Why do police vehicles use such [censored] tires?

[y_p_w]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
We had a blizzard here a while back and the cops parked the CVPIs for Parks & Rec F150 4x4s (that got no respect) and a D.A.R.E. Chrysler Minivan from the mid 90s.

Back in the mid-90s I remember there was this one California Highway Patrol pickup truck in standard black and white markings that I'd see occasionally along my commute. It was maybe an early 70s model that was still in service. It was dented but looked like they just repainted it without taking the dents out. I'm wondering how you got that assignment (heard they're primarily for commercial vehicle enforcement). Looked kind of like this but without the utility shell:

I was in a pileup, and lo and behold it's this officer who is first upon the scene. He's wearing what the CHP call their "utility uniform" (jumpsuit really) and instructs us to wait there (although they'll pull you off to the side now). He notes all that and then drives away. Another CHP officer arrives on the scene and asks if we've already been assisted. We mention the officer in the pickup truck, and he says that he knows him.

Still - I'm wondering what kind of assignment is this and isn't it kind of considered low on the totem pole to have to wear a jumpsuit like you're a mechanic and drive a beat up pickup truck?

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: rjundi
Does it matter since 95% of drive time they are just going about easily along?


In my opinion, of course it does. If you didn't engineer things for that top 5%, you wouldn't need earthquake codes (the ground is still, 95% of the time), you wouldn't need hurricane construction (the wind doesn't blow that hard, 95% of the time), and you wouldn't need airbags or seat belts (you don't get in accidents, 95% of the time).

The first time that a pursuit tire survives a driving excursion where a normal tire wouldn't have...or, more importantly, the first time an officer survives because the cruiser is equipped with stout tires, haven't the tires paid for themselves?

 

[AKhan87]

Originally Posted By: zrxkawboy
Originally Posted By: 01_celica_gt
I have done wheel balance/tire rotation/alignment every 1-2k


Am I reading this right?


yes you are, I live one mile away from Firestone and whenever I remember or before a long trip I use my lifetime wheel balance/tire rotation/alignment. They keep my car for 1.5 hours and I generally run the mile back & forth between dropping and pick up the car, so extra cardio for me.

 

[mrsilv04]

Originally Posted By: y_p_w
Back in the mid-90s I remember there was this one California Highway Patrol pickup truck in standard black and white markings that I'd see occasionally along my commute. It was maybe an early 70s model that was still in service. It was dented but looked like they just repainted it without taking the dents out. I'm wondering how you got that assignment (heard they're primarily for commercial vehicle enforcement).

Still - I'm wondering what kind of assignment is this and isn't it kind of considered low on the totem pole to have to wear a jumpsuit like you're a mechanic and drive a beat up pickup truck?


Likely commercial vehicle enforcement. They'll wear a jumpsuit like that (and look like a mechanic) because they'll literally crawl underneath to check the brakes on whatever they pull over. Illinois still has them.

http://www.weldingandgasestoday.org/index.php/2010/03/inside-a-roadside-inspection/

 

[y_p_w]

Originally Posted By: 01_celica_gt
Originally Posted By: zrxkawboy
Originally Posted By: 01_celica_gt
I have done wheel balance/tire rotation/alignment every 1-2k


Am I reading this right?


yes you are, I live one mile away from Firestone and whenever I remember or before a long trip I use my lifetime wheel balance/tire rotation/alignment. They keep my car for 1.5 hours and I generally run the mile back & forth between dropping and pick up the car, so extra cardio for me.

I used to work less than two short blocks from a Firestone Complete Auto Care and got the lifetime alignment on several vehicles. I've actually left my car there all day. Parking around the area is all meters or pay garages/lots except for some businesses with free parking; I did have a monthly parking card though, so I didn't really need a place to park all day after a while. I once asked how often I could bring it in, and was told every week if I really wanted to just get an alignment check. They're not going to actually change anything if it's still within specs.

 

[buck91]

Not really direct comparison since I work in the private side of non-LE emergency response, but when I moved to my current company I was very impressed with the fact our rigs always have LTX M/S (now M/S2) with responsible tread left. Seen at least one get BFG Commercial T/A this year, but still worlds better than other places I've worked.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Originally Posted By: y_p_w
Originally Posted By: eljefino
We had a blizzard here a while back and the cops parked the CVPIs for Parks & Rec F150 4x4s (that got no respect) and a D.A.R.E. Chrysler Minivan from the mid 90s.

Back in the mid-90s I remember there was this one California Highway Patrol pickup truck in standard black and white markings that I'd see occasionally along my commute. It was maybe an early 70s model that was still in service. It was dented but looked like they just repainted it without taking the dents out. I'm wondering how you got that assignment (heard they're primarily for commercial vehicle enforcement). Looked kind of like this but without the utility shell:

I was in a pileup, and lo and behold it's this officer who is first upon the scene. He's wearing what the CHP call their "utility uniform" (jumpsuit really) and instructs us to wait there (although they'll pull you off to the side now). He notes all that and then drives away. Another CHP officer arrives on the scene and asks if we've already been assisted. We mention the officer in the pickup truck, and he says that he knows him.

Still - I'm wondering what kind of assignment is this and isn't it kind of considered low on the totem pole to have to wear a jumpsuit like you're a mechanic and drive a beat up pickup truck?


I'd drive it!

