Car and Driver Magazine: Tested: How Fast Your Car Needs to Be to Outrun a Cop

[Xist]

I do not even know what to write about this because I always endeavor to drive safely and legally and I recommend everyone else does the same, but hey! A track!

My favorite part:https://youtu.be/sUHTvBwo6IE?t=2m6s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUHTvBwo6IE

[UFO]

I haven't yet watched the video, but my first thought is your car has to be faster than a radio signal...

[redpoint5]

Originally Posted by UFO

I haven't yet watched the video, but my first thought is your car has to be faster than a radio signal...

Not exactly. Your vehicle must be faster than the radio signal and the associated response time. The key to winning in a run has less to do with sheer speed, and more to do with lost visual contact. The longer the period of time that elapses from last sight, the more the odds favor the person running.

In my youth, I've won by default when the patrol car didn't even chase (I passed the car going 100 MPH). I've also passed a patrol car going in the opposite direction, turned around, and passed again as the car races to get me (another win).

The time I lost, I had been going 50 MPH in a 55 MPH empty country highway. I rolled on a little more throttle, and shortly after that a cruiser passed by. I glanced down and noticed I was now going 75 MPH. Thinking this was BS, I went wide open throttle for 5 minutes before approaching a small town. I wasn't going to fly through there, so I slowed down to the speed limit and just pulled into a parking lot and waited. The cop pulled in a minute later furious. He said he was doing 130 MPH and losing ground. I made no incriminating reply. He asked why I didn't pull over, and I said I didn't see or hear him. He wrote me a ticket for 75 in a 55, and reckless endangerment. The judge lectured the officer on the inappropriate use of reckless endangerment considering the absence of anybody to endanger, and I paid the speeding fine.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

The key to winning in a run has less to do with sheer speed, and more to do with lost visual contact. The longer the period of time that elapses from last sight, the more the odds favor the person running.

In the end, this is one of the most important factors. A few months ago I've been watching videos of police chasing motorcycles (mostly stolen, but some were just unlicensed riders) in slums of São Paulo, and even though sometimes the riders who were being hunted down seemed to have an advantage, most of the time their lack of riding skills turned the odds against them.

[Fat Charlie]

The question is one of tactics, not equipment.

[Frank Lee]

Was it here on EM? I read about a Metro that got away. Good driver + dirt roads + driving like a ralley racer = left the cop in a ditch.

[redpoint5]

A dirt bike isn't fast, but it's very capable. About the only way to capture one is on another dirt bike, or a helicopter. I never stopped for any of the "cops" in Peru who were out to extort the wealthy travelers, nor did they attempt to pursue.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

A dirt bike isn't fast, but it's very capable.

Some are actually quite fast, while others only have some good acceleration despite their modest top speeds. Plus they're quite versatile, and sometimes outperform Harley-Davidson big-twins quite easily.

BTW this local equivalent of the Yamaha XT 250 is the standard motorcycle of the police in my state.

[Xist]

Frank Lee, how do you feel about Harleys?

Someone claimed that if you are not in your car when the police find you they cannot do anything, but instead of attempting to test this claim, I just try to drive legally and safely.

How would this conversation change if we considered police Teslas?

[redpoint5]

Originally Posted by cRiPpLe_rOoStEr

Some are actually quite fast, while others only have some good acceleration despite their modest top speeds.

In the US, nearly any police car is capable of keeping up with a dirt bike on the street. Leave the street, and the dirt bike has every advantage.

Originally Posted by Xist

Someone claimed that if you are not in your car when the police find you they cannot do anything, but instead of attempting to test this claim, I just try to drive legally and safely.

How would this conversation change if we considered police Teslas?

This goes back to my point about LEOs maintaining visual contact. If they lose visual contact and you walk away from the vehicle, how are they to know who was driving? The vehicle is likely to be impounded though.

Tesla would change nothing other than it being a heavier car to push other cars around with. Only way to catch a motorcycle is with another motorcycle, or a helicopter, or a roadblock. Give up on catching a dirt bike.