Grant is suggesting that perhaps instead of being a funny video of a ridiculous hit-and-run accident, that perhaps this is some kind of advertisement showcasing the BMW SUV's ability to literally run over other cars.
Pedal confusion. The driver thought their foot was on the brake, but it was really on the accelerator. It happens, and it can cause death, as in the link. Lizzie Grubman may have been the victim of it as well.
Yet one more reason I prefer a manual transmission. More things to do with the feet means they are less likely to get bored and confused.
Posted by spudbeach on October 27, 2009 at 3:06 PM
I get the impression that people who get the pedals confused are the type of drivers who speed up, slam on the brakes, speed up, slam on the brakes, rinse, repeat, repeat. How else can you explain why their accidents are so devastating? If they were going a reasonable speed in the first place, getting the brake and gas pedal confused would result in a fender bender at most.
Posted by keshmeshi on October 27, 2009 at 4:32 PM
@12: I think pedal confusion isn't much related to the kind of driving you're talking about. It tends to happen to very old or very young drivers, and the deaths come in parking lots and cross walks and the like. A novice (in fact, illegally novice) driver killed a girl here in the Boulder area not so long ago. The victim was sitting in a booth in a restaurant when the driver, trying to park a humongous SUV, instead gunned it through a plate glass window.
How could the driver have gotten the two pedals confused in this case? He/she is intentionally using the accelerator while driving up to the parking spot and then apparently doesn't let up until atop the two vehicles.
@ 14, watch it again. The driver is coming it at a reasonable speed and suddenly guns it right at the precise moment you'd expect him/her to hit the brake.
Pedal confusion is caused by people who use the left foot for the brake and the right foot for the accelerator. If everyone who drives an automatic would use the right foot for either the brake or accelerator and thereby avoid using both feet at the same time, these accidents wouldn't happen.
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