tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42685166274080682542024-03-08T06:09:44.570-08:00Beware of Toyota. Their next victim may be YOU...Toyota is the story of engine failures, unintended acceleration, lawsuits, an oil sludge petition signed by thousands (see 9/13/09 post), thuggery at dealerships, and contempt for customers. I lost $8,500 due to an engine failure (at under 30,000 miles) in my MR2 Spyder, and discovered that my case is one of many (see 5/22/09 post). A Lexus crash that killed four people (see 10/8/09 post) has now prompted recalls and raised alarming questions about Toyota's influence within the NHTSA.Parris Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00573734864027485146noreply@blogger.comBlogger152125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4268516627408068254.post-34591997841514648972020-02-15T10:32:00.002-08:002020-02-15T11:11:12.570-08:00Your Toyota may need a NEW ENGINEI hope not, because dealing with goon thug Toyota is a nightmare, as I learned the hard way when <a href="https://uc2.blogspot.com/2009/05/thousands-of-customers-petition-toyota.html">the engine disintegrated in my MR2 Spyder.</a> Apparently, there weren't enough 2000 MR2 Spyders sold to prompt the interest of mainstream media, leaving ripped-off consumers like myself to pay for <a href="https://www.ibtimes.com/toyota-recall-2020-your-car-may-need-new-engine-2920040?amp=1&__twitter_impression=true&fbclid=IwAR26s7NFzWC1NtC1CInyIS1t57Ex_F20g_RIhOhOQhhesEunD-GbYurgQt4">another one of Toyota's never-ending list of defective products</a> out of their own pockets, to the average tune of about $8,500.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">"The recall affects certain 2020 Avalon Hybrid, 2020 Camry, 2020 Camry Hybrid, 2019 to 2020 RAV4, 2019 to 2020 RAV4 Hybrid, and 2020 Lexus</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> ES 300h models sold in the United States."</span><br />
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I'll say it again: I hope you're not one of Toyota's victims in this latest recall.<br />
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And just because this time Toyota's defective products have made headlines, don't assume you'll have an easy time of it settling with the dishonest thugs. Remember that the oil-sludge issue also made headlines, yet getting Toyota to pay for damages was a well-documented outrage for consumers. So expect Toyota to pay-off a few congressmen as well as NHTSA and get out of this one of 2020's major recalls as cheaply as possible, regardless of the hardship it inflicts on consumers.<br />
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How many more of Toyota's defective products will be exposed in 2020 is anyone's guess.Parris Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00573734864027485146noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4268516627408068254.post-51417718490306556122019-09-24T11:20:00.000-07:002019-12-09T12:28:34.221-08:00Toyota's KILLER vehicles are STILL on the road<i>Update 11/21/2019 - <a href="http://update%2011/21/2019%20-%20This%2011/3/2019%20article%20exposes%20the%20scandal%20of%20thug%20goon%20Toyota's%20many%20dangerous%20vehicles%20that%20are%20still%20on%20the%20road.">This 11/3/2019 article</a> exposes the scandal of thug goon Toyota's many dangerous </i><i>vehicles that are still on the road.</i><i> <b>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"</b>. Of course, no comments are allowed. Excerpt (emphasis mine):<b>"</b></i><b><i>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.</i></b><br />
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<a href="https://news3lv.com/news/local/children-involved-in-wreck-that-killed-grandmother-say-car-accelerated-on-its-own?fbclid=IwAR307QedQnCAXvfzOEXN3DXYgWNpwClcqGFy1nxKUjSIJPItv8D_cvUgQ0g">This article</a> 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.<b><i> 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></b><br />
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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.<br />
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<br />Parris Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00573734864027485146noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4268516627408068254.post-40552948121258911222018-04-22T12:27:00.000-07:002019-08-18T13:11:00.520-07:00Runaway Lexus: Toyota "settlement" prompts lawsuit against victim's attorney<a href="https://uc2.blogspot.com/2016/09/driver-of-runaway-lexus-is-toyotas.html">Azar Brannan's lawsuit against Toyota</a> was finally settled. At least in a manner of speaking.<br />
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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 <a href="https://unicourt.com/case/ca-la23-azar-hadi-vs-mccune-wright-arevalo-llp-et-al-187792">suing the attorney who represented her</a>, 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.<br />
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Hooray for Azar exposing what happened and <a href="http://www.gwirelaw.com/index.php/who-we-are/attorney-profiles/william-gwire">daring to sue her former attorney for legal malpractice.</a> Her current actions are consistent with her determination to expose the nightmare consumers encounter when confronting corporate thugs like Toyota.<br />
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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.<br />
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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 <a href="https://askparris.blogspot.com/2018/04/beware-of-consumers-unions-campaign-to.html">CU's <i>real</i> attitude toward consumers</a>.<br />
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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.<br />
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Meanwhile...<br />
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RIGHT ON, AZAR. SUE THE PANTS OFF ALL OF 'EM.Parris Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00573734864027485146noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4268516627408068254.post-36407464351326773172017-12-05T12:00:00.001-08:002017-12-05T12:57:32.594-08:00Tribute to one COURAGEOUS activist: Rest In Peace Betsy Benjaminson.Just found out today that Toyota whistle-blower Betsy Benjaminson died last week. She suffered an extended illness.<br />
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Those of us who fight for truth and justice are shocked and saddened beyond belief. Betsy kept up her efforts to expose Toyota until the very end.<br />
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To say this is a loss to those of us who worked with Betsy is an understatement. Words fail me - perhaps I'll add more to this post later.<br />
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Sincerest condolences to all of Betsy's family and friends.<br />
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<a href="https://www.consumeraffairs.com/news/ghost-in-the-engine-cabbies-engineers-dying-whistle-blower-say-unintended-acceleration-is-real-081817.html">Here's a link</a> to an 8/18/2017 article about Betsy's efforts and her devotion.Parris Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00573734864027485146noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4268516627408068254.post-84286295542334937122017-06-10T06:53:00.000-07:002017-09-22T06:03:30.380-07:00Appeals court finally rules: Bitter Toyota must accept jury's verdict re Koua Fong LeeTalk 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.<br />
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It's important to realize that <a href="http://uc2.blogspot.com/2015/02/manufacturing-defect-koua-fong-lees.html">Koua was at a disadvantage throughout the trial.</a><br />
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Yesterday - <i>almost two and a half years after Toyota appealed the jury's verdict</i> - <a href="https://www.mprnews.org/story/2017/06/09/appeals-court-upholds-11-million-jury-award-in-toyota-crash">the appeals court ruled unanimously against Toyota</a>, ending yet another inexcusable nightmare for survivors of the horrific crash. <b>A grateful Koua said he wants everyone to know that he was pressing the brakes, not the accelerator.</b><br />
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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.<br />
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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, <a href="https://www.livinglutheran.org/2017/03/wrongful-conviction-gained-faith/">Koua has quite admirably gone on with his life</a>.<br />
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Wonder whose life Toyota will seek to ruin next.<br />
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<i>9/22/2017 update: Bitter Slob Toyota is now asking the appeals court to reconsider its ruling. </i><br />
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<i>6/16/2017 update: <a href="https://www.consumeraffairs.com/news/toyota-is-liable-for-a-fatal-car-crash-that-sent-a-driver-to-prison-appeals-court-rules-061517.html">Here a link</a> to a great article from Consumer Affairs.</i>Parris Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00573734864027485146noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4268516627408068254.post-8328123596083780282016-09-21T06:47:00.000-07:002019-08-18T13:10:41.442-07:00Driver of runaway Lexus is Toyota's worst nightmare<i><b>Update 5/2/2017 - Full throttle, unintended acceleration has now been <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ttc-bendy-buses-back-to-full-service-for-morning-rush-hour-1.4089731">officially linked to a software defect</a>, no room for doubt. <a href="http://www.cp24.com/news/an-unexpected-acceleration-forces-ttc-to-pull-153-buses-off-the-road-1.3388676">Here's more</a>. 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 <a href="https://www.law360.com/articles/917033/drivers-slam-tesla-for-blaming-sudden-acceleration-on-them">this lawsuit</a> against Tesla.</b></i><br />
