PDA

View Full Version : Radio wave ‘zapper’ to aid UK police in ending chases?



Bob
15th July 2004, 01:50
A gadget which disables suspect vehicles using radio waves could soon be used by police in the UK.

The device works by knocking out the suspect vehicle’s fuel injection and engine firing systems. At a flick of a switch, the device fires a beam of high intensity radio waves, stalling it and bringing it safely to a halt.

Tests on the device are being conducted by Home Office scientists and police also appear to be keen on it "It seems to have potential, there's no doubt about it," said Mick Barker of the Police Federation.

More research is being undertaken into the effects of activating the device on non-suspect vehicles in the same area. And, of course, it does not work on vehicles built before on-board computers were standard.

ManDownUnder
15th July 2004, 10:09
Sounds bad to me...

Someone else firing off beamss of high energy ANYTHING potentially hitting people with thusfar undetermined effects...

Nope - not good in my book.

jrandom
15th July 2004, 10:44
Fockin' 'ell.

My mate with the ZX-7R always said that he wouldn't buy a new bike with FI because the Man would figure out a way to turn it off if he ever wanted to ride away in a hurry.

And I thought he was being paranoid.

Those flatslide carbs on a GS1200SS are looking better every day.

Funkyfly
15th July 2004, 11:02
A gadget which disables suspect vehicles using radio waves could soon be used by police in the UK.

The device works by knocking out the suspect vehicle’s fuel injection and engine firing systems. At a flick of a switch, the device fires a beam of high intensity radio waves, stalling it and bringing it safely to a halt.

Tests on the device are being conducted by Home Office scientists and police also appear to be keen on it "It seems to have potential, there's no doubt about it," said Mick Barker of the Police Federation.

More research is being undertaken into the effects of activating the device on non-suspect vehicles in the same area. And, of course, it does not work on vehicles built before on-board computers were standard.

I wonder how it would affect the other electrical devices on board, i.e braking systems, 4wd etc..

jrandom
15th July 2004, 11:28
I wonder how it would affect the other electrical devices on board, i.e braking systems, 4wd etc..

I don't know of any cars which are completely brake-by-wire or steer-by-wire, but if they were it could surely cause some horrific accidents.

Which would be the driver's fault for choosing an overly technological vehicle :p

bungbung
15th July 2004, 11:29
I recall seeing a telly article about a similar system tested in the US.

A skateboard sized trolley mounted at the pursuing car's front was fired (solid fuel rocket propelled) at the pursuee's car. The trolley trailed wires to the pursuer, feeding a coil mounted on the trolley. When the trolley passed under the pursuee, a button is pushed triggering an emf spike large enough to kill the car's ecu.

The main problem with this system was:

1) only one shot at the target.

2) didn't work with old school ignition.

Drunken Monkey
15th July 2004, 11:36
I don't know of any cars which are completely brake-by-wire or steer-by-wire, but if they were it could surely cause some horrific accidents.

Which would be the driver's fault for choosing an overly technological vehicle :p

Brand new Honda Civics are drive-by-wire. Haven't driven any brake-by-wire cars yet tho.
Wouldn't want a gut full of cancer-inducing electro-magnetic waves either.

Deano
15th July 2004, 11:58
My concern would be if you were mid corner under slight throttle and the engine suddenly cuts out - could cause you to wobble and fall off with the decreased inertia/centifical forces.

Mind you, it would probably be a matter of time before some clever fella designs a counter measure...

Paul in NZ
15th July 2004, 12:00
Hmmmm...

Eventually the criminal classes would be reduced as well because they would possibly be rendered impotent by the beam... Excellent!

Now... (donning my lead underwear) Where is that Dick Smiths catalogue.. I'm building one for the Guzzi.....

spudchucka
15th July 2004, 12:23
My concern would be if you were mid corner under slight throttle and the engine suddenly cuts out - could cause you to wobble and fall off with the decreased inertia/centifical forces.

Mind you, it would probably be a matter of time before some clever fella designs a counter measure...
As with road spikes there would be clear guidlines as to where and when they could be deployed.

merv
15th July 2004, 13:01
Fockin' 'ell.

My mate with the ZX-7R always said that he wouldn't buy a new bike with FI because the Man would figure out a way to turn it off if he ever wanted to ride away in a hurry.

And I thought he was being paranoid.

Those flatslide carbs on a GS1200SS are looking better every day.

Bugger it will still have electronic ignition though.

Deano
15th July 2004, 13:05
As with road spikes there would be clear guidlines as to where and when they could be deployed.


