[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Question for LEOs here (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 10/10/2015 9:17:09 AM EDT
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How low do you the let the gas get in your patrol car?
Any funny stories about a follow LEO running out of gas? |
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I try to always stop and fuel at half a tank, calls permitting.
It would really suck having to terminate a pursuit because the fuel light came on. I have gotten real close. I was coming back from where a pursuit ended another county over and coasted in to a gas station. Had to use my own money so I could make it the rest of the way to a gas station that takes our fuel card. 
I remember thinking my gas gauge was broken and I ran out of gas on the side of the highway in my old Crown Vic but it turned out to be the emergency fuel cut off in the trunk that i didn't know existed. |
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We rarely had two sets of keys available for our cars, even if a car was brand new. Quoted:
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I just assumed 2 sets of keys since the cars are always running. We rarely had two sets of keys available for our cars, even if a car was brand new. Ace hardware, $2.50 for extra key = priceless. 
I never go below half a tank. |
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Ace hardware, $2.50 for extra key = priceless. Quoted:
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I just assumed 2 sets of keys since the cars are always running. We rarely had two sets of keys available for our cars, even if a car was brand new. Ace hardware, $2.50 for extra key = priceless. Not for chipped keys. |
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I don't let it get below half tank. I can't remember anyone running out, at least not recently, locking their keys in the car used to happen all the time though. Same here, never below 1/2 tank. I have a 65 mile code run last night that almost used up half a tank there and back to the pumps. |
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We rarely had two sets of keys available for our cars, even if a car was brand new. Quoted:
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I just assumed 2 sets of keys since the cars are always running. We rarely had two sets of keys available for our cars, even if a car was brand new. I just pay the 3 dollars at walmart for a copy. Cause they still don't give out 2 sets. We have 2015 Explorerers and the powers that be decided they wouldn't opt for the key fobs either. With the Crown Vics lockouts would happen pretty regularly but they are stupid easy to break into. |
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Originxally Posted By ScoutH57:
I try to always stop and fuel at half a tank, calls permitting. It would really suck having to terminate a pursuit because the fuel light came on. I have gotten real close. I was coming back from where a pursuit ended another county over and coasted in to a gas station. Had to use my own money so I could make it the rest of the way to a gas station that takes our fuel card.
I remember thinking my gas gauge was broken and I ran out of gas on the side of the highway in my old Crown Vic but it turned out to be the emergency fuel cut off in the trunk that i didn't know existed. This, we chased a car up the highway at 110mph or faster several counties up. We went so far that one highway patrol troop dropped out and sent the next troop up down. By the time I got out of it I was debating if I had enough to get back. But I started with almost a full tank so it wouldnt have mattered. But I almost never go lower than a half tank |
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I just pay the 3 dollars at walmart for a copy. Quoted:
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I just assumed 2 sets of keys since the cars are always running. We rarely had two sets of keys available for our cars, even if a car was brand new. I just pay the 3 dollars at walmart for a copy. We did that years ago, almost all the cars for the last 5+ years have had modern chipped keys. |
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We did that years ago, almost all the cars for the last 5+ years have had modern chipped keys. Quoted:
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I just assumed 2 sets of keys since the cars are always running. We rarely had two sets of keys available for our cars, even if a car was brand new. I just pay the 3 dollars at walmart for a copy. We did that years ago, almost all the cars for the last 5+ years have had modern chipped keys. Do you need a chipped key to unlock the door though? I thought it was just to start it? I could be wrong though. |
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Maybe I'm a dummy. I just assumed 2 sets of keys since the cars are always running. Quoted:
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I don't let it get below half tank. I can't remember anyone running out, at least not recently, locking their keys in the car used to happen all the time though. Maybe I'm a dummy. I just assumed 2 sets of keys since the cars are always running. That's what most assume, it's actually an ignition override switch that only works in park that way someone can't just smash the window and drive off with the car. |
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1/2 tank usually. Just because our county is so big you never know when a call might come in 45 miles away. On the way to a deer hunt one day I watched a state trooper running code down the highway. He pulled into the truckstop, lights running, gassed his Tahoe and then left running code back onto the highway. 
