X- Cars BBC Series 1997 - Whats Changed?

[Krupp88]

I finally managed to find a couple of episodes of X-Cars from 1997 on You Tube. This followed a unit in GMP using unmarked performance cars (Sierra RS Cosworth, Escort RS2000, Rover Coupe Turbo) to crack down on the what must have been a massive volume of car thefts.

The pursuits in the series seem to be a little more 'aggressive' that those seen in more recent programmes.

Reason for posting here rather than the TV thread is to ask how much has changed in regards to pursuit policy in the intervening years?

A couple of stand out moments included the team trying to bump start the Escort RS2000, what may have been the same car ending up being stolen and burnt out after being joyrided for the day.

[williamp]

Whats changed?? Someone will mention the budget cuts any second now...

[Exige77]

Speed cameras have stopped all car crime

[allergictocheese]

Cars are more difficult to steal. Habits change. The law surrounding dangerous driving and civil liability change over time meaning police forces have to maintain their protocols appropriately. 1997 is nearly 20 years ago, and a lot can change in 20 years.

[Nickyboy]

Choppers are used by every force now negating the need for the majority of high speed chases

[allergictocheese]

Nickyboy said:

Choppers are used by every force now negating the need for the majority of high speed chases

A Police chopper, yesterday...

[aw51 121565]

GMP's Tactical Vehicle Crime Unit a decade or so later.

[Krupp88]

Nickyboy said:

Choppers are used by every force now negating the need for the majority of high speed chases

Helicopter was defiantly used in a couple of the pursuits shown, didn't stop the unit following the TWOC'ers down back street alleys and off road, I bet the E reg Sierra Cosworth was knackered by the time it was retired!

I was learning to drive when this was first aired and I couldn't afford to insure the XR2 that I wanted (bargain at £500), it was good to see the scum that were driving up insurance costs getting hammered.

[LoonR1]

Insurance premiums were affected a little bit by theft, but mainly by youngsters crashing their own car and the newly invented No Win, No Fee claims.

[Devil2575]

allergictocheese said:

Cars are more difficult to steal.

Indeed. Aren't pretty much all modern cars impossible to steal unless you have the key?

[Krupp88]

LoonR1 said:

Insurance premiums were affected a little bit by theft, but mainly by youngsters crashing their own car and the newly invented No Win, No Fee claims.

I stand corrected :-)

However the new offerings in the mid - late 90's from Ford et al did seem very mundane in comparison with the previous generation of cars, for that I'm certain I can blame them.

[andrewrob]

Used to love watching X cars, was it Blues and Twos that had the senator and the escort costworth paired up?
I remember when they were chasing a guy on a scooter and it was so slow the senator managed to go up the next street and head it off at the end.

[nxi20]

Devil2575 said:

Indeed. Aren't pretty much all modern cars impossible to steal unless you have the key?

It seems not

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/pull-over-al...

[LoonR1]

Krupp88 said:

I stand corrected :-)

However the new offerings in the mid - late 90's from Ford et al did seem very mundane in comparison with the previous generation of cars, for that I'm certain I can blame them.

Yes you can and you'd probably be half right. The other half was down to youngsters crashing them so frequently, that they effectively become uninsurable within their target market (youngsters), so they stopped making them as nobody could afford to buy amd run one.

[pork911]

LoonR1 said:

....the newly invented No Win, No Fee claims.

access to justice

[LoonR1]

pork911 said:

LoonR1 said:

....the newly invented No Win, No Fee claims.

access to justice

Hahahahahaha

Potato, potato

Tomato, tomato

[FurryExocet]

Funnily enough we watched some of these the other day, we were amazed at some of the stuff they could do and get away with it (hand break turns in front of subject cars, off road chases and over central reservations)

And oh my God the clothes!

It's very entertaining to watch, sadly it's not the same today. The cars being stolen are much, much quicker and we no longer drive the same cars, diesel's are quick, but not RS4/6 quick. Health & Safety is a huge thing now and public safety is far more of a concern now a days.

The helicopters rarely lift for anything anymore and the proactive units are being disbanded, due to budget cuts by the government.

Within a couple of years, we'll be a fire brigade police service, responding to things after they've happened.

Could only find 6 episodes on YouTube, if anyone had anymore, then please share.

Those Cosworths looked awesome

[Elroy Blue]

Just watched episode 1. The guy throwing the stinger at the end had an absolute death wish. One thing that hasn't changed is the pitiful sentences handed out to the criminals.

[340600]

Lack of stab vests and ANPR was the first thing that jumped out at me. How ever did they survive.

Those Cossies sounded nice at full chat though.

[Bigends]

340600 said:

Lack of stab vests and ANPR was the first thing that jumped out at me. How ever did they survive.

Those Cossies sounded nice at full chat though.

My force didnt even issue handcuffs generally until Quik cuffs were introduced in 1993 batons and stab vests were years later - we just got on with things