I don't like this new change to my town's cop cars

[850CSi]

Those new stealthy light bars :ph34r: make it a lot harder to see them in traffic! <_<  

[Catman]

Those are awesome, very pricey though.  They're just as bright but use less power because they're LED's.  The car I use has a "slicktop" which is OK but I miss the alley lights at night, the ones you can shine left or right.

[BartsSVO]

Most departments around Georgia are going to those type light bars since the legislature banned slick top patrol cars built after 2002. They're a little harder to spot but I can still make them out unless I'm in pitch black darkness.  

[TurboDan]

Eh, as long as it's a big Crown Vic, they're not TOO tough to spot.  Personally, I recognize the Ford headlights long before the light bar.   Driving on NYC highways can be tricky, though, since they use a good number of "stealth cabs," which are regular yellow taxis that are really police cars.  They're mostly on the "killing fields" (as NY's finest call the Belt Parkway) of Brooklyn and the LIE and Cross-Island in Queens.

The BQE is "every man for himself."  Fun road @ 2AM.    

[giant_mtb]

Cops try to make their cars less noticeable and stealthy, but it never really works.  Sure, they'll have unmarked cars, but they still have the black wheels and the big-ass antenna's off the back...D'oh!  No kidding...it's a cop car!  As if they think you won't notice.    

[Raza]

If cops really wanted to prevent speeding instead of profit from it, they'd make their cars MORE noticeable.

[giant_mtb]

If cops really wanted to prevent speeding instead of profit from it, they'd make their cars MORE noticeable.

Actually that's true.  If everybody can see the cops all the time, they'll go slow, but now they try to hide they just make it more annoying and complicated...good idea, Raza.      

[850CSi]

Eh, as long as it's a big Crown Vic, they're not TOO tough to spot.  Personally, I recognize the Ford headlights long before the light bar.   Driving on NYC highways can be tricky, though, since they use a good number of "stealth cabs," which are regular yellow taxis that are really police cars.  They're mostly on the "killing fields" (as NY's finest call the Belt Parkway) of Brooklyn and the LIE and Cross-Island in Queens.

The BQE is "every man for himself."  Fun road @ 2AM.  

Wow, I never knew that. Clever one.

[James Young]

If cops really wanted to prevent speeding instead of profit from it, they'd make their cars MORE noticeable.

Or they would lobby to remove the limits altgether and then focus on truly dangerous behavior such as impeding and lack of attention.

[Catman]

Those lightbars aren't really designed to reduce visibility as much as improve aerodynamics.  A typical lightbar can reduce top speed by almost 10mph.

[Raza]

If cops really wanted to prevent speeding instead of profit from it, they'd make their cars MORE noticeable.

Or they would lobby to remove the limits altgether and then focus on truly dangerous behavior such as impeding and lack of attention.

Funny you should mention that, since abolishing speed limits is what my latest speech is about (for my speech class, that is).

[Fire It Up]

I need to hear this...

[cozmik]

Eh, as long as it's a big Crown Vic, they're not TOO tough to spot.  Personally, I recognize the Ford headlights long before the light bar.   Driving on NYC highways can be tricky, though, since they use a good number of "stealth cabs," which are regular yellow taxis that are really police cars.  They're mostly on the "killing fields" (as NY's finest call the Belt Parkway) of Brooklyn and the LIE and Cross-Island in Queens.

The BQE is "every man for himself."  Fun road @ 2AM. 

Really? The Belt? I know when I went to our offices in Westbury, I was on the Belt Parkway from the Verazano, to the Southern States Parkway, and I never had any problems, and I was flying too. I even passed a couple cops and none seemed to really care at all...  :blink:

Maybe they knew that they had no chance against the mighty Saab!  :D  

[280Z Turbo]

If cops really wanted to prevent speeding instead of profit from it, they'd make their cars MORE noticeable.

Or they would lobby to remove the limits altgether and then focus on truly dangerous behavior such as impeding and lack of attention.

Funny you should mention that, since abolishing speed limits is what my latest speech is about (for my speech class, that is).

That's the greatest idea since communism!

[R33 GT-R]

If cops really wanted to prevent speeding instead of profit from it, they'd make their cars MORE noticeable.

Or they would lobby to remove the limits altgether and then focus on truly dangerous behavior such as impeding and lack of attention.

Funny you should mention that, since abolishing speed limits is what my latest speech is about (for my speech class, that is).

That's the greatest idea since communism!

What's wrong with communism?

[L. ed foote]

Eh, as long as it's a big Crown Vic, they're not TOO tough to spot.  Personally, I recognize the Ford headlights long before the light bar.   Driving on NYC highways can be tricky, though, since they use a good number of "stealth cabs," which are regular yellow taxis that are really police cars.  They're mostly on the "killing fields" (as NY's finest call the Belt Parkway) of Brooklyn and the LIE and Cross-Island in Queens.

The BQE is "every man for himself."  Fun road @ 2AM.  

Yep...  