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<i><b>5/4/2017 - As a corrupt, corporate-controlled government turns its back on the public, <a href="http://www.wbur.org/news/2017/05/03/lynnway-auto-auction-crash-billerica">this just in</a>: Multiple fatalities and injuries re the well-documented, ongoing problem with unintended acceleration in Jeeps. Here's a link to <a href="http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2017/05/witness_saw_bodies_flying_thro.html">another article</a>. And <a href="http://whdh.com/news/father-saves-son-from-out-of-control-jeep-at-auto-auction/">another with video</a>.</b></i><br />
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<i>"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, "<a href="http://www.paulcraigroberts.org/2016/07/03/america-destroyed-paul-craig-roberts/">America Destroyed</a>."</i><br />
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<a href="http://uc2.blogspot.com/2009/05/thousands-of-customers-petition-toyota.html">Toyota is such a bully. Such a cheat. Such a liar.</a> Real shame that Americans have come to accept that kinda behavior from corporations.<br />
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<a href="http://mccunewright.com/toyota-sudden-unintended-acceleration-case/">Azar Hadi</a> is one of the rare exceptions to that rule.<br />
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Her Lexus - Toyota's "Flagship" model that first got the sudden unintended acceleration issue headlined in <a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2010/dec/20/business/la-fi-toyota-settlement-20101221">the now notorious Saylor case</a> - 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:<br />
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<i>"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." </i><br />
<i><br /></i>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 <a href="http://www.fairwarning.org/2016/04/secrecy-agreements/">out-of-court settlement with a confidentiality agreement</a> 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 <i>last</i> 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.<br />
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Ever since Toyota lost that <a href="http://uc2.blogspot.com/2013/11/verdict-has-toyota-runnin-scared.html">landmark unintended acceleration case</a> in Oklahoma back in 2013, the Cover-up King has been <a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2013/dec/13/business/la-fi-toyota-settles-wv-acceleration-case-20131213">desperately trying to quiet things down</a> regarding their ongoing unintended acceleration problems. Meanwhile, crashes pointing to electronically-induced unintended acceleration are a dime a dozen, exemplified by this <a href="http://gothamist.com/2016/06/20/pileup_crash_staten_island.php">horrific 6/19/2016 accident</a> 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.<br />
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Ms. Hadi is one tough lady when it comes to exposing facts relevant to electronically-induced unintended acceleration. In the tradition of <a href="http://uc2.blogspot.com/2013/11/trial-exposed-toyota-deceitfulness.html">Koua Fong Lee</a> - 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.<br />
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<i>Update 9/21/2016 - Just now got word that Toyota has AGAIN postponed Azar's court date, this time to April of 2017.</i>Parris Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00573734864027485146noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4268516627408068254.post-23911449832803737252016-03-18T10:04:00.000-07:002017-05-05T07:10:52.532-07:00Thanks for visiting - been takin' a break. Sort of...<i><b>Update 4/28/2017 - Full throttle, unintended acceleration has now been <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ttc-bendy-buses-back-to-full-service-for-morning-rush-hour-1.4089731">officially linked to a software defect</a>, no room for doubt. <a href="http://www.cp24.com/news/an-unexpected-acceleration-forces-ttc-to-pull-153-buses-off-the-road-1.3388676">Here's more</a>. 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 <a href="https://www.law360.com/articles/917033/drivers-slam-tesla-for-blaming-sudden-acceleration-on-them">this lawsuit</a> against Tesla. </b></i><br />
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<i><b>5/4/2017 - As a corrupt, corporate-controlled government turns its back on the public, <a href="http://www.wbur.org/news/2017/05/03/lynnway-auto-auction-crash-billerica">this just in</a>: Multiple fatalities and injuries re the well-documented, ongoing problem with unintended acceleration in Jeeps. Here's a link to <a href="http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2017/05/witness_saw_bodies_flying_thro.html">another article</a>. And <a href="http://whdh.com/news/father-saves-son-from-out-of-control-jeep-at-auto-auction/">another with video</a>.</b></i><br />
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<i>"If men are good, you don't need government; if men are evil or ambivalent, you don't dare have one." - Robert LeFevre </i><br />
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Americans are literally under siege by a tyrannical government - Repukes n Demagogues alike - in cahoots with crooked corporations.<br />
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I got into it with AT&T after getting fed up with <a href="https://consumersunion.org/end-robocalls/">robocalls</a>, and May 13, 2015 ushered in an <a href="http://askparris.blogspot.com/2015/07/listen-up-at-no-home-phone-or-internet.html">absence of home phone and Internet</a>. This prompted a resumption of using my bicycle instead of my car for shopping, etc. Bicycling to buy groceries, etc. started in June of 2013, prompted by an extended dispute with <a href="http://speekup.blogspot.com/">State Farm</a> which left me temporarily without a car. The purposeful rides - I'd always been suckered into using my bicycle as nothing more than an recreational toy - turned out to be more fun than the ol' proverbial barrel of monkeys, and my trips now include visits to a pay phone, and a computer at the library. Ah, the unadulterated pleasure of sockin' it to the telephone, oil, automotive, and insurance industries while simultaneously savin' money, havin' fun, and enjoyin' great exercise. <br />
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I <i>love</i> my new routine, but it sure has taken a great deal of getting used to. And wunna the places I cut back on wuz exposin' all those never-ending issues with Toyota. Not that there haven't been any. As always, there have been more than I ever had time to blog about, even when I had Internet access at my home.<br />
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When my Toyota blogging was interrupted, I got word from one of my sources that there had been yet another <a href="http://uc2.blogspot.com/2015/05/ruginis-edr-data-prompts-government.html">Ruginis</a>-type <a href="http://www.carcomplaints.com/news/2015/lexus-Hhs250h-unintended-acceleration.shtml">story</a>, and as usual NHTSA refused to acknowledge evidence of electronically-induced unintended acceleration. Crashes raising questions of software defects have continued without pause, and the barrage of stories had come to be downright monotonous. A Toyota speeds out of control, mainstream media intentionally misleads the public, trolls attack anyone who dares to criticize Toyota, comments are unfairly moderated in favor of Toyota, and NHTSA looks the other way. Or perhaps it's another defective safety product, such as Toyota's latest <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-02-17/toyota-recalls-more-than-1-million-rav4-suvs-on-seat-belt-flaw">seat-belt fiasco</a> involving the RAV4, RAV4 EV, and Vanguard SUV, again evidencing a so-called regulatory agency that protects the often blood-spattered interests of crooked, money-grubbing corporations. These points have been made over and over again throughout this blog.<br />
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Nonetheless, I'll take this opportunity to highlight two more examples.<br />
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The first involves a Lexus that sped out of control, resulting in catastrophic injuries, and an ongoing, many-years-long effort of suing Toyota. This case is unique in that it is headed for a courtroom showdown, and the driver's attorney has posted a <a href="http://mccunewright.com/mccunewright-llp-is-set-to-take-toyota-sudden-unintended-acceleration-case-to-trial/">summary of Azar Hadi's case</a>.<br />
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The second involves last month's horrific injuries resulting from <a href="http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/2-Cars-Collide-in-El-Cajon-369448992.html">another Lexus crash</a>, the circumstances of which are eerily similar to the landmark case - <a href="http://uc2.blogspot.com/2013/11/verdict-has-toyota-runnin-scared.html">Bookout v. Toyota in Oklahoma</a> - which exposed Toyota's defective software and put the now-admitted-crook in settlement mode for the majority of crashes suggesting electronically-induced unintended acceleration.<br />
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Folks, it ain't really the government. It ain't even murderous, crooked corporations like Toyota, GM, Takata, etc. ad nauseum. The problem is a brain-dead, tail-tucked public that tolerates a repulsive little oligarchy run by filthy-rich slobs who kick consumers around with impunity.<br />
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<i>Update 3/18/2016 - For quite some time, none of my blog posts will display properly on Facebook, and this is far from the first time I've had issues with the Zuckerberg gang.</i><br />
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<i>Update 3/21/2016 - I quit voting long ago, and I don't wanna stray too far off topic, but former Assistant Secretary of the Treasury Dr. Paul Craig Roberts addresses the abysmal state of the American public, asking "<a href="http://www.paulcraigroberts.org/2016/02/11/are-americans-too-insouciant-to-survive-paul-craig-roberts/">Are Americans too insouciant to survive?</a>"</i><br />
