Traffic cops are becoming ever more dangerous to our wallets – and all-too-often, our persons. Since we can’t properly defend ourselves against their depredations, avoidance is therefore becoming all the more important. If you see them before they see you, you stand a good chance of not having to interact with them at all.
Unfortunately, cops have become harder to spot. Because they no longer restrict themselves to the stereotypical cop car – the Ford Crown Vic. These are no longer being produced – and so are being replaced by cars that blend into the background better than the big Ford. Cops are also driving more unmarked cars – and even marked cars are harder to pick out before it’s too late because of their low-profile light bars and paint schemes designed specifically to make them less obviously cop cars.
But, not all the news is bad news.
First, most cars out there are not cop cars – and many of them you can write off with near 100 percent certainty as not being occupied by someone out to Harass & Collect:
* Coupes are rarely cop cars –
In the past, cops have used two-door cars for traffic work – in particular, as “pursuit” cars. Examples include the 1980s-era Ford Mustang LX and (more recently) the 1994-2002 Chevy Camaro. However, these models have been out of service for years – decades, in the case of the old 5.0 LX Mustang. While it’s possible some departments may be using newer models such as the Pontiac GTO (there was at least one of these running around SW Virginia circa 2008) it is very unlikely.
* Imports are almost never cop cars –
American traffic enforcement is overwhelmingly “buy American” minded. There have been exceptions here and there (at one time, the Falls Church, VA cops were using Volvos) but the rule is – cops cars are American cars. Part of this is patriotic glad-handing (it looks bad when American cops are driving “foreign” cars); part of it is practical politicking (government fleet buyers incline toward the home team brands for the favor-currying it involves) and part of it is due to the fact that – for the most part – the import car companies do not make cars suitable for cop duty. Historically, cops have preferred large, RWD-based vehicles – models like the Ford Crown Victoria. That’s still mostly true today.
Eric Peters Autos
By Eric
