Do red or cars with racing stripes make better rabbits? [Archive]

kpatz

08-26-2008, 06:30 AM

Anyone going fast enough is suitable as a rabbit, regardless of the type of car/truck/SUV they drive. I drop back 1/4-1/2 mile (making sure they stay in sight) and enjoy the ride. The idea behind the rabbit is that one of 3 things will happen: (1) he'll see the LEO and brake, alerting me; (2) the LEO will I/O them, and I'll get an alert, or (3) the LEO will take the bait (pull over the rabbit).

Ideal rabbits are ones going about the same speed I like to go. If they're too slow, they aren't a rabbit at all, and if they're going too fast, I'll lose them eventually. My only confirmed "rabbit save" was with one of the too-fast variety. A Honda and a Subaru passed me at 90+ so I got behind them and brought it up to 80 or so (this was when I was driving a Saturn so I didn't want to go faster). A couple miles later, long after I lost sight of the rabbits, I picked up a K alert and saw a state trooper pull out in front of me. He pulled over the Subaru.

On a trip home from Seabrook on Saturday, I picked up a black Volvo C30 rabbit, and tailed him all the way to Manchester. It was a nice ride, though we didn't encounter any traps.

Even better is 2 rabbits in front and at least one in back.

Stealth Stalker

08-26-2008, 06:58 AM

I personally would like to follow a car, something like a cobalt, or a girl on a cell phone is my favorite.
LOL! You just described my rabbit through Mississippi Sunday night! :lol:

Probably 19 or 20, driving a bright red Honda, and on her cellphone the entire time, averaging around 85 to 90mph the whole way. She was totally oblivious to her surroundings, so if there had been any cops out on that stretch, she would have been bagged for sure.

I agree with others that the only thing that really matters about my rabbit is that he have a large profile. Although, if I'm going to watch someone get busted, it might as well be someone with racing stripes, just for entertainment value. Preferably a Mustang.

TSi+WRX

08-26-2008, 09:27 AM

Ideal rabbits are ones going about the same speed I like to go. If they're too slow, they aren't a rabbit at all, and if they're going too fast, I'll lose them eventually.

Exactly my feelings, too.

Even better is 2 rabbits in front and at least one in back.

But even then, it's worth remembering that there have been traps with more than just one - or even two - enforcers, and also that they don't always have to pick either the vehicle running point or the vehicle trailing, when they see what's obviously a "wolf pack." ;)

Stealth Stalker

08-26-2008, 02:22 PM

...it's worth remembering that there have been traps with more than just one - or even two - enforcers, and also that they don't always have to pick either the vehicle running point or the vehicle trailing, when they see what's obviously a "wolf pack." ;)
True that. In Texas, They don't just pick one car to nab. It's not uncommon for a State Trooper to pull up next to the rear car and wave him over to the side, then continue up to get the front car too. He'll write up the front car, then go back for the rear car afterwards, which sucks, because the rear car gets held up for twice as long as the front car. You end up losing over half an hour if you're in the rear car. Of course, the upside for the cop is that he doesn't have to listen to the one driver he got whine about, "why didn't you get that other guy?"

That's probably the one line I got most tired of as a cop. Although, "you're just fvcking wit me cuz I'm black!" runs a close second. :laugh:

kpatz

08-26-2008, 03:47 PM

Re: wolf packs - not a problem if you keep some distance between yourself and your rabbit(s).

If you're the rear car and get waved over, and the trooper continues on to pull another car, just take off. :) Once again, this tactic has a better chance of success if you're some distance back from your rabbit, so the LEO loses sight of you while chasing down your rabbit. But, as long as you keep an eye on your tail, or have a rear rabbit, this should be a non-issue, as you can slow down before the trooper catches up to you.

Stealth Stalker

08-26-2008, 04:22 PM

Re: wolf packs - not a problem if you keep some distance between yourself and your rabbit(s).
Exactly.

If you're the rear car and get waved over, and the trooper continues on to pull another car, just take off.
I dunno, Bro. You may beat it in court, but you're still going to go to jail over that move. You can bet he got your LP number. And if he sees you take off, he'll abandon the first car to get you.