And the Police follow guidelines (such as those for vehicle chases) to the letter don't they :Pokey: (Not a personal attack there Spud :whistle: )

Motoracer
15th July 2004, 13:09
As with road spikes there would be clear guidlines as to where and when they could be deployed.

Do they have any spikes in NZ?

Since we are on the topic. My mate reckons he has just seen a white mufty EVO VII here in Auckland!! :shit:

wkid_one
15th July 2004, 19:40
A nuclear bomb within range would have the same effect PLUS it would have the added benefit of stopping all those within a say 100km radius from committing any future speeding offense also

Wonko
15th July 2004, 20:00
IIRC The latest Merc's are brake and drive by wire

I remember watching a "new miletry weapons" style program a year or 2 ago with this style of weapons platform. The idea being knock a tank off-line before it could target you. They showed a demo on a car. Downside was that you had to lift the bonnet to disable the engine from more than a meter away.

Could cause all sorts of problems when fired, imagine if your car stops running while at 100km/h stalls itself. she's going to stop like a lead balloon. Bikes would be even worse. Lots of impotence case's, loss of data from laptops and computers in the region, other vehicals caught in the "beam". Sounds like an open case to sue for damages.

spudchucka
15th July 2004, 20:20
And the Police follow guidelines (such as those for vehicle chases) to the letter don't they :Pokey: (Not a personal attack there Spud :whistle: )
There will always be those who push the boundries but that doesn't mean that the guidlines aren't in the majority of cases well adherehed to.

In the case of deploying one of these devices to stop a fleeing motorcycle, it is obvious that it could only be considered in a suitable flat, straight piece of road. Even then there would be considerable risk associated with its deployment. Road spikes are simply not an option for motorcycles, imagine going from 200 + kph to having a burst tyre, not pretty at all.

pete376403
15th July 2004, 20:20
My concern would be if you were mid corner under slight throttle and the engine suddenly cuts out - could cause you to wobble and fall off with the decreased inertia/centifical forces.

Mind you, it would probably be a matter of time before some clever fella designs a counter measure...
Counter measures exist already - magnetos and carburettors

spudchucka
15th July 2004, 20:25
Do they have any spikes in NZ?
Yup, they Sure do!!

jrandom
15th July 2004, 21:00
Road spikes are simply not an option for motorcycles, imagine going from 200 + kph to having a burst tyre, not pretty at all.

Always imagined that would be the case. Even the Evil Highway Patrol would surely not be so, well, Evil, as to put the spikes out for bikes.

Hmmm. While we're on the topic, what are the gaps between spikes when a set is fully extended across the road? Do they poke up in a real tight pattern, or would it be possible for a bike to thread its way through the spikes? I seem to recall seeing some potentially bike-tyre-sized gaps the last time the telly showed cops deploying them here.

I think it was on one of those shows where they have a cameraman following a hapless cop around on duty. The poor copper had the spikes halfway across the road when the BG came screaming round the corner in a stolen Evo. Copper just managed to yank them across and duck out of the way before it skidded through and... bang! Pop pop flappity flappity flappity... made for great 'reality TV'.

jrandom
15th July 2004, 21:02
magnetos

Ooooh, ooooh, I got one of them.

FEAR my countermeasures. Muahahahahahahaha!

Might have to go rob a bank now.

Deano
16th July 2004, 08:58
Road spikes are simply not an option for motorcycles, imagine going from 200 + kph to having a burst tyre, not pretty at all.

Even worse would be laying the bike down (for whatever reason -panic/oil/evasive techniques) and sliding on your ass into the spikes....

Now that would really rip your undies :eek5:

ManDownUnder
16th July 2004, 09:17
Even worse would be laying the bike down (for whatever reason -panic/oil/evasive techniques) and sliding on your ass into the spikes....

Now that would really rip your undies :eek5:

I think a roadblock would be more of a deterrant for a bike...

picture it 200kph+... zinging along the road leaving the cops in your dust and "oooo - a bulldozer and loads of police cars".

I think the decision about stopping or not would be a given.

MDU

Mongoose
16th July 2004, 10:07
Always imagined that would be the case. Even the Evil Highway Patrol would surely not be so, well, Evil, as to put the spikes out for bikes.

Hmmm. While we're on the topic, what are the gaps between spikes when a set is fully extended across the road? Do they poke up in a real tight pattern, or would it be possible for a bike to thread its way through the spikes? I seem to recall seeing some potentially bike-tyre-sized gaps the last time the telly showed cops deploying them here.
.

