About police chases in Britain, they aren't exactly epidemic but there have always been always morons driving wrecklessly and trying to run away from the police, like in every other country I imagine. From what I've seen on footage of police chases, chases in America seem to be a little more "epic" than what they usually show from Britain on these police chase shows. Although on the news yesterday there was some idiot speeding through Dorset at 100mph, that looked pretty hairy, they said it was a miracle he didn't hit anyone. He didn't have a licence, he had previous driving convictions and apparentely he was on drugs but they only gave him 23 months in prison.

I am not actually sure why they have that armour plated SUV, yes i guess it has something to do with terrorism but im not sure what they use it for, i think they use it when they have to look for explosives hidden in the woods, ill check it and see if i can find anything relevant.

In this link a user says the following thing http://debates.coches.net/archive/index.php?t-31051.html

Hola a todos.

La Ertzaintza compró un Hummer H1 blanco hace ya cinco años, pero no lo usan apenas, salvo para actos de representación.

Resulta que cuando fueron a usarlo por las montañas de Euskadi, los Defender pasaban por donde el Hummer no, y no por falta de potencia o algo así.

Sino porque entre los arboles de los bosques, el gigante americano no cabia.

Quien compró el H1 sin darse cuenta que mide más de 2m de ancho??

Translation:

Hi Everybody:

The ertzaintza bought a black Hummer H1 five years ago, but the rarely use it, except in "presentation" stuff.

The thing is that when they were going to use it in Euskadi mountains (Basque Country), the Defenders (Land Rover) could drive where the Hummer couldnt, and not precisely because of power problem.

But because between the trees of the wood, the american giant didnt fit.

Who bought the Hummer not realising that is more than 2 metres wide??

So you see, they use it very often, indeed i have seen it in the news several times but only when they go to the mountain to look for explosives ETA hides in the woods, so they might only use it for that.

CCF, El Hummer es de la variacion militar, de seguro la compro la policia local aya del ejercito estadounidense o de otro ejercito que los usa/usaba.

Thanks for answering my question G-MANN. Those responses were very helpful. I can see how the BMWs/other souped-up cars could come in handy out on the country roads. And I have seen some of the up-armored vehicles used by the security forces in Northern Ireland.

Over here, we prefer police-package vehicles, that is, vehicles made especially for us. The Crown Vics, Impala's, Chargers, Magnums, Tahoe's, etc. Since 1982, only two true police-package "speed" cars have been produced. The first was the 1982-1993 SSP Mustang (we have a few on the site), and the B4C Camaro. The Camaro is no longer offered, as it was discontinued in 2002. So right now, the fastest car available would be the Charger.

Also, I thought that since were on the topic of fast police cars, you might enjoy this little piece of history from the good 'ol Alabama troopers :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRsm807HgFY

And who said Lincoln town cars wouldn't make good cop cars?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbOCNp353kw

G-MANN, did you see the report a month or two back about the police driver who was caught doing 158 mph at night in a police Vauxhall Vectra on the M54 while not in pursuit? He claimed he was 'honing his skills'!

I first heard about that a while ago, it seems all the court procedings have been going on for about 2 years! What a fantastic legal system we have. I would have said give him a break as long as he knows what he's doing, 160mph on a motorway isn't too bad in the early hours of the morning when there isn't much traffic (people still legally do those kinds of speeds on German autobahns) but then 85mph in 30mph zone is a bit mental, even at night.

Speed limits are not a decorative sing in the hard shoulder so it doesnt mattter what time in the morning it is, if there's a speed limit it cannot be overpassed by any reason or excuse.

Sure, but the sanction should not be the same in both cases, what is dangerous is more where/when and other conditions than the speed itself.

It is more dangerous to do 50 km/h in a 30 km/h area of a school at 4pm than do 200 km/h on a 120 km/h freeway at 4am.

i disagree, it is still the ame problem and so it ha to be sanctioned the same, you are still revasing the speed limit thing you cant do in a motorway, i dont know howthings are ni other countries of Europe but in spain this is getting more and more strict, specially now that we have had the "license with points" from a year now.

I am not revising anything, I just say that not only speed should be (and actually is, in some cases) taken in account but also other conditions. I never said that one case should be impunished.

Yes but if there's a speed limit what other conditions are you gonna take into account? nothing, that is, you overpassed it? sanction.

Time, weather, etc.
Sanction, yes, but which one?
Same sanction for 51 km/h than for 151 km/h? (on a 50 mk/h road)
If sanction only depends on the number of excess km/h, is it normal to have the same sanction for 60 km/h in a 30 km/h zone than for 150 km/h in a 120 km/h zone? First one is way more dangerous, no? Especially if second one is done when the road is empty.

Well honestly i dont know for Belgium but in spain nowbody is sanctioned for going at 51 in a road of 50

And yes by far the first one is more dangerous.

In France it is the case.
In Belgium there is a 6 km/h tolerance.
It was just an example, I could have said 60 km/h.

In France it is the case really? for just revasing a kilometre? i dont believe you

Yes it is. They started to apply that recently I think.
If the limit is 50, it means that you cannot make more than 50. Else where is the limit? If you are fined only above 60 km/h, why is the limit 50 rather than 60?
(though that I am happy to have 6 km/h tolerance in Belgium)

We have a tolerance as well, yes theres a limit but you sometimes cant help reachen the exact limit, and besides, between 50 and 51 there is not much difference

51-52 neither, 52-53 neither, etc. Limit has to be placed somewhere France set it at the speed+1, so you have to drive below the max speed rater than driving aproximately at the max speed as everybody does in other countries

did you know that here in Spain, us (people with less than a year of driving license) must keep the speed under 80 KM/H on a motorway ( i never respect it) i find it so ridicoulous, it is very slow to go at 80 on a motorway.

That's quite dangerous 80 km/h on these roads Very slow indeed. Here the minimal speed on these roads is 70 km/h (120 max) but usually the slowest lane goes at 90-100 at least.
Some areas are limited to 90 km/h. There is a long bridge in the north of Brussels where the speed is limited to 90 for cars and 70 for trucks: sometimes if you do "only" 90 rather than 100-120, you have trucks behind you that flash their lights because they find that you drive too slowly