KnightHawk

08-26-2008, 06:58 PM

If you're the rear car and get waved over, and the trooper continues on to pull another car, just take off. :) Most likely, LEO will run after you. :D Other than speeding, LEO's going to think that there is something much more important like maybe suspended license, DUI, felony or drugs. Instead of just having a regular traffic stop, you end up having a felony stop. It just increases the probable cause.

kpatz

08-26-2008, 07:00 PM

I dunno, Bro. You may beat it in court, but you're still going to go to jail over that move. You can bet he got your LP number. And if he sees you take off, he'll abandon the first car to get you.You can just say you pulled over to let him by and he went on to chase down the car in front of you. After all, you pulled over and he didn't pull in behind you or in front of you, that to me would mean you're free to go. But of course, the key is to have your rabbit far enough ahead of you so if he tries to get a two-for-one, he'd lose you in the process. Someone will end up saved, either you or the rabbit. I suppose another (possibly risky) tactic would be to speed up if you spot a rear rabbit being pulled, to reduce the chances that the LEO will be able to get a two-for-one.

But if you also keep a rabbit behind you, or keep an eye on your mirrors (slow down if you see a car coming up fast behind you), rear threats should be largely a non-issue. The rabbit in front is to flush out threats up ahead, which tend to be more immediate/urgent.

I guess to sum it up, the safest place to be is in/near the middle of a loose pack, with rabbit(s) both in front and in back, at least 1/4 and preferably 1/2 mile apart, and an enforcer would have to pick one to pull over. But, if both rabbits are attentive, they can alert you to a threat before it becomes a threat.

TSi+WRX

08-27-2008, 06:37 AM

I guess to sum it up, the safest place to be is in/near the middle of a loose pack, with rabbit(s) both in front and in back, at least 1/4 and preferably 1/2 mile apart, and an enforcer would have to pick one to pull over. But, if both rabbits are attentive, they can alert you to a threat before it becomes a threat.

I'll agree with that.

But I don't really consider that a "pack." :p;) Personal vocabulary/semantics.

:)

Mr.Bape

08-27-2008, 04:56 PM

how does one determine on which rabbit to go after if they want to be the rabbit themselves? i know it sounds like a silly question but the reason i ask is because we buy radars to have fun on the highways while potentially avoiding LEOs, correct?

Stealth Stalker

08-27-2008, 09:34 PM

...we buy radars to have fun on the highways while potentially avoiding LEOs, correct?
It is interesting to note the various reasons that people choose to buy an RD, or to become an RD/countermeasure enthusiast. There is the Mustang crowd who is indeed out to speed for the fun of it, whether they are in a hurry or not. The BMW crowd who isn't enjoying the speeding so much as the driving experience, and gets carried away. There's the family sedan guy who simply got one too many tickets for one reason or another -- running late for work, etc... -- and just got fed up and decided to fight back. There's the truckers and long distance drivers (salesmen, retired and frequent vacationers, etc...) who just want to hedge their bets since they spend so much time on the road. And there are people like me who actually very rarely speed, but are just fascinated by the technology and the thrill of the cat-and-mouse game with LE. Even with a V1, I still pretty much stayed under 10 over PSL most of the way to Floridia and back.

As for rabbits, as someone pointed out, some are just too fast, and you have to reluctantly let them go. Others just aren't fast enough, and you either end up leading them or hoping for a better rabbit. I know at least once on my trip, a guy and I took turns being the rabbit through two states, kinda sharing the workload. I'd be cruising along, and suddenly he'd catch up and pass me, waving as he passed, then take the lead. Half an hour later, I'd do the same. Teamwork! It was pretty cool!

IXLR8

08-27-2008, 09:51 PM

I know at least once on my trip, a guy and I took turns being the rabbit through two states, kinda sharing the workload. I'd be cruising along, and suddenly he'd catch up and pass me, waving as he passed, then take the lead. Half an hour later, I'd do the same. Teamwork! It was pretty cool!

