Preventing Car Theft

[Coyotesfan97]

I don't know the specifics, but a local agency lets its deputies leave the car running and remove the keys. Any attempt to put it in gear without replacing the key kills the vehicle. I have it on good authority that there is also a traditional kill switch in the unit that has to be tripped before starting.

I know of two nearby agencies that have had thefts/or attempts on running units at scenes at least 3 times in the last couple of years. With our new multi agency compatable radios the agency can opt in to have the radios GPS'd and or Phase III location enabled. But that costs money, and so does the "officer down" features. For that reason I cannot turn off the car radio in my unit. We don't have the features, but contract we piggybacked off of specified that the user not be able to shut off the radio.

Like I said before. Measure and countermeasure. I have seen lots of dashes and steering columns destroyed when the thief couldn't get the car started, for whatever reason. The car was not drivable, but it was there. The one a few spaces down gets boosted.

@JRB

pat

Our K9 cars had to run constantly to keep the dogs safe. We had a push button on the dash. Put the car in park, hit the button, and remove the keys. Then we had alarms that automatically locked all the doors. If you put pressure on the brake pedal it killed the engine.

[TQP]

Our K9 cars had to run constantly to keep the dogs safe. We had a push button on the dash. Put the car in park, hit the button, and remove the keys. Then we had alarms that automatically locked all the doors. If you put pressure on the brake pedal it killed the engine.

We have something similar on our ambulances.

[BehindBlueI's]

I don't know the specifics, but a local agency lets its deputies leave the car running and remove the keys. Any attempt to put it in gear without replacing the key kills the vehicle. I have it on good authority that there is also a traditional kill switch in the unit that has to be tripped before starting.

I know of two nearby agencies that have had thefts/or attempts on running units at scenes at least 3 times in the last couple of years. With our new multi agency compatable radios the agency can opt in to have the radios GPS'd and or Phase III location enabled. But that costs money, and so does the "officer down" features. For that reason I cannot turn off the car radio in my unit. We don't have the features, but contract we piggybacked off of specified that the user not be able to shut off the radio.

Like I said before. Measure and countermeasure. I have seen lots of dashes and steering columns destroyed when the thief couldn't get the car started, for whatever reason. The car was not drivable, but it was there. The one a few spaces down gets boosted.

@JRB

pat

My last issued Charger had a hidden function that could keep the vehicle from shifting out of Park until the hidden function was repeated.

[Stephanie B]

I just got this $20 pedal lock for my FJ Cruiser. It's a manual, and the lock attaches solidly to the clutch pedal.

My sister called me in high dudgeon mode, because she had learned that new Corvettes do not have a manual transmission option. Who the hell had the genius idea that anything called a "sports car" doesn't have a manual transmission?

[BobM]

My sister called me in high dudgeon mode, because she had learned that new Corvettes do not have a manual transmission option. Who the hell had the genius idea that anything called a "sports car" doesn't have a manual transmission?

My dad felt the same when he was looking at new pickups last year.

[RoyGBiv]

My sister called me in high dudgeon mode, because she had learned that new Corvettes do not have a manual transmission option. Who the hell had the genius idea that anything called a "sports car" doesn't have a manual transmission?

The continued wussification of America.

I drove a manual car last week (Scion something) for a total of maybe 10 miles, on a grocery run before Izzy hit Richmond. First time driving a stick since I bought my first automatic car back in 2016.

A few days later, we land back at DFW, get in the car and my left foot goes looking for the clutch pedal as I'm reaching for the start button. My wife noticed me doing it and we both had a good laugh.

Old habits die hard. And come back quick.

[mtnbkr]

My sister called me in high dudgeon mode, because she had learned that new Corvettes do not have a manual transmission option. Who the hell had the genius idea that anything called a "sports car" doesn't have a manual transmission?

On a numbers basis, new automatic transmissions deliver better performance (and fuel economy, but that's not a factor for sports cars). You're seeing more autos in European supercars as well.

It may not be as viscerally satisfying though...

Chris

[Navin Johnson]

Manuals are fun to drive but vastly underperform other options in modern "sports cars"

If one was to wring out the type of performance as listed in magazine tests very often a new clutch several times a year would be necessary. And most could not come close to replicating the acceleration listed with a manual anyways.

"Sports car" owners bring their cars back to dealers to have them checked out after taking the manual versions to the track and seeing 0-60 times in the average sedan range.

Manuals are fun though....

[JohnO]

In the 1980's I had a VW GTI. I sold it privately but I initially inquired at the dealer about a trade. I remember the sales guy pulling out a book and writing down a Blue Book value. Then he wrote down a Negative number for a manual transmission. I said "WTFO". The guy looked at me like I had 3 heads. I said the car is not offered with an automatic transmission so you don't get to deduct for the manual. He gave me some BS and I just got up and walked out. Suddenly selling privately became much more desirable.

[mmc45414]

My sister called me in high dudgeon mode, because she had learned that new Corvettes do not have a manual transmission option. Who the hell had the genius idea that anything called a "sports car" doesn't have a manual transmission?

How big is the rock she has been living under to just now find this out?...