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<i>Update 3/23/2016 - The inescapable conclusion that software defects are causing vehicles to speed out of control has become so obvious - and frequent - EVEN THE POLICE have started asking NHTSA to investigate, <a href="http://www.heraldchronicle.com/acceleration-issue-awaits-federal-answers/">forcing mainstream media to expose a few "uncomfortable truths"</a> about the issue. Of course - as <a href="http://betsybenjaminson.blogspot.com/2016/01/acceleration-issue-awaits-federal.html">Toyota whistleblower Betsy Benjamin notes in her blog post</a> - the police will be waiting "A VERY LONG TIME..." for NHTSA to admit the truth. </i><br />
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<i>Update 3/24/2016 - Yesterday, the exceptionally well-credentialed electronic engineer Dr. Antony Anderson published a <a href="http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/login.jsp?tp=&arnumber=7439741&url=http%3A%2F%2Fieeexplore.ieee.org%2Fstamp%2Fstamp.jsp%3Freload%3Dtrue%26tp%26arnumber%3D7439741">case study</a> exposing NHTSA's unjustified denial of a request to investigate an episode of unintended acceleration.</i><br />
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<i>Update 3/29/2016 - A crash in my necka the woods - W. Columbia, SC - was met with typical mainstream media secrecy by local "News Leader" WIS-TV. No info re make, model, etc., and the station says their "corporate office company wide" dictated removal of a comment section. After a firestorm of complaints erupted on Twitter, WIS updated <a href="http://www.wistv.com/story/31577644/emergency-crews-called-to-building-collapse-in-west-columbia">their story</a>, revealing that the vehicle was a <a href="http://articles.philly.com/2015-05-12/news/62044752_1_car-wash-wash-bay-jeep-grand-cherokees">Jeep</a> and that the driver told first-responders that he didn't know what happened. Considering Jeep's notoriety for unintended acceleration events, nobody can be blamed for questioning the allegation that this crash resulted from an "apparent seizure." WIS-TV should give the public details about how this was determined, but don't count on it. <b>South Carolina's "News Leader" still declines to reveal the vehicle model.</b></i><br />
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<i>Updates 4/8/2016 - I'm now exposing <a href="http://a-ripoff.blogspot.com/">the probate racket</a> in South Carolina, and lemme just emphasize that the main point of this post isn't my various activities. Point is, the entire country is pervasively corrupt.</i><br />
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<i>The lawsuits against Toyota just keep coming - <a href="http://www.rightinginjustice.com/news/2016/01/08/possible-toyota-sudden-unintended-acceleration-crash-kills-five-injures-three-in-california/">here's a well-written summary</a> of one of this year's cases.</i><br />
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<i>Update 5/25/2016 - <a href="http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/545759/money/companies/lawmaker-seeks-new-probe-of-montero-s-sudden-unintended-acceleration">This article</a> from late last year shows the frequency of unintended acceleration events suggesting defective vehicles. And... it is becoming more common for the police to ask for NHTSA's help due to suspicions of defects causing unintended acceleration events. Too bad NHTSA (No Help To Solve Anything) is owned by the auto industry.</i><br />
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<i>Update 8/30/2016 - Toyota has delayed Azar Hadi's court date from this October until January 2016. And </i><br />
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<i>Update 10/23/2016 - I've published a <a href="http://uc2.blogspot.com/2016/09/driver-of-runaway-lexus-is-toyotas.html">separate post</a> about Azar Hadi's case.</i><br />
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<i>Update 11/20/2016 - Still as pleased as ever with my "new" routine, which I've now been enjoying for more than a year and a half. Shopping, running errands, etc. on my bicycle is probably the most fun I've ever had in my life - been using my bicycle instead of my car about 95% of the time.</i></div>
Parris Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00573734864027485146noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4268516627408068254.post-83260946629244219352015-05-03T20:14:00.000-07:002015-05-04T05:50:20.637-07:00Ruginis EDR data prompts government whitewash for ToyotaToyota's good friend <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/...auto.../15745713/">NHTSA</a> has rushed to the admitted crook's aid once again. This time, it's <a href="http://uc2.blogspot.com/2014/10/longtime-customer-who-got-edr-readout.html">the case of Bob Ruginis</a>, 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.<br />
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Amidst an <a href="http://uc2.blogspot.com/2014/08/epidemic-of-vehicles-crashing-into.html">epidemic of runaway vehicles</a> - most often Toyotas - crashing into buildings, NHTSA performed its all-too-familiar <a href="http://www.providencejournal.com/article/20150502/NEWS/150509785">song and dance</a> 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 <a href="http://uc2.blogspot.com/2014/04/nasa-physicist-warns-of-unintended.html">Dr. Henning Leidecker's warning</a> 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.<br />
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Meanwhile, vehicles are beginning to speed out of control without anyone even being in the car. Not long ago, I blogged about <a href="http://uc2.blogspot.com/2014/09/unattended-lexus-takes-off-from-carwash.html">an unattended Lexus</a> taking off from a carwash, and now <a href="http://www.ky3.com/news/local/no-joke-car-drives-itself-into-springfield-papa-johns/21048998_32776086">another unattended vehicle</a> has suddenly started up on its own - there were witnesses - and followed the driver into a Papa John's.<br />
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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. <br />
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<i>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 <a href="http://uc2.blogspot.com/2014/07/toyota-remains-mum-as-honda-admits-to.html">Honda's recent admission</a> of electronically-induced unintended acceleration. </i>Parris Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00573734864027485146noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4268516627408068254.post-86212289608237145092015-04-25T12:02:00.000-07:002015-04-25T12:02:07.335-07:00Driver blames Prius' brakes, won't be charged in horrific crashSomeone e-mailed me an <a href="http://www.dailynews.com/general-news/20150421/in-case-of-3-oakwood-school-teens-struck-by-prius-no-criminal-charges-for-driver">update on this crash</a>, their remarks offer insight into what's going on:<br />
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<i>Believe Toyota (and the rental and insurance companies) did not want a public trial shining light on the embedded software, especially within the braking system which was acknowledged to have issues in earlier model Prius vehicles. (obviously, it still is not reliable - and where is NHTSA?) </i><br />
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<i>And of course the public is still kept in the dark concerning the real issues involved. No statement made as to WHY the driver was not charged, except some public fluff.</i><br />
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<i>L.A. police KNOW (but will not publicly acknowledge) what the real cause was. The Prius itself.</i><br />
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<i>Had an example from some years ago (sadly lost when my first computer died), where a Toyota or Lexus driver had a Sudden Unintended Acceleration event while parking in front of a small store in the L.A. area; and the vehicle went partially through the front window.</i><br />
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<i>When the L.A. police showed up and the driver explained what had happened, their response was essentially (using almost the exact same words) "we know"... At least in L.A., THEY KNOW (wish I could find it again).</i><br />
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<i>Trolls and the (less than knowledgeable) public will have a field day complaining online as to WHY a driver was allowed to hit and seriously injure school girls, yet not be charged.</i><br />
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<i>Notice, even in this article, the complete lack of information on the current condition of <a href="http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2014/06/04/3-teenage-girls-critically-injured-after-being-struck-by-vehicle-in-north-hollywood/">those injured</a>.</i><br />
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This driver was lucky not to be charged. Drivers in similar situations have not been so fortunate.Parris Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00573734864027485146noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4268516627408068254.post-7177120356505812432015-03-31T10:57:00.001-07:002015-04-02T11:22:25.935-07:00Deadly RAV4 crash, driver blames vehicle, no charges filedI'll say it again: There are literally too many crashes suggestive of electronically-induced unintended acceleration to keep track of and write about. <a href="http://www.newsday.com/long-island/nassau/suv-slams-into-great-neck-at-t-store-killing-one-police-say-1.10157446">Yesterday</a> 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. <a href="http://uc2.blogspot.com/2014/08/another-runaway-rav4-my-comments-blocked.html">RAV4s</a> are figuring prominently in runaway vehicle crashes.<br />
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Amidst an <a href="http://uc2.blogspot.com/2014/08/epidemic-of-vehicles-crashing-into.html">epidemic of runaway vehicles</a>, 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 <a href="http://uc2.blogspot.com/2014/10/longtime-customer-who-got-edr-readout.html">what the Electronic Data Recorder (EDR) reveals.</a></div>
