On Wed, 25 Nov 2009 18:53:50 -0600, Ignoramus20054
wrote:

This happened to me once (gas pedal stuck under a mat). I was driving
a Ford Taurus back then. I had about 1-2 seconds to think about it.

My solution was to turn off the engine with the key.

I almost **** my pants, as this happened in a parking lot full of
people.

i

Happened to me as well. '69 Pontiac IIRC. One of the infamous small
block/delaminating engine mount/auto full-throttle models. I was
stopped and waiting to make a left turn across 2 lanes of traffic and
into a parking lot. When my opening came I stepped on the gas and the
peddle sucked itself to the floor. Definitely got my attention. By the
time the car crossed the curb line into the parking lot my hand was on
the ignition switch. With both feet on the brake and struggling to
steer as the engine died, I was stopped before I got very far into the
lot. I believe that the instinct to kill the engine comes from having
some affinity with mechanical things, something that few have anymore.
These days many people's first instinct would be to hit the Onstar
button. ;-) Check this out for my favorite example of where "a car
is just another appliance" attitude is taking us.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbX_I_lrmIc

Wayne