Comments on: English Cop Cars http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2005/07/31/english-cop-cars/ General interest observations and true web-log. Sun, 12 Feb 2012 10:31:23 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: don http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2005/07/31/english-cop-cars/comment-page-1/#comment-88279 don Sat, 21 Jan 2006 00:09:11 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=2446#comment-88279 I spent my teenage years joyfully leaving persuit mustangs and everything else they had in the dust. Cops aren't really trained to drive. An ex-CHP I know related how the standards had to be dropped back in the late 60'-early 70's when female cops couldn't pass the driving tests. Look in the parking lot of your local cop shop. The boys in blue generally aren't car enthusiasts. Furthermore, I you grow up motoring around the city you don't learn the finer points of four wheel drift and other aspects of high speed handling that become natural to the hot rodders from the hill country. DC I spent my teenage years joyfully leaving persuit mustangs and everything else they had in the dust. Cops aren’t really trained to drive. An ex-CHP I know related how the standards had to be dropped back in the late 60′-early 70′s when female cops couldn’t pass the driving tests. Look in the parking lot of your local cop shop. The boys in blue generally aren’t car enthusiasts. Furthermore, I you grow up motoring around the city you don’t learn the finer points of four wheel drift and other aspects of high speed handling that become natural to the hot rodders from the hill country.

DC

]]> By: Rob Cowie http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2005/07/31/english-cop-cars/comment-page-1/#comment-62797 Rob Cowie Wed, 03 Aug 2005 18:27:31 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=2446#comment-62797 Most British motorway police use higly modified volvos - they can outrun almost any production car in existence and plenty of customs sports cars as well. My brothers a cop and he doesn't know how his force chooses the cars they have. Obviously, they are tested for performance (all forms of performance, speed, braking, fuel economy, off road capabilities etc.) BUT they have at least 15 different models in service. Oh BTW, why is buying products produced in your own Country patriotism? Most British motorway police use higly modified volvos – they can outrun almost any production car in existence and plenty of customs sports cars as well.

My brothers a cop and he doesn’t know how his force chooses the cars they have. Obviously, they are tested for performance (all forms of performance, speed, braking, fuel economy, off road capabilities etc.) BUT they have at least 15 different models in service.

Oh BTW, why is buying products produced in your own Country patriotism?

]]> By: Dave http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2005/07/31/english-cop-cars/comment-page-1/#comment-62645 Dave Tue, 02 Aug 2005 01:00:37 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=2446#comment-62645 IMPALA, NOT MALIBU. Phew, there. A lot of departments are going to have to switch to something new, since they joined in the class action suit against Ford. It will be interesting to see what they go to, especially in the midwest. Impalas do not fare well when there's a decent amount of snow on the ground. IMPALA, NOT MALIBU.

Phew, there.

A lot of departments are going to have to switch to something new, since they joined in the class action suit against Ford. It will be interesting to see what they go to, especially in the midwest. Impalas do not fare well when there’s a decent amount of snow on the ground.

]]> By: anon coward http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2005/07/31/english-cop-cars/comment-page-1/#comment-62606 anon coward Mon, 01 Aug 2005 16:17:00 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=2446#comment-62606 Those crown Vics get turned over ever couple of years IIRC. They are driven hard and are retired quickly. Given the abuse, it may make more sense to save a few bucks and go with the american cars, I don't see how much longer a volvo or lexus would run in the given environment. Also, the weight of the vehicle is important, so they can force other cars off the highway. Although I don't know the weight of the european models. I know the CHP demo'd a volvo many years ago, and I thought I saw it on the highway a few years back. But they didn't end up buying any, I think it was a scare tactic. Those crown Vics get turned over ever couple of years IIRC. They are driven hard and are retired quickly.

Given the abuse, it may make more sense to save a few bucks and go with the american cars, I don’t see how much longer a volvo or lexus would run in the given environment.

Also, the weight of the vehicle is important, so they can force other cars off the highway. Although I don’t know the weight of the european models.

I know the CHP demo’d a volvo many years ago, and I thought I saw it on the highway a few years back. But they didn’t end up buying any, I think it was a scare tactic.

]]> By: Tim O'Guin http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2005/07/31/english-cop-cars/comment-page-1/#comment-62602 Tim O'Guin Mon, 01 Aug 2005 15:11:01 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=2446#comment-62602 <blockquote cite="Anthony">I don’t think I have ever heard of a high speed chase where the cops couldn’t keep up…</blockquote> Well, if the cops couldn't keep up then it wouldn't be much of a chase, would it?

