Article

2004-02-03 -Short Attention Span Theater-

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Posted by Dar 2004-02-03 11:42:30 AM|| || Front Page|| [5 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 After 45 frantic minutes, she reached a friend

there were NO cops around for 60-75 miles? hmmm....

after 45 minutes, she couldn't think to turn the ignition off?

Posted by PlanetDan 2004-2-3 11:59:56 AM|| 2004-2-3 11:59:56 AM|| Front Page Top

#2 How in the hell would "Ponch" and "John" stop a runaway car with their motorcycles?

Guess I missed that episode.

Posted by Daniel King 2004-2-3 12:01:59 PM|| 2004-2-3 12:01:59 PM|| Front Page Top

#3 I wouldn't recommend turning the ignition off because that would disable the power steering, but she certainly could have put it in neutral or downshifted. I can't believe she had the wits to keep trying to call for help on her cell all this time but couldn't think of that! I bet she hasn't changed her oil in 30,000 miles if she's that mechanically clueless.

Posted by Dar 2004-2-3 12:11:24 PM|| 2004-2-3 12:11:24 PM|| Front Page Top

#4 You have to change the oil?

(kidding)

Posted by CrazyFool 2004-2-3 12:18:49 PM|| 2004-2-3 12:18:49 PM|| Front Page Top

#5 Same thing happened to the GOOD Ol Boys RV. Turns out someone put glue beneath the accelerator.

Posted by ruprecht 2004-2-3 12:25:05 PM|| 2004-2-3 12:25:05 PM|| Front Page Top

#6 Yeah - she went from Limon to Denver. They had her on the news out here. She said the clutch wouldn't respond and the ignition didn't turn off. Supposedly, nothing was responsive on the car. Seems wierd to me. Is there a big life insurance policy on her someone is holding? Then again, it is a Pontiac.

Posted by Yosemite Sam 2004-2-3 1:20:13 PM|| 2004-2-3 1:20:13 PM|| Front Page Top

#7 Sounds like her tires at least were in tip top shape.

Posted by Shipman 2004-2-3 2:08:01 PM|| 2004-2-3 2:08:01 PM|| Front Page Top

#8 No clutch, no brakes, no accelerator, and the cell phone wouldn't work? Either up sh*t creek without a paddle, or pure BS. I vote BS.

Posted by Chuck Simmins 2004-2-3 3:28:31 PM|| [http://blog.simmins.org] 2004-2-3 3:28:31 PM|| Front Page Top

#9 New CNN show: "Renegade Automobiles: Why do they hate us?"

Posted by Dar 2004-2-3 3:31:02 PM|| 2004-2-3 3:31:02 PM|| Front Page Top

#10 I just checked recalls and service bulletins on her year and model car. Of the 301 service bulletins, about ten relate to brakes, one on clutch bleeding procedures, but none concern the accelerator. Must be a hydraulic clutch also in need of service. No recalls on either problem, but she's lucky that the Lower Pinion Bearing didn't decide to separate at that time. It was a recall item for Jan 03. Our Granddaughter drives a sunbird. Gonna have to look into that.

Posted by Gasse Katze 2004-2-3 3:58:48 PM|| 2004-2-3 3:58:48 PM|| Front Page Top

#11 Surely it was the Dukes of Hazard and not Ponch & John that pulled that trick. The Dukes were always better drivers in my book, what with the dirt 'n' all in Hazard County. None of that sissy California concrete.

Posted by Zpaz 2004-2-3 6:56:48 PM|| 2004-2-3 6:56:48 PM|| Front Page Top

#12 Surely it was the Dukes of Hazard and not Ponch & John that pulled that trick

I'm acutely depressed just acknowledging I have an opinion on the above subject.

Posted by Shipman 2004-2-3 7:24:48 PM|| 2004-2-3 7:24:48 PM|| Front Page Top

#13 Ed Becerra here, from Colorado.

Local news reported that her transmission failed in such a way that she couldn't shift, not even to neutral. And - oh, joy, our brilliant car designers here - the Pontiac she was driving apparently CANNOT have the ignition turned off unless the transmission is in park or neutral.

That's straight from the cops, Chuck.. apparently whoever did the onboard programming for the car (and I admit I'm over-generalizing here) programmed in an assumption that if a part of the car asked for one thing, and the driver asked for another, the onboard brains would simply assume the driver was in error. So to speak.

Therefore, the fuel pump, brakes, et al, were listening to the CPU, and the CPU was paying attention to the transmission, not the driver's intentions.

Local Pontiac dealers are making frantic statements to the effect that this is one of those "Once in a century" events, and that we should all just go home and forget it ever happened.

Oh, yes, and we should buy more Pontiacs. Lots and LOTS of Pontiacs.

Yeah. Right. Hey, Mr. car dealer.. I gotta tire iron and I KNOW how to use it. Now, just back away slowly, buddy....

Ed.

Posted by Ed Becerra 2004-2-3 9:18:49 PM|| 2004-2-3 9:18:49 PM|| Front Page Top

#14 I never would have thought to shift to neutral either. If the commentators above are men--warn your women.

I'm not sure I would have thought of turning it off either.

Posted by Sue Bob 2004-2-3 11:50:38 PM|| 2004-2-3 11:50:38 PM|| Front Page Top

#15 Ed--Damn--thanks for the scoop! Guess there really wasn't much she could do, except perhaps downshift. Sounds like Pontiac has created their own little version of the Nanny State in each of their cars.

Posted by Dar 2004-2-4 9:53:57 AM|| 2004-2-4 9:53:57 AM|| Front Page Top

09:53 Dar
06:25 Coloradoan
00:39 Lucky
00:25 Lucky
00:13 Lucky
00:08 Lucky
23:58 Lucky
23:56 TS
23:50 Sue Bob
23:33 Anonymous2U
23:28 Anonymous2U
23:24 SON OF TOLUI
23:24 Gasse Katze
23:20 NotMike Moore
23:18 Gasse Katze
23:14 NotMike Moore
23:11 TS
23:09 NotMike Moore
23:07 closet neo-con
23:07 Pappy
23:04 NotMike Moore
23:03 NotMike Moore
22:59 NotMike Moore
22:55 NotMike Moore