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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 <a href="http://uc2.blogspot.com/2015/02/manufacturing-defect-koua-fong-lees.html">mechanical</a> as well as <a href="http://uc2.blogspot.com/2013/11/verdict-has-toyota-runnin-scared.html">electronic</a> defects leading to unintended acceleration, the <a href="http://wtvr.com/2014/07/10/update-no-charges-in-runaway-suv-case/comment-page-1/#comment-64078">National Carwash Association</a> is keeping records - Jeeps are notorious - of <a href="http://uc2.blogspot.com/2014/09/unattended-lexus-takes-off-from-carwash.html">vehicles prone to suddenly take off</a>, and <a href="http://uc2.blogspot.com/2014/07/toyota-remains-mum-as-honda-admits-to.html">Honda</a> has admitted to electronic defects associated with unintended acceleration. No brand is immune, yet auto-industry-lapdog NHTSA refuses to address the issue. </div>
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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?<br />
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<i>Updates 3/31/15 - </i><i><a href="http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2015/03/30/car-crashes-into-store-in-great-neck/#comments">CBS New York</a> 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.</i><br />
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<i>Updates 4/2/2015 - </i><br />
<i>> As if to underscore the frequency of crashes pointing to electronically-induced unintended acceleration - especially in Toyotas - <a href="http://www.itemlive.com/news/driver-gets-in-the-zone-in-lynn-crash/article_d064a626-d8df-11e4-9199-27075f1186d9.html?_dc=55681219324.46957">today's headlines featured a Camry</a> 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."</i><br />
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<i>> <a href="http://thecooperfirm.com/toyota-recalls-vehicles-due-to-power-steering-loss/">Another Toyota recall</a> due to electronic/software issues. RAV4 and Camry are on the list.</i><br />
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<i>> Yet ANOTHER Toyota - <a href="http://parsippanyfocus.com/2015/03/31/driver-crashes-into-baldwin-professional-center/">this time a Lexus</a> - 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.</i><br />
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Parris Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00573734864027485146noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4268516627408068254.post-71345550300366610072015-03-16T14:24:00.000-07:002015-04-23T18:14:22.638-07:00Toyota facing the music over B.B. King Camry adNews broke toward the end of last year that admitted-crook Toyota and its ad agency Saatchi and Saatchi North America are accused of copyright infringement associated with a Camry ad. Never mind the ad neglecting to mention NASA physicist Henning Leidecker warning of <a href="http://uc2.blogspot.com/2014/04/nasa-physicist-warns-of-unintended.html">increased risk of unintended acceleration in '02-'06 Camrys</a>. The Toyota gang struck a sour note by deriving an ad campaign from someone's book about B.B. King <a href="http://www.courthousenews.com/2014/10/22/72680.htm">without first getting the author's permission</a>. And a federal judge has now ruled that <a href="http://adage.com/article/agency-news/toyota-s-a-case-legal-blues-b-b-king-ad/297586/">the lawsuit can proceed</a>, overruling a "challenge" blabbered out by the Coverup King. Always bear in mind that an Associated Press investigation found that <a href="http://uc2.blogspot.com/2010/04/ap-toyota-deceptive-when-sued.html">Toyota indulges in some pretty sleazy legal tactics when sued</a>. <br />
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This isn't the first time a Toyota ad campaign has made the wrong kinda headlines. Not too long ago, <a href="http://uc2.blogspot.com/2011/02/maybe-its-word-of-mouth-toyota.html">advertising the "Toyota Way"</a> literally <em>terrorized</em> a consumer after Saatchi came up with what's gotta be the most ridiculous idea ever when it comes to spreadin' the word about a product.<br />
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What <i>really</i> shows Toyota's true colors when it comes to who owns written material is the Coverup King's harassment of whistleblower Betsy Benjaminson. The unemployed, single-mother-of-four continues to be subjected to <a href="http://www.nationallawjournal.com/id=1202716163775/Toyota-Nears-Settlement-with-Blogging-Translator?slreturn=20150216155038">pricey intimidation tactics</a> by a gang of Toyota's big-shot lawyers because Benjaminson dared to divulge information she felt the public needed to know regarding Toyota's problems with unintended acceleration. Toyota seems to think it's okay to use privileged information from someone's book for an advertising campaign, but it's <em>not</em> okay for someone to divulge "privileged Toyota information" that electrical engineers such as the <a href="http://www.antony-anderson.com/">exceptionally well-credentialed</a> Dr. Antony Anderson believe has safety implications for the public. In fact, <a href="http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=6777269">Dr. Anderson's study on unintended acceleration</a> has been published in the prestigious IEEE Access. Go figure.<br />
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Really, folks. Who trusts the advertising of an admitted crook in the first place?<br />
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<i>Update 3/16/2015 - Repeated efforts have been unsuccessful in getting this post to appear in standard format on Facebook. My remarks and the link itself are all that shows. I'll monitor re potential censorship issues.</i><br />
<i>Update 4/23/2015 - <a href="http://www.law360.com/articles/646952/toyota-settles-copyright-suit-over-bb-king-commercial">The suit has now been settled</a>. Confidentially, of course. Keeping things quiet is Toyota's trademark.</i>Parris Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00573734864027485146noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4268516627408068254.post-15528107877280530862015-03-04T07:30:00.000-08:002015-03-04T07:30:38.088-08:00Lexus dealer in Saylor case reaches confidential settlement<i>"Owner Bob Baker said investigators failed to fully examine possible manufacturing defects."</i><br />
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Amidst news of a major auto dealer in Maryland <a href="http://uc2.blogspot.com/2015/02/dealer-speaks-out-against-automakers.html">blowing the whistle on manufacturers</a> for directing dealers to conceal dangerous defects, Bob Baker, the Lexus dealer associated with <a href="http://uc2.blogspot.com/2010/02/runaway-lexus-kills-four-911-tape.html">the Saylor case</a>, which focused national attention on Toyota's problems with unintended acceleration, has reached a <a href="http://m.utsandiego.com/news/2015/mar/03/bob-baker-saylor-settle-crash-lawsuit/">last-minute, confidential settlement</a> with the parents of the victims. Interestingly enough, back in 2010, when Toyota settled <i>its</i> case - confidentially, of course - regarding the Saylor crash, <a href="http://uc2.blogspot.com/2010/12/dealer-joined-media-in-opposing-toyota.html">Mr. Baker was outspoken in favor of making details of that settlement public</a>.<br />
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Since the Saylor tragedy, <a href="http://uc2.blogspot.com/2013/11/trial-exposed-toyota-deceitfulness.html">evidence has emerged</a> revealing electronic defects galore in Toyota's throttle control. Worse yet, cases of runaway vehicles - most often <a href="http://www.wsbtv.com/news/news/local/lexus-investigates-acceleration-complaint-gwinnett/nThMg/">Toyotas</a>, but <a href="http://uc2.blogspot.com/2014/07/toyota-remains-mum-as-honda-admits-to.html">affecting other brands</a> as well - are continuing. <a href="http://uc2.blogspot.com/2014/08/epidemic-of-vehicles-crashing-into.html">Vehicles crashing into buildings</a> has reached epidemic proportions, and the National Carwash Association has started documenting which vehicles are most prone to speed out of control. Note the <a href="http://wtvr.com/2014/07/10/update-no-charges-in-runaway-suv-case/">comments by Bob Schrum</a> in this article updating readers that no charges will be filed regarding a Jeep that unexpectedly sped away at a carwash in Flagstaff, Arizona.<br />
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Then there's the ongoing <a href="http://uc2.blogspot.com/2014/09/edr-readout-puts-admitted-crook-toyota.html">case of Bob Ruginis</a>, 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.<br />
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Once again, folks: What kind of "government" allows automakers to <a href="http://www.komonews.com/news/local/-Toyota-technicians-investigate-car-in-restaurant-crash-162297236.html?tab=video&c=y">kick consumers around</a>, conceal dangerous defects, and get away with never-ending parades of blood-spattered scandals?Parris Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00573734864027485146noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4268516627408068254.post-80948802026806461342015-02-28T10:00:00.000-08:002015-03-11T16:48:45.982-07:00Dealer speaks out against automakers being allowed to keep defects quiet<i>> Update 3/1/2015 - <a href="http://www.nbcwashington.com/investigations/Changing-the-Car-Business-293931411.html">GREAT VIDEO</a> by NBC's WRC-TV: Dealer Jack Fitzgerald says that in the past, auto manufacturers have punished him financially for speaking out.</i><br />
<i>> Update 3/10/2015 - In this <a href="http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/jack-fitzgerald-fights-to-protect-auto-consumers-rights-and-lives-300047173.html">article</a> published yesterday, Jack sums things up admirably: "People have lost lives on the road because manufacturers have hidden safety problems by delaying recalls, and forcing dealers to withhold critical information."</i><i> </i><br />
<i>> Update 3/11/2015 - Toyota, GM, and Ford are being sued for concealing the fact that their vehicles are <a href="http://consumerist.com/2015/03/10/lawsuit-claims-toyota-gm-ford-deceived-consumers-about-hackability-of-connected-cars/">susceptible to hackers</a> wresting control from drivers, and Toyota has announced <a href="http://finance.yahoo.com/news/toyota-recall-112-500-u-vehicles-possible-safety-183908548--finance.html?soc_src=mediacontentstory&soc_trk=fb&fb_ref=Default">another recall</a> involving defective software and electronics - this time raising safety issues about transmissions and steering. Wonder if dealerships were ordered to keep quiet about these issues. </i><br />
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One of the auto industry's most appalling practices involves refusing to inform customers about known defects. Generally speaking, it falls under the heading "<a href="http://www.consumeraffairs.com/lemon_law/secret_warranties.html">secret warranties</a>," and Jack Fitzgerald, president of <a href="http://www.fitzmall.com/">Fitzgerald's Auto Malls</a> in Maryland is <a href="http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bs-md-auto-dealer-safety-20150224-story.html">speaking out against the practice</a>. Refusal to divulge defect information to customers is a <a href="http://www.autosafety.org/secret-warranties">racket that's been going on for decades</a>.<br />
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Mr. Fitzgerald is uniquely qualified to address the issue since his dealership is massive in size and handles all brands. As one would expect, his efforts to promote free speech and full disclosure are being opposed by the auto industry.<br />
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Of course, the larger point is that keeping defects secret amounts to fraud, and should have been outlawed long ago at the federal level. The fact that automakers can get away with such crookedness further evidences the fact that our current system of government - local, state, and federal - is controlled not by the people it deceitfully claims to represent, but by powerful special interests such as those associated with the auto industry. Meanwhile, the blood-spattered scandals of murderous corporations like Toyota, GM, Takata, etc. ad nauseum continue unabated as the "Just Us" Department keeps watch to make sure no auto executive winds up in prison.<br />
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Were it not for public safety implications, it would be laughable that an auto dealer must ask government for permission to warn customers about manufacturing defects. Mr. Fitzgerald is to be applauded for daring to speak out against such a pervasively corrupt system. Parris Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00573734864027485146noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4268516627408068254.post-65166629796375718322015-02-04T17:12:00.000-08:002016-03-07T08:17:40.724-08:00Manufacturing defect + Koua Fong Lee's account + similar accounts of runaway '96 Camrys = 100% Toyota's faultIt 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.<br />
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The entire matter boils down to corroborating evidence of <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/US/man-freed-prison-abc-news-reports-toyota-payout/story?id=28720252">Lee's account of what happened</a>. Fact is, such evidence has been there by the <i>boatload</i> ever since the accident occurred. The penniless immigrant was <a href="http://uc2.blogspot.com/2010/08/case-of-jailed-toyota-driver-lynching.html">railroaded from the get go</a>, 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.</div>
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Koua's lawsuit was stymied at the outset by a <a href="http://uc2.blogspot.com/2014/03/jailed-toyota-driver-deserves-punitive.html">ridiculous legal shenanigan</a> 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 <i>word </i>about the Coverup King - er I mean Toyota - pleading guilty to that federal fraud charge for misleading safety investigators about defective products.</div>
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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 <i>cash</i> - be treated unfairly. If only folks had the same degree of concern for penniless immigrants and taxpaying citizens...</div>
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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 <i>not</i> 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 <a href="http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_14865683">Toyota uses evasion as a legal tactic</a>. Moreover, according to Lee's lawyer, Toyota spent "tens of millions" of dollars in an effort to "frame" his client. </div>
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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 <a href="http://kstp.com/article/stories/s3696611.shtml">addressed quite admirably</a> by a downcast and sorrowful Koua Fong Lee immediately after the verdict. </div>
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Toyota, there are some things money just can't buy.</div>
Parris Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00573734864027485146noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4268516627408068254.post-2002336987048549932015-01-31T09:05:00.003-08:002015-01-31T09:10:17.398-08:00Fire risk exposed in Toyota Avalon - lapdog NHTSA remains silent Jessie Powell, one of Toyota's many outraged customers, has been blogging about her ongoing nightmare - she's now <a href="http://www.garyeto.com/auto/toyota-legal-tactics.html">suing Toyota</a> - that began after she bought a Prius. Jessie Powell's journey - like mine - opened her eyes to "the rest of the story" when it comes to mistreating customers the "Toyota Way."<br />
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Jessie has picketed in front of Toyota dealerships wearing a lemon costume, and does an excellent job of exposing various issues associated with the Coverup King. She has produced a wonderful blog post about the fire risk that's now been exposed in 2011-2012 Toyota Avalons, and underscores the fact that NHTSA - <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2014/09/16/gm-ignition-switch-recall-auto-safety-nhtsa-editorials-debates/15745713/">the auto industry's little lapdog</a> - has not seen fit to warn the public. Complete with historical perspective and hard-hitting graphics, Jessie's post is wunna those <i>must reads</i>: <br />
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<a href="http://jessiepowell.blogspot.com/2015/01/reminders-of-pintos-exploding-gas-tank.html" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1422722826313_10187" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #196ad4; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">http://jessiepowell.blogspot.com/2015/01/reminders-of-pintos-exploding-gas-tank.html</a>Parris Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00573734864027485146noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4268516627408068254.post-9858385702100941382015-01-12T13:27:00.000-08:002015-01-14T17:20:32.728-08:00Admit it, Toyota: The Camry's sudden surge is what "startled" Koua Fong Lee<i>Please spread the word: <a href="http://uc2.blogspot.com/2014/12/did-your-mr2-spyder-engine-disintegrate.html">There may be hope yet</a> for folks who were victimized by Toyota regarding the "pre-cat" manufacturing defect in MR2 Spyders.</i><br />
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Leave it to the attorneys for an admitted crook to try to pull a fast one in court. <a href="http://www.startribune.com/local/287920781.html">As Koua Fong Lee's lawsuit got underway</a>, Toyota's attorney tried to fool the jury into thinking that "when Lee took the off-ramp, he was <i>startled</i> (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."<br />
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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.<br />
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What actually happens is confirmed by electrical engineer Dr. Antony Anderson in his lengthy and <a href="http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?reload=true&tp=&arnumber=6777269">highly detailed study</a> of unintended acceleration events. <i>The driver is "distracted" or "startled" by the sudden surge in the vehicle's SPEED. </i>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 <i>harder</i> 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.<br />
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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 <a href="http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine-archive/2010/january/recalls-and-safety-alerts/runaway-car/recalls-safety-alerts-runaway-car.htm">difficult to stop some vehicles with a stuck throttle at highway speeds</a> 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. <br />
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What's important to bear in mind is evidence galore confirming Coverup King Toyota's dishonest behavior when the now <i>admitted</i> crook argues a case in court. An <a href="http://www.manufacturing.net/news/2010/04/ap-in-toyota-lawsuits-evasion-becomes-tactic">Associated Press investigation</a>, concluding that Toyota "has routinely engaged in questionable, evasive and deceptive legal tactics when sued" is apparently an understatement.<br />
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I'll say it again: Koua Fong Lee still needs all the luck he can get.<br />
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<i>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.</i><br />
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<i>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 "<a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2013/dec/13/business/la-fi-toyota-settles-wv-acceleration-case-20131213">settlement mode</a>" 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. </i>Parris Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00573734864027485146noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4268516627408068254.post-2473089823694392042015-01-09T12:55:00.000-08:002015-01-10T12:27:35.211-08:00Admitted-crook Toyota granted unfair advantage in Koua Fong Lee's lawsuit<i>Please spread the word: <a href="http://uc2.blogspot.com/2014/12/did-your-mr2-spyder-engine-disintegrate.html">There may be hope yet</a> for folks who were victimized by Toyota regarding the "pre-cat" manufacturing defect in MR2 Spyders.</i> <br />
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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<a href="http://uc2.blogspot.com/2010/08/case-of-jailed-toyota-driver-lynching.html"> the railroading of a penniless immigrant</a> 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.<br />
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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?<br />