I would be too scared to be your rabbit, with that big stalker strapped to the dash!:eek:

TSi+WRX

08-28-2008, 06:34 AM

It is interesting to note the various reasons that people choose to buy an RD, or to become an RD/countermeasure enthusiast. There is the Mustang crowd who is indeed out to speed for the fun of it, whether they are in a hurry or not. The BMW crowd who isn't enjoying the speeding so much as the driving experience, and gets carried away. There's the family sedan guy who simply got one too many tickets for one reason or another -- running late for work, etc... -- and just got fed up and decided to fight back. There's the truckers and long distance drivers (salesmen, retired and frequent vacationers, etc...) who just want to hedge their bets since they spend so much time on the road. And there are people like me who actually very rarely speed, but are just fascinated by the technology and the thrill of the cat-and-mouse game with LE. Even with a V1, I still pretty much stayed under 10 over PSL most of the way to Floridia and back.

^ Although I typically fit in the last bracket (my local area commutes and errands, and although I typically hover in the < 10+ or, at most, < 15+ cut-off, I pretty much never speed on my local surface streets), I also confess to, very occasionally - and particularly on longer road-trips - going into the "hyperspeeder" territory.

But that's where I see things a bit differently.

I'm of the firm belief that as with anything automotive, it's a "pay to play" game.

Yes, we've already paid once (or more) to procure such countermeasures so that we may speed - if that's our true intent - but I also believe that it is unavoidable that, if you are such a speeder, that you *will*, at some point, fail the odds, and will incur enforcement action (whether it be just a verbal warning or a citation, I would still count that in the "loss" column).

I know at least once on my trip, a guy and I took turns being the rabbit through two states, kinda sharing the workload. I'd be cruising along, and suddenly he'd catch up and pass me, waving as he passed, then take the lead. Half an hour later, I'd do the same. Teamwork! It was pretty cool!

In a true "wolf pack," as I would consider it, I think that is accepted practice, if, truly, all drivers involved are speeding with such intent (i.e. to either have fun, or, alternatively, to simply make good time, as safely as possible). :)

Doc What, son?

08-28-2008, 02:42 PM

Sure takes stress out of driving to have a good RD, and a CruiseControl-using Rabit going the pace you want.

o2bad455

08-30-2008, 05:23 PM

I've used tailgaters as rear decoys on occasion. They don't normally volunteer, but simply follow too closely. I don't mind being the rabbit, but when someone's too close and I trip into a trap, I've avoided the ticket at least 3 times by simply lifting and letting the LEO note the tailgater at a slightly higher speed. In this situation, the trick is to avoid tipping off the tailgater too soon (e.g., just lift and don't hit the brakes).

Whistler1

08-30-2008, 07:18 PM

I recently completed a trip through several western states, using a rabbit saved my bacon several times.

Whistler1:D:D

swarga

08-31-2008, 11:46 AM

Well, any rabbit is a good rabbit, but I would have to say yes, a rabbit driving a "ticket magnet" vehicle is an even better one.

The last time I was pulled over for speeding, I had just been passed by one of those jacked-up monster pickup trucks - the ones with the big knobby tires and a center of gravity halfway to the moon - doing at least 90 MPH. If ever there was a vehicle that was unsafe to speed in, that would be it; one emergency lane change or even a sharp curve and this thing is tipping over. Of course, the CHP officer ignores all of this and pulls over the bright yellow Corvette. :rolleyes:

I've owned this car a little over 3 years. Before buying it, my last speeding ticket was in ~1993. Since I bought this car I've had two more speeding tickets. I'm still the same, I still drive the same - the only thing that's changed is the type and color of car that I drive. The inescapable conclusion is that the color and type of vehicle does have an impact on whether you get selected for a traffic stop.

I love my Corvette, but my next car is going to be dark grey in color and it's going to totally blend in with the crowd rather than stand out from it. Something like a BMW M3 or a Lexus IS-F - still fast, but conservatively styled so as not to leap out of the crowd and scream "Hello, Officer!!"

