Re: Runaway Toyotas
I think most of it is panic. You can do quite a bit with the brakes as a very first step. You'd be surprised how much braking power can override even a racing engine.
The problem with some cars is that the ignition is not as simple as just turning the key off. I've seen pushbutton ignitions although I've never used one, and I don't know how easy they are to switch off. If you do have a normal ignition it's the best step, though. It worked for my wife when a motor mount broke on her engine and pulled the accelerator cable.
Of course shifting to neutral works. How can it not work? Sometimes you have to hit the brake to shift.