A sad comment on Toyota--and our government.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...te3hl18&pos=10

This is all you really need to know:

"Former regulators hired by Toyota Motor Corp. helped end at least four U.S. investigations of unintended acceleration by company vehicles in the last decade, warding off possible recalls, court and government records show."

 

It is becoming more and more apparent to me that Toyota's reputation of putting the customer first was an illusion. They are pretty much lying in their "apology" commercials, as factories were receiving recall parts before dealers so that they could get the lines moving again while their customers wait.

If it is true about influencing the NTSB to this extent, it is far more egregious than anything I can recall any another auto manufacturer doing. Safety recalls are one thing, covering them up for years as people are injured/killed by your product is quite another.

Toyota and the Government - heads need to roll on both sides.

 

while in the end all companies have recalls and I am sure toyota is no better or worse then some of the others.
I can't say I'm not enjoying them getting piled on.

 

IMO Toyota was never the clean, green, feel good car company everyone seemed to think they were. Yes they have an amazing management style and should be given all the credit due for their high marks in reliability and quality of their mass produced vehicles. They raised the bar in those areas and set a new standard that has moved the automotive business forward.

The reality is that Toyota is just another car company and to get to the size they are took using every advantage they could find and some help from their home government. No different than their competition. They are no better or worse than any other car company they compete with and they should have been treated that way long ago. This recall is more about Toyota being exposed for who they really are by the media and perceptions being changed than the actual issue. The recall is significant and very serious because of the fatalities but it's only staying on the front page of the news because of how Toyota has and is handling the issue.

 

That appears to be the nature of the relationship between government and big business. If you've ever watched the documentary "Food Inc.", it shows how the top policy makers are all ex-executives from the companies they now regulate.

 

Same thing with the FDA and Big Pharma. The only difference is that the two are even more entwined.

 

Between this, Food, Inc, and the FDA, do you get the feeling we should:

a. Throw them all out?
b. Give them more power?

Just askin.

 

Nawww!

Can't happen. It's just a conspiracy theory. I don't believe in conspiracy theories, period. Not even if the evidence is overwhelming! It just doesn't happen.

No matter which way you look at it, the Government's ownership of GM is the real problem, perceived or not.

 

The government's ownership of GM is definitely a problem.

However, it has nothing to do with Toyota's current woes.

 

/sarcasm

 

LA Times: Toyota faces massive legal liability

 

I know you were being sarcastic. I'm just saying that I DO think that situation is a problem (completely aside from this Toyota mess).

 

I just wish the sheeple would open thier eyes..

 

They have, but most will put their head back down and happily continue eating their grass, just as they have been...

 

Go figure, the feds go looking for "experts" in the field and hire ex-execs to fill the roll and while they get thier experts, thet also get people entirely sympathetic to the area they are supposed to regulate.

I guess it has its advantages since, but it makes you wonder how much people rub elbows or look the other way rather than doing thier job as it should be done.