee's lawsuit.
For icing on the cake, let's put some hefty limits on what the jury can hear regarding the horrors Lee experienced during years of unjust imprisonment. Package things up neatly, and blabber that as far as prison time goes, Lee should be compensated not by Toyota, but by taxpayers.
Right, Judge Ann. Let's bend over backwards to make sure this immigrant's lawsuit is conducted fairly for all concerned, especially a taxpaying public that continues to be put at risk by the shenanigans of a crook like Toyota, propped up by the automaker's good friends in Washington - Repukes n Demagogues alike - who deceitfully pose as representatives of the people.
In his courageous efforts to make truth prevail, Koua Fong Lee still needs all the luck he can get.
###
tt was a hoot watchin' Amerika's so-called justice system exposed for the sham it is when unjustly imprisoned Toyota driver Koua Fong Lee appealed for a re-trial. The public unveiling of how Lee's case was handled confirmed the railroading of a penniless immigrant who found himself at the mercy - or lack thereof - of a pervasively corrupt system ramrodded by the incompetent, the uncaring, the politically motivated, and those hapless souls infected with this country's heritage of racism, which got underway with the American Indian. Evidence abounds - including some of the comments on news articles - that folks of Hmong descent best watch their step 'round the "Twin Cities" of Minnesota.
Once the sham of Lee's "conviction" was exposed - amidst picketing outside the courtroom, and a Facebook page committed to seeing Lee released from prison - there was little the good judge could do except free a guy who had beaten the odds when it comes to reversing injustice. And of course, with Lee winning his bid for a re-trial, his politically astute persecutor - er I mean prosecutor - suddenly saw the light and dropped all charges. She knew better than risk another trial, and that's well and good. But how many other "Koua Fong Lees" are rotting away in Amerika's corporate, run-for-profit prisons? How many other unjustly-imprisoned folks are lucky enough to have a conscientious newspaper reporter intervene, round up high-priced attorneys willing to work pro-bono and stick with the case through thick and thin?
So now we come to the Grand Opening of Lee's well-founded-if-ever-there-was lawsuit, not against Toyota, but against admitted crook Toyota. An automaker unparalleled in the annals of automotive history when it comes to lawsuits galore, congressional inquiries, record-setting fines, retaliation against whistleblowers, dirty deals with auto-industry-stooge NHTSA, and the foul-smelling list goes on ad nauseum, topped off by Toyota's guilty plea to a federal fraud charge, accompanied by $1.2 billion worth of payola forked over to a crooked government in exchange for an end to a federal investigation that threatened to blow the lid regarding evidence of electronic defects in Toyota's throttle control.
Whew. Quite a record the ol' Coverup King has established. But not to worry...
Judge Ann gonna make sure corporate-citizen Toyota - at last count sporting a $60 billion pile of cash - isn't treated unfairly by some upstart immigrant who had the audacity to file suit against the Coverup King. First off, that pesky issue of punitive damages - a consideration that's put Toyota in "settlement mode" ever since the Bookout case (see video at bottom) in Oklahoma - had to be dealt with. No problem. Simply rule that Lee isn't entitled to claim such damages. That oughta teach him to confront the likes of Toyota. No tellin' what a jury might do with a case involving a young plaintiff unjustly imprisoned for many years.
And then there's all this fuss about what the jury might be allowed to consider. Ahem. Yes, let's make sure the jury doesn't start thinking about Toyota's never-ending parade of recalls, the congressional inquiry, the fines for delays in reporting safety defects, and for double-dog certain let's not even mention the part about Toyota being an admitted crook. All the jury needs to know for sure, according to Judge Ann, is the fact that Camrys like the one Lee was driving were never part of any of the Coverup King's - er I mean Toyota's - recalls. And that fact provides the absolute perfect opportunity to rule that this pesky immigrant can't argue that Toyota covered anything up. After all, how could any informed person in their right mind entertain the notion that corporate-citizen Toyota might be somewhat less than forthright about acknowledging safety defects? And never mind that a whole slew of people have already testified that they too had been terrorized when their Camrys - just like the one Lee was driving - suddenly sped out of control. Shame on them for having the unmitigated gall to say so under oath, and it must be bothersome indeed that two of Toyota's "Lee-type Camry" victims will testify as part of Lee's lawsuit.
For icing on the cake, let's put some hefty limits on what the jury can hear regarding the horrors Lee experienced during years of unjust imprisonment. Package things up neatly, and blabber that as far as prison time goes, Lee should be compensated not by Toyota, but by taxpayers.
Right, Judge Ann. Let's bend over backwards to make sure this immigrant's lawsuit is conducted fairly for all concerned, especially a taxpaying public that continues to be put at risk by the shenanigans of a crook like Toyota, propped up by the automaker's good friends in Washington - Repukes n Demagogues alike - who deceitfully pose as representatives of the people.
In his courageous efforts to make truth prevail, Koua Fong Lee still needs all the luck he can get.
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
Toyota, trolls, and the government's assault on free speech
Efforts to block readers from visiting this blog have been on the increase lately, epitomized by a recent skirmish with Houston's ABC-13 over a story they cooked up which criticized cops for refusing to file charges against the driver of a runaway Lexus. Granted, operations such as Houston's ABC-13 are privately owned, and from a legal standpoint, permitted to "moderate" discussions as they see fit. Problem is, with rare exception, we have a corporate-controlled mainstream media, fearful of losing broadcast licenses if they cross ol' Sammy, and fearful of losing advertising dollars if they cross corporate interests. Factor in anonymous comments generated by so-called reputation management companies, and it all boils down to making a mockery of a free press, including a deceitful assault on free speech.
The government is too cowardly to limit free speech outright. So it's done the "American Way," with behind-the-scenes maneuvering designed to maintain the appearance of freedom while cleverly placing shackles on those who dare to speak truth. Especially in this age of the Internet.
The government and its mainstream media stooges have been determined to keep word from spreading about evidence galore pointing to electronic defects in Toyota's throttle control. The "Just Us" Department underscored ol' Sammy's unwritten directive with a high-handed "No comment" when a freelance reporter for trade journal EE Times dared to confront Holder's gang with the facts. David Benjamin's EE Times' article exposing what happened ranks in my book as wunna the all-time masterpieces of investigative journalism.
ABC-13's article is typical of the propaganda bandied about under the guise of journalism. Their "legal analyst" feigns ignorance of the electronics issue associated with vehicles speeding out of control, and there's no report of what the Lexus driver said happened. But perhaps the most glaring omission - as ABC-13 spotlights the driver's age - is a discussion of how extremely difficult it is to stop vehicles when electronic defects get the upper hand. A recent seminar at Carnegie-Mellon took a close look at the issue - see slide number 8 - as part of a presentation on electronically-induced unintended acceleration. Notice that brake pressure is normally in the 15 to 43.6 pounds range, whereas a whopping 175 pounds of force is required when vehicles accelerate on their own. Back in 2010, Consumer Reports ran an article, complete with a video, that corroborates Dr. Koopman's presentation. It's preposterous to believe that Houston's ABC-13 is unaware of the facts.
ABC-13's article smacks of a corporate-controlled ploy intended to mislead the public and have a chilling effect on cops declining to charge drivers when vehicles speed out of control. Absence of charges raises questions that admitted crooks like Toyota doesn't want people askin'.
The first response to my comment was an insulting, mindless "reply" from an anonymous source, then came the removal of my comment, while the anonymous blabber - quite likely associated with a troll employed by a reputation management firm - was permitted to remain posted. Here's a copy of my now-deleted comment, and the troll's "reply":
Parris Boyd:
ABC-13 legal analyst Joel Androphy has never heard of electronically-induced unintended acceleration? Especially in Toyotas? Especially in the admitted crook's much-ballyhooed Lexus? Where ya been, Joel? Trying to cover up for the auto industry? ABC should be addressing the epidemic of runaway vehicles crashing into buildings. The Miami Herald dared to discuss the issue. Parking - not age - is the biggest common denominator, and how about telling us what the DRIVER said happened? There's evidence GALORE of electronic defects in Toyota's throttle control, and I've been blogging about it. Search "Beware of Toyota. Their next victim may be YOU..."
disqus_J5VKk8FJ
Dumb again, Parrisite. Another case of old lady driver error. "The woman, who police said was 70 years old, was not intoxicated according to officers on the scene. Police said she hit the gas instead of the breaks while she was trying to park her Lexus SUV outside the restaurant."
This is not the first time mainstream media in Texas - a state proud to host the new North American headquarters for a murderous, admitted crook like Toyota - has taken exception to my comments and made sure that neither Toyota nor the public read my views. How many other comments get axed in the Lone Star state for being critical of the Coverup King is anyone's guess.
