Ford to Police: get lost!

I was LMAO at the City of Dallas when I heard on the local news about a week ago that Ford basically said to take your business elsewhere if they don't like the Crown Victoria. The representative for Dallas was whining about how the CV is the only choice left since the Caprice is gone and that Officers will be forced to drive "older model Crown Victorias" and pointed to a 1997 model. Well hell, I drive a 1992 Geo Metro with 245k miles on it - I'd love a 1997 Ford Crown Victoria! Maybe cities will start taking better care of the cars and rebuilding them instead of spending so damned much money on new cars every year.

Maybe they should quit plowing them into the cars the chase after.

Matt

C. E. White opined in news: snipped-for-privacy@mindspring.com:

I'm with Ford on this... they should just show them the video of the Chicago rear-ending.. where was the fire, the explosion?

AND MAYBE someone ougt to do a survey on how many cruisers using the old flashers got hit, vs the ones who use strobes... Huh?

Exactly. I don't think there is a car out there with a rear mounted fuel tank that wouldn't rupture the tank.

But if those PD's are so concerned, and Ford wants to sell - which they should right now as the market isn't exactly great - then install fuel bladders inside the tanks. It might add a couple hundred to the price of the car but then a rupture wouldn't be a problem.

And isn't it interesting that Ford had another car that had disastrous results when hit from the rear. Alot of the problem is the media - when I saw the initial reports I thought to myself that at 70MPH ain't much isn't gonna go up in a collision.

But police departments need to learn the old addage 'you can't outrun Motorola.'

Rhode Island has had a no-chase rule in effect for several years now and most every department violates it. Just recently I saw a bunch of North Providence police cruisers deep into Providence via secondary roads at rates of speed well in excess of the posted limit. And for what - a stolen car. I have no sympathy for an officer who violates a no-chase rule and gets himself killed in the process.

Re: Ford to Police: get lost! Group: alt.autos.ford Date: Thu, Jul 24, 2003, 4:18am (EDT+4) From: mcollins snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com (Matt) Maybe they should quit plowing them into the cars the chase after. Matt =============================== You should really read the story before you mouth off. It's not about police cars running into other cars. It's about police cars getting hit at highway speeds when they're pulled over on the side of the road.

Eric

When did they move the tanks? My '95 CV has the tank above the axle and a trunk so deep I can't see the bottom .

Paul E

You know, the police work for US and are subject to the law just like everyone else. The next time you see this type of activity, it's entirely within your rights as a citizen to follow THEM and issue THEM a citation. Sounds like speeding and C&N would do nicely in the case you mention here. If you don't want to get that close and personal, record the plates and make sure you call your state legislator with the information *every* time you see it happen. Follow up with a list to your state attorney general every so often. Hell, around here, going home is license to speed - if you're a cop.

You're right, I didn't even read the whole post. Those chase shows on TV came to mind was all. I was thinking they needed something with a little more battering power.

Most of these lawsuits are not about chases. There about cop cars parked on the side of the road on super highways and having some jerk rear end them at speed (while the cop car is stationary)

Tell me what car is NOT going to be in bad shape with a 60 to 70+ MPH rear collision. I doubt that even a HUMMER would come out unscathed.

So what to do? Maybe borrow some of the Alien technology from area 51 and make the police cars hover. Until the drunks get hover cars, they would be safe. Maybe double deck the roof and put the gas tanks up there. Or do a Fred Flintstone and put holes in the floor for human motive power.

I am not one to usually side with ford, but a lot of this is all Lawyer BS. Maybe the police should get VW to open back up the bug plant in Mexico. Engine in the rear, gas tank in the front. Sounds like the solution. Interstate chases would be interesting though. If they got hit then, no gas explosion or fire. But it would lead new credence to the old saying "squashed like a bug".

BOB

I think that when a car is stolen the police shouldn't every chase after it. Just let the people who stole the car drive it until they decide to give it back. That will solve those chase problems. I'm sure KiloDelate will be glad to give up his car to criminals and instruct the police not to chase them!

Neon Leon

What is more important, your life or the car..?? If my car was stolen, I would not want a cop to risk his life in a chase to recover it. That is the insurances' job, it is part of the reason why I write that insurance check every month. I am pretty sure if that cop has a wife and kids they would share my opinion. One more thing about high speed pursuits.. In England, the police are specially trained to drive at high rates of speed in real world situations. Where is there a similar program for US police, especially the city police.? Driving at a training facility where you are the only car on the track does not count. And simply having a powerful car does not qualify you either.

