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Lol yes, that's pretty much the only "sports" car chase video that these programs will show. 99% are them chasing down minivans and old beaters, the other 1% are sports cars who crashed, not that they caught up with.
I know 150MPH is doable on highways or interstates, because I've done it. 160-180MPH in a high quality car on a decent road with little traffic, which is common out here, not everyone lives in a bustling metropolis.
This whole thread is ridicules. It's like saying you can rob a bank and get away with it which you can but chances are greater that sooner or later you'll be caught.
Are "police package" cars anything special? No, most of them simply have upgraded alternators and batteries. Their engines by and large are no different than the civilian model. In fact, most police departments are now speccing smaller engines (V6 vs. V8 in a Charger) in order to save on fuel costs. At the end of the day all the police purchasing agents care about is: acquisition cost and running cost.
Can you run from the police? Absolutely. Will you succeed? Sometimes. For the most part, the police will back off and let you go if you take it into crazy speed territories. The police know that chances are an innocent bystander will be the one who ends up injured in a high speed chase. As soon as it gets too risky, they will back off. If there is no air support available and they have no reason for chasing you other than speeding, then they would rather let you go.
Can you drive 160+ on an interstate? Sure you can. Most are not really conducive to this, but there are stretches where you can. Can the average driver handle their car going that fast and whether or not the the car can handle the sustained speed and braking is another question...regardless of how many "street racing videos" you've watched.
We inherited a 1988 Caprice police package. The police are really hard on their vehicles. This Caprice came with a 350, when civilian cars had a 305 at most. It was fast for its time, certainly faster than my 1988 Mercury Tracer.
The police suspension rode better to me than the softer suspensions of the time. This has changed, as today's cars often have stiff suspensions and extreme low profile tires. They have gone too far in the other direction, in my opinion.
Police cars were never faster than everything else on the road. Take the example of a 1970 Oldsmobile Delta 88 with the police package and a 455. A muscle car enthusiast would have bought a 1970 442 with the 455. It would be lighter, have an empty trunk (not packed full of police gear), and not have a lightbar to catch the wind at speed.
Much of the attraction of police cars to me was their heavy duty components. However, here in Ohio, bodys rust out long before the drivetrains fail.
Are "police package" cars anything special? No, most of them simply have upgraded alternators and batteries. Their engines by and large are no different than the civilian model. In fact, most police departments are now speccing smaller engines (V6 vs. V8 in a Charger) in order to save on fuel costs. At the end of the day all the police purchasing agents care about is: acquisition cost and running cost.
Can you run from the police? Absolutely. Will you succeed? Sometimes. For the most part, the police will back off and let you go if you take it into crazy speed territories. The police know that chances are an innocent bystander will be the one who ends up injured in a high speed chase. As soon as it gets too risky, they will back off. If there is no air support available and they have no reason for chasing you other than speeding, then they would rather let you go.
Can you drive 160+ on an interstate? Sure you can. Most are not really conducive to this, but there are stretches where you can. Can the average driver handle their car going that fast and whether or not the the car can handle the sustained speed and braking is another question...regardless of how many "street racing videos" you've watched.
Agreed. Usually a supervisor will call off a chase long before the cops involved are ready to give it up.
Are "police package" cars anything special? No, most of them simply have upgraded alternators and batteries. Their engines by and large are no different than the civilian model. In fact, most police departments are now speccing smaller engines (V6 vs. V8 in a Charger) in order to save on fuel costs. At the end of the day all the police purchasing agents care about is: acquisition cost and running cost.
Can you run from the police? Absolutely. Will you succeed? Sometimes. For the most part, the police will back off and let you go if you take it into crazy speed territories. The police know that chances are an innocent bystander will be the one who ends up injured in a high speed chase. As soon as it gets too risky, they will back off. If there is no air support available and they have no reason for chasing you other than speeding, then they would rather let you go.
Can you drive 160+ on an interstate? Sure you can. Most are not really conducive to this, but there are stretches where you can. Can the average driver handle their car going that fast and whether or not the the car can handle the sustained speed and braking is another question...regardless of how many "street racing videos" you've watched.
The average driver probably wouldn't be driving 160MPH or be in possession of a car capable of those speeds.
Because at one time police package meant performance package;plian and simple. they had name that indicated it like Pontiac had enforcer that in short run could catch about anything upto 100MPH. Now days pursuit is discourage because of liability. No days it often heavy duty brackets and such with even few having high performance Police tires.
A well trained driver in a slower car can easily keep up or catch a criminal with no professional driving training even if he's in a faster car. A criminal being chased by police will make stupid and reckless decisions. Sure, in a straight line road with no traffic, the faster car can get away. Cities and towns aren't like that. You can't get up to speed on city streets thus it cancels out the top speed advantage. You can have the best handling sports car in the world, but that means nothing in the hands of an amateur or novice driver. Some police departments purchase high performance sports cars for highway pursuit. Helicopters are a safer alternative.
I'm sorry but a police radio isn't much good if they didn't get a license plate number on the car. Cars like the GT500, ZR1, GTR, SLR, and others can do 200MPH, they'll find an exit and be miles away before a police car can radio in assistance and get to those areas. On the interstate there are too many exits and too much ground to cover if you're dealing with a super fast car.
Do you know police department that will engage in a 200mph chase on a public road?
I have discovered that a lot of people are under the impression that a "police package" car is very fast and very maneuverable. They seem to think a police packaged Crown Victoria, Dodge Intrepid, or Chevy Impala can go toe to toe with some sports cars and muscle cars.
A few years ago when I was driving an LS1 powered Camaro Z28 I had some guy in an unmarked Crown Vic trying to race me. Wasn't a cop obviously, but someone who had purchased the car after the force had retired the car and sold it. He told me something like, "You don't want none of this, it's got the police package".
Well let me dispel any rumors or doubt here.
A 2009 Crown Victoria weighs in at 4,100 lbs, is powered by a 4.6l DOHC V8 which makes 250HP and 297TQ.
The Camaro I was driving was an '01 with the LS1, weighs 3,400 lbs, is powered by a 5.7l OHC V8 which makes 350HP and 370TQ, plus I had a few low level mods on it.
It's not just this idiot driving an old unmarked Crown Vic either, but a lot of people seem to think that police cars are some very fast cars. For anyone unfamiliar with modifications on a car to make it faster or more maneuverable let me break it down this way, the mods they do to police cars barely goes above what the car was before it was turned into a police car.
The biggest disadvantage all police cars have is weight. Due to the roll cage, the bumper they put in the front, all the electronics and other equipment inside the average police car will weigh 300-500 lbs more than its factory civilian counterpart. The mods they put on these cars aren't headers, cam, turbo, supercharge, or nitrous or anything like that which would add some serious power. It's usually a tune, more free flowing exhaust, superior tires, performance shocks, etc. Pretty low level stuff when it comes to making an already heavy 4 door sedan "faster".
Is it just stupid people who don't know a lot about cars who believe this? Someone help break this down for me and why there are a lot of people out there who think police cars are SO fast.
But..but.but.....what about the police interceptor from "The Road Warrier"?
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