But admittedly, there are more than enough marked cars and unmarked impalas (among others; saw an undercover Prius on the Bruckner last summer) going around NYC to contend with

[280Z Turbo]

If cops really wanted to prevent speeding instead of profit from it, they'd make their cars MORE noticeable.

Or they would lobby to remove the limits altgether and then focus on truly dangerous behavior such as impeding and lack of attention.

Funny you should mention that, since abolishing speed limits is what my latest speech is about (for my speech class, that is).

That's the greatest idea since communism!

What's wrong with communism?

Communism seems like a great idea, but in real life application it turns out to be a disaster!

Same thing would happen here. Some may think it's a great idea to abolish speed limits, but trust me, it would NOT work!  

[L. ed foote]

Eh, as long as it's a big Crown Vic, they're not TOO tough to spot.  Personally, I recognize the Ford headlights long before the light bar.   Driving on NYC highways can be tricky, though, since they use a good number of "stealth cabs," which are regular yellow taxis that are really police cars.  They're mostly on the "killing fields" (as NY's finest call the Belt Parkway) of Brooklyn and the LIE and Cross-Island in Queens.

The BQE is "every man for himself."  Fun road @ 2AM. 

Really? The Belt? I know when I went to our offices in Westbury, I was on the Belt Parkway from the Verazano, to the Southern States Parkway, and I never had any problems, and I was flying too. I even passed a couple cops and none seemed to really care at all...  :blink:

Maybe they knew that they had no chance against the mighty Saab!  :D

Yeah, but most the people who drive the belt are flippin stupid.  Especially when there's construction going on.

[L. ed foote]

If cops really wanted to prevent speeding instead of profit from it, they'd make their cars MORE noticeable.

Or they would lobby to remove the limits altgether and then focus on truly dangerous behavior such as impeding and lack of attention.

Funny you should mention that, since abolishing speed limits is what my latest speech is about (for my speech class, that is).

That's the greatest idea since communism!

What's wrong with communism?

Communism seems like a great idea, but in real life application it turns out to be a disaster!

Same thing would happen here. Some may think it's a great idea to abolish speed limits, but trust me, it would NOT work!

Let automotive darwinism work its magic

[TurboDan]

Haha.  I've seen a Prius or two out there as well!  

Yeah, the Belt definitely draws alot of nuts.  I almost got smashed one night when a guy came on from the Coney Island Ave entrance and never even looked before speeding into traffic.  Luckily I was able to swerve in time.  I'm on it a decent amount of time because I have alot of family in Breezy Point and it's a great beach to go to without making the trek to my parents' place in Jersey.  

Cosmic - I usually don't worry about marked cars in NYC too much because they usually aren't out there to get speeders in the first place.  You'll usually find them ticketing at the rest stop area near the Flatbush Ave. exit on the Belt.  Once you get into LI, Nassau County cops and NYSP are out in droves on the Southern Parkway - especially in the summer to catch people speeding on the way to Robert Moses and Jones Beach.

[850CSi]

Those lightbars aren't really designed to reduce visibility as much as improve aerodynamics.  A typical lightbar can reduce top speed by almost 10mph.

Wow, I never knew that, but it makes sense. A normal light bar must also cause a lot of noise at higher speeds.

[R33 GT-R]

But at least deer move out of the way.

[James Young]

I think all cars used for traffic enforcement should be painted florescent pink with a continuously lighted pink "halo" around the roofline.  Oh, and they should be Geo Metros with an oversize driver's compartment.  :P

[Catman]

I think all cars used for traffic enforcement should be painted florescent pink with a continuously lighted pink "halo" around the roofline.  Oh, and they should be Geo Metros with an oversize driver's compartment.  :P

LOL  

[Car Zeus]

If you think that is bad Cobb County GA has Camaro's that have a regular front and backends and no lights on top. (BTW Cobb County always increases ticket revenue every year)

[R33 GT-R]

boo ya to those bad boys

[Car Zeus]

I wouldn't race those Camaro's either as they can go up to 150+ MPH. (they are tuned)


Shakaka~

[TurboDan]

They're tuned?  I spoke with an officer from Long Island once who was responsible for working out the deal to buy a couple Camaros for his department.  He said they just bought them from a local dealer and had loaded it up with police equipment and had a light bar and logo put on.

Actually, I would think with the added weight of police equipment, their Camaros might not catch the same top speed of a civilian stock Camaro.  

[TBR]

They're tuned?  I spoke with an officer from Long Island once who was responsible for working out the deal to buy a couple Camaros for his department.  He said they just bought them from a local dealer and had loaded it up with police equipment and had a light bar and logo put on.

Actually, I would think with the added weight of police equipment, their Camaros might not catch the same top speed of a civilian stock Camaro.

Actually, the aerodynamics of the light bar would probably limit the top speed more than the extra weight would.  

[Colonel Cadillac]

Damn, the cops where I live all have huge light racks on top of their cars (and they have a few Expeditions and Explorers too...waist of funds in my opinion). The only problem is that they hide behind big trees.