The government's propaganda-censorship game isn't limited to Texas, and this certainly isn't the first time I've written posts about the issue. What's important to realize is that ABC-13's behavior exemplifies the kinda stuff going on all across the country regarding every topic imaginable. Former Assistant Secretary of the Treasury Dr. Paul Craig Roberts targets the issue in his latest article, "The Prospect of Nuclear War." Just out of curiosity - not that I have proof of any - I inquired about the cost to protect this blog from Distributed Denial of Service (DDOS) Attacks. The bill would come to $3,000 per month. Real hoot, but at least I got a thigh-slappin' laugh out of it. Not to mention a far better appreciation of the costs associated with politically-sensitive websites that make a serious effort at maximizing hits.
Alluding to this sorry state of affairs in his 9/14/2014 call for donations (preface to "Washington's War on Russia"), Dr. Roberts sums things up admirably: "It will not be long before only a masochist will be willing to speak the truth in the United States or in any country of the West."
The government is too cowardly to limit free speech outright. So it's done the "American Way," with behind-the-scenes maneuvering designed to maintain the appearance of freedom while cleverly placing shackles on those who dare to speak truth. Especially in this age of the Internet.
The government and its mainstream media stooges have been determined to keep word from spreading about evidence galore pointing to electronic defects in Toyota's throttle control. The "Just Us" Department underscored ol' Sammy's unwritten directive with a high-handed "No comment" when a freelance reporter for trade journal EE Times dared to confront Holder's gang with the facts. David Benjamin's EE Times' article exposing what happened ranks in my book as wunna the all-time masterpieces of investigative journalism.
ABC-13's article is typical of the propaganda bandied about under the guise of journalism. Their "legal analyst" feigns ignorance of the electronics issue associated with vehicles speeding out of control, and there's no report of what the Lexus driver said happened. But perhaps the most glaring omission - as ABC-13 spotlights the driver's age - is a discussion of how extremely difficult it is to stop vehicles when electronic defects get the upper hand. A recent seminar at Carnegie-Mellon took a close look at the issue - see slide number 8 - as part of a presentation on electronically-induced unintended acceleration. Notice that brake pressure is normally in the 15 to 43.6 pounds range, whereas a whopping 175 pounds of force is required when vehicles accelerate on their own. Back in 2010, Consumer Reports ran an article, complete with a video, that corroborates Dr. Koopman's presentation. It's preposterous to believe that Houston's ABC-13 is unaware of the facts.
ABC-13's article smacks of a corporate-controlled ploy intended to mislead the public and have a chilling effect on cops declining to charge drivers when vehicles speed out of control. Absence of charges raises questions that admitted crooks like Toyota doesn't want people askin'.
The first response to my comment was an insulting, mindless "reply" from an anonymous source, then came the removal of my comment, while the anonymous blabber - quite likely associated with a troll employed by a reputation management firm - was permitted to remain posted. Here's a copy of my now-deleted comment, and the troll's "reply":
Parris Boyd:
ABC-13 legal analyst Joel Androphy has never heard of electronically-induced unintended acceleration? Especially in Toyotas? Especially in the admitted crook's much-ballyhooed Lexus? Where ya been, Joel? Trying to cover up for the auto industry? ABC should be addressing the epidemic of runaway vehicles crashing into buildings. The Miami Herald dared to discuss the issue. Parking - not age - is the biggest common denominator, and how about telling us what the DRIVER said happened? There's evidence GALORE of electronic defects in Toyota's throttle control, and I've been blogging about it. Search "Beware of Toyota. Their next victim may be YOU..."
disqus_J5VKk8FJ
Dumb again, Parrisite. Another case of old lady driver error. "The woman, who police said was 70 years old, was not intoxicated according to officers on the scene. Police said she hit the gas instead of the breaks while she was trying to park her Lexus SUV outside the restaurant."
This is not the first time mainstream media in Texas - a state proud to host the new North American headquarters for a murderous, admitted crook like Toyota - has taken exception to my comments and made sure that neither Toyota nor the public read my views. How many other comments get axed in the Lone Star state for being critical of the Coverup King is anyone's guess.
The government's propaganda-censorship game isn't limited to Texas, and this certainly isn't the first time I've written posts about the issue. What's important to realize is that ABC-13's behavior exemplifies the kinda stuff going on all across the country regarding every topic imaginable. Former Assistant Secretary of the Treasury Dr. Paul Craig Roberts targets the issue in his latest article, "The Prospect of Nuclear War." Just out of curiosity - not that I have proof of any - I inquired about the cost to protect this blog from Distributed Denial of Service (DDOS) Attacks. The bill would come to $3,000 per month. Real hoot, but at least I got a thigh-slappin' laugh out of it. Not to mention a far better appreciation of the costs associated with politically-sensitive websites that make a serious effort at maximizing hits.
Alluding to this sorry state of affairs in his 9/14/2014 call for donations (preface to "Washington's War on Russia"), Dr. Roberts sums things up admirably: "It will not be long before only a masochist will be willing to speak the truth in the United States or in any country of the West."
Sunday, November 9, 2014
As word spreads re electronic defects, cops decline to charge the driver of a runaway Lexus
When is admitted-crook Toyota and scandal-soaked NHTSA gonna own up to the facts regarding unintended acceleration? Not long ago, Honda made an admission of electronic defects associated with these events, and now Nissan has reluctantly chimed in with an admission of software defects causing Infinities to unexpectedly take off. It's way past time for Uncle Scam (sic) to get serious about the electronics issue in general, and Coverup King Toyota in particular. There's evidence GALORE of electronic defects in Toyota's throttle control, presented over a year ago when the Coverup King lost the landmark unintended acceleration case in Oklahoma. Thanks to trade journals, bloggers, and comments on social media sites, word has gotten out in spite of the government's silence, and an attempted news blackout by this corporate-controlled government's mainstream media stooges.
As I've mentioned, there are literally too many crashes suggestive of electronically-induced unintended acceleration to keep track of. The Miami Herald addressed the alarming number of vehicles crashing into buildings, but carefully avoided any mention of defective software and the auto industry's refusal to install adequate fail-safes.
Apparently, cops are starting to think twice before charging drivers whose vehicles crash into buildings. News that the driver of a runaway Lexus won't be charged in a devastating crash in Houston is certainly not the first runaway-crash devoid of charges against drivers, but it may well be the first time the absence of such charges - which speaks volumns to informed consumers - has made headlines for an article devoted to blaming the cops. Not charging the drivers of runaway vehicles tends to raise questions; tends to embarrass the scandal-soaked auto industry.
Notice the tantrum thrown by ABC-13's "legal analyst," as he feigns ignorance of the electronics issue. Notice the careful omission of any reference to what the driver said happened, much less a ton of evidence showing how incredibly difficult vehicles are to stop when electronic defects take over. Find my comment below the article and notice the anonymous "reply" - sheer blabber which immediately popped up - by what appears to be a troll from either the government, the auto industry, or a reputation management firm. //Update 11/9/2014 - My comment exposing ABC-13's one-sided reporting of this story and referring readers to this blog was removed shortly after I posted my remarks earlier today. The inane "reply," however, from disqus_opJ5VKk8FJ//
I won't belabor the electronics issue. There are plenty of references and discussions elswhere on this blog, and on the Internet.
What an outrage it is that folks are being injured, killed - and in some cases unjustly jailed - all because of a crooked, corporate-controlled government that panders to murderous thugs in the auto industry. Deadly gnition-switches, exploding airbags that sling shrapnel, electronic defects in throttle controls without adequate fail-safes, and it's anybody's guess as to what blood-spattered defect - and coverup - will be revealed next. Meanwhile, the most we get from Repukes and Demagogues is another round of theatrics aimed at making sure nobody at any of these murderous, blood-drenched corporations goes to prison.
This is one sorry excuse for a government. To say it's tyrannical is to understate the case.
Update 11/12/2014 - JUST IN: At 7:06 PM EST (see 11/10/2014 update), Detroit News reported that GM CEO Mary Barra will not be receiving the award. Public outcry, organized by Laura Gipe Christian, founder of "GM Recall Survivors" prevailed quickly.
Update 11/10/2014 - BREAKING NEWS on the ignition-switch scandal: E-mails that GM wanted kept secret have now been released - thanks to attorney Bob Hilliard - that raise justifiable questions regarding the much-ballyhooed "innocence" of GM CEO Mary Barra. Stay tuned as the founder of "GM Recall Survivors" takes aim at the National Womens History Museum and a senate sub-committee over Barra being presented with an award based on safety.