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I don't let it get below half tank. I can't remember anyone running out, at least not recently, locking their keys in the car used to happen all the time though. Keys are locked in patrol cars multiple times a day here locally, and there are no available spares. |
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Maybe I'm a dummy. I just assumed 2 sets of keys since the cars are always running. Quoted:
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I don't let it get below half tank. I can't remember anyone running out, at least not recently, locking their keys in the car used to happen all the time though. Maybe I'm a dummy. I just assumed 2 sets of keys since the cars are always running. !/2 tank here also and I always carry 3 keys to the vehicle. |
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We have a written policy that says vehicles must be refueled at half a tank. We have our own gas pumps for fuel. I've never known anyone to run out of gas in a cruiser, but have seen many get towed to the garage when they've broken down. I've had two cruisers catch on fire while I was driving them. |
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I was at just below half full at the start of a pursuit. My gas light came on just as it ended and I was still 80 miles away from a gas station. I asked an old crusty farmer for some gas. I came back my next day shift with some donuts and coffee for him. Super cool guy!!
I've always had a key fob so never locked my keys in the vehicle. We have always driven Expeditions and now we have new Tahoes. |
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frequently needed tow trucks to pull stuck Caprices out of the mud... Had a coworker that was running radar and had a speeder pulled over on the shoulder. The ground beneath the paved shoulder of the road gave way while he was inside the car writing the ticket, flipping it completely over. He wasn't hurt so and I thought it was funny as hell. |
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Depends.
I can usually get through an entire shift before filling Sometimes the person who had the car before me didn't have time to top off. Going lights and siren to a hot call from a distance can drop a quarter tank right then and there by the time you pull up in front of your destination. I prefer to not get below half a tank but call volume dictates. Filling up now is easier now that I can stop at just about any station in the country and fill up when I need to I've been locked out of the car I'm driving, more so since we got away from fleet keys Been stuck out in the country and needed good ol' boys or a wrecker to get me out You drive enough and eventually stuff happens |
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My gosh. That's a lot, mines at 96000 and THATS a lot! Quoted:
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My first patrol car had 200,000 miles on it when they issued it to me.It didn't even have a needle on the fuel gauge. My gosh. That's a lot, mines at 96000 and THATS a lot! Ours were taken out of service at 70k. |
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Ours were taken out of service at 70k. Quoted:
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My first patrol car had 200,000 miles on it when they issued it to me.It didn't even have a needle on the fuel gauge. My gosh. That's a lot, mines at 96000 and THATS a lot! Ours were taken out of service at 70k. I wish more places got the concept that old worn out cars cost more in maintenance than new cars. We finally got new Explorers. EVERY Crown Vic we had (and still have) have atleast 130K. Most right at 200K. I'm sure we'll have these Explorers until the end of time. |
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Not for chipped keys. Quoted:
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I just assumed 2 sets of keys since the cars are always running. We rarely had two sets of keys available for our cars, even if a car was brand new. Ace hardware, $2.50 for extra key = priceless. Not for chipped keys. You don't need a chipped key to unlock the door |
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We did that years ago, almost all the cars for the last 5+ years have had modern chipped keys. Quoted:
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I just assumed 2 sets of keys since the cars are always running. We rarely had two sets of keys available for our cars, even if a car was brand new. I just pay the 3 dollars at walmart for a copy. We did that years ago, almost all the cars for the last 5+ years have had modern chipped keys. A standard key will unlock the door... 
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Some of the cars we had only had the fob to unlock the doors. Always thought that was moronic. Quoted:
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Do you need a chipped key to unlock the door though? I thought it was just to start it? I could be wrong though. Some of the cars we had only had the fob to unlock the doors. Always thought that was moronic. Yup. My 07 Expedition only had the key lock on the driver's side, and the stupid keypad. |
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I'm curious to see how the Explorers and Taurus's will handle the long haul. Quoted:
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...I'm sure we'll have these Explorers until the end of time. I'm curious to see how the Explorers and Taurus's will handle the long haul. Our newer Fords started dropping transmissions and other major problems at about the two year mark. It's to the point where half the fleet is down after about four years of buying Fords. We went back to Dodges this year for fleet purchases |
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Never run out, come close though. First week back off drug task force I was waaaaay low. Stopped into a little town with one pump and used the agency credit card to get 5 gallons to make it back to town.
