# Assholes drive cars too. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 5, 2004, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assholes-drive-cars-too/267686 "2004-10-05T18:06:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dog80](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6bbea6/32.png) [@Dog80](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dog80)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assholes-drive-cars-too/267686/1 "2004-10-05T18:06:45Z")
[http://www.wftv.com/newsofthestrange/3783378/detail.html](http://www.wftv.com/newsofthestrange/3783378/detail.html) The cruise control stuck at 190km/h and there was nothing the driver could do? :dubious: What an asshole! The simplest thing he could do would be to put the car in neutral. The other thing he could do (and he eventually did, according to the article) would be to brake hard . Car brakes are way stronger than the engine. You can stall the engine with the brakes even at full throttle. ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assholes-drive-cars-too/267686/2 "2004-10-05T18:11:30Z")
[From Yahoo:](http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=573&ncid=757&e=1&u=/nm/20041005/od_nm/driver_dc) > [@](#): > > The driver called police to say the cruise control of his Renault Vel Satis had jammed while overtaking a lorry, **and that all attempts to brake or put the automatic into neutral had failed** , police said Tuesday. Sounds to me that the guy did everything in his power to avoid catastrophic consequences, and succeeded. ---
**Author:** ![Dog80](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6bbea6/32.png) [@Dog80](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dog80)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assholes-drive-cars-too/267686/3 "2004-10-05T18:18:19Z")
**and that all attempts to brake or put the automatic into neutral had failed** Sorry, but that sets my Bull-o-meter off the scale. ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assholes-drive-cars-too/267686/4 "2004-10-05T19:23:01Z")
What with this DA? Can’t cancel cruise control. Can’t down shift. Can’t brake. Why not turn off the ignition? Works for me! CLUE: Article said it was a saloon car. He was a drunk DA! ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assholes-drive-cars-too/267686/5 "2004-10-05T19:27:33Z")
> [@spingears](#): > > What with this DA? > Can’t cancel cruise control. > Can’t down shift. > Can’t brake. > Why not turn off the ignition? Works for me! > > CLUE: Article said it was a saloon car. He was a drunk DA! It was an ignition controlled by a magnetic swipe card as opposed to a key, he says he had no way of turning off the ignition. And now is as good a time as any to mention that every time I see your name I read it as “Sping Ears” instead of Spin Gears, for some ungodly reason. ---
**Author:** ![AndrewL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@AndrewL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AndrewL)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assholes-drive-cars-too/267686/6 "2004-10-05T19:33:32Z")
If this story is true, the car has a serious design defect. A single fault causing the car to accelerate uncontrollable with nothing the driver can do to stop it? No manual override? Lawsuits, anyone? I was once driving a car in which the cruise control flaked out and decided to accelerate uncontrollably. A simple tap on the brakes stopped it, and very soon afterwards I had the cruise control mechanically disconnected. ---
**Author:** ![Dog80](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6bbea6/32.png) [@Dog80](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dog80)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assholes-drive-cars-too/267686/7 "2004-10-05T20:07:29Z")
> [@AndrewL](#): > > If this story is true, the car has a serious design defect. A single fault causing the car to accelerate uncontrollable with nothing the driver can do to stop it? No manual override? Lawsuits, anyone? > > I was once driving a car in which the cruise control flaked out and decided to accelerate uncontrollably. A simple tap on the brakes stopped it, and very soon afterwards I had the cruise control mechanically disconnected. Cruise controls have several layers of fail-safe systems. I can’t believe that all of them failed at the same time and on top of that, the driver could not put his auto box on neutral (a purely mechanical device) or apply the brakes (another purely mechanical device). This story is really fishy. ---
**Author:** ![lno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a8b319/32.png) [@lno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lno)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assholes-drive-cars-too/267686/8 "2004-10-05T20:10:26Z")
Slashdot had some [good commentary on this](http://slashdot.org/articles/04/10/05/1539203.shtml?tid=126&tid=1) from an engineering perspective (along with the usual dreck). ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assholes-drive-cars-too/267686/9 "2004-10-05T20:11:22Z")
> [@Dog80](#): > > Cruise controls have several layers of fail-safe systems. I can’t believe that all of them failed at the same time and on top of that, the driver could not put his auto box on neutral (a purely mechanical device) or apply the brakes (another purely mechanical device). This story is really fishy. Well it would be an interesting attempt at speeding and getting away with it, but that seems kind of odd too. The Yahoo article says they’re testing the gearbox, etc. and the results should be out Wednesday. Will be interesting to see what comes of it. ---
