NHTSA complaint: 2006 FORD F-150 — STRUCTURE
I AM 6'5" AND WEAR SIZE 16 SHOES. WITH MY SIZE AND THE DISTANCE TO THE PEDAL MY LEGS GO A LITTLE TO THE SIDE AND MY SHOE IS AT AN ANGLE TO THE PETALS LETS SAY 30 DEGREES. I WEARING TYPICAL WORK BOOT (LIKE IN FORD COMMERCIALS) WHICH THE LACES HAVE PEGS THE SHOE LACES GO AROUND. THESE PEGS ARE THE SAME AS ALL WORK BOOTS (RED WINGS - $300 BOOT). WHAT HAPPENED IS BECAUSE THE BRAKE PEDAL HAS A THICK RUBBER PAD THAT STRETCHES AROUND THE METAL BRAKE PEDAL AND LEAVES A RIDGE IN THE BACK OF THE PEDAL ALL THE WAY AROUND (SO THE RUBBER FITTING GOES OVER IT LIKE A SHOWER CAP). ALSO THE TRUCK IS AN AUTOMATIC AND THE BREAK PEDAL IS VERY LARGE. WHILE BACKING UP GIVING JUST A LITTLE GAS MY BOOT SHOE LACE PEG GOT TRAPPED BEHIND THE BRAKE PEDAL AND WAS HOLDING MY FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL DEPRESSING IT DOWN. BECAUSE THE RUBBER RIDGE RUNS ALL THE WAY AROUND MY PEDAL (AS DESIGNED) I COULD NOT MOVE MY FOOT TO THE SIDE OF THE BRAKE PEDAL TO RELEASE THE GAS. BECAUSE OF THE THICKNESS OF MY FOOT WHEN I PRESSED THE BREAK WITH MY OTHER FOOT, IT MOVES THE GAS PEDAL DOWN AT THE SAME RATE AS MY FOOT IS TRAPPED, SO THE MORE YOU PRESS THE BRAKE THE MORE YOU GIVE GAS AT A RATIO THAT DOES NOT LET ME STOP THE VEHICLE. (NOTE I USE ONLY ONE FOOT FOR THE GAS AND BRAKE NORMALLY BUT WITH MY RIGHT FOOT TRAPPED I HAD NO OTHER CHOICE BUT TO USE MY LEFT FOOT TO BRAKE AND TRY TO GET IT THE TRUCK OUT OF GEAR . I COULD NOT DO ANYTHING IN TIME AND HIT A STATIONARY BUILDING. IF SOMEONE WAS BEHIND ME, THEY WOULD
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation