Speeding Prius Out-Of-Control In San Diego

Did Bankrupt Runaway Prius Driver Fake "Unintended Acceleration?"
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The Full 24-Minutes-Long Runaway Prius 911 Tape Scaramanga

After listening to the entire thing, there are a lot of things that don't add up; it does sound like a hoax.

First and foremost is that he's on the phone for 23 minutes; if this was unintendedly accelerating this vehicle would be gaining speed much faster over the coarse of 23 minutes, even for a car as underpowered as a Prius (even Al Gore's son got a speeding ticket for 100 mph).

In fact, at a little over the 20 minute mark the 911 operator asks if he's on cruise control.

Also, the car does have conventional disc brakes, and they engage when you stomp on it (which I would assume this gentleman did in an emergency situation). This Prius only has 76hp gas engine, and 67hp electric motor, and can only maximum power of 110hp combined. The disc brakes should have been able to overcome that puny power output. It also doesn't occur to him to use the 'emergency' brake until almost 20 minutes on the phone?

The other thing is he should have been able to get into neutral, even if he hit the car into P, the Prius will automatically go into neutral if the car is in motion.

He also says that cars were passing him "left and right" while he was going over 90 MPH; which is the reason he gave for his fear of someone 'rear-ending' him. That doesn't make sense either, especially being there was a Patrol car following towards the end.

There's $5 billion dollars that trail lawyers are seeking from Toyota, there is a monetary incentive. And there is also the fact he's wearing a ""Corvette Owners Club San Diego" jacket during his TV appearances.

Something smells fishy...

A grown "Corvette Owner" should be able to handle a puny 110hp Prius.

This story sounded too unreal yesterday, proving that earliest news is usually not too accurate. How could any adult experienced driver go tens of miles and not be able to place car into neutral; turn off ignition knowing both brakes and steering still work well even if all power assist to the brakes will loose power assist after a few brake pumps and power steering will get stiffer. And on a Prius, a lightweight car he could have just opened the door and stopped by shoe dragging for a mile... ala Fred Flintstone.
Now the money connection makes it even more unbelieveable. The guy wants the big Toyota to pay him dearly. That is an incredible (BS) story he has weaved. He lost all credibility when he was able to dial 911 on his cell phone; yet take no appropriate actions until a police vehicle assisted him. Panic errors happen in short moments; not 5-20 minutes. Arrest him Dano! He is a faker and needs some Pokey time to think about his wasting valuable police time and no doubt attempting to get some undeserved payoff from Toyota.

Toyota Hybrid Horror Hoax from forbes
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Now here's the potential smoking gun: Sikes told the reporters that "I was reaching down and trying to pull up on the gas pedal. It didn't move at all; it was stationary." That's awfully daring for somebody who insisted he didn't even want to take a hand off his steering wheel, notwithstanding that he did so to hold his phone.I tried to imitate Sikes' alleged effort in a 2008 Prius. From the front bottom of the steering wheel to the front bottom of the accelerator in up position it's 28.5 inches; while fully deployed it's 2.5 inches farther away. I have average-length arms (33-inch shirt sleeve) and no gut. But even though the steering wheel was as flush to the dashboard as it goes, it prevented me from all but touching the accelerator in the up position. To reach behind a deployed accelerator and get any kind of a grip you'd have to add at least three more inches. In my case, it required squashing my face against the radio and completely removing my eyes from the road. Only the tallest men could physically do what Sikes claimed he did and no press accounts refer his being exceptionally tall.

AP

SAN DIEGO — Investigators with Toyota Motor Corp. and the federal government were unable to make a Toyota Prius speed out of control as its owner said it did on a California freeway, according to a memorandum obtained Saturday by The Associated Press that a congressional spokesman says casts doubt on the driver's story. James Sikes, 61, called 911 on Monday to report losing control of his Prius as the hybrid reached speeds of 94 mph. A California Highway Patrol officer helped Sikes bring the vehicle to a safe stop on Interstate 8 near San Diego.