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So now we come to the Grand Opening of Lee's well-founded-if-ever-there-was lawsuit, not against Toyota, but against<i> admitted crook</i> 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 <a href="http://www.eetimes.com/author.asp?section_id=36&doc_id=1321694">threatened to blow the lid</a> regarding evidence of electronic defects in Toyota's throttle control. <br />
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Whew. Quite a record the ol' Coverup King has established. But not to worry...<br />
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<a href="http://www.startribune.com/local/287920781.html">Judge Ann</a> gonna make sure corporate-citizen Toyota - at last count sporting a $60 billion pile of<i> cash</i> - 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 <a href="http://uc2.blogspot.com/2014/03/jailed-toyota-driver-deserves-punitive.html">punitive damages</a> - a consideration that's put Toyota in "<a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2013/dec/13/business/la-fi-toyota-settles-wv-acceleration-case-20131213">settlement mode</a>" ever since <a href="http://www.twincities.com/ci_27270698">the Bookout case (see video at bottom)</a> 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' <i>what</i> a jury might do with a case involving a young plaintiff unjustly imprisoned for many years.<br />
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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 <i>mention</i> 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 <i>perfect</i> 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 <a href="http://www.startribune.com/local/288055881.html">two of Toyota's "Lee-type Camry" victims</a> will testify as part of Lee's lawsuit.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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In his courageous efforts to make truth prevail, Koua Fong Lee still needs all the luck he can get.Parris Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00573734864027485146noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4268516627408068254.post-59786108909299593852014-12-24T12:11:00.000-08:002018-03-31T13:11:31.040-07:00Did your MR2 Spyder engine disintegrate? Contact Jenn Strathman at WPTV<i>Update 3/31/2018 - Jenn and her station refused to expose engine failures in MR2 Spyders. I wonder if someone at WPTV got stung with Toyota's melting dashboards, thereby prompting their exposure of that issue.</i><br />
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With honest coverage of the issue by mainstream media, there may be hope yet for folks who were victimized by Toyota regarding the <a href="http://uc2.blogspot.com/2009/05/thousands-of-customers-petition-toyota.html">manufacturing defect</a> in MR2 Spyders. Jenn Strathman and WPTV have demonstrated a concern for consumers with their <a href="http://uc2.blogspot.com/2014/12/crooked-toyota-yields-to-public.html">recent exposure</a> of Toyota's stonewalling response to melting dashboards.<br />
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Coverup King Toyota has now agreed to make amends for the dashboards, and a similar result might be obtained if enough folks contacted Jenn about engines disintegrating in MR2 Spyders. Let's give it a try:<br />
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jenn.strathman@wptv.comParris Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00573734864027485146noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4268516627408068254.post-91195736753756747572014-12-19T11:46:00.002-08:002014-12-20T07:54:07.015-08:00Crooked Toyota yields to public exposure on melting dashboardsFirst, I want to pass along one heartfelt thanks to Jenn Strathman and WPTV for their sincere and persistent efforts at exposing the facts about Coverup King Toyota's problems with melting dashboards. Wow, what an <i>amazing</i> performance in a day and age - as I've addressed many times in this blog - when mainstream media almost always cowers down to crooks like Toyota, and, in essence, joins forces with deceitful corporations as they toss out every dirty trick in the book to bully consumers. Moreover, Jenn's tireless efforts - her first report aired back in April - have underscored the reason crooked corporations - backed by this paid-off government - are so intent on controlling news media.<br />
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As consumers have done on a vast variety of other issues - epitomized, incidentally, by all those <a href="http://uc2.blogspot.com/2009/05/thousands-of-customers-petition-toyota.html">engine failures in MR2 Spyders</a> - folks yelled and screamed about an obvious manufacturing defect that caused Toyota's dashboards to melt into a gooey, sticky mess, the reflection from which presented an equally obvious safety hazard. And just as Coverup King Toyota and its partner-in-crime NHTSA have done on an endless list of similar situations, the response - actually, the lack thereof - was one of stonewalling, denial, and deceit as the gang attempted to fleece consumers and shut the melting dashboard issue up.<br />
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But this time it was different.<br />
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<a href="http://www.wptv.com/money/consumer/help-for-melting-dashboards">An honest mainstream news-media operation</a> with a sincere and competent investigative reporter entered the picture, dared to contact Toyota directly, and broadcast the facts. And lo and behold, the free press, much to Toyota's chagrin, finally got the kind of results consumers are entitled to. It's a profound delight to see a slob like Toyota taken to task by a handful of their irate customers and a bit of good, old-fashioned investigative reporting. The kind of reporting that brings down corruption and frees consumers from having to depend on time-consuming, emotionally-draining, and incredibly expensive lawsuits in an effort to obtain a shred of fundamental fairness. Isn't it amazing how a bit of honest, mainstream-media intervention levels up the playing field? Once again - I can't say it forcefully enough - thanks, Jenn. As I blogged in response to that Oklahoma jury's guilty verdict in Toyota's landmark electronically-induced unintended acceleration case: thank you, thank you, thank you. Visit <a href="https://www.facebook.com/JennStrathman">Jenn's Facebook page</a>. Read the many comments from those who had been victimized for years by Toyota's melting-dashboard scam. Bless you, Jenn. Bless WPTV. <br />
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Coverup King and admitted-crook Toyota has now agreed to do what the corporate slob should have done in the first place, without any stonewalling blabber about the dashboard warranties running out. YES. Toyota will now recall <i>millions</i> of vehicles to correct the problem, and reimburse customers who paid to have dashboards replaced.<br />
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Nonetheless, look at the lying, deceitful "spin" bully-boy Toyota is putting on the matter. Admitted-crook Toyota has the unmitigated gall to say "We are committed to closely listening to out customers to ensure owner satisfaction." Right. <i>Except</i> in the case of all those engine defects in MR2 Spyders. <i>Except</i> in the case of ongoing unintended acceleration disasters. Except in the case of continuing complaints of oil-sludged engines. <i>Except</i> in the case of... Really, folks. Does Toyota and its government cohorts take people for fools? Is the government-propped-up gang so repulsively self-assured that their unconscionable - and often murderous - abuse of consumers will go on forever? <i>Are they really?</i><br />
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It's time we had a little bit of honesty and bravery in this country. The kind of sincerity and courage exemplified by Jenn Strathman and WPTV. One final time, at least for this post:<br />
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THANK YOU, JENN. <br />
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<i>Update, 12/19/2014 - Check out <a href="https://www.facebook.com/JennStrathman/photos/a.203916249664673.52655.158161357573496/820773657978926/?type=1&fref=nf">photos of the melting dashboards</a>. </i><br />
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<i>Update 12/20/2014 - Toyota says <a href="http://www.wptv.com/money/consumer/toyota-parts-shortage-delays-melting-dashboard-repairs-until-may-2015-refunds-start-immediately">replacement parts</a> won't be available until May of 2015, and it looks like the defective dashboards may also involve potential interference with airbags. So ya gotta wonder if Toyota's parts supplier Takata - now implicated in deaths and injuries associated with shrapnel-slingin', exploding airbags - is involved in the lengthy delay. Just add this to tons of evidence confirming that NHTSA - the so-called safety agency has refused to address the melting dashboards - is a corporate-controlled stooge for the auto industry. </i>Parris Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00573734864027485146noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4268516627408068254.post-31372729724971584352014-11-18T07:17:00.000-08:002016-03-28T08:24:35.461-07:00Toyota, trolls, and the government's assault on free speechEfforts 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 href="http://abc13.com/385774/">a story they cooked up</a> 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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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 "<a href="http://www.eetimes.com/author.asp?section_id=36&doc_id=1321694">No comment</a>" 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.<br />
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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 <a href="http://www.slidesearchengine.com/slide/case-study-of-toyota-unintended-acceleration-and-software-safety">recent seminar at Carnegie-Mellon</a> 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 <a href="http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2010/03/video-consumer-reports-demonstrates-how-brake-override-stops-runaway-cars/index.htm">article, complete with a video</a>, that corroborates Dr. Koopman's presentation. It's preposterous to believe that Houston's ABC-13 is unaware of the facts.<br />
