Another Cruise Control Story

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Terror As Cruise Control Locks At 60mph - Yahoo! News UK

Chase Weir, 22, realised he was unable to slow down when he tried to leave the motorway as he headed out of Melbourne.


Careering along in his Ford Explorer, he tried to slam on the brakes, but they did not stop him. He then tried to take the car out of gear but it would not budge - and when he tried to pull out the key it would not turn in the ignition.


He phoned Ford for advice but when nothing worked they asked to put him on hold. "I didn't really want to be on hold at that point. I hung up and rang 000," said Mr Weir.


"The (police) operator told me 20 times to stay calm and that help was on the way. "I was hysterical. I screamed at the lady on the phone 'I'm going to die'.
"I have never been so scared in all my life."


Officers told him to get into the left lane and sent cars to drive in front of him, clearing vehicles with their sirens. The chaotic convoy then exited the freeway but the terrifying scenario got worse. Traffic was backed-up along the road forcing Mr Weir to drive on the other side of the road and towards oncoming traffic. He was racing towards a wall of cars when a frantic police radio operator ordered him to slam on the brakes.


"She told me to jump on the brake and pull the handbrake at the same time, which I did,'' a shaken Mr Weir said.


"I just shut my eyes. I could hear the tyres skidding on the road for what seemed like forever. I thought I was dead. When I opened my eyes, I was bonnet to bonnet with the car in front of me."


Ford Australia has told Australia's Herald Sun newspaper that there is no link between the recall of 4.5 million Explorers in October and Mr Weir's incident.