 

[y_p_w]

Originally Posted By: Miller88
Originally Posted By: y_p_w
Originally Posted By: eljefino
We had a blizzard here a while back and the cops parked the CVPIs for Parks & Rec F150 4x4s (that got no respect) and a D.A.R.E. Chrysler Minivan from the mid 90s.

Back in the mid-90s I remember there was this one California Highway Patrol pickup truck in standard black and white markings that I'd see occasionally along my commute. It was maybe an early 70s model that was still in service. It was dented but looked like they just repainted it without taking the dents out. I'm wondering how you got that assignment (heard they're primarily for commercial vehicle enforcement). Looked kind of like this but without the utility shell:

I was in a pileup, and lo and behold it's this officer who is first upon the scene. He's wearing what the CHP call their "utility uniform" (jumpsuit really) and instructs us to wait there (although they'll pull you off to the side now). He notes all that and then drives away. Another CHP officer arrives on the scene and asks if we've already been assisted. We mention the officer in the pickup truck, and he says that he knows him.

Still - I'm wondering what kind of assignment is this and isn't it kind of considered low on the totem pole to have to wear a jumpsuit like you're a mechanic and drive a beat up pickup truck?


I'd drive it!

That might not be it though. I think it might have even been the previous generation Dodge pickup (the Sweptline?). The edges were rounded off. I mean - this thing looked really old, really dented, and like they just repainted over this thing without sanding off the rust. This was the mid-90s and it looked like someone assigned to ride around in at least a 30 year old pickup truck that might have been older than him. I was wondering if it was punishment to be assigned this thing.

I see CHP pickups now, but they're all modern Rams or Chevys.

 

[Jarlaxle]

That body ran (with different front clips) 1972-1993.

 

[FordFocus]

a local police department by me is trying out nokian wrg2's as a way to save money and only running 1 type of tire year round

 

[fdcg27]

The tires you'll see on any fleet vehicle will be the choice of whomever had the authority to actually expend funds.
I buy good tires for our fleet vehicles, although not usually the most costly and I do consider how the vehicles will be used.
Anyone who's driven a CVPI knows that it is in no way a sports sedan and isn't capable of all that much speed or cornering agility to begin with, without regard to the tires on it.
Any number of stock family sedans will leave a CVPI for dead if decently well driven, especially at higher speeds or on any road where cornering is required.

 

[y_p_w]

Originally Posted By: fdcg27
The tires you'll see on any fleet vehicle will be the choice of whomever had the authority to actually expend funds.
I buy good tires for our fleet vehicles, although not usually the most costly and I do consider how the vehicles will be used.
Anyone who's driven a CVPI knows that it is in no way a sports sedan and isn't capable of all that much speed or cornering agility to begin with, without regard to the tires on it.
Any number of stock family sedans will leave a CVPI for dead if decently well driven, especially at higher speeds or on any road where cornering is required.

I remember talking to someone about the advantage that police have even thought they're typically driving what are essentially granny mobiles. They have numbers. And radios. And maybe aircraft. And spike strips. Yeah - "vehicle coming your way. Can you lay down a spike strip?"

And the typical motorcycles that many law enforcement agencies have are faster than most cars.

Also - isn't the Charger that lots of police agencies are driving now a half decent handling vehicle? And the new Taurus based Ford police vehicle is probably faster and better handling than the Crown Vic.

Even with all this, I've seen cops abuse their cars. Mostly it seems to blow off some steam.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: y_p_w
Goodyear Eagle RS-A seemed to be the most common....

They are adored for police applications up here, too.

 

[fdcg27]

Originally Posted By: y_p_w
Originally Posted By: fdcg27
The tires you'll see on any fleet vehicle will be the choice of whomever had the authority to actually expend funds.
I buy good tires for our fleet vehicles, although not usually the most costly and I do consider how the vehicles will be used.
Anyone who's driven a CVPI knows that it is in no way a sports sedan and isn't capable of all that much speed or cornering agility to begin with, without regard to the tires on it.
Any number of stock family sedans will leave a CVPI for dead if decently well driven, especially at higher speeds or on any road where cornering is required.

I remember talking to someone about the advantage that police have even thought they're typically driving what are essentially granny mobiles. They have numbers. And radios. And maybe aircraft. And spike strips. Yeah - "vehicle coming your way. Can you lay down a spike strip?"

And the typical motorcycles that many law enforcement agencies have are faster than most cars.

Also - isn't the Charger that lots of police agencies are driving now a half decent handling vehicle? And the new Taurus based Ford police vehicle is probably faster and better handling than the Crown Vic.

Even with all this, I've seen cops abuse their cars. Mostly it seems to blow off some steam.


Many years ago, as a teen driver, I mentioned to one of our local cops that our 350 Chevy was faster than his 403 Buick. He smiled and replied that the radio was faster than our Chevy.
Always a good point.

 

[geeman789]

Police here complained for years about poor winter performance on the standard all seasons. Finally somebody decided that having mobile police cars might be a good idea... and they now use the NOKIAN WRG3 four season tires... year round. One of the very few all season tires that passes the snowflake testing criteria.

 

[Jarlaxle]

Most Vics around here seem to run b Eagle Ultra Grips in the winter. Summer, it's Eagle RS-A...though at least some local departments run other tires; probably either the cheapest available, or those sold by the mayor's brother-in-law.

When he bought it, my friend's police Mustang had Generals.