Both Cool and Terrifying

"BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind" (briangriffinsprius)
04/08/2016 at 11:54 • Filed to: None

It’s already hard enough to tell if that black Explorer is a soccermom or Statie. Now Ford’s making them even less obvious.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/ford-laun…

DISCUSSION (34)

Steve in Manhattan > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind
04/08/2016 at 11:57

By the time you see the steelies, it’s too late.

Here in the city we have stealth Dodge Chargers. Those look really great with the steelies and wide tires. I should take some photos.

Group B Enthusiast - Captain of the supercharged barge > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind
04/08/2016 at 11:59

F*ck....

The unfortunate truth is that I’ll still probably notice them almost instantly... I have a problem haha

Dwhite - Powered by Caffeine, Daft Punk, and Corgis > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind
04/08/2016 at 11:59

At least the MSP has never been that concerned about subtlety.

Kinja'd!!!

Urambo Tauro > Dwhite - Powered by Caffeine, Daft Punk, and Corgis
04/08/2016 at 12:00

Still rockin’ the fez!

Takuro Spirit > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind
04/08/2016 at 12:00

At least they now have the huge INTERCEPTOR lettering across the hood... not that it can’t or won’t be easily removed by departments for more stealthyness.

Mercedes Streeter > Dwhite - Powered by Caffeine, Daft Punk, and Corgis
04/08/2016 at 12:01

God I love their silly little dome light thingy. We need more forces adopting this, STAT!

Chariotoflove > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind
04/08/2016 at 12:03

That’s why certain models induce an autonomic fear reaction regardless of how their kitted out. I still suffer a minor panic attack when I see a Crown Vic.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind
04/08/2016 at 12:05

Doesn’t matter. ALL police vehicles that are used for traffic enforcement around here (as long as they’re the standard Crown Vic/Exploder/Charger/Taurus) have no chrome.

There are SOME civilian models with no chrome, but no cops with chrome.

Except for a few one-off vehicles that you couldn’t identify anyway (mainly beaters, like old Caravans), and you just have to take your chances with them.

BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind > Takuro Spirit
04/08/2016 at 12:07

I've never actually seen that in real life. Most of the departments around me use totally unmarked Explorers, in a variety of colors.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Group B Enthusiast - Captain of the supercharged barge
04/08/2016 at 12:09

It’s because you walk through a process in your head.

1. I see a Crown Vic/Charger/Taurus/Exploder.

2. It’s not wearing chrome.

3. I see lights in the grille/back window. It helps that so many cop cars aren’t (deeply) tinted.

Of course, this only works for cops in traffic, not those at the side of the road, but the light bar won’t change that. In fact, the lack of a light bar might help traffic flow, what with the guys who hammer the brakes at the sight of a cop on the shoulder not being able to pick them out so easily.

bobbe17 > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind
04/08/2016 at 12:10

Rant time:

I really hate the stealth cruisers. The goal behind speeding tickets should be to deter speeding not generating revenue. More people will slow down when they see a marked cop car and if they see them multiple times their speed will likely decrease for their entire drive. To have unmarked cars it is blatantly pulling people over to bring in the cash.

Though I will admit they look pretty badass blacked out. Also to note I have never been pulled over by one so that isn’t influencing my opinion.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Dwhite - Powered by Caffeine, Daft Punk, and Corgis
04/08/2016 at 12:14

Yeah they have stealth ones too, keep an eye out.

Saw a stealth explorer recently and a taurus on 275 recently

PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power > Dwhite - Powered by Caffeine, Daft Punk, and Corgis
04/08/2016 at 12:16

these things are cool and all, but tell me, why the hell do they use that single 1970's the naked gun style light still?? the thing looks hilarious

Brian McKay > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind
04/08/2016 at 12:18

? diificult to discern whether an Explorer with INTERCEPTOR on the hood and two swiveling spotlamps is a cop truck ?

Marcus > Steve in Manhattan
04/08/2016 at 12:22

Those are probably FBI,or some other gov’t agency. NYPD usually uses the unmarked impalas.

They chargers do look nice and stealthy though.

Dwhite - Powered by Caffeine, Daft Punk, and Corgis > PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power
04/08/2016 at 12:24

Only reason I’ve ever really seen is tradition

The Dummy Gummy > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind
04/08/2016 at 12:30

In NJ the state troopers have a ghost car and three unmarked cars/suv for the parkway. The weird thing is NJ has a law that they can’t issue tickets, but they still do. Maybe someone with a law degree can way in better, but it seems if you get caught there is opportunity to get out of the violation.

ftp://www.njleg.state.nj.us/20062007/A0500/225_I1.PDF

SYNOPSIS Prohibits use of unmarked police vehicles for routine traffic stops.

