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HORSEPOWER IS GREAT! BUT WHAT THE HELL IS TORQUE?

Have you ever wondered about that? Car makers are always pushing horsepower but what is torque? Torque is a measure of how the engine's energy is applied to the road through the tires. Let me try to explain it as simple as possible, because I don't even understand it. When accelerating from 0-60 miles per hour, the horsepower will sustain your speed. The torque will get you there, the more torque, the quicker your speed matches the other cars when you merge on the highway. Look at the 2000 Chevy Impala 9C1 police car. The torque is like 225 and the horsepower is 200. Now if the torque was 170, 0-60 probably would be 10.3 seconds instead of around 9. There are plenty of junky four cylinder cars out there. (Then again they are heaven, considering gas prices now) A lot of four cylinder sports car manufacturers claim 200 horsepower, but the torque suffers around 170 or 185. That kind of torque isn't going to make the tires scream. If I'm not mistaken, the Subaru WRX puts out over 200 foot pounds of torque, resulting in 0-60 performance of 6 or so seconds. I'm in no way a fan of 4 cylinders and really don't follow them, but are you catching my drift? So stop thinking about horsepower so much and start thinking about torque! The new 300C HEMI coming out is putting out 390 foot pounds of torque! That is a lot of tire smoking power. So start considering torque and worry less about horsepower.

TIRES

Tires. Some people like me, keep an eye on their tires. Others neglect their tires, but why? Have you ever been behind someone, who clearly had a very low tire! Not only are they stupid and are wasting gas, but they are also placing themselves and you at risk. This composition not only deals with tires, but also with taking care of your retired police car. More on that later. Go outside, look at your tires, and then come back to your computer. Now make yourself a check of the following things below.

EXAMPLE: P225/60R16 97V

P-Passenger car tire
225- Width of tire in millimeters
60R-Ration of height to width (aspect ratio)
R-Radial
16-diameter of wheel in inches
97V-Load index and speed symbol!

How is the tire pressure? Too much air is dangerous, but not enough air obviously will rob your gas and possibly your life. If one tire out of three looks lower than the others, find a gas station with an air pump and fill it till they all match. Your better off using a tire pump that has a PSI rating and know your rating! If there is no instrument measuring how much pressure your applying, then just be careful.
ALIGNMENT After this lousy winter, (Winters are always lousy! It's winter!) god only knows how many pot holes I hit. I've been meaning to get my alignment done. Make sure yours is straight too. If the steering wheel pulls a lot, then get that alignment done. I bought new tires finally and my old ones were beat, especially the front ones. I had very low tread wear thanks to the front wheel alignment.
ROTATION Make sure you rotate your tires every 2 oil changes. If you can do it great, if not find a garage you trust and/or read the owners manual if the police car came with one. Don't be like me. I bought brand new Eagle GT+4's awhile ago on my 1993 P71. And they didn't last long. Why? You guessed it, because I didn't rotate them.
The penny test. Stick a penny with Abe Lincoln's head pointing down in your tire tread groove. If you can see his whole head, your tires need to be replaced. Matter of fact, after I type this I'm going to check my still very new Cooper Tires and give them that test.

What is your tire rating? Do you have any idea? Do you care? I haven't cared much, but now I realize that knowing your tire rating is important and interesting. If you look at a car's tires and notice that they have 225/50/SR16's, would you know they are speed rated to 112 miles an hour? There are many different types of tires. Even if a tire is rated at 140 miles an hour, that doesn't mean you will be in the clear if you drive down the highway at 150 m.p.h. Different tires go with the job. A thick heavy duty high speed rated tire will go on a police car. A Z rated tire probably will go on a porsche. Here is a simple list of tire speeds.

N   87 m.p.h. speed rated    (Used as a spare tire)
P   93 mph
Q    99 mph    Studless & Studdable Winter Tires
R   106mph Heavy Duty Light Truck Tires
S    112 mph Family Sedans and Vans
T   118 mph   Family Sedans and Vans
U 124 mph
H      130 mph Sport Sedans & Coupes
V       149 mph Sport Sedans, Coupes, & Sports Cars

There is also W and Y tires, but this isn't a Porsche, Ferrari, Lamborghini website. And make sure you take care of your police car. Whether it be a 1991 Ford LTD or a 2001 Chevy Impala, check the fluids, watch for leaks, etc. Don't panic when you walk back to your car at the mall and there is a green puddle underneath the engine! It could be antifreeze from someone else’s car! Worry, when you drive it home and that same puddle is there.

