Just how fast is a Police Car?

[Purrybonker]

Not that I would ever promote or condone anything that's illegal but, hypothetically speaking...

I was on a lonely, lonely stretch of highway the other day, cruising at legal speed plus 15 kph (10 mph) or so. Over the crest of a hill I came upon a lone Mountie with one of those dash mounted radar units. He was parked on the shoulder facing toward me and had a victim parked behind him.

I didn't bother to slow down - he already had me if he wanted me. As I passed him he waived his finger in that "slow down - peckerhead" sorta way. He then got out his car and passed paper to his victim.

As I began to crest the next hill I noticed that he was now about a mile back and was in the process of executing a U-turn, beginning to follow me, or at least to come in the same direction as me. Got me thinking - flash back to high school days when I used to do this kinda thing - but only at night.

Assuming he didn't catch my plate info on my way by him (safe assumption I bet) - could I outrun him to a safe exit?

My '87 3.2 will hit rev limiter at about 145 mph or so, right? Is it likely that an RCMP (or any other, for that matter) Chevy Impala cruiser can run at that speed? Probably a ridiculous sort of gamble to even consider, but hypothetically speaking...

[Joeaksa]

The car is not the problem... the radio and his friends are!

Joe A

[Fishcop]

Can your 3.2 travel somewhere up near the speed of light? 'Cause thats how fast a radio wave will travel. That's the problem now, communication tends to be very good amongst law enforcement and another cruiser might be withing the vacinity.... at least close enought to get plate details.

[vash]

forget the plate details, what about that tire shredding strip they toss in front of you? you would be on one of those "amazing police chase videos".

[Jgordon]

I've always thought it would be a great reality TV special if they put together all the footage they have on high performance cars running from the cops.

"they" means the man.

[Jay Auskin]

I have a Crown Vic Police Interceptor. It will top out at 139MPH. A Police Camaro...if they're still around...150+. As others said, the radio waves are fairly instantaneous.

[Purrybonker]

This is a hypothetical, remember? I'm not suggesting some flat out run to lose every cop in the country.

All I want is a margin to get to an exit - get the hell off the road and cool off. If they can't keep visual or some positive kinda ID, they can't nail ya.

[Mr9146]

You would make it if you turned out your lights and put your foot to the floor ... but how brave are you?

Two of my buddies used to have FAST Camaros. They would make 1am banzai runs from the San Fernando Valley to Santa Barbara every other weekend back in high school. They'd turn off their headlights, head out on the 101, and put the pedal down. They never got caught.

So, once again, how brave are you?

PS: With the lights out, the cops can't see you coming OR going ... but you can't see them either. Or anything else, for that matter.

[85eurocarrera]

They go at least 126 mph here. Thats with two passengers, one being a boy scout, on the way to a hockey game. I suppose if she was by herself and didnt hit anyone, maybe 140 mph?

[jkarolyi]

>With the lights out, the cops can't see you coming OR going ... but you can't see them either. Or anything else, for that matter.

Time for some night vision goggles! :-D

[Emission]

From what I hear, the trick to outrunning the law is to do it fast. Every second is critical, as the radio, then eventually helicopters, get involved.

You need to lose the law within the first minute - then hide (blend in). Any longer, and you are dead meat. Motorcyles do it all the time.

I had a friend who passed a cop on the side of the highway when he (the friend) was doing 150+ in his 993. The cop was writing a ticket. My friend never lifted his foot... just kept going 150 until he got to the next offramp. He braked hard, exited, then took slow surface streets home.

The cop never had a chance.

[Adam]

Here's some info on cop cars

[fred cook]

Back in the early '70s a friend of mine had a 340 6 pack Cuda. He normally drove at two speeds, off and flat out. One day he was traveling out one of the interstates near Atlanta and passed a Ga. Highway Patrol car going about 135 mph. Thinking quickly, he slammed on the brakes, stuck the tranny in reverse and backed up to the cop as fast as he could. He then jumped out of his car, ran back to the window of the now astounded patrolman and said: "Boy am I glad I found you. There was a terrible wreck about 3 miles back and there are lots of injured people on the road!" The cop said "Follow me", drove to the closest exit to turn around and headed back toward Atlanta looking for the wreck. My buddy took the same exit but went north instead of west and spent the rest of the afternoon hiding from the police! His Sunday afternoon was ruined, but at least he got to keep his license. A classic case of brains (and guts) being better than horsepower.

Fred Cook
'80 911SC coupe

[Purrybonker]

Thanks Adam...

Candy from babies...

[n8marx]

In my high school days, 1992, I was driving my hot-rodded Chevelle on a two-lane country road, speed limit 50 mph, about 70 mph. Over the crest of a hill a State Trooper passed in the opposite direction. Glanced in the rear view and he had hit his brakes and began to turn around. In a flash I made the decision, stupidly I admit, to mash the loud pedal and motor on to the next intersection. My car buried it's 120 mph speedo quite handily and I never did see that trooper again.

Although, being the only orange Chevelle with black stripes in town I would surely have been recognizable at a later date. Stupid kids.

[Oldporsche]

My experience, as explaned by a judge of our local municipal court was this: If they loose sight of you, then its very hard to prove. At this point, they could follow you and if they have the guts to stop you, they can, and can ticket/maybe warn you. The thinking cop might let you off with a warning. When they go to court, the proof is that they have to keep you in their sight all of the time. This was a very friendly judge however that wasn't on the best of terms with the local constabulary. (He had a lead foot and a very nice '72 911T.)

[Adam]

Originally posted by n8marx:
In a flash I made the decision, stupidly I admit, to mash the loud pedal and motor on to the next intersection. My car buried it's 120 mph speedo quite handily and I never did see that trooper again.

A family friend did the same thing in his '88 widebody 911 a few years ago. He reached 215kmh (130mph) before his wife started screaming at him to slow down.

He got busted, fined $1200, had his licence suspended for 6 months and still blames his wife. Makes a great dinner conversation story.

[Steve 82SC]

Keep this in mind....if you attempt to secret your car by pulling off the road and "hiding," you can be written for "fleeing" or "eluding". In Illinois, this charge has approximately the same penalty as a DUI. These cases are scheduled in different courtrooms than everyday traffic offenses, which means that the expense of an attorney will be incured. If your're caught, your're caught. Sometimes it's better to just take it on the chin.
Steve

[350HP930]

I have ducked a ticket or two by speedily taking alternative routes to my destination when I knew the cops were busy pulling u-turns to catch me

The losing sight situation is the only way I would ever think of ditching the police.

Did anyone ever see the one episode of amazing videos where the stolen brown 911 ditches the cops several times but in the end spins out when trying to take an exit ramp too quickly?

[on-ramp]

i say floor it!
be the one that got away.




(has there ever been one that got away on those police chase videos on tv?)