Update 11/9/2014 - HOT OFF THE PRESS: Just over an hour ago, USA Today's editorial board published a scathing review of the airbag fiasco.
As I've mentioned, there are literally too many crashes suggestive of electronically-induced unintended acceleration to keep track of. The Miami Herald addressed the alarming number of vehicles crashing into buildings, but carefully avoided any mention of defective software and the auto industry's refusal to install adequate fail-safes.
Apparently, cops are starting to think twice before charging drivers whose vehicles crash into buildings. News that the driver of a runaway Lexus won't be charged in a devastating crash in Houston is certainly not the first runaway-crash devoid of charges against drivers, but it may well be the first time the absence of such charges - which speaks volumns to informed consumers - has made headlines for an article devoted to blaming the cops. Not charging the drivers of runaway vehicles tends to raise questions; tends to embarrass the scandal-soaked auto industry.
Notice the tantrum thrown by ABC-13's "legal analyst," as he feigns ignorance of the electronics issue. Notice the careful omission of any reference to what the driver said happened, much less a ton of evidence showing how incredibly difficult vehicles are to stop when electronic defects take over. Find my comment below the article and notice the anonymous "reply" - sheer blabber which immediately popped up - by what appears to be a troll from either the government, the auto industry, or a reputation management firm. //Update 11/9/2014 - My comment exposing ABC-13's one-sided reporting of this story and referring readers to this blog was removed shortly after I posted my remarks earlier today. The inane "reply," however, from disqus_opJ5VKk8FJ//
I won't belabor the electronics issue. There are plenty of references and discussions elswhere on this blog, and on the Internet.
What an outrage it is that folks are being injured, killed - and in some cases unjustly jailed - all because of a crooked, corporate-controlled government that panders to murderous thugs in the auto industry. Deadly gnition-switches, exploding airbags that sling shrapnel, electronic defects in throttle controls without adequate fail-safes, and it's anybody's guess as to what blood-spattered defect - and coverup - will be revealed next. Meanwhile, the most we get from Repukes and Demagogues is another round of theatrics aimed at making sure nobody at any of these murderous, blood-drenched corporations goes to prison.
This is one sorry excuse for a government. To say it's tyrannical is to understate the case.
Update 11/12/2014 - JUST IN: At 7:06 PM EST (see 11/10/2014 update), Detroit News reported that GM CEO Mary Barra will not be receiving the award. Public outcry, organized by Laura Gipe Christian, founder of "GM Recall Survivors" prevailed quickly.
Update 11/10/2014 - BREAKING NEWS on the ignition-switch scandal: E-mails that GM wanted kept secret have now been released - thanks to attorney Bob Hilliard - that raise justifiable questions regarding the much-ballyhooed "innocence" of GM CEO Mary Barra. Stay tuned as the founder of "GM Recall Survivors" takes aim at the National Womens History Museum and a senate sub-committee over Barra being presented with an award based on safety.
Update 11/9/2014 - HOT OFF THE PRESS: Just over an hour ago, USA Today's editorial board published a scathing review of the airbag fiasco.
Thursday, October 2, 2014
Longtime customer who got EDR readout fed up with Toyota
“'There are five Toyotas in my family. We’ve been loyal Toyota people,' Mr. Ruginis said. 'Now I plan to replace all five cars.'"
There'll be no more Toyotas for Bob Ruginis, the guy who lucked out and managed to get his hands on data that confirms his wife's account of what happened when her Corolla sped out of control. In a late breaking interview with local news reporter Patrick Luce, Ruginis discusses his disillusionment with Toyota, and the predicament he's now in, still making payments on a vehicle he doesn't feel safe driving and has moral reservations about selling to anyone else.
Coverup King Toyota has a way of abandoning customers. Ask Jessie Powell. She's in a similar predicament with her Prius. It too sets on a dealership lot as Jessie struggles through a lawsuit against now-admitted-crook Toyota. Jessie has picketed her dealership in a lemon costume, she blogs about her experiences, and she has a Facebook page titled "Route 44 Toyota Sold Me A Lemon".
Caveat emptor.
There'll be no more Toyotas for Bob Ruginis, the guy who lucked out and managed to get his hands on data that confirms his wife's account of what happened when her Corolla sped out of control. In a late breaking interview with local news reporter Patrick Luce, Ruginis discusses his disillusionment with Toyota, and the predicament he's now in, still making payments on a vehicle he doesn't feel safe driving and has moral reservations about selling to anyone else.
Coverup King Toyota has a way of abandoning customers. Ask Jessie Powell. She's in a similar predicament with her Prius. It too sets on a dealership lot as Jessie struggles through a lawsuit against now-admitted-crook Toyota. Jessie has picketed her dealership in a lemon costume, she blogs about her experiences, and she has a Facebook page titled "Route 44 Toyota Sold Me A Lemon".
Caveat emptor.
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
Details emerge re meeting at Ruginises home to discuss EDR readout
"Even when ODI witnesses Unintended Acceleration with no input from the driver with their very own eyes, they dismiss it." Sean Kane's 9/23/2014 article, "What Good Can Come of Reporting Toyota UA?"
Sean Kane, founder of Safety Research Systems, attended the meeting last Wednesday when two attorneys from the office of Toyota's "Independent" Monitor sat down with the Ruginises - at their home - to discuss matters associated with an EDR readout Mr. Ruginis lucked out and happened to get his hands on. It'll be interesting to see how the Washington gang - especially NHTSA - explains away the hard, cold evidence (see exhibit) of electronic defects in Toyota's throttle control. Evidence that corroborates what embedded systems expert Michael Barr found after an 18 month study of Toyota's much ballyhooed source code. As an adjuct to Mr. Kane's article, read trade journal EDN's article, "Toyota's Killer Firmware: Bad Design and its Consequences." Here's what Mr. Barr found that NHTSA has ignored, Holder's "Just Us" department refuses to comment on, and the government's mainstream media stooges have tried to make sure you don't know about:
* Toyota's electronic throttle control system (ETCS) source code is of unreasonable quality.
* Toyota's source code is defective and contains bugs, including bugs that can cause unintended acceleration (UA).
* Code-quality metrics predict presence of additional bugs.
* Toyota's fail-safes are defective and inadequate (referring to them as a 'house of cards' safety architecture).
* Misbehaviours of Toyota's ETCS are a cause of UA.
Meanwhile, as Mr. Kane points out, Toyota is rushing to settle unintended acceleration lawsuits "faster than you can say Michael Barr." Fact is, Coverup King Toyota has been in settlement mode ever since that pesky unintended acceleration trial in Oklahoma last October whereby Mr. Barr's testimony resulted in a landmark guilty verdict. It's a hoot watching the now-admitted-crook shy away from jury trials in an effort to keep Mr. Barr's findings quiet.
Before you buy a Toyota, reflect carefully on the facts. Their little glitch-mobiles can take you places you don't wanna go.
Update 9/29/2014 - Today, the Associated Press published an update on Mr. Ruginis' request to NHTSA. "The consumer provided 163 reports from other drivers who experienced a surge at low speed or no speed. But NHTSA said it eliminated duplicates, those outside the scope of the 2006-2010 model years and those from foreign countries to get 141. No injuries were reported." The article doesn't name Ruginis, referring only to an "unidentified consumer" who filed an unintended acceleration complaint on 9/11/2014. Of course, that avoids publicizing all those messy details about the EDR readout and what prompted the "unidentified consumer" to file such a complaint.
Update 9/30/2014 - re immediately preceding update, other reports copyrighted AP give complete details, so apparently some news media are deleting relevant information from AP's release.
Update 10/2/2014 - As word spreads about evidence of electronic defects in throttle controls, it's apparent that unintended acceleration affects many makes and models worldwide. Hyundai is being targeted in Korea, and Saudi Arabia is keeping an eye on Coverup King Toyota.
Sean Kane, founder of Safety Research Systems, attended the meeting last Wednesday when two attorneys from the office of Toyota's "Independent" Monitor sat down with the Ruginises - at their home - to discuss matters associated with an EDR readout Mr. Ruginis lucked out and happened to get his hands on. It'll be interesting to see how the Washington gang - especially NHTSA - explains away the hard, cold evidence (see exhibit) of electronic defects in Toyota's throttle control. Evidence that corroborates what embedded systems expert Michael Barr found after an 18 month study of Toyota's much ballyhooed source code. As an adjuct to Mr. Kane's article, read trade journal EDN's article, "Toyota's Killer Firmware: Bad Design and its Consequences." Here's what Mr. Barr found that NHTSA has ignored, Holder's "Just Us" department refuses to comment on, and the government's mainstream media stooges have tried to make sure you don't know about:
* Toyota's electronic throttle control system (ETCS) source code is of unreasonable quality.
