Seems like a good idea to me.
That should fix it
iadr wrote: Not the link you meant?
That's weird. Lemme investigate....
Oh good, I was worried this was a really complex joke that went over my head.
Note to self: pick a getaway car with a tag axle.
What's a tag axle?
Looks like a good way to flip a police car over.
I don't think the designers thought their cunning plan all the way through.
Knurled wrote: Looks like a good way to flip a police car over. I don't think the designers thought their cunning plan all the way through.
How so?
RossD wrote:Knurled wrote: Looks like a good way to flip a police car over. I don't think the designers thought their cunning plan all the way through.How so?
Yeah, I don't see how a cop car could flip. The grappler is/can be tethered to the car, but that tether can be released from inside the car. I don't see how the tether could flip a car anyway.
I'd like to see how that works on a high power RWD with Detroit locker or spool.
RossD wrote:Knurled wrote: Looks like a good way to flip a police car over. I don't think the designers thought their cunning plan all the way through.How so?
The device essentially turns the police car into a trailer. It wouldn't be hard to induce a towing accident, and it is probably the likely outcome if the pursuee isn't cooperative. Corollary, the pursuer MUST steer where the pursuee is going or things would also get ugly fast.
In reply to Knurled:
But it's a trailer with trailer brakes which is how you stop your trailer from spinning you. My first impression is that the rear vehicle has more control. I would like to see some more worst case testing though-like potholes catching the frame. 
HappyAndy wrote: I'd like to see how that works on a high power RWD with Detroit locker or spool.
I think it would stop the snagged car faster. The straps keep the snagged wheel from turning. If the car had a locker it would keep both wheels from turning. I don't think the straps would break. I think the rear end or something else upstream would break first. Though really the tires would likely just drag until stopped.
The pursuit car still has to get within snagging distance. People would still see this contraption in their rear view mirror and start driving even more erratically.
It's a neat idea, but it's intended use is pointless.
I've seen a few videos of this now. While it works great on track like conditions, I would like to see it used in real world potholes and trees conditions.
FWD gives the best chance of escape, from the videos I've seen a tough rear locker will make it work better. A brodozer or mud truck would be an interesting test, something where the torque number has a comma in it might do some damage.
pheller wrote: The pursuit car still has to get within snagging distance. People would still see this contraption in their rear view mirror and start driving even more erratically. It's a neat idea, but it's intended use is pointless.
Yeah, but the way it's designed it's suppose to be an element of surprise.
Get up close, deploy it, snag them.
Plus it sits so low and actuated so fast that the culprit may not even see it deploy.
It would need heavy user training for sure.
In reply to RevRico:
That's what I was getting at, I'd like to see this tried on a brodozer, tow truck or diesel dually.
If they can find a way to stop people that doesn't involve punting them into a spin at high speeds I'm for it.
Right, that's the problem with current pursuit techniques, they endanger drivers (perps) and surrounding people and property. It's not the method of stopping the runner, it's the chasing in the first place.
Not if it is done right 
DrBoost wrote: What's a tag axle?
A dead axle that tags along to carry the extra load.
MrJoshua wrote: In reply to Knurled: But it's a trailer with trailer brakes which is how you stop your trailer from spinning you. My first impression is that the rear vehicle has more control. I would like to see some more worst case testing though-like potholes catching the frame.
That's an issue too, but what happens if the pursuee swerves heavily, either deliberately or as a shock reaction to the car getting gaffed?
Sure, there's the trailer-brake effect, but that generally stabilizes the system if the tow vehicle isn't being wildly flailed around.
I agree, would want to see more worst-case testing, not a manufacturer's promotional video.
MrJoshua wrote: I would like to see some more worst case testing though-like potholes catching the frame.
I don't see that happening. The strap looks like it is sitting hight enough that it is at about the centerline of the tire. That put's it about a foot off the ground or so.
Anyone else have a flashback to this?
I think the flipping concern is definitely warranted. Even though it may be released from inside the cruiser, I think it's at least possible that a suspect could do something violent enough to put the cruiser in trouble before the release could be triggered. Maybe the way around that would be just to always snag and release? Beats the pit maneuver, and even the spike strip, in terms of general safety.
Some of the other concerns raised are, um, unlikely scenarios to say the least.
ShadowSix wrote: Some of the other concerns raised are, um, unlikely scenarios to say the least.
I hope that's not in reference to my spearing a pothole concern because that was an awesome concern. Especially if the cop car flipped in the air like cop cars always do in movies when the criminal does some sort of daring rapid lane change type maneuver. 
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