Our vehicles have an ignition switch. We can leave them running and locked, but if someone breaks in and tries to drive off, the engine dies. We only have one set of keys and fobs as duplicates are expensive. |
| I've never run out of gas and usually fill up between a quarter and half a tank. My new Explorer gets shit for mileage with all of the idle time and has a smaller tank than the CVPI I upgraded from. Only a couple of my guys have ran out of gas that I can think of and it was while sitting on the side of the interstate working a crime scene for 6-7 hours. |
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Our newer Fords started dropping transmissions and other major problems at about the two year mark. It's to the point where half the fleet is down after about four years of buying Fords. We went back to Dodges this year for fleet purchases Quoted:
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...I'm sure we'll have these Explorers until the end of time. I'm curious to see how the Explorers and Taurus's will handle the long haul. Our newer Fords started dropping transmissions and other major problems at about the two year mark. It's to the point where half the fleet is down after about four years of buying Fords. We went back to Dodges this year for fleet purchases Jesus. Going to Dodge of all brand for reliability isn't a great ad for Ford. Do you know what engine your cars had? |
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Not LE, but I work in a municipal garage that repairs the cars, I do admin shit anymore, answering the phones, calling tows, dispatching service calls, writing work orders...
The PD handles some stuff on their own but I've never seen a gas can in a cruiser and Transportation is a 9-5 gig. In three years I've had a lot of morons at the city run out of fuel, but not one cop, IME their major user error is locking themselves out. |
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How about this. Why does the local city police have so many different models? Crown Vics W/e the new 4 door ford sedan is Tahoes F150s Chargers. 2 body styles. Probably others Could be all sorts of reasons. The CVPIs probably haven't hit whatever retirement age/mileage the agency sets. We have a mix of CVPIs and the new Explorers and will have all Explorers within 3 years. Our Supervisors have rolled in Tahoes for about 10 years for some reason or another and a few of our most senior patrol guys have Tahoes because at one point we were going to transition to all Tahoes until we got a better deal on the Explorers. Chargers are pretty popular with traffic units with the Hemi. The F150s I couldn't tell you. Our property crimes guys use them but their unmarked and for a brief time we had a K9 guy in one because he had 2 dogs. |
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How about this. Why does the local city police have so many different models? Crown Vics W/e the new 4 door ford sedan is Tahoes F150s Chargers. 2 body styles. Probably others At ours: Not counting the hodgepodge of unmarked and undercover. Ten year replacement schedules, 70+ cars a year, Vic was the only FS RWD game for a while. Transition from Vic went cheapest first Caprice, major P.O.S. and dept wanted Chargers, get Chargers, slightly less of a P.O.S. keep buying Chargers body style changed, get new body style Chargers. Tahoes here are for special units, some depts. use them for K9 since the new sedans are on the small side, some depts. use them for Sgt and higher so they can haul more shit. Trucks belong to Transportation and special units for towing the motorcycle trailer, moving traffic cones and barricades and other ancillary work. |
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A better question is, With all the electronics and the AC converter, How many have dead batteries? LOL! I'm going to say we change one a day averaged out, that might be low, no idea how many get jumped, a lot. Caprice (I think the Charger as well) has an aux batt, it's cut it down dramatically, still 3 year is exceptional life from the battery in one of our cars. |
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Not particularly funny. But yes. We've got a lot of ground to cover. The best is getting stuck somewhere in the middle of nowhere and going off encrypted to try and get a message to Roads crew or someone. "271, 550, If you've got the plow still out, I'll need some assistance with some snow drifting around MM105". "550, 271, So you need us to come and pull you out then?". |