* Toyota's source code is defective and contains bugs, including bugs that can cause unintended acceleration (UA).
* Code-quality metrics predict presence of additional bugs.
* Toyota's fail-safes are defective and inadequate (referring to them as a 'house of cards' safety architecture).
* Misbehaviours of Toyota's ETCS are a cause of UA.
Meanwhile, as Mr. Kane points out, Toyota is rushing to settle unintended acceleration lawsuits "faster than you can say Michael Barr." Fact is, Coverup King Toyota has been in settlement mode ever since that pesky unintended acceleration trial in Oklahoma last October whereby Mr. Barr's testimony resulted in a landmark guilty verdict. It's a hoot watching the now-admitted-crook shy away from jury trials in an effort to keep Mr. Barr's findings quiet.
Before you buy a Toyota, reflect carefully on the facts. Their little glitch-mobiles can take you places you don't wanna go.
Update 9/29/2014 - Today, the Associated Press published an update on Mr. Ruginis' request to NHTSA. "The consumer provided 163 reports from other drivers who experienced a surge at low speed or no speed. But NHTSA said it eliminated duplicates, those outside the scope of the 2006-2010 model years and those from foreign countries to get 141. No injuries were reported." The article doesn't name Ruginis, referring only to an "unidentified consumer" who filed an unintended acceleration complaint on 9/11/2014. Of course, that avoids publicizing all those messy details about the EDR readout and what prompted the "unidentified consumer" to file such a complaint.
Update 9/30/2014 - re immediately preceding update, other reports copyrighted AP give complete details, so apparently some news media are deleting relevant information from AP's release.
Update 10/2/2014 - As word spreads about evidence of electronic defects in throttle controls, it's apparent that unintended acceleration affects many makes and models worldwide. Hyundai is being targeted in Korea, and Saudi Arabia is keeping an eye on Coverup King Toyota.
Monday, September 22, 2014
Admitted-crook Toyota coddled at NHTSA hearing
"Car safety whtchdog turns to lapdog: Our view" - Headline, Editorial Board, USA Today.
Last Tuesday's much ballyhooed Consumer Protection Subcommittee's NHTSA hearing - and a similar exercise from the House - was almost as theatrical as the "Congressional Investigation" into Toyota's unintended acceleration scandal. Informed consumers didn't know whether to laugh or cry as David Friedman - head honcho of NHTSA's auto industry stooges - took a "blame someone else" posture.
Strangely enough, the day before the hearing, in a 30 minute Detroit News interview, Friedman strayed from NHTSA's culpability in GM's ignition switch scandal, and blabbered that no evidence had been found that electronics were to blame for Toyota's unintended acceleration scandal. Actually, it wasn't strange at all. A few days earlier, word had gotten out regarding one Robert Ruginis, who, by fortuitous circumstance, had managed to get his hands on a very embarrassing EDR readout which confirmed his wife's account of her runaway Corolla. Mr. Ruginis - much to Toyota's chagrin - had hard, cold evidence that the accelerator was not pressed, and her foot was on the brake when rpm's suddenly doubled, and speed more than doubled, resulting in a crash. In a 9/11/2014 letter to Friedman, Mr. Ruginis had petitioned NHTSA for an investigation and was squealing to news media. He had also written a letter to David Kelley, Toyota's "Independent" Safety Monitor who had been appointed by the Department of Justice - with input from Toyota - as part of the now-admitted crook's settlement to end a federal criminal investigation. By the time Friedman had his Detroit News interview, Toyota's "independent" monitor had already arranged to meet with the Ruginises - at their home - the day after the NHTSA hearing.
So far, media has remained silent about the meeting at the Ruginises home. But stay tuned. The Ruginis readout corroborates the incriminating evidence of electronic defects unearthed by embedded systems expert Michael Barr last October at the landmark unintended acceleration case in Oklahoma. Evidence that the Holder gang had refused to comment on; evidence the government's mainstream media stooges have been trying to keep quiet. Read trade journal EDN's article, "Toyota's Killer Firmware: Bad design and its consequences." Here's what Mr. Barr found:
* Toyota's electronic throttle control system (ETCS) source code is of unreasonable quality.
* Toyota's source code is defective and contains bugs, including bugs that can cause unintended acceleration (UA).
* Code-quality metrics predict presence of additional bugs.
* Toyota's fail-safes are defective and inadequate (referring to them as a 'house of cards' safety architecture).
* Misbehaviours of Toyota's ETCS are a cause of UA.
Toyota, NHTSA, the DOJ, and the "Independent Monitor" musta been terrified when they realized what Mr. Ruginis had managed to get his hands on (see exhibit). I'd like to have seen the looks on their faces when they got word that Mr. Ruginis wuz refusin' to be bullied by Toyota and had gone public with the facts of his case. "Quick. Meet with the guy at his home. That'll make us look good while we figure out how to explain the EDR readout."
Talk about a thigh-slapper. For years, Toyota - now an admitted crook - has bent over backwards keeping EDR readouts secret, and then a minor paperwork delay lets the cat outta the bag. No wonder Mr. Friedman began the week of the NHTSA hearing with deceitful, highly publicized remarks equating the issue of electronic defects in Toyota's throttle control to a search for ghosts.
Next day, Friedman appeared at the hearing, and the dear senators sat there like dummies - like shills for the auto industry - as they let their friend from NHTSA get away not only with his disingenuous remarks to the Detroit News, but also a wisecrack he threw in at the hearing itself, declaring that there was no problem with Toyota's electronics. Never ever not once did the senators dare to bring up evidence of defects galore in Toyota's throttle control. Or the big lie broadcasted by NHTSA that NASA had ruled out electronics as a cause of Toyota's unintended acceleration scandal. Nor did they confront their friend Friedman about NASA physicist Henning Leidecker's warning of increased risk of unintended acceleration in '02-'06 Camrys due to "tin whiskers" growing in the electronic throttle control, demanding an explanation of why NHTSA hasn't ordered a recall of those models. The little glitch-mobiles are notorious for unintended accleration complaints, and it was an '05 Camry speeding out of control that resulted in Toyota's landmark guilty verdict in Oklahoma. Kinda makes ya wonder what sort of questions the senators should have asked - but decided not to - about GM's ignition switch scandal.
I quit voting long ago - Demagogues and Repukes are equally repulsive - and "representatives" like the ones who questioned Friedman are the epitome of why. If they're unaware of the evidence of electronic defects in Toyota's throttle control (which casts aspersions on all makes), and the current epidemic of vehicles crashing into buildings from parking lots (the typical setting for crashes suggestive of electronics issues), they should resign from their prestigious, high-payin' jobs. Fat chance of that happening. And if they're aware of the evidence - which they certainly should be - they oughta be charged with fraud for the way they conducted their NHTSA (No Help To Solve Anything) hearing. Problem is, Holder's "Just Us" gang would never in a million years do such a thing. So I've got an idea.
You bring the tar. I'll bring the feathers.
Last Tuesday's much ballyhooed Consumer Protection Subcommittee's NHTSA hearing - and a similar exercise from the House - was almost as theatrical as the "Congressional Investigation" into Toyota's unintended acceleration scandal. Informed consumers didn't know whether to laugh or cry as David Friedman - head honcho of NHTSA's auto industry stooges - took a "blame someone else" posture.
Strangely enough, the day before the hearing, in a 30 minute Detroit News interview, Friedman strayed from NHTSA's culpability in GM's ignition switch scandal, and blabbered that no evidence had been found that electronics were to blame for Toyota's unintended acceleration scandal. Actually, it wasn't strange at all. A few days earlier, word had gotten out regarding one Robert Ruginis, who, by fortuitous circumstance, had managed to get his hands on a very embarrassing EDR readout which confirmed his wife's account of her runaway Corolla. Mr. Ruginis - much to Toyota's chagrin - had hard, cold evidence that the accelerator was not pressed, and her foot was on the brake when rpm's suddenly doubled, and speed more than doubled, resulting in a crash. In a 9/11/2014 letter to Friedman, Mr. Ruginis had petitioned NHTSA for an investigation and was squealing to news media. He had also written a letter to David Kelley, Toyota's "Independent" Safety Monitor who had been appointed by the Department of Justice - with input from Toyota - as part of the now-admitted crook's settlement to end a federal criminal investigation. By the time Friedman had his Detroit News interview, Toyota's "independent" monitor had already arranged to meet with the Ruginises - at their home - the day after the NHTSA hearing.