I'll let those guys with the flashy cars will be my rabbits. :D

Stealth Stalker

08-31-2008, 12:04 PM

The thing with rabbits is that so many people don't know how to use them wisely. I see so many people latch on to a rabbit and stay right behind him, and that's about as bad as having no rabbit at all. You have to keep your distance and stay back, giving him a good quarter mile lead. That way, when the cop sees him, he's already focused on him before you even come into sight. He's already hit the lock button and committed to the rabbit. But if you are too close, then he sees two speeding cars, and the easiest thing for him to do is to catch the straggler. Jungle rules. It's suicide. Then you are left being the guy that all cops hate, which is the pussy standing there crying, "Why didn't you get the other guy?"

BTW, different cops have hard ons for different cars. The flashy sports car thing is pretty universal, but there are exceptions. More experienced cops may choose to hassle BMWs over Vettes. I did. These days, Vettes are usually older, more experienced drivers (unlike in the early days). BMWs are ninety percent young yuppies, which all cops hate. It's about the driver, not the car.

TSi+WRX

08-31-2008, 12:37 PM

BTW, different cops have hard ons for different cars. The flashy sports car thing is pretty universal, but there are exceptions. More experienced cops may choose to hassle BMWs over Vettes. I did. These days, Vettes are usually older, more experienced drivers (unlike in the early days). BMWs are ninety percent young yuppies, which all cops hate. It's about the driver, not the car.

^ But the car sometimes indicates, as you said yourself, the driver. ;)

Enforcers are human beings. They carry prejudices, recognized or not, just as any of us do.

And yep, different people "hate" different things.

Stealth Stalker

08-31-2008, 02:00 PM

^ But the car sometimes indicates, as you said yourself, the driver. ;)
Exactly. So they end up making generalisations about who drives what. High-end cars are the first to get stereotyped, but that's not always bad.

I gotta say that a Subaru of any kind is probably a safe choice. It may be the fastest thing on the road, but I'd say most cops don't know one Subaru from the next. I don't. The Outbacker is the only one I could recognise. All the others are just those random, anonymous little cars on the road that all look alike. And so long as you don't dork it out with spoilers, neon, HIDs, and fart pipes, they are very non-attention getting.

The Invisible Vervet

09-01-2008, 12:44 AM

I gotta say that a Subaru of any kind is probably a safe choice. It may be the fastest thing on the road, but I'd say most cops don't know one Subaru from the next. I don't. The Outbacker is the only one I could recognise. All the others are just those random, anonymous little cars on the road that all look alike. And so long as you don't dork it out with spoilers, neon, HIDs, and fart pipes, they are very non-attention getting.

Doubly so if it's a wagon, I might add...

TSi+WRX

09-02-2008, 06:29 AM

^ "Triply," actually! :p

StealthStalker, I agree - the Legacy seems to be rather invisible, despite my Riceboy roots showing through with various cosmetic and performance/cosmetic mods, it still seems to attract much less enforcement attention than it should.

My wife's WRX, though, that's another story altogether. Even though it is bone-stock, every time an enforcer spots it, it's tracked the entire time it's within their view, as if they'd somehow expect it to burp out a flameball and just take off. :rolleyes:

Not that I'm complaining about the Legacy being just seen as a routine family car. After over a decade of driving cars that persistently caught the wrong kind of attention, I'm very, very glad to be among "the good citizenry." :)

swarga

09-02-2008, 11:33 PM

My wife's WRX, though, that's another story altogether. Even though it is bone-stock, every time an enforcer spots it, it's tracked the entire time it's within their view, as if they'd somehow expect it to burp out a flameball and just take off. :rolleyes:

Must be that riceboy hood scoop. :D

TSi+WRX

09-03-2008, 06:11 AM

swarga

09-03-2008, 01:57 PM

^ Undoubtedly so.

That, and the rather strange profile of people who favor the WRX, in our area.

It seems to be - no kidding - split 75/25 between young males (30 or younger) and slightly older females (30 to 45).

Our local STi/STI population is much more what's expected. Mostly younger males, with only a handful above 40.

When I was a teenager, the hot car that every boy dreamed about was the Pontiac Trans Am - the one with the big screaming chicken decal on the hood. Nowadays you wouldn't catch me dead in that car - it's just too gaudy for my taste now.