You would have to be farkin quick at threading your way thru, at the speeds mentioned would you even beable to pick out inividual spikes to thread your way past? :2guns:

spudchucka
16th July 2004, 10:12
Even worse would be laying the bike down (for whatever reason -panic/oil/evasive techniques) and sliding on your ass into the spikes....

Now that would really rip your undies :eek5:
That would be ugly for sure but like jrandom said about the stolen Evo, it would make for great reality TV. Well, bloody funny TV anyway.

Deano
16th July 2004, 10:15
I think a roadblock would be more of a deterrant for a bike...

picture it 200kph+... zinging along the road leaving the cops in your dust and "oooo - a bulldozer and loads of police cars".

I think the decision about stopping or not would be a given.

MDU

You've seen "Vanishing Point", haven't you ?

I remember the original movie when I was a kid - bloody excellent, especially the bit with the naked hottie on the back of the Harley.

ManDownUnder
16th July 2004, 10:44
You've seen "Vanishing Point", haven't you ?

I remember the original movie when I was a kid - bloody excellent, especially the bit with the naked hottie on the back of the Harley.

Yup - although I have to admit I don't remember the hottie... which worries me for some reason - I recall the bulldozer but not...

Hmmmm

Maybe I shouldn't admit that kind of thing.
MDU

Firefight
16th July 2004, 11:06
Yup - although I have to admit I don't remember the hottie... which worries me for some reason - I recall the bulldozer but not...

Hmmmm

Maybe I shouldn't admit that kind of thing.
MDU

Yep that was the chick in the desert bit ,In the true spirt of bikers, didn't the Harley owner offer him the chick ?, can't remember if he got laid or not ?But I now he didn't make much of an impression on the 24 tonne D8.
Shit thats a long time ago, Ia'm guessing about 30 years ago ?
Anyone know when the movie first came out ?

F/F

Mongoose
16th July 2004, 11:17
1971 was when it was made, so close but no cigar

Deano
16th July 2004, 11:25
1971 was when it was made, so close but no cigar

I must have seen replay of the original a few years after it was made.

Can't remember anything of 1971, was too busy incubating and being born.

Mongoose
16th July 2004, 11:52
I must have seen replay of the original a few years after it was made.

Can't remember anything of 1971, was too busy incubating and being born.

Guess dad got the cigar then?

James Deuce
16th July 2004, 12:02
A nuclear bomb within range would have the same effect PLUS it would have the added benefit of stopping all those within a say 100km radius from committing any future speeding offense also

I'll give you a call about the Benevolent Dictatorship I am planning for NZ. I like your style. Would you like "Director of Homeland Defence" for your title?

scumdog
16th July 2004, 13:09
You've seen "Vanishing Point", haven't you ?

I remember the original movie when I was a kid - bloody excellent, especially the bit with the naked hottie on the back of the Harley.

At the risk somebody has already said this, the "hottie" was on a Honda (about a CB350) in the version I saw - although a fair amount of my attention was on the "hottie", after all it was in the '70s and ya didn't get to see a lot of that type of stuff at the flicks. :crybaby:

Funkyfly
16th July 2004, 13:15
I don't know of any cars which are completely brake-by-wire or steer-by-wire, but if they were it could surely cause some horrific accidents.

Which would be the driver's fault for choosing an overly technological vehicle :p

Have you ever tried stopping a modern car from a decent speed without the motor running?

Try it sometime.

pete376403
16th July 2004, 13:24
You've seen "Vanishing Point", haven't you ?

I remember the original movie when I was a kid - bloody excellent, especially the bit with the naked hottie on the back of the Harley.

I think you'll find it was a Honda CB350.

Hated the end (what they did to the car) but at least it was only a Camaro (even though the car right through the movie was a Dodge Challenger)

Deano
16th July 2004, 13:35
I think you'll find it was a Honda CB350.

Hated the end (what they did to the car) but at least it was only a Camaro (even though the car right through the movie was a Dodge Challenger)



At the risk somebody has already said this, the "hottie" was on a Honda (about a CB350) in the version I saw - although a fair amount of my attention was on the "hottie", after all it was in the '70s and ya didn't get to see a lot of that type of stuff at the flicks. :crybaby:

You guys are showing your age :Pokey:

I must have been about 5 or 6 when I saw the original (repeat) and didn't know squat about bikes, except that the one in the movie was a cruiser style.

All cruisers look the same to me, probably like all sports bikes look the same to cruiser riders. :msn-wink: