The Toyota Syndrome

Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) has had its share of problems over the past several months or so. To a great extent, TMC’s integrity and reputation have been both questioned and maligned by the usual herd of “let me in on the action” ambulance chasing lawyers, news reporting buffoons, political pundits and all those freeloaders looking for a free ride.  This Blog is by no means, however, an effort to belittle any legitimate claims being brought against TMC for reported fatalities resulting from faulty engineering practices or cover-ups.  However, lets examine all the facts before we rush to administer “justice.”  You know a company has reached a low point when its executives are called before Congress to testify.  Talk about “the pot calling the kettle black.”

Recently I experienced a sudden perceived acceleration in my General Motors, Chevrolet Silverado truck.  It was truly a terrifying event, and I can certainly relate to the drivers of the suspected Toyota vehicles that have experienced sudden acceleration. In fact, Toyota executives may want to investigate my experience, as it may be relevant to their investigative analysis of reported runaways.

Several months ago my wife and I were returning from Bellaire Beach, Florida.  We go there occasionally to visit my wife’s mother.  On our return trip we were traveling on I-75 north, and we were nearing the Atlanta I-285 connector.  It had been a pleasant trip, and we had made numerous stops.  Our last stop had been in Macon, Georgia at the Bass Pro Shop.  My wife had earlier asked to stop at the Liz Claiborne store in South Georgia, which automatically gave me a “husband bargaining opportunity” to stop at a place of my choosing.  I usually opt for a State Maintained Rest Stop, as my bladder does not seem to hold as much as it use to.  Anyway, I apparently was having a good bladder day so I chose someplace different.

The Bass Pro Shop was well stocked with ammunition, but not owning a gun I chose not to make a purchase even though lead might be better than gold for future bartering given our current political and future economic situation. But, that’s another story. 

As we approached the outskirts of Atlanta, we began to experience a slow but steady rain.  It was now after sunset, and I was looking forward to being at home snuggling with my wife in a warm and cozy bed. I have these fantasies often now that I am older and can only day dream.  When I relate them to my wife she usually remarks, “Man, you are just having another nightmare.” But, like I wrote earlier, that’s another story.  For now I was happy nearing Atlanta where there would be more lighting on the highway.

It seems no one drives the speed limit in Atlanta, and I did not think too much about my speeding as I had just been trying to stay with the traffic flow. As I glanced down at my speedometer, I noticed that my speed had increased to eighty miles per hour. It was a little unsettling, but driving too slow can be as dangerous to your health as driving too fast on Atlanta roads.

With the rain and darkness I did not want to drive faster than the posted speed limit so I looked for a chance to move over to a slower lane of traffic.  My kids and wife have often made fun of my driving as it related to my insistence in obeying traffic signs and rules.  My son would often say, “Dad, even old ladies are passing you.  Drive a little faster.”  My reply would always be, “Son, I am driving the speed limit, and I do not like breaking the law.”  (He was not sixteen at the time, and I always tried to set a good example.)

The next time I looked down at my speedometer I was going nearly ninety miles an hour.  I remarked to my wife that people were driving way too fast for road conditions.  I let off some on my accelerator pedal and tried to settle in to the current traffics pace while at the same time beginning to have some apprehensions as to the current speeds and road conditions.

My next glance at my speedometer was frightening. I was doing well over ninety-five miles per hour.  But, cars were still passing me.  I remarked to my wife that I was going to pull over to the side of the road as soon as I could get over another lane, as I did not feel that I would be able to continue to drive at the speed we were traveling, especially with other car still passing us. I have never experienced a panic attack but the sensation of speed was over whelming. 

My wife is a mono-vision contact wearer, and I new she would not be comfortable driving in ninety plus miles per hour traffic. Now fully awake from her nap, my wife slapped me a couple of times across the head.  Lately she seems to enjoy doing that, but again, that is another story. You have seen the scene in the movies where the woman is hysterical and the man has to slap her to get her attention; this was just the opposite. Well, she didn’t actually slap me, but I was nearing a point that it might have helped. She calmly said  “Maybe there is something wrong with the speedometer (‘you old fool,’ I am sure she thought), and maybe you just think you are going over ninety-five miles per hour.”

She was right, my mental facilities realigned, and I realized that my tachometer was not in sync with my speedometer.  In trying to slow down by taking my foot off the accelerator, my truck actually was slowing which resulted in more cars passing me because I was no longer driving at a reasonable speed for traffic conditions.  Combine that with the speedometer actually being wrong, and you have the perfect storm sensation of something really “being wrong.”  My almost panic attack at the sensation I was experiencing was at the moment unrealistically frightening.  I can relate to what a driver of a Toyota might have experienced as their automobile truly was accelerating to a dangerous speed. 

As my wife and I had a good laugh at our situation I remembered there being a recall notice by General Motors regarding a potential instrument panel problem.   Once we were back at home I found my letter explaining the details of the recall. A class action suit had resulted in General Motors agreeing to extend the warranty on my vehicle to cover a potential instrument panel failure. The next day when I drove my truck the speedometer was functioning normally, and it has not failed since.  I have not returned the vehicle to have the instrument panel inspected, but I still have another couple of years left on the warranty, and I will eventually get around to it.

Life has its moments.  Thankfully for my wife and I this was not a “Toyota moment.”  When I recall other lethal accident incidences of various manufactures and their recall responses, I have to wonder about the “human” response to unexpected problems or perceived problems, and manufactures “cost analysis” solutions and public statements.

Our nation is in one of those moments now.  There are so many lies being told by our political representatives.  How can our President potentially sign legislation that was crafted from payoffs and back room deals that reward individual representatives and their political constituency with no regards for the future of our children and country. This cannot be real!  Not in America!

It is time for America’s politicians and its people to stop the foolishness.  I am tired of all the lies and misrepresentations of factual events by our elected officials and news reporting organizations.  America, we are riding in a runaway “Toyota” and unless we are able to safely stop our “vehicle,” our country will be permanently damaged beyond repair.  Who will we blame?  In truth, we will only have ourselves!

Until we can determine if we are in a perceived or an actual runaway “vehicle,” lets stop and consider the future of our Republic.  President Obama, you were elected to represent America in a new direction of transparency and honesty.  So far you appear to have failed on your promises, but there is still a chance for you to redeem yourself.

Are you prepared to represent all of America, or will you only represent those who are unwilling to accept responsibility for their own lives and who are willing to become totally dependent upon government for their “loaf of bread.”  Through our governmental programs teaching and supporting an “ineffectual and dangerous plantation mentality” we have promoted the dummying down of America,” and the promotion of a “you owe me society” with unconstitutional “rights” being expected and demanded by many of its citizenry. There is no reason for it to be this way.  Education and families must be rebuilt, and not by using the old political ways.

We are at a turning point.  Taking from those who have, to give to those who do not have, is not the American way and will ultimately lead to a third world impoverished land with its people living in hopelessness and despair. Communism, Socialism, and Fascism are not the answer; they have never worked and they will never work in an America where most of the people cherish freedom.  You can fancy up the “isms” and call them Progressivism, but you will still end up with a people dominated by a ruling class.

People of America, write your representatives and become vocal advocates of our Republic—the way it was originally designed, not a redesign by persons with agendas of destruction.

There is still hope for America and it is found in the words spoken by God to King Solomon found in 2 Chronicles 7:14 which reads, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” 

Will you turn from your ways and seek God, or will you choose to stay on the plantation?  I pray that you will find the light and escape from the darkness before it is too late.‘’ 

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This entry was posted on 11. March 2010 at 17:40 and is filed under Political, Humor. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response or trackback from your own site.