Warning: NYC cops using old cabs as crusiers

[jpachard]

I know this might be old news to some but the NYPD has taken up to using old cabs as cruisers to catch people for traffic violations, especially speeding.

Frankly, I can justify this for stake outs etc. but nailing people for speeding, not cool.

When I lived out west people were told NOT to pull over for a car that didn't expressly look like a police car.

[onlycafe]

i would be pretty suspicious if i saw this trailing me.

[jpachard]

HAHA, Awesome.

I actually saw what I was describing this morning on my way in to work. Cab looked the part all the way down to the medallion.

[stomachmonkey]

[m21sniper]

Who drives in NYC?

[Zeke]

That is great. Repurpose a repurpose.

[onlycafe]

i used to, way back when.
still would if i have to, it's fun.
.

[jpachard]

I drive for now because I have easy parking where I am plus it's a reverse commute for me. I think I'm the only guy going North on the Henry Hudson in the am....

[flatbutt]

who can speed in nyc?

[m21sniper]

That too.

[onlycafe]

hot laps on the central park drive.

[Tobra]

I would never pull over for an unmarked vehicle, ever.

[MMARSH]

Originally Posted by Tobra

I would never pull over for an unmarked vehicle, ever.

I agree. But, about two years ago, I got boxed in and pulled over once in Idaho, by a unmarked Black SUV and a Blue minivan with a stick on light on the roof....or rather my motorcycle was forced over to the side of the road...for about 30 seconds or so, things were alittle tense.

Curious to see what these Taxi cabs look like.

[VINMAN]

NYC. uses whatever cars they have sitting in the impound yard, for their unmarked vehicles, especially the street crime unit.

[TimT]

NYC. uses whatever cars they have sitting in the impound yard, for their unmarked vehicles, especially the street crime unit.

Yes.... and this can be anything from a Checker Cab to Z06 to a beat to schiess old Explorer...

[m21sniper]

I saw a uniform Philly cop the other day in a beat to crap old mini-van.

Or rather, i should say I saw that cop harassing a bunch of people that were double parked.

He was clearly on duty as he had his radio strapped on.

[304065]

Years ago I actually saw one of their units, had a real medallion number on the top and everything, otherwise indistinguishable from a yellow cab EXCEPT for the four very serious individuals sitting straight up inside, and no partition (not all cabs have a partition, particularly individual medallions, which have a second letter that is in the range of A through F).

There are at least 13,000 yellow cabs in NYC, I would not at all be surprised if NYPD had several units. Great way to hide in plain sight.

Speeding enforcement? Really? Hardly ever seen it, maybe on the highways. They mostly write cell phone tickets- last two crackdowns for a single day resulted in approximately 6,882 tickets being written IN A SINGLE DAY.

And yet you still see people talking on handhelds while driving. . . trust me. . this town, while it ain't Paris or London in terms of traffic complexity, requires both hands and a brain.

I remember my first high-performance driving clinic at Jefferson Circuit-- high-speed lane change, threshold braking, slalom, going between narrowly spaced cones. . aced them all and the instructor said, "have you done this before?" "No but I do drive in New York City. . . ."

[TimT]

Speeding enforcement? Really? Hardly ever seen it, maybe on the highways.

Secondary roads no...

Watch out on the Clearview or Belt..Cross Island around Northern, Francis Lewis between GCP and the LIE...

The GCP near the Nassau line...

Nassau Expy..

Lots of speed traps in NYC

I'm sure Staten Island has tons but I don't have a passport to get there

[VINMAN]

Originally Posted by TimT

Lots of speed traps in NYC

I'm sure Staten Island has tons but I don't have a passport to get there

Yes Staten Island has a bunch.

Ask me how I know... There is one cop that sits in the same spot on this one service road. He has been there for years and to my amazement everyday I see him with someone pulled over.

[jcsjcs]

I got a pretty serious ticket on the BQE - 81 in a 45. The expressways have limits at 45 - which is a bit ridiculous.

I live and drive in New York City all the time.

It's actually often fun when you are not dealing with traffic and stop lights.

I occasionally take 1 a.m. drives around Brooklyn and Queens. The Jackie Robinson is a bit of a blast - with a really nice curvy section right in the middle.

I am not a reckless driver - especially compared to many drivers in NYC - and there are moments where it can be a lot of fun.

There is a New York City reference in the book The Driver - where he plans to lap NYC in record time. His inspiration is the drive through Paris in the 70s... an amazing short.