I don’t think I have ever heard of a high speed chase where the cops couldn’t keep up…

Well, if the cops couldn’t keep up then it wouldn’t be much of a chase, would it?

]]> By: Ed Campbell http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2005/07/31/english-cop-cars/comment-page-1/#comment-62596 Ed Campbell Mon, 01 Aug 2005 13:48:35 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=2446#comment-62596 Although it has 85% of the US police car market, there are a number of class action suits filed by police departments against Ford for the Crown Vic. http://www.usaction.org/site/pp.asp?c=eiJPJ5OVF&b=122351 The Malibu is a piece of crap compared to the Crown Vic, much less the European cars described in the posting. The question is the safety of police officers -- not profits for car manufacturers. Although it has 85% of the US police car market, there are a number of class action suits filed by police departments against Ford for the Crown Vic.

http://www.usaction.org/site/pp.asp?c=eiJPJ5OVF&b=122351

The Malibu is a piece of crap compared to the Crown Vic, much less the European cars described in the posting. The question is the safety of police officers — not profits for car manufacturers.

]]> By: gquaglia http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2005/07/31/english-cop-cars/comment-page-1/#comment-62582 gquaglia Mon, 01 Aug 2005 08:23:59 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=2446#comment-62582 The Crown Vic is a POS. The Impala is too small and the Dodge Magnum is unproven. Imports would be better, but they cost too much. The Crown Vic is a POS. The Impala is too small and the Dodge Magnum is unproven. Imports would be better, but they cost too much.

]]> By: Lou http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2005/07/31/english-cop-cars/comment-page-1/#comment-62569 Lou Mon, 01 Aug 2005 02:58:57 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=2446#comment-62569 Regarding: "Do they care about performance and durability? Or can’t they hire and train anyone capable of driving a hot car? " Is there a reason why you (or anyone) is claiming this? Are the USA's police cars and police driving worse than Europe's? Where are the stats behind this anti-american screed? Where are the stories about how we are losing the war on _____ (drugs/terror/etc.), because of our bad police persutes.... c'mon..... And what happened to the Buy American patriotism that is occassionally expressed on this blog? Regarding: “Do they care about performance and durability? Or can’t they hire and train anyone capable of driving a hot car? ”

Is there a reason why you (or anyone) is claiming this? Are the USA’s police cars and police driving worse than Europe’s? Where are the stats behind this anti-american screed? Where are the stories about how we are losing the war on _____ (drugs/terror/etc.), because of our bad police persutes…. c’mon…..

And what happened to the Buy American patriotism that is occassionally expressed on this blog?

]]> By: Anthony http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2005/07/31/english-cop-cars/comment-page-1/#comment-62559 Anthony Sun, 31 Jul 2005 23:29:55 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=2446#comment-62559 As long as they get the job done right? I don't think I have ever heard of a high speed chase where the cops couldn't keep up... As long as they get the job done right?

I don’t think I have ever heard of a high speed chase where the cops couldn’t keep up…

]]> By: Scott Q http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2005/07/31/english-cop-cars/comment-page-1/#comment-62553 Scott Q Sun, 31 Jul 2005 22:25:57 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=2446#comment-62553 Crown Vics, not LTD's. Ford and Chevy make the only police cars left in the American Market, and the demise of the Crown Vic has been rumored for years and years. Most of the automakers seem to be pushing Special Service vehicles to the truck line, the Explorer/Expedition from Ford, the Durango from Dodge, and Yukon/Suburban from Chevy. Having tried to figure out how to mount a laptop and associated equipment in a Durango, give me a Crown Vic any day. The Malibu's are horrible on interior room. I'm hoping to get my hands on one of the new '06 <a href="http://www.njlawman.com/Feature%20Pieces/Dodge%20magnum.htm" rel="nofollow">Dodge Magnum Police vehicles</a> sometime in the next few weeks - they look very promising on paper. A Charger version is rumored too, but I think they'll have the size problems of the Mailbu. Crown Vics, not LTD’s. Ford and Chevy make the only police cars left in the American Market, and the demise of the Crown Vic has been rumored for years and years.

Most of the automakers seem to be pushing Special Service vehicles to the truck line, the Explorer/Expedition from Ford, the Durango from Dodge, and Yukon/Suburban from Chevy. Having tried to figure out how to mount a laptop and associated equipment in a Durango, give me a Crown Vic any day. The Malibu’s are horrible on interior room.

I’m hoping to get my hands on one of the new ’06 Dodge Magnum Police vehicles sometime in the next few weeks – they look very promising on paper. A Charger version is rumored too, but I think they’ll have the size problems of the Mailbu.

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