Fun fact: the U.S. has way more high-speed chase incidences than any other country in the world—about 250,000 per year. And why is this? Because despite the mistrusted view that no car can outrun a radio and therefore catching a fleeing criminal in a high pursuit chase should be just a matter of time, it turns out that even the speed of radio transmission is not always enough given someone who is motivated enough, pathological enough, and smart enough to ensure that their car is a step ahead of what the local law drives.
How High-Speed Evasion Works (at least a significant amount of the time)
That was the message in a recent 337 Speed YouTube channel episode about cars that are uncatchable and the how and why the number of high-speed pursuits successfully evading law enforcement in the U.S (currently 42%) is growing.
In short, what makes a car uncatchable can be broken down to three primary points with a best guess at a 4th that I would bet is spot-on.:
- The successful getaway car has more horsepower, better driving suspension, and tires for highspeed traffic conditions.
- A successful getaway car has a driver behind the wheel with skills beyond what most police academies provide in training.
- The successful getaway car has a body design and color that makes it hard to identify during nighttime.
- The successful getaway car has a driver who always has a plan and (to paraphrase poet Robert Frost) “…took the road fastest traveled by, and that has made all the difference.”
An Informative and Fun Video
Follow along with the video and learn a little something about the early history of getaway cars as well as how that the criminally driven know that the best way to stay out of prison is to make sure their vehicles are no match for what the Law allows its finest to drive.
The Car That Is Uncatchable
For additional related articles, here are two for your consideration:
Timothy Boyer is an automotive reporter based in Cincinnati. Experienced with early car restorations, he regularly restores older vehicles with engine modifications for improved performance. Follow Tim on “Zen and the Art of DIY Car Repair” website, the Zen Mechanic blog and on Twitter at @TimBoyerWrites and Facebook for daily news and topics related to new and used cars and trucks.
Image source: Deposit Photos