1999 Toyota Avalon

I ENTERED THE FREEWAY AND SUDDENLY MY CAR ACCELERATED AND I HAD NO CONTROL OVER IT. I WAS SCARED TO DEATH. ALL I COULD DO WAS STEER. I STAYED IN THE RIGHT LANE AND STEERED UP THE EXIT RAMP. I PUSHED THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL, STAYED ON THE BRAKE, AND IT COASTED TO A STOP AT THE TOP OF THE RAMP, JUST BEFORE IT ENTERED THE INTERSECTION. I PUT IT BACK INTO DRIVE, AND IT TOOK OFF AGAIN. I PUSHED IT BACK INTO NEUTRAL AND STEERED INTO AN EMPTY PARKING LOT. I PUT IT IN DRIVE AGAIN AND IT WAS FINE. I DROVE AROUND THE PARKING LOT. FINALLY, I DECIDED IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE HOME, BUT NOT ON THE FREEWAY. WHEN I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC, HE DETERMINED THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE CAR. BY CHANCE, HE DISCOVERED THAT THE TIP OF THE MAT HAD APPARENTLY BEEN RESTING AGAINST THE BOTTOM TIP OF THE ACCELERATOR. HE CUT OFF THE TIP OF THE MAT. I REMEMBERED THAT THIS HAD HAPPENED ABOUT TWO YEARS PRIOR, ON A BUSY STREET, AS I DROVE OUT OF A CAR WASH. I HAD THE CAR TOWED HOME. ANOTHER MECHANIC FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. IT WAS PROBABLY THE MAT THAT FIRST TIME, TOO. BOTH INCIDENTS, ESPECIALLY THE SECOND ONE, WERE EXTREMELY FRIGHTENING. ALL I COULD WAS THANK GOD THAT THERE WAS NO COLLISION. *TR