**Author:** ![MysteryFellow63427](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e4f/32.png) [@MysteryFellow63427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysteryFellow63427)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assholes-drive-cars-too/267686/10 "2004-10-05T20:11:53Z")
> [@TellMeI'mNotCrazy](#): > > And now is as good a time as any to mention that every time I see your name I read it as “Sping Ears” instead of Spin Gears, for some ungodly reason. Me too. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assholes-drive-cars-too/267686/11 "2004-10-05T20:16:50Z")
The article says that he was racing towards a toll booth, got scared and hit the brakes really hard and he finally stopped to end the incident. Isn’t it always the way that the solution is the last place you think to look? ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assholes-drive-cars-too/267686/12 "2004-10-05T20:19:25Z")
My bullshit-o-meter is reading pretty high on this one. Audi 5000 deja vu, anyone? ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assholes-drive-cars-too/267686/13 "2004-10-05T20:25:37Z")
This really sounds to me like the all to common headline: Elderly woman runs down group of schoolchildren. Says “The harder I hit the brakes, the more it sped up”. In this case though, the guy is 29 so he doesn’t even have the senile excuse. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assholes-drive-cars-too/267686/14 "2004-10-05T20:44:34Z")
> [@Dog80](#): > > Cruise controls have several layers of fail-safe systems. I can’t believe that all of them failed at the same time and on top of that… It’s not like this hasn’t happened before. I believe a Ford model was recalled for suddenly accelerating due to a faulty cruise control circuit, I’ll see what I can dig up. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assholes-drive-cars-too/267686/15 "2004-10-05T20:50:05Z")
That didn’t take long. > [@](#): > > [A Note on Automobile Cruise Control Faults and Sudden Acceleration](http://www.antony-anderson.com/cruise/6-freq.htm) > Dec 1999 : “2000 Ford Focus (31,000 vehicles) recalled because the speed control cable end fitting can allow water to enter the speed control servo assembly. If this occurs corrosion the servo assembly could develop and cause intermittent speed control operation or prevent the throttle from returning to idle. A throttle that does not return to idle could result in unexpected acceleration, increasing the risk of a crash.” ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assholes-drive-cars-too/267686/16 "2004-10-05T20:51:34Z")
> [@TellMeI'mNotCrazy](#): > > And now is as good a time as any to mention that every time I see your name I read it as “Sping Ears” instead of Spin Gears, for some ungodly reason. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assholes-drive-cars-too/267686/17 "2004-10-05T21:34:37Z")
> [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > That didn’t take long. > Quote: > A Note on Automobile Cruise Control Faults and Sudden Acceleration > Dec 1999 : “2000 Ford Focus (31,000 vehicles) recalled because the speed control cable end fitting can allow water to enter the speed control servo assembly. If this occurs corrosion the servo assembly could develop and cause intermittent speed control operation or prevent the throttle from returning to idle. A throttle that does not return to idle could result in unexpected acceleration, increasing the risk of a crash.” But even if you experienced unintented acceleration, A LOT of things would have to fail simultaneously in order for you not to be able to stop the car. The cruise control has an on/off switch, for one. It also has a second switch that disables it automatically when the brake pedal is pressed. If it’s a manual transmission, it has a clutch pedal switch as well. Then the transmission would have to somehow get stuck in Drive - the odds of that happening simultaneously with the cruise control failing seem astronomical. Finally, the brakes would have to fail too. When I was in high school, my family had a '65 Mustang. The motor mounts broke, and the engine would actually twist to the point that it pulled on the accelerator cable, causing the car to suddenly start accelerating. This happened to me, and it was kind of scary, but it was a very simple matter to just hit the brakes and overcome the engine power. Then I was able to hook my foot under the accelerator pedal and pull it back. I just can’t imagine all the things that would have to go wrong in order for it to be impossible to stop the car. ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assholes-drive-cars-too/267686/18 "2004-10-05T21:37:56Z")
> [@Dog80](#): > > Sorry, but that sets my Bull-o-meter off the scale. Oops, didn’t see this before. Didn’t mean to imitate what you said. Sorry about that. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assholes-drive-cars-too/267686/19 "2004-10-05T21:46:56Z")
> [@blowero](#): > > But even if you experienced unintented acceleration, A LOT of things would have to fail simultaneously in order for you not to be able to stop the car. The cruise control has an on/off switch, for one. It also has a second switch that disables it automatically when the brake pedal is pressed. If it’s a manual transmission, it has a clutch pedal switch as well. Then the transmission would have to somehow get stuck in Drive - the odds of that happening simultaneously with the cruise control failing seem astronomical. Finally, the brakes would have to fail too. Point is, it’s possible for the circuit to entirely short out thus disabling all the switches. As for the transmission and brakes, this guy was in the middle of traffic at 120MPH. Doing anything to mess up his car’s handling would have been disasterous. ---
**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assholes-drive-cars-too/267686/20 "2004-10-05T21:47:15Z")
> [@TellMeI'mNotCrazy](#): > > And now is as good a time as any to mention that every time I see your name I read it as “Sping Ears” instead of Spin Gears, for some ungodly reason. :smack: For some reason, I always have read it as “Sp **r** ing Ears” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assholes-drive-cars-too/267686.md?page=2)