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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'. <br />
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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":<br />
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<em>Parris Boyd:</em><br />
<em>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..." </em><br />
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<em>disqus_J5VKk8FJ</em><br />
<em>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."</em><br />
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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. <br />
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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, "<a href="http://www.paulcraigroberts.org/2014/11/11/prospect-nuclear-war-paul-craig-roberts/">The Prospect of Nuclear War</a>." 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.<br />
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Alluding to this sorry state of affairs in his 9/14/2014 call for donations (<a href="http://www.paulcraigroberts.org/2014/09/14/washingtons-war-russia-paul-craig-roberts-2/">preface to "Washington's War on Russia"</a>), Dr. Roberts sums things up admirably: "<em>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."</em><br />
<br />Parris Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00573734864027485146noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4268516627408068254.post-49285003942599223782014-11-09T11:07:00.000-08:002014-11-12T18:16:38.069-08:00As word spreads re electronic defects, cops decline to charge the driver of a runaway LexusWhen is admitted-crook Toyota and scandal-soaked NHTSA gonna own up to the facts regarding unintended acceleration? Not long ago, <a href="http://uc2.blogspot.com/2014/07/toyota-remains-mum-as-honda-admits-to.html">Honda made an admission</a> of electronic defects associated with these events, and now Nissan has reluctantly chimed in with an <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/08/automobiles/nissan-recalls-6600-infiniti-hybrids-for-unintended-acceleration-problem.html?_r=0">admission of software defects</a> 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 <a href="http://www.eetimes.com/author.asp?section_id=36&doc_id=1321694">government's silence</a>, and an attempted news blackout by this corporate-controlled government's mainstream media stooges.<br />
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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 <a href="http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article1978643.html">alarming number</a> of vehicles crashing into buildings, but carefully avoided any mention of defective software and the auto industry's refusal to install adequate fail-safes.<br />
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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 <a href="http://abc13.com/385774/">devastating crash in Houston</a> 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. <br />
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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. <em>//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</em><span class="author publisher-anchor-color"> <em>remains posted.</em></span><em>// </em><br />
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I won't belabor the electronics issue. There are plenty of references and discussions elswhere on this blog, and on the Internet.<br />
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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.<br />
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This is one sorry excuse for a government. To say it's tyrannical is to understate the case.<br />
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<em>Update 11/12/2014 - JUST IN: At 7:06 PM EST (see 11/10/2014 update), <a href="http://www.detroitnews.com/story/business/autos/general-motors/2014/11/12/gm-ceo-attend-award-ceremony-following-criticism/18935521/">Detroit News reported</a> 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. </em><br />
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<em>Update 11/10/2014 - <a href="http://www.kspr.com/life/money/what-did-mary-barra-know-about-the-gm-recall-and-when-did-she-know-it/21052342_29641004?fb_comment_id=fbc_733324850077373_733423340067524_733423340067524#f20d843f2a8f504">BREAKING NEWS</a> 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.</em><br />
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<em>Update 11/9/2014 - HOT OFF THE PRESS: Just over an hour ago, USA Today's editorial board published a <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2014/11/09/takata-air-bags-honda-national-highway-traffic-safety-administration-editorials-debates/18776045/">scathing review of the airbag fiasco</a>.</em>Parris Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00573734864027485146noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4268516627408068254.post-71816420134361418032014-11-07T07:59:00.000-08:002015-02-09T11:59:19.998-08:00Toyota's airbag supplier accused of coverup starting in 2004<em>Update 2/9/2015 - As a former Takata engineer <a href="http://www.autonews.com/article/20150209/OEM02/302099956/ex-takata-engineer-talks-to-plaintiffs-attorneys">blows the whistle</a>, this corporate-controlled government is trying to keep the truth quiet.</em><br />
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<em>Update 11/7/2014 - Just in: "<a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2014/11/07/federal-safety-regulators-nhtsa-dot-takata-order-tests-secret/18646431/">Feds suspect Takata errors date back to 1998</a>." Watch auto-industry-lapdog NHTSA - caught red-handed in GM's ignition-switch scandal - squirm. USA today sums it up well: "The airbag problem has taken on a grim likeness to GM's faulty ignition switches, spotted within the company in 2001 but not recalled until early this year. The switches can fail and disable airbags. They are linked to 30 deaths." </em><br />
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Coverup King Toyota has apparently been doing business with a like-minded airbag supplier. As the scandal widens over those shrapnel-slingin' airbags from Takata, two former employees have now come forward to say <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/07/business/airbag-maker-takata-is-said-to-have-conducted-secret-tests.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=first-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=2">Takata knew about the problem in 2004</a>, conducted secretive tests, and then covered everything up.<br />
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I thought it was kinda strange when <a href="http://washpost.bloomberg.com/Story?docId=1376-NDU1PK6JIJV301-3F7MK1QL6TQOG6PT4RL9MEUJL3">Toyota rushed to defend Takata</a>. Both corporations - Toyota now an admitted crook - have a way of producing defective products that kill, federal investigations, and whistleblowers. Of course, the federal "investigations" never amount to anything more than some grand theatrics, underscored by a curt "<a href="http://www.eetimes.com/author.asp?section_id=36&doc_id=1321694">No comment</a>" if anyone dares to confront the power structure. How much longer tail-tucked Americans are gonna tolerate a corporate-controlled government that panders to murderous thugs in the auto industry is anyone's guess.<br />
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Meanwhile, Clarence Ditlow, executive director of the Center for Auto Safety estimates that there are up to 25 million vehicles in the US that have <a href="http://www.wtop.com/628/3725906/Correction-Air-Bag-Recall-story">shrapnel-slingin' airbags</a>. Back in June, Ditlow issued a <a href="http://www.autosafety.org/takata-airbag-homepage">statement targeting NHTSA's cozy relationship with parts-supplier Takata</a>.<br />
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Pleasant dreams.Parris Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00573734864027485146noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4268516627408068254.post-72836235424226509802014-10-29T09:10:00.000-07:002014-11-07T08:02:45.699-08:00SECRECY: the hallmark of crooks like Toyota<em>Update 11/1/2014 - A few hours ago: Takata says a <a href="http://www.sun-sentinel.com/classified/cars-trucks/sns-rt-us-takata-recall-airbag-20141101-story.html">new flaw</a> was discovered for airbags it made from 2008-20014.</em><br />
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<a href="http://i/">I</a> just love it when the public is suckered by "<a href="http://abcnews.go.com/US/sen-blumenthal-auto-makers-forced-reveal-secret-settlements/story?id=26464924">proposed legislation</a>" that stands no chance whatsoever of passing after elected officials (don't blame me - <a href="http://askparris.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-joy-of-refusing-to-vote.html">I quit voting years ago</a>) are bribed - er I mean educated - by lobbyists. Buys time until well-entrenched business interests can do their thing with America's two-headed, one party <em>sham</em> of an electoral system.<br />
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Admitted-crook Toyota is perhaps the most notorious of all when it comes to those "confidentiality agreements" Senator Blumenthal says he wants to outlaw. The Coverup King has been rushing into such agreements like crazy ever since embedded systems expert Michael Barr spilled the beans on the auto industry's unintended acceleration scam about a year ago in that landmark case in Oklahoma. Electronic defects galore were exposed in Toyota's throttle control, ushering in a barrage of settlements structured to keep things quiet the "Toyota Way."<br />
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Really, folks. By what convoluted reasoning are crooked corporations like Toyota allowed to purchase the public's right to free speech as part of "settlements" involving deadly defects? It's a bullying tactic that's been going on for many years, Mr. Blumenthal, and never should have been allowed in the first place.<br />
