by The_Toecutter » Wed 04 Jan 2006, 05:04:13
I was referring to situations in which criminals were involved in police pursuits. I should have clarified. Most don't know how to drive worth beans and never plan for or even study the tactics they are to be subjected to by the pursuing police beforehand, and once that helicoptor grabs sight of you and neighboring precincts respond to the calls, kiss it goodbye. You'll be caught then.
I remember hearing 92% of police pursuits end with the police actually apprehending the suspect during or immediately after the chase. I'm sure a significant percentage of those that actually evaded the police(perhaps 95% or more) are caught days after due to license planes, and other forms of identification. Evading police in a pursuit is virtually impossible at a glance and will never work without knowing their tactics or having planned for the event beforehand.
There are some very sneaky tactics that if properly implemented could drasticaly increase success rates of evading capture during a chase, but I will refrain from mentioning them on a public website as they are very illegal, very dangerous, and I may be perceived as encouraging them. I have never seen any movie ever display them. Further, lurking police might catch on to them and come to expect them being used on occassion. A little creativity and defiance of currently accepted legal practices can go a long way, but if you're caught afterward the penalties will be much more harsh. It goes without saying that you'll certainly need a vehicle with at least the performance of a police cruiser*(see asterick below), otherwise you might as well just pull over.
You are right about criminals in general though, most of which are never involved in pursuits. Over 30 million Americans regularly smoke and possess felony amounts of marijuana. 1 in 9 Americans. Only a few of them ever get arrested. Of course, the amount of people in America's jails is quite sobering, a sad reminder of what the police are being allowed to do as our constitutional rights erode. 1 in 30 Americans either in jail, in psychiatric prisons, or on parole, 1 in 140 Americans in jail. there was an old saying, "In Soviet Russia, you don't go to prison, prison goes to you." America's incarceration rate is nearly double that of the former USSR.
*New Ford Crown Victorias do 0-60 mph in about 8 seconds, have a curb weight of over 5,000 pounds in a fully loaded police package, and can top 130 mph. Police Mustangs will be able to keep up with Audi TTs ad Porsche Boxters with 0-60 in 6 seconds, top end about 150, but are rarely used. The fabled Camaros used in the American Southwest for pursuit vehicles will hit about 170 mph and do 0-60 in about 4.5 seconds, but are very, very seldom used. New police Impalas do 0-60 in about 11 seconds and top 112 mph, although the older mid 90s ones will do 0-60 in about 7 seconds and top 140. In most cities in America, you aren't likely to have anything but Crown Vics or Impalas on you before the helicopter gets to you. Even having a fast vehicle is no garuntee of success. I know of a guy that was going 220 mph on a motorcycle an interstate 255 with very little traffic, but was still caught. No helicopter even got to the scene and no roadblock was even placed before the arrest. His performance was WELL beyond the level of any police vehicle. But he had many more opportunities of evasion than anyone else would have, and was still caught right then and there. Police radios are magical things. If you are predictable, you will be caught. Police are trained to expect certain behavior in chases because it occurs 90% of the time...
The unnecessary felling of a tree, perhaps the old growth of centuries, seems to me a crime little short of murder. ~Thomas Jefferson