Stealth Stalker

09-03-2008, 02:47 PM

When I was a teenager, the hot car that every boy dreamed about was the Pontiac Trans Am - the one with the big screaming chicken decal on the hood. Nowadays you wouldn't catch me dead in that car - it's just too gaudy for my taste now.
Funny thing is, they are even bigger cop magnets today than they were back in the day. Nine times out of ten, if you pull one over now, they've either got warrants or dope, or both. It's almost a sure bet. Nothing says "scrote bag" quite like a Trans Am.

bobbyd

09-03-2008, 03:54 PM

Funny thing is, they are even bigger cop magnets today than they were back in the day. Nine times out of ten, if you pull one over now, they've either got warrants or dope, or both. It's almost a sure bet. Nothing says "scrote bag" quite like a Trans Am.

I guess im that 1 that doesnt have either.

but then I guess now why I got pulled over on monday for a no front license plate on the front bumper :rolleyes:

Stealth Stalker

09-03-2008, 05:56 PM

I guess im that 1 that doesnt have either.

but then I guess now why I got pulled over on monday for a no front license plate on the front bumper :rolleyes:
Probably so. Lots of cops find any reason at all to pull over TAs or Camaros. Both have the same reputation. It's not so much the "muscle car" thing as it is the doper thing.

mr_hyde

09-06-2008, 10:28 PM

The best rabbit I've ever had was actually a pair of State Patrol Cars. I was driving late at night on I5 and saw a blaze of lights in the distance. Two WSP cars were flying up the road at well over 100mph. I don't know if there was a serious accident or some other fun activity but I knew one thing: There wouldn't be any speed traps up ahead!

I let them pull away to about 3/4 mile and made pace. I figured that anything that was going to catch me from behind would also have lights blazing thus giving me plenty of time to slow down discretely. I held that speed for about 15 minutes until they finally pulled out of site and I slowed down to the safer 75mph range. I never did see what they were in such a hurry for...

-hyde
P.S. I'm new here but not to boards like these. I just put in a 9500ci after having an SRX in my other car for about 3 years. Awesome! I actually thought of the GPS/RD idea about 10 years ago and discussed it with friends. I'm not an EE and didn't hit the patent office though. Do you think Escort will take my word for it and send me a check? :D

V1 Dave

09-07-2008, 09:11 AM

-hyde
P.S. I'm new here but not to boards like these. I just put in a 9500ci after having an SRX in my other car for about 3 years. Awesome! I actually thought of the GPS/RD idea about 10 years ago and discussed it with friends. I'm not an EE and didn't hit the patent office though. Do you think Escort will take my word for it and send me a check? :D

Both you and Escort did not think about it first.
Uniden produced GPS RD over 15 years ago (cannot find the year)
but I believe did not patent it.
Uniden | A World Without Wires - GPSRD (http://www.uniden.com/products/productdetail.cfm?product=GPSRD)

swarga

09-14-2008, 10:27 AM

The last time I was pulled over for speeding, I had just been passed by one of those jacked-up monster pickup trucks - the ones with the big knobby tires and a center of gravity halfway to the moon - doing at least 90 MPH. If ever there was a vehicle that was unsafe to speed in, that would be it; one emergency lane change or even a sharp curve and this thing is tipping over. Of course, the CHP officer ignores all of this and pulls over the bright yellow Corvette. :rolleyes:

Here's another example of the "Corvette Tax:"

YouTube - V1 vs League City PD who loops around to follow me. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y13xZJLEyD4)

Here a putz local cop makes a U-turn and follows Erick simply because he's driving a Corvette. He ignores other speeding vehicles (pointed out in the video), probably figuring that "it's a Corvette - it's gotta be speeding!"

It's an ironic axiom that the more your vehicle displays the capability for going fast, the less it will be capable of actually doing so.

Stealth Stalker

09-14-2008, 03:46 PM

I don't think that is a particularly good example, since he didn't pull him over or cite him for anything. He was running c/o before he even got behind Erick, so it's not like he was blasting it just to annoy Erick. Expensive sports cars are frequent targets of theft, so following them til you can check them for stolen or wanted is a common and accepted patrol practice. Has nothing to do with traffic enforcement. And if he was hassling him, it's more likely to have been an "RD tax" than a "Corvette tax".

