McHenry Forum - Crash Reconstruction & Simulation

Ray LaHood, the 16th U.S. Secretary of Transportation, has become a lightening rod for disinformation and confusion about the Toyota recalls.
See the latest stories on his antics: From saying Toyota was "a little safety deaf." to pronouncements to Stop driving it. Take it to a Toyota dealer because they believe they have a fix for it". Note his surly "because they believe they have a fix"?? WHAT? Ray, do you think they're fooling? Do ya think Toyota is hiding something?
The U.S. Secretary of Transportation apparently forget his role:
Leadership!
Lead us not into confusion!
STOP confusing the public with scare tactics expessing your apparent and blatant skepticism at the Toyota solution.
Why are you so skeptical? Is it because you've heard that the lawyers and billionaire software developers "have a hunch" that there is more to the unintended acceleration issue than Toyota's solution targeting the the gas pedal and/or floor mat interference.
NHTSA's Mission is: Save lives, prevent injuries and reduce economic costs due to road traffic crashes, through education, research, safety standards and enforcement activity.
NHTSA's Core Values: NHTSA is dedicated to achieving the highest standards of excellence in motor vehicle and highway safety. The agency strives to exceed the expectations of its customers through its core values of Integrity, Service and Leadership
Leadership means working through the proper channels to bring about change and investigate issues!
It does not mean using and abusing the press to pump sound bites and confusion into the already confusing Toyota situation.
Enough is Enough Ray LaHood. Tone the frantic messages down. Tone it down!

Front page story says it all...
Feb 4, 2010: News and Observer Should Toyota's be in Drive or Park?
Many Toyota drivers in North Carolina scoffed Wednesday when the U.S. transportation secretary warned Americans to stop driving 2.3 million cars that have been recalled for sticky gas pedals.
Drivers said they were already confused about the recent Toyota warnings, in which the gas pedals are blamed for sudden acceleration. Wednesday's events only muddled things more.
Charles George,80 of Raleigh summed it up nicely when he said "Fire LaHood for his untimely, hysterical and uncalled-for remarks."
See the Full Story

Apparently I am not the only one to think something is wrong with the NHTSA/LaHood response to the Toyota recalls…
Some have sent me emails mentioning ‘Well what do you expect with the Government owning GM? Of course they want to bring Toyota down!”
For another take on the subject see Toyota and the Union-Backed, Government-Led Witch Hunt
Quoting from the thread "LaHood’s comments and the call for House Congressional Hearings into Toyota, led by members with union-heavy districts whose interests appear to be self-serving, has led to a public outcry from a bi-partisan group of Governors whose constituents rely on Toyota for employment. Led by Gov. Mitch Daniels (R-Ind.) who says, “Let’s recall. Let’s fix it…If a fine is in order, then fine, but they have gone so far beyond that. It’s very, very suspicious in view of the government conflict of interest.” Daniels added, “These Congressmen running this committee have their own agenda and it is a discriminating agenda in this case. They didn’t do this the last several hundred recalls""
NOTE: I’m not particularly thrilled that the commentator of this link, Brian Johnson may be an conservative ideologue who’s recent claim to fame is ‘appearing on Fox News’ (the Murdoch funded ‘fair and balanced’ conservative propaganda machine).
However, being an independent thinker, I’ve posted the link as it does give some interesting theories to consider, however paranoid and conspiracy laden they may be..

Feb 24, 2010: Today, Ray Lahood, the 16th U.S. Secretary of Transportation, continued to be a lightening rod for disinformation and confusion about the Toyota recalls.
A question from Rep. Edolphus Towns, D-N.Y., chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform to Secretary Ray LaHood on behalf all of those Toyota owners and drivers: Are the cars safe to drive?
LaHood replied "We have listed every Toyota that's up for recall" on the Transportation Department Web site, LaHood said. "I want anybody who has one of those cars to take it to the dealer and make sure it gets fixed." LaHood said those vehicles on the recall list posted on his department's Website, http://www.dot.gov, "are not safe."
UNBELIEVABLE!
Please see the important points which have been left out of the whole Toyota discussion
See Ray LaHood: Some Toyotas 'not safe' and the Associated Press coverage of the hearings today Toyota CEO apologizing for recall, accidents