On the original score, Ford ought to reposition the fuel tank on the Crown Vic. I got hit in the rear while driving a Taurus, with a differential speed of about 55mph. If the tank had been in the position it is in the Crown I might not be writing this today. I can only thank God and the design of the Taurus for saving my life.

|> BOB |>

|I think it was a good decision, if those agencies think someone has a safer |car than a Crown Vic they should be buying them instead. If I were in a car |being rear ended by some clown doing 70MPH I can't think of a car I'd rather |be in. Except maybe in the front seat of a really stretched Town Car.

The Dallas suit isn't about dead police officers, it's about money. The lawsuit was filed shortly after Dallas announced a record budget shortfall. They were wringing their hands about how to come up with the money, then the suit was announced and we didn't hear another word about budget.

Rex in Fort Worth, thank God

|> And isn't it interesting that Ford had another car that had disastrous |> results when hit from the rear. Alot of the problem is the media - when |> I saw the initial reports I thought to myself that at 70MPH ain't much |> isn't gonna go up in a collision. |>

|> But police departments need to learn the old addage 'you can't outrun |> Motorola.' |>

|> Rhode Island has had a no-chase rule in effect for several years now and |> most every department violates it. Just recently I saw a bunch of North |> Providence police cruisers deep into Providence via secondary roads at |> rates of speed well in excess of the posted limit. And for what - a |> stolen car. I have no sympathy for an officer who violates a no-chase |> rule and gets himself killed in the process. | |You know, the police work for US and are subject to the law just like |everyone else. The next time you see this type of activity, it's entirely |within your rights as a citizen to follow THEM and issue THEM a citation. |Sounds like speeding and C&N would do nicely in the case you mention here. |If you don't want to get that close and personal, record the plates and make |sure you call your state legislator with the information *every* time you |see it happen. Follow up with a list to your state attorney general every so |often. Hell, around here, going home is license to speed - if you're a cop.

A few years ago a retired Texas state trooper wrote a book about how to beat a ticket. He noted in the intro that whenever he stopped someone for gross violations of speed limits - say 100 mph or more - odds were 90% it was an off-duty police officer. Of course, they expected "professional courtesy" when they got stopped.

When I lived in Ft Worth, it used to burn me to see all the suburban police cars, returning from county courthouse and going back to their city, speeding through Ft Worth at 85-90 mph, through Ft Worth radar traps with a wave, for no good reason other than they could. I had to move over on several occasions for them when they ran up on my bumper.

I am trying to figure out what is so funny. It is the standard business model. If you do not like the CV, you buy a different car. My brother is part of the management at Ford, and he likes the Impala police package, as it gives them something to compete against that is not particularily well received by the policing community, but still keeps them honest.

I have just gone out and checked my 1995 Ford Crown Victoria, and I have confirmed that the fuel tank in your Taurus is in no safer a position than the CV's tank (they are both in the same place, above the rear axle, outside the passenger compartment, behind the rear bench. My 'Vic is also equipped with the police interceptor package, so police cruisers also have their tanks in the safe place.

Make sure that you are not repeating someone else's nonsense before giving an opinion, as your opinion becomes associated with the nonsense, and any point that you might make is then ignored.

Did Ford relocate the police cruiser's gas tank after the 1995 model year?

Lots of people seem convinced that the tank is in an unsafe place, yet my

1995 police interceptor has it above the rear axle. If they have not moved it and people are still complaining about its safety, does any company supply a satifactory vehicle?

You know, I usually don't think a big company taking this tactic is a good idea, but this time I say, "GOOD for you, Ford!!" The whole "gas tank hazard" is a myth... ANY vehicle hit the way those cars were hit would turn into a fireball. I dare the money-grubbing agencies filing the suits try to find a safer car currently on the market than a Crown Vic. And I'm a Mopar guy!

Ford could help themselves here. They've heard of fuel cells? How about moving the fuel tank forward of the rear axle? A fuel cell mounted over the rear axle, with a firewall between the trunk and the back seat would probably would probably be the simplest solution.

The police interceptor versions are generally not going to be used for basic day to day transport. A high speed pursuit is about the closest to a racing application a street car is going to get. It would make sense for Ford to engineer safer a package for this use.

/------------------------------------------------------------\ | George Ruch | | "Is there life in Clovis after Clovis Man?" | \------------------------------------------------------------/