So far, media has remained silent about the meeting at the Ruginises home. But stay tuned. The Ruginis readout corroborates the incriminating evidence of electronic defects unearthed by embedded systems expert Michael Barr last October at the landmark unintended acceleration case in Oklahoma. Evidence that the Holder gang had refused to comment on; evidence the government's mainstream media stooges have been trying to keep quiet. Read trade journal EDN's article, "Toyota's Killer Firmware: Bad design and its consequences." Here's what Mr. Barr found:
* Toyota's electronic throttle control system (ETCS) source code is of unreasonable quality.
* Toyota's source code is defective and contains bugs, including bugs that can cause unintended acceleration (UA).
* Code-quality metrics predict presence of additional bugs.
* Toyota's fail-safes are defective and inadequate (referring to them as a 'house of cards' safety architecture).
* Misbehaviours of Toyota's ETCS are a cause of UA.
Toyota, NHTSA, the DOJ, and the "Independent Monitor" musta been terrified when they realized what Mr. Ruginis had managed to get his hands on (see exhibit). I'd like to have seen the looks on their faces when they got word that Mr. Ruginis wuz refusin' to be bullied by Toyota and had gone public with the facts of his case. "Quick. Meet with the guy at his home. That'll make us look good while we figure out how to explain the EDR readout."
Talk about a thigh-slapper. For years, Toyota - now an admitted crook - has bent over backwards keeping EDR readouts secret, and then a minor paperwork delay lets the cat outta the bag. No wonder Mr. Friedman began the week of the NHTSA hearing with deceitful, highly publicized remarks equating the issue of electronic defects in Toyota's throttle control to a search for ghosts.
Next day, Friedman appeared at the hearing, and the dear senators sat there like dummies - like shills for the auto industry - as they let their friend from NHTSA get away not only with his disingenuous remarks to the Detroit News, but also a wisecrack he threw in at the hearing itself, declaring that there was no problem with Toyota's electronics. Never ever not once did the senators dare to bring up evidence of defects galore in Toyota's throttle control. Or the big lie broadcasted by NHTSA that NASA had ruled out electronics as a cause of Toyota's unintended acceleration scandal. Nor did they confront their friend Friedman about NASA physicist Henning Leidecker's warning of increased risk of unintended acceleration in '02-'06 Camrys due to "tin whiskers" growing in the electronic throttle control, demanding an explanation of why NHTSA hasn't ordered a recall of those models. The little glitch-mobiles are notorious for unintended accleration complaints, and it was an '05 Camry speeding out of control that resulted in Toyota's landmark guilty verdict in Oklahoma. Kinda makes ya wonder what sort of questions the senators should have asked - but decided not to - about GM's ignition switch scandal.
I quit voting long ago - Demagogues and Repukes are equally repulsive - and "representatives" like the ones who questioned Friedman are the epitome of why. If they're unaware of the evidence of electronic defects in Toyota's throttle control (which casts aspersions on all makes), and the current epidemic of vehicles crashing into buildings from parking lots (the typical setting for crashes suggestive of electronics issues), they should resign from their prestigious, high-payin' jobs. Fat chance of that happening. And if they're aware of the evidence - which they certainly should be - they oughta be charged with fraud for the way they conducted their NHTSA (No Help To Solve Anything) hearing. Problem is, Holder's "Just Us" gang would never in a million years do such a thing. So I've got an idea.
You bring the tar. I'll bring the feathers.
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
EDR readout puts admitted-crook Toyota in the hotseat
Coverup King Toyota is notorious for being "secretive" with readouts from "their" Event Data Recorders (EDR's). An Assciated Press investigation found that "Toyota has frequently refused to provide information crucial to crash victims and survivors, and that in some lawsuits, the automaker has routinely provided printouts with key information missing."
Enter Bob Ruginis, who happened to obtain a copy of the "secret" black box (EDR) readout after his wife's Corolla sped out of control and crashed into another vehicle. More on that in a moment.
The Ruginises' Corolla had been plagued with unintended acceleration events ever since it was purchased new in 2010, and prior to the accident, the Ruginises had lodged UA complaints with their Toyota dealership. The dealership blamed the transmission.
When yet another unintended acceleration event occured, this time resulting in an accident, the Ruginises filed a claim with Toyota, whereupon Toyota sent the Event Data Recorder off to the manufacturer (Bosch) to obtain a readout. But a funny thing happened on the way to the forum. There was a paperwork delay which prompted an employee at Bosch to telephone Mr. Ruginis. During the phone conversation, Mr. Ruginis asked if he could have a copy of the readout, and Bosch's employee sent him one.
Listen up, Toyota. These things happen. Plans to keep secrets do go awry. And hey, Coverup King: If there's nothing to hide, don't hide it.
The readout (see exhibit) - who woulda thought? - is consistent with Mrs. Ruginis' account of what happened: Brake on, accelerator not pressed, yet engine revs had suddenly doubled, and speed had suddenly more than doubled. Follows the usual format for the vast majority of unintended acceleration events. They begin at very slow speeds - events are usually associated with parking - when a sudden surge catches the driver by surprise.
The showdown started when Toyota's "investigative" report of Mrs. Ruginis' accident conveniently omitted the EDR data, blamed the accident on her, and denied her claim. And when the Muginises confronted Toyota about the omission, the ol' Coverup King got downright huffy, declaring that the EDR readout wasn't relevant. But instead of cowering down to such bullying tactics from an admitted crook, Mr. Ruginis - who happens to be an embedded systems expert with 35 years experience - petitioned NHTSA to launch an investigation of his case (and hundreds of other cases registering similar complaints), sent a letter to Toyota's new "Independent Safety Monitor" suggesting that Toyota had violated the terms of its federal criminal settlement by concealing the EDR data, and started talking to news media. And wouldn't ya know it? NHTSA agreed to investigate, and Toyota's new "Independent Safety Monitor" hurriedly arranged to meet with the Ruginises at their home on Wednesday of this week.
But beyond these grand theatrics, don't expect much.
Bear in mind that NHTSA broadcasted the big lie that NASA had ruled out electronics as a cause of Toyotas speeding out of control, and the auto industry stooge - complicit up to its neck in GM's ignition switch scandal - has also ignored NASA physicist Henning Leidecker's warning of increased risk of unintended acceleration in '02-'06 Camrys due to electronic defects known as "tin whiskers" growing in the pedal sensors. In Mrs. Ruginis' case, NHTSA is blabbering about a "dual pedal application," a speculation clearly at odds with the readout.
As for Toyota's new "Independent Safety Monitor," the guy was appointed by U.S. Attorney Eric Holder with input from none other than the admitted crook the guy is supposedly charged with overseeing. Holder's "Just Us" department showed its true colors earlier this year with a curt "No comment" when confronted with compelling evidence of defects galore in Toyota's electronic throttle control. Ah, the heartwarming sincerity of a corporate-controlled government...
Toyota has chimed in with blabber about "late braking," and that's a hoot. The readout shows a big increase in speed - accelerator not pressed - a split second before the brake was applied. It evidences a sudden surge that came too late to give the driver hardly any time to attempt to stop the vehicle before it crashed. "Late braking," Toyota? The evidence points to electronically-associated late surging. And after all, prior complaints had been lodged...
Real hoot seeing a corporate bully and its government cohots squirm. No court redactions of the evidence, no confidential settlements, and no mainstream media blackouts like the kinda stuff that took place October of last year when an Oklahoma jury said Toyota exhibited "'reckless disregard' for the public's safety" in the design of its electronic throttle control.
Stay tuned. This is one of several recently publicized events that evidence the involvement of electronics in cases of unintended acceleration. To find out just how big the government and industry coverup is, read Tom Murray's book, "Deadly by Design." It was published after Toyota lost the big case in Oklahoma, and puts the unintended acceleration issue in proper perspective.
Sunday, September 14, 2014
Unattended Lexus takes off from carwash
A friend of mine sent me a link to an interesting example of the risks admitted-crook Toyota would take if they dared to produce "driverless" cars. As I stated in my immediately preceding post, "Admitted-crook Toyota chickens out on driverless cars," they know better than to dabble around in that world. As the above-referenced article confirms, their unattended vehicles are bad enough.
Thank goodness the National Carwash Association is continuing to document the horrifying risks the public is being exposed to as our corporate-controlled government - Repukes n Demagogues alike - refuses to acknowledge compelling evidence of electronic defects in throttle controls. I'll say again: It's pretty ridiculous when a carwash association is better than NHTSA is at discerning safety defects in vehicles.
Ignore those fancy automaker ads and the propadanda from the government's mainstream media stooges. Read trade journal EDN's article, "Toyota's Killer Firmware: Bad Design and its Consequences." Once again, here's the evidence you're not supposed to know about:
* Toyota's electronic throttle control system (ETCS) source code is of unreasonable quality.
* Toyota's source code is defective and contains bugs, including bugs that can cause unintended acceleration (UA).
* Code-quality metrics predict presence of additional bugs.
* Toyota's fail-safes are defective and inadequate (referring to them as a 'house of cards' safety architecture).
* Misbehaviours of Toyota's ETCS are a cause of UA.
The outcome of the above-referenced Lexus case (Were chages filed? Was the vehicle examined for defects? What did the carwash attendant have to say? What did the Lexus' owner have to say? and so forth) has been hushed up. As with other alarming runaway cases that point to electronic defects in throttle controls, critical details have been concealed, and the entire matter has now disappeared into corporate-controlled media's "black hole," never to be heard from again.
Just remember: The next victim of a runaway vehicle may be YOU.
Update 5/11/2014 - Jeeps speeding out of control at carwashes has prompted this article from the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Thank goodness the National Carwash Association is continuing to document the horrifying risks the public is being exposed to as our corporate-controlled government - Repukes n Demagogues alike - refuses to acknowledge compelling evidence of electronic defects in throttle controls. I'll say again: It's pretty ridiculous when a carwash association is better than NHTSA is at discerning safety defects in vehicles.
Ignore those fancy automaker ads and the propadanda from the government's mainstream media stooges. Read trade journal EDN's article, "Toyota's Killer Firmware: Bad Design and its Consequences." Once again, here's the evidence you're not supposed to know about:
* Toyota's electronic throttle control system (ETCS) source code is of unreasonable quality.
* Toyota's source code is defective and contains bugs, including bugs that can cause unintended acceleration (UA).
* Code-quality metrics predict presence of additional bugs.
* Toyota's fail-safes are defective and inadequate (referring to them as a 'house of cards' safety architecture).
* Misbehaviours of Toyota's ETCS are a cause of UA.
The outcome of the above-referenced Lexus case (Were chages filed? Was the vehicle examined for defects? What did the carwash attendant have to say? What did the Lexus' owner have to say? and so forth) has been hushed up. As with other alarming runaway cases that point to electronic defects in throttle controls, critical details have been concealed, and the entire matter has now disappeared into corporate-controlled media's "black hole," never to be heard from again.
Just remember: The next victim of a runaway vehicle may be YOU.
Update 5/11/2014 - Jeeps speeding out of control at carwashes has prompted this article from the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Monday, September 8, 2014
Admitted-crook Toyota chickens out on driverless cars
Talk about a thigh-slappin' hoot:
Toyota - that paragon of the best money can buy when it comes to electronic throttle controls - sez they're not interested in this "driverless" car thing. And nobody can blame 'em. After all, if their vehicles didn't have a driver, who would the admitted crook blame when their little glitch-mobiles sped out of control?
Yessir, with hundreds of pending lawsuits revolving around evidence of electronic defects in that pesky ol' throttle control, they know better than to dabble about in the world of cars that drive themselves. Just think how utterly terrified Toyota must be at the thought of wunna their vehicles speeding out of control with no driver to blame. No possibilities for blabber about pedal confusion, medical conditions, floor mats, or sticky accelerators.
I'll bet Toyota's Washington gang is breathin' a sigh of relief. U.S. Attorney Eric Holder, along with the admitted crook's new "safety monitor," the "investigators" at NHTSA, and our "representatives" in Congress must be high fivin' each other. No tellin' how much sleep they've lost worrying about wunna Toyota's "driverless" vehicles takin' off with nobody and no thing to blame but their good friend's electronics. In fact, I'll bet the entire auto industry is relieved by Toyota's decision to stay out of the "driverless" car business.
Embedded systems expert Michael Barr must be rollin' in the aisles. He's the guy who examined Toyota's much ballyhooed source code for 18 months, found electronic defects galore, and convinced an Oklahoma jury to return a guilty verdict in that landmark unintended acceleration case last October. In spite of a well-orchestrated effort by government, the auto industry, and mainstream media stooges to keep things quiet, word has gotten out about the "house of cards" architecture in Toyota's electronic throttle control. Read trade journal EDN's article, "Toyota's Killer Firmware: Bad Design and its Consequences." Here's what Mr. Barr found:
* Toyota's electronic throttle control system (ETCS) source code is of unreasonable quality.
* Toyota's source code is defective and contains bugs, including bugs that can cause unintended acceleration (UA).
* Code-quality metrics predict presence of additional bugs.
* Toyota's fail-safes are defective and inadequate (referring to them as a 'house of cards' safety architecture).
* Misbehaviours of Toyota's ETCS are a cause of UA.
The jury was so incensed they declared Toyota guilty of reckless disregard in the way the throttle control was designed. Looked bad for the entire auto industry, 'cause other makes - Jeeps are notorious for speeding out of control at carwahes - have also been involved. In fact, as NHTSA (No Help To Solve Anything) stonewalls the evidence, the National Carwash Association has been takin' notes. Is it any wonder that Toyota immediately went into settlement mode when the Oklahoma jury's sentiments were revealed?
Just think of the money ol' Sammy's corporate friends in the auto industry would be be out if they had to install the kinda failsafes that have been required for years in the airline industry. Amidst the current epidemic of runaway vehicles crashing into buildings and causing deaths, injuries, and close calls galore, it all boils down to teamwork. By not dabbling in driverless cars, admitted-crook Toyota is simply doing their part to see that their team prevails. Can't blame 'em fer that, can ya?
Consumers should be thrilled.
Update 9/10/2014 - Speaking of driverless cars, Former Assistant Secretary of the Treasury Dr. Paul Craig Roberts featured some apt remarks in his introduction to a guest article, "Putting Big Brother in the Driver's Seat: V2V Transmitters, Black Boxes & Drones."
Toyota - that paragon of the best money can buy when it comes to electronic throttle controls - sez they're not interested in this "driverless" car thing. And nobody can blame 'em. After all, if their vehicles didn't have a driver, who would the admitted crook blame when their little glitch-mobiles sped out of control?
Yessir, with hundreds of pending lawsuits revolving around evidence of electronic defects in that pesky ol' throttle control, they know better than to dabble about in the world of cars that drive themselves. Just think how utterly terrified Toyota must be at the thought of wunna their vehicles speeding out of control with no driver to blame. No possibilities for blabber about pedal confusion, medical conditions, floor mats, or sticky accelerators.
I'll bet Toyota's Washington gang is breathin' a sigh of relief. U.S. Attorney Eric Holder, along with the admitted crook's new "safety monitor," the "investigators" at NHTSA, and our "representatives" in Congress must be high fivin' each other. No tellin' how much sleep they've lost worrying about wunna Toyota's "driverless" vehicles takin' off with nobody and no thing to blame but their good friend's electronics. In fact, I'll bet the entire auto industry is relieved by Toyota's decision to stay out of the "driverless" car business.
Embedded systems expert Michael Barr must be rollin' in the aisles. He's the guy who examined Toyota's much ballyhooed source code for 18 months, found electronic defects galore, and convinced an Oklahoma jury to return a guilty verdict in that landmark unintended acceleration case last October. In spite of a well-orchestrated effort by government, the auto industry, and mainstream media stooges to keep things quiet, word has gotten out about the "house of cards" architecture in Toyota's electronic throttle control. Read trade journal EDN's article, "Toyota's Killer Firmware: Bad Design and its Consequences." Here's what Mr. Barr found:
* Toyota's electronic throttle control system (ETCS) source code is of unreasonable quality.
* Toyota's source code is defective and contains bugs, including bugs that can cause unintended acceleration (UA).
* Code-quality metrics predict presence of additional bugs.
* Toyota's fail-safes are defective and inadequate (referring to them as a 'house of cards' safety architecture).
* Misbehaviours of Toyota's ETCS are a cause of UA.
The jury was so incensed they declared Toyota guilty of reckless disregard in the way the throttle control was designed. Looked bad for the entire auto industry, 'cause other makes - Jeeps are notorious for speeding out of control at carwahes - have also been involved. In fact, as NHTSA (No Help To Solve Anything) stonewalls the evidence, the National Carwash Association has been takin' notes. Is it any wonder that Toyota immediately went into settlement mode when the Oklahoma jury's sentiments were revealed?