The Powershift in Steve's '12 Ford Focus killed it's TCM (under warranty!) > The Dummy Gummy
04/08/2016 at 12:34

NJ is like a third world country in that the ‘rule of law’ is more like a ‘suggestion of ideas’. Court judges, prosecutors, and the police enforce the law how they see fit, because they assume you won’t hire a lawyer to fight it.

The Dummy Gummy > bobbe17
04/08/2016 at 12:34

Rant on top of your rant. I hate how they have to sit out during commuting hours. There is enough stop and go traffic that we don’t need the troopers out and about, encouraging people to slam on their brakes and cause an (potential) accident.

The Powershift in Steve's '12 Ford Focus killed it's TCM (under warranty!) > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind
04/08/2016 at 12:35

As long as they still have spotlights, they will never truly be stealthy.

The Dummy Gummy > The Powershift in Steve's '12 Ford Focus killed it's TCM (under warranty!)
04/08/2016 at 12:37

So true. I got a red light camera ticket in the mail last year. I have it on camera that I actually stopped at the light and the ticket was bogus. Problem is, the ticket was only a $30 or $50 fine (can’t remember) and it was in a town two hours south of me. No points are associated with it, since it wasn’t a ticket written by a police officer. On top of this, the event happened a day before NJ ruled no more red light camera’s.

Anyways, instead of arguing it I accepted the guilty plea because it would have cost me more to travel down and to take a day off from work then to pay the ticket. Quite the racket.

PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power > Dwhite - Powered by Caffeine, Daft Punk, and Corgis
04/08/2016 at 12:41

every time i see an MSP car, i think of this....

Steve in Manhattan > Marcus
04/08/2016 at 12:47

I’ve seen a few Explorers, both in police livery and stealth. But not many. Also a few Tauri.

Group B Enthusiast - Captain of the supercharged barge > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer
04/08/2016 at 13:06

Actually, with any cop car newer than a vic, the civi-versions ALL have running lights, and the cop cars don’t. If I see any Taurus, Explorer, Expedition or Charger with no lights and no chrome, I’m instantly on the defensive... Luckily their attempts to make them ‘blend in’ make them stick out like a sore thumb if you’re looking for them.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Group B Enthusiast - Captain of the supercharged barge
04/08/2016 at 13:15

Good to know, thanks!

iSureWilll > bobbe17
04/08/2016 at 13:22

The whole idea behind unmarked police cars doing regular “duty” on the streets like giving out traffic tickets and the like, is absolutely absurd. Think about it like this, “OH SHIT I NEED A POLICE MAN NOW AND I DON’T HAVE MY PHONE.” Now you can’t even FIND a police officer because its an unmarked car. I know most people would be able to tell but the intent is the same. The police want to HIDE - not be seen and be available to HELP the people that pay to have them there. Its asinine. Compare below.

Kinja'd!!!

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind
04/08/2016 at 13:30

Eh, there are already interior mounted light bars that go along the upper windshield and back window for every vehicle used by law enforcement. They may not come from the factory, or be quiet as compact, but any department doing a good job of outfitting their unmarked units is already concealing the lights well enough to not be noticeable from far enough away for it to matter.

Bourbon&JellyBeans > bobbe17
04/08/2016 at 13:32

I believe that the reasoning is that you are more likely not to speed because you are not sure if there is a cop around or not. It’s not like the majority of cops doing radar are using unmarked cars anyway.

Speeding cameras, on the other hand, do nothing to deter speeding because you don’t even know you were caught until weeks later, at which point you pay the fine and continue speeding. Deterrence relies on three principles:

1. Swiftness of the punishment(which cameras lack)

2. Appropriate severity of the punishment

3. Certainty that you will be caught

Tatanko > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind
04/08/2016 at 13:32

Ditto. At this point, I assume every newer Explorer that I see is police until I confirm that the driver is for sure not law enforcement.

Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing. > The Dummy Gummy
04/08/2016 at 14:15

You should see some of the ones we have here in STL. DARK grey logos and writing on black cars, and they’re usually parked on the side of the freeways, at night, with all of the exterior lights out. Probably a great way to catch drunk drivers - after they get rear-ended they just walk back to the car that nearly killed them...

BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind > Brian McKay
04/08/2016 at 14:18

Like I said in another post, I've never ever ever seen one with that marking. Most of the unmarked Explori-ceptors look like normal civilian cars, shiny wheeled and spotlight-less.

norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind
04/08/2016 at 14:35

My town uses black Explorers and I shit myself every time until I can confirm it is a civvy car.

Brian McKay > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind
04/08/2016 at 16:35

Therefore, by introducing INTERCEPTOR on the hood and two spotlamps jutting left and right, Ford is not “making them even less obvious.”

The Dummy Gummy > The Dummy Gummy
04/08/2016 at 20:54

Weigh