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Toyota is still in tantrum mode because word of defects in their throttle control is spreading, thanks to that landmark lawsuit the Coverup King lost in Oklahoma last October. Lately, the admitted crook and first-class bully has been targeting whistleblower Betsy Benjaminson - a single, unemployed mother of four - with a slew of pricey, court-sanctioned actions aimed at intimidating Benjaminson - and anyone else - from daring to exercise free speech. Crooks like Toyota are outraged that in this age of the Internet, bloggers, trade journals, and shrewd use of social media can play havoc with the efforts of bigshot "news" organizations and auto-industry stooges like NHTSA to keep safety issues quiet. Note the graphic - <span id="goog_1039924672"></span><a href="http://www.nationallawjournal.com/id=1202674801687/Translator-Refutes-Toyotas-Contempt-Motion-in-Leaks?mcode=1202674804924&slreturn=20140929095852">a blood-spattered Toyota emblem<span id="goog_1039924673"></span></a> - featured in today's update about Benjaminson.<br />
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Meanwhile, the latest scandal - exploding, shrapnel-laced airbags that injure and kill - leaves consumers at the mercy of auto-industry thugs, propped up by a corrupt, corporate-controlled government that has "<a href="http://www.eetimes.com/author.asp?section_id=36&doc_id=1321694">no comment</a>" when truth is exposed.<br />
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<em>Update 10/31/2014 - Amidst scandals and recalls galore, the airbag fiasco may be the straw that broke the camel's back. <a href="http://www.prweb.com/releases/2014/10/prweb12278976.htm">Marketing research</a> shows that consumers are finally getting wary of Toyota's never-ending safety problems now that fundamentals such as airbags and seatbelts are making headlines.</em>Parris Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00573734864027485146noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4268516627408068254.post-49693842849498878892014-10-22T07:36:00.000-07:002014-11-02T18:51:41.807-08:00Airbags: Toyota sez "Stay outta the front seat." Better yet, just stay outta their vehicles.<em>Update 11/2/2014 - "Trust us" indeed (see 10/28 update below). <a href="http://money.cnn.com/2014/10/31/autos/exploding-airbag-fix/">Toyota's response</a> to the airbag fiasco has turned out to be <a href="http://www.product-reviews.net/2014/11/02/toyota-airbag-recall-update-for-november-2014/">highly controversial</a>. It must be awful to have to depend on an admitted crook and Coverup King like Toyota to do the right thing about defective airbags. Of course, auto-industry-stooge <a href="http://www.philly.com/philly/business/20141102_Safety_agency_is_failing_the_public_on_air_bags.html">NHTSA</a> quickly approved Toyota's response to the scandal.</em><br />
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<em>Updates 10/28/2014 </em><br />
<em>> <a href="http://video.cnbc.com/gallery/?video=3000325134#.">Appearing on CNBC</a>, Toyota's Jim Lentz has the gall to say "trust us" regarding airbags. Trust a corporation that pled guilty to a federal FRAUD charge? Talk about a thigh-slappin' HOOT...</em><br />
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<em>> <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-10-28/takata-carmakers-face-u-s-lawsuits-over-faulty-air-bags.html">Lawsuits</a> claim Takata knew about the airbag defect in 2001. "Car owners allege they were duped into buying models that weren’t as safe as they were made to believe because of the potentially dangerous air bags ... Representatives for Takata, Honda and Toyota declined to comment..."</em><br />
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So we're expected to believe that Honda has known about <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/12/business/air-bag-flaw-long-known-led-to-recalls.html">the airbag fiasco</a> for years, but Coverup King and admitted-crook Toyota was left unaware. Forgiveness is sought for those of us who find that a bit difficult to believe, and pardon me for bringin' this up, but wonder what else the "world's largest automaker" is "unaware" of. Whatever. Toyota's response to those deadly, shrapnel-slingin' airbags gets more interesting by the minute.<br />
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The Coverup King is <a href="http://driving.ca/toyota/auto-news/news/toyota-says-stay-out-of-front-passenger-seats-as-air-bag-probe-widens">now advising folks</a> to "keep passengers out of the front seat of several models." Really. And never mind that this sage advice for U.S. customers comes <em>four months </em>after Toyota took similar actions in Japan. Well, I guess stayin' outta the seat is better than trustin' Toyota to disable the things. Bear in mind that among the multitude of recalls Toyota has become infamous for, on occasion they've had to issue second recalls for the same problem 'cause initial efforts to fix things didn't work. Does anyone in their right mind wanna trust an admitted crook to "disable" what amounts to a roadside bomb? <br />
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Frankly, with all the software problems Toyota has encountered - not the least of which is computer expert Michael Barr finding electronic defects galore in Toyota's throttle control - I wouldn't bet too heavily on their airbags performing properly even without the bungling from parts supplier Takata. <a href="http://www.schmidtlaw.com/toyota-airbag-lawsuit/">Here's a peek</a> at problems associated with Toyota's airbags.<br />
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"Oh what a feeling" indeed. Just make sure passengers don't have it while riding in that front seat.<br />
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<em>Updates 10/22/2014 - </em><br />
<em>> Believe it or not, Coverup King Toyota is <a href="http://washpost.bloomberg.com/Story?docId=1376-NDU1PK6JIJV301-3F7MK1QL6TQOG6PT4RL9MEUJL3">supporting Takata's bungling</a> - er I mean handling - of the airbag fiasco. Birds of a feather...</em><br />
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<em>> <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2014/10/22/takata-airbag-deaths-recall-stock-investors-defect/17709019/">Just in from USA Today</a>: "NHTSA didn't say why it only now is raising an alarm about the imminent danger of the bags, some of which have been on the roads since 2000, and which began being recalled by automakers in 2008." So the feds are "confused" now that the facts are coming out? Really, folks: If Americans are DUMB enough to tolerate <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/21/business/it-looked-like-a-stabbing-but-takata-air-bag-was-the-killer.html">murderous crookedness</a> out of this repulsive little oligarchy - Repukes n Demagogues alike - as it panders to thugs in the auto industry, so be it.</em>Parris Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00573734864027485146noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4268516627408068254.post-59689335251065570992014-10-21T10:18:00.000-07:002014-10-21T13:44:55.763-07:00Picketing: Don't glare at ME, Mr. Salesperson. Glare at TOYOTA.Yesterday as I picketed Toyota in front of West Columbia, South Carolina's new Fred Anderson Toyota dealership, wunna their sales force came out, stood about 10 or 15 yards away, and glared at me for several minutes. That's fine, if that's what the guy wants to do, but I have a suggestion for the lad: Instead of glaring at <em>me</em>, glare at admitted-crook and Coverup King Toyota. You know. The thug you've chosen to sell vehicles for.<br />
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You see, I didn't bring this situation about. Toyota brought it about when they refused to acknowledge an <a href="http://uc2.blogspot.com/2009/05/thousands-of-customers-petition-toyota.html">obvious manufacturing defect in MR2 Spyders</a>, turning their crooked backs on hapless owners such as myself, out the better part of $10 grand when the engines disintegrated. Leave it to a bully like Toyota to take advantage of the fact that Spyders were a limited production vehicle, thereby making class-action lawsuits as impractical as individual court pursuits. <br />
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Crooked automakers like Toyota, GM, and <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/12/business/air-bag-flaw-long-known-led-to-recalls.html?_r=0">now Honda</a> have learned that it pays to ignore manufacturing defects. After all, they can get free passes from their bought-and-paid-for "safety" stooges like NHTSA, as the government agency's bigshot employees look forward to being rewarded with high payin' jobs in the auto industry. Meanwhile, the Department of "Just Us" stands guard to make sure nobody goes to prison if and when dirty facts are exposed. Short of time-consuming, expensive lawsuits, there really isn't any viable recourse for consumers. Factor in a tail-tucked public, bullied into accepting any kind of crookedness imaginable, and there you have it: a formula par excellence for immoral and illegitimate profits galore at the consumer's expense, both physically and financially. It's called tyranny, something that's come to be the hallmark of this little police-state, corporate-controlled oligarchy and its corrupt, two-headed, one party <em>sham</em> of an electoral system.<br />
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What do you expect me to do, Mr. Salesperson? Knuckle under to the crook you work for, and simply kiss the better part of $10 grand goodby? The next time you get the urge to glare at someone, Mr. Toyota Salesperson, focus your gaze on the culprit instead of the victim.<br />
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<em>Update 10/21/2014 - NY Times published a </em><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/21/business/it-looked-like-a-stabbing-but-takata-air-bag-was-the-killer.html"><em>GREAT article</em></a><em> yesterday about the growing airbag scandal. "Toyota said it would in some cases disable the air bags, leaving a note not to ride in the front passenger seat."</em> Parris Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00573734864027485146noreply@blogger.com