Just think of the money ol' Sammy's corporate friends in the auto industry would be be out if they had to install the kinda failsafes that have been required for years in the airline industry. Amidst the current epidemic of runaway vehicles crashing into buildings and causing deaths, injuries, and close calls galore, it all boils down to teamwork. By not dabbling in driverless cars, admitted-crook Toyota is simply doing their part to see that their team prevails. Can't blame 'em fer that, can ya?
Consumers should be thrilled.
Update 9/10/2014 - Speaking of driverless cars, Former Assistant Secretary of the Treasury Dr. Paul Craig Roberts featured some apt remarks in his introduction to a guest article, "Putting Big Brother in the Driver's Seat: V2V Transmitters, Black Boxes & Drones."
Monday, August 11, 2014
Epidemic of vehicles crashing into buildings makes headlines
The auto industry and its crooked friends in government must be gettin' nervous as word spreads, not only about evidence of defects in electronic throttle controls, but also about the outrageous number of vehicles crashing into buildings. I quickly found that there are way too many to keep up with, and the auto industry's mainstream media stooges usually keep things quiet about vehicle makes, models, and driver accounts of what happened.
Enter the "storefront barrier" scam, which I addressed in a previous blog post. Depend on this conniving government and the auto industry - epitomized by the likes of GM and Toyota - to exploit safety precautions in the name of greed. To pull out all the stops in a last-ditch effort to dupe a gullible public into focusing on anything except sloppily designed electronic throttle controls.
So many vehicles are crashing into building from parking lots that people are startin' to talk.
The government's mainstream media stooges were already lookin' sillier by the day for refusing to discuss compelling evidence of electronic defects. Then word started spreading about the high number of vehicles crashing into buildings, especially from parking lots, carwashes, etc. Something had to be done to save face - or at least attempt to - so the Miami Herald (lest we forget, Florida is home to the headquarters of Southeast Toyota) runs a piece of sheer garbage, focusing on storefront barriers, and pretending to have never heard of the overwhelming evidence of electronic defects in throttle controls. 'Cept for all those pesky injuries and deaths, the article would be a thigh-slapper. Storefront barriers are simply no substitute for properly designed electronic throttle controls.
Are Americans really so gullible? So manipulated by propaganda that they can't discern the truth? One has to be either ignorant of the facts or stupid beyond belief not to notice the Herald's glaring ommision of even the slightest mention of electronic throttle controls, much less the mountain of evidence pointing to lousy, save-a-buck designs devoid of adequate failsafes such as those mandated for years in the airline industry.
Take, for example, the blabber from Mark Wright and Rob Reiter, ballyhooed as "experts" in storefront safety, yet apparently unaware of Michael Barr finding a slew of defects in Toyota's electronic throttle control or Honda's recent admission of an electronic defect causing unintended acceleration in their vehicles. They also musta not heard that unintended acceleration has gotten so bad at carwashes that at least one business is documenting which vehicles are prone to suddenly speed out of control (Jeeps are notorious), and is furnishing carwash employees - no, they don't tend to be elderly - with a list. It's downright disgraceful when carwashes are better than NHTSA is at discerning mechanical defects in motor vehicles.
Seriously, folks. Does anyone believe that "experts" such as Wright, Reiter, and others - cops, mechanics, journalists, etc. - are unaware of electronic issues associated with the epidemic of vehicles crashing into buildings? Wright and Reiter's enthusiasm for blaming drivers is almost as ridiculous as the Miami Herald's choice of people to interview for their "story." Wonder how many auto-related advertising dollars the Herald would lose if the sorry little rag dared to publish an interview with Michael Barr.
As admitted-crook Toyota bullies whistleblower Betsy Benjaminson - using the single mother of four as a battering ram against free speech - nobody should be fooled by the well-orchestrated antics of the auto industry, its crooked friends in government and elsewhere, and presstitute media stooges like the Miami Herald. Only a slob court allows a creep like Toyota to use subpoena power as a tool of harassment against people - in Benjaminson's case, there are 21 named targets - who have dared to speak out against Toyota's inane efforts to blame its unintended acceleration scandal on floor mats, sticky gas pedals, and driver confusion.
Amidst deaths, injuries, and government-promoted lies galore, there's a word for what's going on. It's called tyranny.
Update 8/23/2014 - Speaking of tyranny, former Assistant Secretary of the Treasury Dr. Paul Craig Roberts - one of the few voices of sanity left on the planet - published a great article yesterday, "How Tyranny Arises."
Enter the "storefront barrier" scam, which I addressed in a previous blog post. Depend on this conniving government and the auto industry - epitomized by the likes of GM and Toyota - to exploit safety precautions in the name of greed. To pull out all the stops in a last-ditch effort to dupe a gullible public into focusing on anything except sloppily designed electronic throttle controls.
So many vehicles are crashing into building from parking lots that people are startin' to talk.
The government's mainstream media stooges were already lookin' sillier by the day for refusing to discuss compelling evidence of electronic defects. Then word started spreading about the high number of vehicles crashing into buildings, especially from parking lots, carwashes, etc. Something had to be done to save face - or at least attempt to - so the Miami Herald (lest we forget, Florida is home to the headquarters of Southeast Toyota) runs a piece of sheer garbage, focusing on storefront barriers, and pretending to have never heard of the overwhelming evidence of electronic defects in throttle controls. 'Cept for all those pesky injuries and deaths, the article would be a thigh-slapper. Storefront barriers are simply no substitute for properly designed electronic throttle controls.
Are Americans really so gullible? So manipulated by propaganda that they can't discern the truth? One has to be either ignorant of the facts or stupid beyond belief not to notice the Herald's glaring ommision of even the slightest mention of electronic throttle controls, much less the mountain of evidence pointing to lousy, save-a-buck designs devoid of adequate failsafes such as those mandated for years in the airline industry.
Take, for example, the blabber from Mark Wright and Rob Reiter, ballyhooed as "experts" in storefront safety, yet apparently unaware of Michael Barr finding a slew of defects in Toyota's electronic throttle control or Honda's recent admission of an electronic defect causing unintended acceleration in their vehicles. They also musta not heard that unintended acceleration has gotten so bad at carwashes that at least one business is documenting which vehicles are prone to suddenly speed out of control (Jeeps are notorious), and is furnishing carwash employees - no, they don't tend to be elderly - with a list. It's downright disgraceful when carwashes are better than NHTSA is at discerning mechanical defects in motor vehicles.
Seriously, folks. Does anyone believe that "experts" such as Wright, Reiter, and others - cops, mechanics, journalists, etc. - are unaware of electronic issues associated with the epidemic of vehicles crashing into buildings? Wright and Reiter's enthusiasm for blaming drivers is almost as ridiculous as the Miami Herald's choice of people to interview for their "story." Wonder how many auto-related advertising dollars the Herald would lose if the sorry little rag dared to publish an interview with Michael Barr.
As admitted-crook Toyota bullies whistleblower Betsy Benjaminson - using the single mother of four as a battering ram against free speech - nobody should be fooled by the well-orchestrated antics of the auto industry, its crooked friends in government and elsewhere, and presstitute media stooges like the Miami Herald. Only a slob court allows a creep like Toyota to use subpoena power as a tool of harassment against people - in Benjaminson's case, there are 21 named targets - who have dared to speak out against Toyota's inane efforts to blame its unintended acceleration scandal on floor mats, sticky gas pedals, and driver confusion.
Amidst deaths, injuries, and government-promoted lies galore, there's a word for what's going on. It's called tyranny.
Update 8/23/2014 - Speaking of tyranny, former Assistant Secretary of the Treasury Dr. Paul Craig Roberts - one of the few voices of sanity left on the planet - published a great article yesterday, "How Tyranny Arises."
Sunday, August 3, 2014
Another runaway RAV4 - my comments blocked
My 6/3/2014 post addressed the spectacular crash - caught on video - of a runaway RAV4 plowing into New York's Finkelstein Memorial Library from the parking lot.
Few days ago, there was another runaway RAV4 speeding out of control from a parking lot, this time crashing into a public building in Towson, Maryland. Mainstream media has been very careful not to discuss what the driver said happened, and Baltimore's WBAL-TV repeatedly blocked by comments exposing electronics issues associated with unintended acceleration.
