Thoughts on driving a police car.

[shp4man]

I'm not a cop, but the place I work services a lot of police cars from many law enforcement agencies. Part of my road test area goes by a High School. You can tell when the little bastards are guilty of something by the way they act when you drive by. Too easy. On the freeway, everybody slows down to the posted limit, though they usually do about 85 in a 65 zone. I can hear them thinking "Christ, I wish that cop would exit..."  
The weirdest time was when I was sitting at a stoplight and some lady started yelling "ARREST THAT GUY!" at me. I looked at the park across the street and some dude had some kind of a tightrope/balancing thing going on and wasn't paying attention at all. . Didn't look like anything was going on to me.
The hookers wave at cops, too. WTF is up with that? Other cops wave at you, too.
Cop cars generally don't have am/fm radios, and the crap between the front seats (computers, light controls, cameras, etc.) is a pain in the ass to deal with.

[Laconian]

Did you test the top speed of the car? Because, you know you could've, and nobody would've said a peep...

[shp4man]

Did you test the top speed of the car? Because, you know you could've, and nobody would've said a peep...

Who, me? 

[S204STi]

I got to drive one of the CSU PD Impalas, just around the lot and into my bay to work on it.  The police package made a noticeable difference just in the parking lot.  One cool thing was that the steering gear had a way shorter ratio, was a lot tighter than other Impalas, and had good feedback.  Kinda wish they did that for all Impalas, they might actually be fun to drive!

[bing_oh]

Eh. I guess it's because I've been in LE for so long but I don't even think about it anymore. It was fun when I started, but it's just work now. Realistically, driving a cruiser is usually just driving a beat to shit, low-end, stripped-down grandpamobile will a slightly bigger engine.

On dayshift, it's like you're in a parade sometimes with all the people who wave at you. One of the many reasons I can't stand days. Dunno what kind of department you guys work on cars for, but I can't imagine not having a radio in the car...place must be run by one of those Nazi Gestapo chiefs. And, don't play with the buttons on the center console. You're liable to hit the ejector seat or self destruct if you're not careful.

[S204STi]

Here nobody waves at the cops.  Not that most people aren't cool with them, but we just don't have the small town culture.

When I was growing up though and there were no more than 2-4 LE personnel in the entire county (population 500 most of the year), we did wave at them.  In fact I've always known personally at least one LE officer on the force at one time or another.

[Morris Minor]

Cops drive around

On the freeway, everybody slows down to the posted limit, though they usually do about 85 in a 65 zone. I can hear them thinking "Christ, I wish that cop would exit..." 

Cops drive in little bubbles of legality.

[Mustangfan2003]

I've drove my dads Crown Vic some, not sure how to really describe it. 

[Rupert]

The tow truck driver yesterday (work truck brakes died again) was telling me that the Interceptor was, at one time, the fastest unmodified car on the road. I resisted the urge to inform him of that ridiculous error.

[The Pirate]

The tow truck driver yesterday (work truck brakes died again) was telling me that the Interceptor was, at one time, the fastest unmodified car on the road. I resisted the urge to inform him of that ridiculous error.

This simply blows my mind.  I work with a guy that is full of crazy shit like this.  The topic of used P71s came up, and he told me that there is no point in buying a used police car, because they take all of the go fast parts (bigger motor, supercharger, etc.) out of the cars before they sell them.

Ignorance knows no bounds...

[Mustangfan2003]

Man that is a pretty stupid statement.  About the only thing they take out of old police cars is the electronic equipment and the cage in the rear seat. 

[L. ed foote]

Here nobody waves at the cops.

Usually they do with a single digit... I think they're telling them that they're #1

[dazzleman]

I'm not a cop, but the place I work services a lot of police cars from many law enforcement agencies. Part of my road test area goes by a High School. You can tell when the little bastards are guilty of something by the way they act when you drive by. Too easy. On the freeway, everybody slows down to the posted limit, though they usually do about 85 in a 65 zone. I can hear them thinking "Christ, I wish that cop would exit..."  
The weirdest time was when I was sitting at a stoplight and some lady started yelling "ARREST THAT GUY!" at me. I looked at the park across the street and some dude had some kind of a tightrope/balancing thing going on and wasn't paying attention at all. . Didn't look like anything was going on to me.
The hookers wave at cops, too. WTF is up with that? Other cops wave at you, too.
Cop cars generally don't have am/fm radios, and the crap between the front seats (computers, light controls, cameras, etc.) is a pain in the ass to deal with.

I find police cars really cool for some reason.  Maybe it's the feeling of power.  I did two ride-alongs when I took my Citizen's Police Academy class and I loved it.  I even got to get behind the wheel to try to get the car out when it was stuck in the mud.  I think actually driving one would be really cool.

[L. ed foote]

P71's are part of GRM's "holy trinity" (along with Miatas and E30 BMW's), so they can't be all that bad.

[cawimmer430]

What I wouldn't give to experience the complete and utter awesomeness that is:

-1974 Dodge Monaco Police Car
-1980s Ford LTD / Crown Victoria Police Car
-1970s/1980s Chevrolet Caprice Police Car
-1990s Ford Crown Victoria



The one I want to drive the most is the '74 Monaco. What a car. 

[hounddog]

Cop cars generally don't have am/fm radios

Most police cars do have radios.

It costs money to delete them from your purchase.