what's wrong with this picture?

[Kent McLean]

Richard Sargent wrote:

> After being stopped at the light for probably 20 or 30 seconds,
> the engine suddenly raced up to about 3 or 4 thousand rpm, and 
> I had to apply FIRM pressure to the brake pedal to hold the 
> car in place. 

And that is the point.  You were able to stop the car
by applying the brake. No one is saying that cars cannot
accelerate on their own. Where the lies come into play
is when the driver claims the brakes wouldn't stop the
car. Maybe if their brakes were defective; but that
never seems to be the case.  If there is some magic
"more horsepower than the brakes can handle" hidden in
the engine, you can't bet a year's pay the manufacturer
would be unleashing it.  My guess is the driver
mistakenly has his/her foot pressed hard on the gas,
thinking it's on the brake. "It was possessed. I
pressed the brake pedal through the floor, but the
car wouldn't slow down." Sorry, I don't believe it.

You've just plowed into a crowd of innocent bystander.
What are you going to say, "I must have had my foot
on the gas." or "The car wouldn't stop."? If you have
no spine or ethics, you choose the latter.

JMTC,
Kent
'89 200 TQ, "Bad Puppy"