In a situation raising concerns of electronic defects, cops have charged the 48-year-old RAV4 driver with "failure to control speed to avoid a collision," which, as cops know or certainly should know, is a tough rap to beat since black box (EDR) data has been shown to be unreliable when it comes to detecting instances of electronic malfunctions in throttle controls. As electrical engineer Dr. Antony Anderson says, "Absence of proof is not proof of absence," and it's worth noting that neither of these RAV4 crashes involved elderly drivers. My (blocked) remarks went something like this:
Maybe the cops should check with a few carwashes, since at least one has been keeping a list of vehicles subject to unintended acceleration. And I wish WBAL would tell us what the driver of the RAV4 said happened. Read "Toyota's killer firmware: Bad design and its consequences." Embedded systems expert Michael Barr found electronic defects galore, resulting in a guilty verdict in the landmark unintended acceleration case last October in Oklahoma:
* Toyota's electronic throttle control system (ETCS) source code is of unreasonable quality.
* Toyota's source code is defective and contains bugs, including bugs that can cause unintended acceleration (UA).
* Code-quality metrics predict presence of additional bugs.
* Toyota's fail-safes are defective and inadequate (referring to them as a 'house of cards' safety architecture).
* Misbehaviours of Toyota's ETCS are a cause of UA.
While runaway vehicles most often involve Toyotas, Mr. Barr's findings raise questions about the reliability of electronic throttle controls in all brands. Drivers attempting to park or exit parking spaces is the most frequent setting for events that suggest electronic defects. While such events can happen at any time, the usual scenario is characterized by very low speed, driver's foot likely on the brake, when the vehicle suddenly takes off like a rocket. As the auto industry - supported by its friends at NHTSA - tries to delay being required to implement failsafes mandated for years in the airline industry, vehicles crashing into buildings from parking lots has reached epidemic proportions. I've been blogging about the electronics issue - search "Beware of Toyota. Their next victim may be YOU..."
When I tried to post the comment, a message advised me to "hold on" while my comment awaited approval. Next day, the comment hadn't appeared so I submitted a followup, which, of course, was not published nor did I expect it to be:
C'mon, WBAL. Quit censoring my comments exposing electronics issues associated with unintended acceleration, especially in Toyotas. And tell us what the DRIVER of the RAV4 said happened. This corporate-controlled government and its mainstream media stooges sure get nervous when the truth comes out. Visit my blog, "Beware of Toyota. Their next victim may be YOU..."
WBAL - as is usually the case in news coverage of these types of accidents - seems afraid to mention the likelihood of electronic defects causing vehicles to speed out of control, especially in parking lots. And I'd be willing to bet that's the reason driver accounts of what happened are usually missing from these "stories." Driver statements might alert the public to a pattern and focus attention on defective electronic throttle controls instead of "driver error." Folks might start to suspect that the government is just a front for crooked corporate interests...
Meanwhile, admitted-crook Toyota has gone into tantrum mode over folks spreading the word about evidence pointing to electronic defects causing unintended acceleration. A court is allowing a gang of Toyota's pricey, big shot attorneys to harass Toyota whistleblower Betsy Benjaminson by issuing a subpoena requiring the single mother of four to travel over 7,000 miles for a deposition on 8/20/2014. She's been ordered to produce a number of documents and reveal all communications she had with 20 people, many of whom have taken high profile positions claiming Toyota's unintended acceleration problems are associated with electronic defects. Toyota's targets include folks who helped thwart the government's efforts at a news blackout regarding Michael Barr's findings, such as EE Times journalist Junko Yoshida and outspoken electrical engineer Dr. Antony Anderson. Also named is NASA physicist Dr. Henning Leidecker. He embarassed not only Toyota but also NHTSA by daring to warn the public of increased risk of unintended acceleration in '02-'06 Camrys due to "tin whiskers" growing in the pedal sensors.
Nuthin' like freedom of speech.
Update 8/4/2014 - Attorneys who won the landmark unintended acceleration case against Toyota last October in Oklahoma have been nominated for the 2014 Public Justice Trial Lawyer of the Year award. MUST SEE video: Their law firm's founder, Jere Beasley, says "We had internal e-mails from Toyota where they were admitting that they had problems with the computer system."
Update 8/6/2014 - Yesterday's article, "Evidence Toyota Knew of Defective Break Override System Allowed in Florida Man’s Catastrophic Vehicular Injury Trial"
Few days ago, there was another runaway RAV4 speeding out of control from a parking lot, this time crashing into a public building in Towson, Maryland. Mainstream media has been very careful not to discuss what the driver said happened, and Baltimore's WBAL-TV repeatedly blocked by comments exposing electronics issues associated with unintended acceleration.
In a situation raising concerns of electronic defects, cops have charged the 48-year-old RAV4 driver with "failure to control speed to avoid a collision," which, as cops know or certainly should know, is a tough rap to beat since black box (EDR) data has been shown to be unreliable when it comes to detecting instances of electronic malfunctions in throttle controls. As electrical engineer Dr. Antony Anderson says, "Absence of proof is not proof of absence," and it's worth noting that neither of these RAV4 crashes involved elderly drivers. My (blocked) remarks went something like this:
Maybe the cops should check with a few carwashes, since at least one has been keeping a list of vehicles subject to unintended acceleration. And I wish WBAL would tell us what the driver of the RAV4 said happened. Read "Toyota's killer firmware: Bad design and its consequences." Embedded systems expert Michael Barr found electronic defects galore, resulting in a guilty verdict in the landmark unintended acceleration case last October in Oklahoma:
* Toyota's electronic throttle control system (ETCS) source code is of unreasonable quality.
* Toyota's source code is defective and contains bugs, including bugs that can cause unintended acceleration (UA).
* Code-quality metrics predict presence of additional bugs.
* Toyota's fail-safes are defective and inadequate (referring to them as a 'house of cards' safety architecture).
* Misbehaviours of Toyota's ETCS are a cause of UA.
While runaway vehicles most often involve Toyotas, Mr. Barr's findings raise questions about the reliability of electronic throttle controls in all brands. Drivers attempting to park or exit parking spaces is the most frequent setting for events that suggest electronic defects. While such events can happen at any time, the usual scenario is characterized by very low speed, driver's foot likely on the brake, when the vehicle suddenly takes off like a rocket. As the auto industry - supported by its friends at NHTSA - tries to delay being required to implement failsafes mandated for years in the airline industry, vehicles crashing into buildings from parking lots has reached epidemic proportions. I've been blogging about the electronics issue - search "Beware of Toyota. Their next victim may be YOU..."
When I tried to post the comment, a message advised me to "hold on" while my comment awaited approval. Next day, the comment hadn't appeared so I submitted a followup, which, of course, was not published nor did I expect it to be:
C'mon, WBAL. Quit censoring my comments exposing electronics issues associated with unintended acceleration, especially in Toyotas. And tell us what the DRIVER of the RAV4 said happened. This corporate-controlled government and its mainstream media stooges sure get nervous when the truth comes out. Visit my blog, "Beware of Toyota. Their next victim may be YOU..."
WBAL - as is usually the case in news coverage of these types of accidents - seems afraid to mention the likelihood of electronic defects causing vehicles to speed out of control, especially in parking lots. And I'd be willing to bet that's the reason driver accounts of what happened are usually missing from these "stories." Driver statements might alert the public to a pattern and focus attention on defective electronic throttle controls instead of "driver error." Folks might start to suspect that the government is just a front for crooked corporate interests...
Meanwhile, admitted-crook Toyota has gone into tantrum mode over folks spreading the word about evidence pointing to electronic defects causing unintended acceleration. A court is allowing a gang of Toyota's pricey, big shot attorneys to harass Toyota whistleblower Betsy Benjaminson by issuing a subpoena requiring the single mother of four to travel over 7,000 miles for a deposition on 8/20/2014. She's been ordered to produce a number of documents and reveal all communications she had with 20 people, many of whom have taken high profile positions claiming Toyota's unintended acceleration problems are associated with electronic defects. Toyota's targets include folks who helped thwart the government's efforts at a news blackout regarding Michael Barr's findings, such as EE Times journalist Junko Yoshida and outspoken electrical engineer Dr. Antony Anderson. Also named is NASA physicist Dr. Henning Leidecker. He embarassed not only Toyota but also NHTSA by daring to warn the public of increased risk of unintended acceleration in '02-'06 Camrys due to "tin whiskers" growing in the pedal sensors.
Nuthin' like freedom of speech.
Update 8/4/2014 - Attorneys who won the landmark unintended acceleration case against Toyota last October in Oklahoma have been nominated for the 2014 Public Justice Trial Lawyer of the Year award. MUST SEE video: Their law firm's founder, Jere Beasley, says "We had internal e-mails from Toyota where they were admitting that they had problems with the computer system."
Update 8/6/2014 - Yesterday's article, "Evidence Toyota Knew of Defective Break Override System Allowed in Florida Man’s Catastrophic Vehicular Injury Trial"
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