Floor Mat Safety Issue
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Oct 2005
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From: MA
Rookie
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From: New Jersey
Lexus Fanatic
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From: Virginia/D.C. suburbs
If the car has an electric power-steering pump, however, as more and more cars do today, you might still have steering assist after the alternator goes out, though, if the battery isn't too low.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 3,350
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From: California
Yeah, even till this day that I remembered in HS driver's ed, they tell you to shift into neutral, turn on your hazard, honk your horns, and look for shrubberies....things that can help slow you down.
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Lexus Test Driver
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From: MA
When i was young and dumb i had a set of those hella lame pedal overlays that glowed at night on my gas, and brake pedal. One day on the highway my accelerator got stuck under the floor mat cause of the increased width of the pedal, and the brake pedal had folds of mat under it like someone else said on this thread. The second the condition happened at 80+ I went into complete panic mode. Everone saying, "why didnt he just turn the car off!" Well turning the car off would kill the power steering, and honestly that thought did not cross my mind in the midst of panic, and fear! I tried to slam on brakes which did not work cause when u slammed on brake it caused the gas to go down more cause of how the mats was all tangled up. That overrode the power of the brakes and the car continued increasing speed. It would not slow down. Car got up to 100+ as I was about to hit car in front of me. Once I looked down and realized what was going on I had to reach down and pull the mat with force. If the road was curving or anything but a straight line I don't think i could have looked down. It was crazy. I could imagine someone else in the situation not doing the right thing in the critical panic seconds. Even a CHP cop.
After hearing the story of the family in cali I had shivers for a while. And hearing that the car went OC off road I was thinking it might have been when the cop realized the mat was tangled, and took his eyes off the road to try to pull it out.
Moral of the story- Make sure u always have anchors on ur floor mats, IN THE DAMN HOLE on the mat, and make sure u never put riced out pedal overlays on.
After hearing the story of the family in cali I had shivers for a while. And hearing that the car went OC off road I was thinking it might have been when the cop realized the mat was tangled, and took his eyes off the road to try to pull it out.
Moral of the story- Make sure u always have anchors on ur floor mats, IN THE DAMN HOLE on the mat, and make sure u never put riced out pedal overlays on.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Jan 2003
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From: ca
it takes a bit of time to get up to 120MPH, if he had time to call 911 couldn't he have put the car in neutral and use the emergency brake? This was not just an average driver, it was a cop who must have had some defensive driving classes or emergency course training right, at the very least shouldn't cops have some type of panic training so they make good decisions in emergencies?
Last edited by toy4two; Sep 16, 2009 at 10:58 AM.
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Oct 2005
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From: MA
Well, this is absolutely true, when you're in a panic mode, you're not thinking straight. It is much easier to make suggestions on the internet then being in the actual situation, however it also goes back to the fact that it is way too easy to get your driving license in this country these days. Before you get your driving license, they should require you to learn how to deal with such situations and other mechanical break downs.
Lexus Fanatic
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From: tech capital
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 94,226
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From: Virginia/D.C. suburbs
Well, yes and no. Sure, if you are using factory mats or similiarly-shaped ones with a comparable hole, go ahead and use the clip/anchor. But I've used aftermarket rubber/all-weather mats for decades, without an anchor ( I don't use the factory carpeted ones because they are too hard to clean). I've never had any problem in over 40 years. Just place them in the floorwell so that the front right corner goes UNDER the accelerator pedal instead of over.