Prius video - "2010 Toyota Prius brake problems. Easy fix, amazing documentry"

Sorry, I'm going to be a buzz kill, anal retentive @-hole to most of Prius Chat's enthusiasts.

I "get" the video, and I suppose in light of what seems to be report after unfounded report being blazed into the conciousness of consumers a reaction like this was about due. But I can't say it was funny to me.

Sam Kinison did a "joke" in his stand-up where he berated famine victims for "staying in empty barren deserts". I always hated that joke. It got big laughs but the logic behind the joke was that these "starving" people were being stupid for staying where food wasn't grown or sustainable. Trust me, I know comedy pushes buttons and boundaries, and I hope I'm not a self righteous prude, but maybe I am? To me nothing is out of bounds for humor, but respect should be paid to some realities. I thought it showed a shallowness of thought and a non-understanding of the realities of poverty and 3rd world famine within Kinisons' "joke". Some things I simply can't find too funny and one of them is people starving to death in poverty and famine.

I know the comparison isn't perfect and isn't fair, but similarly I think we need to be careful. Trust me, I have doubts galore about James Sikes and his story. I have doubts about every and any reported Toyota acceleration event lately that is emerging in light of the media climate that has been created. BUT my ego isn't such that I think I couldn't be wrong. I always assume my "feelings" or instinct could be wrong. Then it becomes for me the reality that "bottom line" unintended acceleration or an out of control vehicle isn't funny. Bottom line we don't have all the answers yet. So just in case, I'm wrong and there "is" a problem, I have to "try" to bite my tongue.

I suppose comedians or Gasitman, in this case are doing all of us a favor by saying what many of us are feeling...but in pushing the boundaries and/or under the flag of "humor" we still need to be a little careful.

I wondered outloud, and still do wonder why James Sikes didn't try neutral, power off, or evidently even The Emergency Brake, until confronted with a police officer. But I can't bring myself at this point to compare him to "Retards".

Maybe as I approach middle-age I've become too much of a prude? Accuse me of being a buzz-kill, or missing the joke. Maybe so, but I think I "get it"....I just don't think it's really all that funny.

I think Prius enthusiasts/owners and Toyota supporters have a lot of pent up anger and/or insecurities right now in relationship to the reality that is unfolding. When you are seemingly getting poked with a stick everyday with a new "Your Car is Trying to Kill You" story, while you see resale values start to drop, I suppose at some point a reaction like this becomes inevitable. I think I could of accepted a sarcastic "demonstration" but sorry gasitman, comparisons to "retards" is going a little over the line for me.

I know to an extent I'm being a hypocrite as well. I've been sarcastic and poked fun at others under the flag of humor.

I guess I'm saying I know these are trying times for Toyota supporters and Prius Owners, but let's be careful in how we react.

 

I'm sorry, but I think this kind of response is EXACTLY what is needed. The simple-minded people that will buy all the media hype need to have their ignorance exposed, and sometimes it needs to come in a harsh manner. There is no doubt in my mind that this James Sikes guy is a fraud. For him to be having this issue for a half hour, and only after the police arrive do the brakes and the power off method miraculously start to work is beyond suspicious. There are those that would argue that computer operated cars will have a mind of their own during a "Blue Screen of Death" episode can't seem to explain to me why after the police arrived, that the computer then started to behave? Did it reboot itself? Also the history of the man and his integrity has also come into suspicion as well. So I say, the people who attempt to create hysteria, or commit fruad such as Sikes, and those who buy anything the media feeds them need to be publicly humiliated. Or this kind of hyperbole will result in less innovation from car makers, and less emphasis on technology that can improve our lives with less emmissions and less dependence on foreign fossil fuels. This hysteria is dangerous, and people who attempt to capitalize on it need to be exposed, and some people just don't get it until they are clobbered over the head. This video makes an attempt. More need to be made, and they need to go viral.

 

Personally, I would have prefered the clip using someone with a more robust vocabulary. Excessive use of the F-word was more annoying than entertaining and reminded me of locker room talk during junor high school.

 

I agree in regards to doubts about James Sikes story and/or his motivation. Infact, I posted almost identical thoughts within one of the threads about his events.

You make some good points. Perhaps, I just woke up with sometype of fiberous timber like product up my sphincter. I just thought the "sarcasm" crossed the line in presentation to me.

Part of the problem is I think people feel Toyota needs a "Champion" right now. When all you've heard for weeks and weeks is accusation of "fault" or "defect" followed by the very Japanese response of Apology....I think there is a pent up feeling that Toyota needs someone like Gasitman to tell the majority to shut up and realize Toyota's are still the same cars we loved for decades.

So maybe I posted a post of my own that I don't know if I even fully agree with? That's a new one!

I can go with a sarcastic response, just the comparison to the mentally handicapped and the 40 "F" bombs pushed it over the line for me, but again, maybe I'm just in a bad mood today.

It's alright, give me a couple cups of coffee I'll get over it.

 

Gasitman posted in on youtube...the actual driver is anonomous. (probably a wise move)

 

I could have done without the tree hugger bashing and the fast lane stuff too. That was a bit over the top. There were lots of F-bombs, and probably not all necessary, but it could be the kind of thing that makes the rant go viral. And I hope it does. I'm hoping that there is a pushback from Prius owners on this that goes outside of the Priuschat forums.

This has been all red meat for the types that always hated any japanese car products. It's time for them to have a little humble pie for dessert.

I saw a news report this morning where a Chevy went through someones kitchen. Not one mention that it was a Chevy in the news report, and it probably didn't go outside of local news. But if it were a Toyota, no matter which model, it probably would be national news, and already blaming unintential accerlation without proof and only speculation.

 

If you guys like it so much, tell Danny to unban my IP address so I can post on here again. Been waiting for him to do it for 2 months now. I am tired of going to the library to look on here.

 

How could you consider this humble pie for the haters?

Either the prius had unintended accelleration and the prius owner thought putting it in neutral might flip the car, or a prius owner pulled a hoax. I can see how you might think its not so bad, but how does it show prius owners in a good light?

Didn't mind the f-bombs on the tree hugger comments, its infotainment on youtube not a news report. entertainment for those that want it, disclaimer in the thread for those that don't. If you read the disclaimer and still watched, don't complain.

 

Re: How to stop a prius (NSFW)

What a co-inkidink ... every tree along the side of the road is indigenous to Maryland! So Jerry ... where'd you buy that snowmobile mask!? I could use one for a couple youtube vid's myself, that I'd like to make for PC.

And for no good reason, i'm certain.

Something really innocent? What'd you do (try to be tactfull) to earn it ??

.

 

Thanks, I feel much better after watching the video.

 

Ditto/ like the church lady on SNL.

 

Yeah, I'll never be able to flip to Neutral without thinking
"... you F*in' retard!" ever again... and I flip to neutral
quite often. Heh.
.
_H*

 

It exposes their ignorance, and their lack of knowledge on how the car operates, PUBLICLY. Just look at some of the ignorant comments at the youtube site where the video is being run. You will still find those that think you will blow up the motor if you put it in neutral, or that the computer in the prius is experiencing the PC equivilent of the Blue Screen Of Death..

 

Thanks, I've gotten way different insults about the car. Didn't read the youtube comments.

 

funny

 

If somebody gets hurt or killed by an "out-of-control" Prius...sounds to me like Vehicular Darwinism.