That video was definitely a good one for all the people who think they want a scanner to watch though! :lol:

swarga

09-14-2008, 10:34 PM

I don't think that is a particularly good example, since he didn't pull him over or cite him for anything. He was running c/o before he even got behind Erick, so it's not like he was blasting it just to annoy Erick.

The cop was parked, running radar and obviously looking for speeders. Erick drives by. He's not speeding, so why does the cop make a U-turn and come after him? Why him specifically and not any of the other vehicles on that particular road, any one of which could have been stolen, and several of which actually were speeding.

It's like cops see a Corvette and they get Tunnel Vision or something... :rolleyes:

Stealth Stalker

09-14-2008, 10:52 PM

It's like cops see a Corvette and they get Tunnel Vision or something... :rolleyes:
Yeah, I would never argue that, lol. Blatantly obvious. Just saying I don't think this guy was hassling Erick so much as just checking the status of the car. I always did that with Camaros and TAs, and all too often it paid off. Maybe that formula just works for him. But no, I don't support profiling people to hassle them.

djrams80

09-14-2008, 11:01 PM

I couldn't count the number of times that I have been pulled over for completely bogus reasons because of the car I drive over the years. This directly correlates to why I feel the way I do about LEOs.

REBinc

09-14-2008, 11:54 PM

I have no mufflers, haven't been pulled over ever in it and my motto is "keep it a misdemeanor". Last year my hometown gave out the most tickets in IL. My car is red, so that debunks the red myth. If someone attempts to follow me I will blast it without hesitation, good luck following that. If you do still hang, I'm going to get you w/ the kill switch.

Hunter

09-15-2008, 07:09 AM

any car that zips by me and keeps up the speed makes a perfect rabbit for me!!

swarga

09-15-2008, 08:09 AM

If someone attempts to follow me I will blast it without hesitation, good luck following that.

If your engine is stock, I think I could manage it. :D

If you do still hang, I'm going to get you w/ the kill switch.

What do you mean by that? Are you going to turn off your brake lights, slam on your brakes, and get me to rear-end you? :eek:

Stealth Stalker

09-17-2008, 12:46 PM

What do you mean by that? Are you going to turn off your brake lights, slam on your brakes, and get me to rear-end you? :eek:
No, man... it means he's gonna zap you with his infrasonic wave pulse generator. :lol:

upstatedoc

09-17-2008, 01:04 PM

No, man... it means he's gonna zap you with his infrasonic wave pulse generator. :lol:

^^ Where can I get one of those? :confused: :D

REBinc

09-17-2008, 04:14 PM

If your engine is stock, I think I could manage it. :D
I'll never tell

What do you mean by that? Are you going to turn off your brake lights, slam on your brakes, and get me to rear-end you? :eek:
Most people that attempt to follow me aren't anywhere near my bump. You can't tell if your a quater mile mile back I'm slamming on my brakes = ticket for you.

I don't like the whole pack speeding thing, I like to be alone.

swarga

09-17-2008, 07:58 PM

Most people that attempt to follow me aren't anywhere near my bump. You can't tell if your a quater mile mile back I'm slamming on my brakes = ticket for you.

Not if my V1 picks up your scatter. ;)

BTW, I agree with you - I also try my best to be a loner on the road, and will never allow a duckling to "imprint" on me. I prefer a nice big space cushion around my car. That's one of the reasons stealth is so important to me: retards won't latch onto you because you have a radar detector if they don't know that you have one. :thumb2:

Stealth Stalker

09-17-2008, 10:25 PM

BTW, I agree with you - I also try my best to be a loner on the road, and will never allow a duckling to "imprint" on me. I prefer a nice big space cushion around my car. That's one of the reasons stealth is so important to me: retards won't latch onto you because you have a radar detector if they don't know that you have one. :thumb2:
This is not always a good idea. On the highway, you are almost always going to be pulled over from behind. Having a duckling gives you a little buffer zone. A lot of cops will go after the straggler instead of the rabbit. If you don't have one, you're the only one that's going to get tagged, and you give up that possibility. I don't mind anyone tailing me at all, so long as they stay a safe distance. And sometimes, they're willing to switch leads with you ever so often, which is nice.