TERRORISM

761 words about Terrorism...

2004 has been an interesting year. Toward the end of winter, stories were published about a threat to our state’s highway system. Then a careless driver smacked into a fuel tanker on March 25, causing the truck to explode, which intern closed the southbound span of I-95 for weeks. On March 11 of this year, 200 perished on a train in Spain. And here in our great country, Mayor Bloomberg of New York City and others, tell us the same old boring, pathetic thing. They tell us, “Live your life. Don’t let the terrorist win.” Well that’s a bunch of feces and I’ll tell you why. First, I have to point out these ridiculous scary warnings. The FBI warned us in March of possible attacks in this country and nothing happened. Then on May 26 they warned us again, “Be on alert. Something could happen.” Then to add rubbing alcohol to an open cut they warned us again a few weeks later. Maybe we should commend them for giving us a warning now, instead of just allowing over 2,000 of us to die with no warning at all like three years ago. For God’s sake there were Al Queda members learning to fly airliners in our country! But how in the hell am I suppose to live my life? If I visit New York City, should I hope and pray that there isn’t an explosive device underneath my seat on the train? Will Newsweek be there to take a picture of my decomposed twisted corpse after the explosion like they did in Spain? Instead of phony politicians telling us to live our life, it is time they started saying, “This is what I’m going to do so you can live your life!” Extra police presence on New Years Eve, the Olympics, code purple and yellow is not going to stop us Americans from being killed. We definitely have to be more proactive then reactive. Sure, the bag searches on the trains are a great idea. And the TSA is watching what passengers carry on our airlines. But we really do not need any more ‘commissions’ to point blame and investigate who dropped the ball. Are nuclear reactors getting as much attention as Amtrak and Metro-North? What about explosives on buses and tractor-trailers? Who’s checking the ships coming to port?

Why are we beefing up security to some buildings due to ‘chatter’ now, instead of keeping these landmarks and businesses safe from the get go?

I think all of you would agree Homeland Security is a very important issue. Hell, it’s what I do for a living so it better be important. Through August and September I’ve learned a great deal about a profession that isn’t really discussed much on the news, television, or movies. During a crisis situation, who are the first responders? During 9-11-2001, who were the first on the scene relaying information and organizing the situation? The Dispatchers for Fire, Paramedics, and the Police. During my telecommunicator training, I heard the Fire Department dispatch tapes from the first trade center attack in 1993. One of the reasons for this essay is to remind all of you about who answers the phone when you dial 911. I’m receiving the same training as police dispatchers and I wish I entered the dispatching field ten years ago. It sure would of beat that big six dollars an hour I was making at the movie theater. The job is demanding but I’m sure many of you dispatchers out there find the job rewarding and I’m sure it is. We now live in a different time. A time when we have to look behind our backs and now question whether a person is a tourist taking pictures of a building or a terrorist member. All of you should remember the outpouring of emotion on the Fourth of July 2002. But I do think some of us forgot September eleventh. Teachers in our country show the beheading of hostages in their classrooms. What is that all about? Were all not going to change our lives due to terrorist scumbags. More money should be spent to hire and train more Law Enforcement officers. There are a lot of holes not covered by our borders and god only knows what these terrorist sickos are planning next. And there is absolutely, in my opinion, no issue about how much all this security should cost. If we can spend 80 or so billion in Iraq and hundreds of million going to Mars, is our security worth a few million?

A 1999 Ford.

The Connecticut State Police

I remember vividly driving north bound route 8 in Bridgeport, CT one day, just driving around. I was doing my normal 65 miles per hour. Like usual other cars were passing me, maybe doing 68, 70, or a little more. But one older SUV was doing a lot more than that and passed me out. I think I saw the dark brown Connecticut State Police Crown Victoria at the same time as the speeding driver. The Trooper was parked in the grass, their car aimed right out at traffic. As the SUV passed me the trooper already was moving, and probably clocked the driver at over 80. Then what proceeded was one of the shortest chases the Trooper probably was involved in, as the SUV knew they were busted and pulled right over. The Connecticut State Police, known for their plain any color cars, enforce the highways and byways of Connecticut roads and thruways. They come in all colors, Dark Blue, light blue, gray, silver, Brown, red, and even white. In 2003 their using Ford's, Impala's, Intrepids, Camaros, and who knows what else. NBC30 did a story recently on them and their speed trap locations. They covered a lot of ground but they didn't discuss Bridgeport to New Haven speed traps. Well here they are!

North bound I-95 after exit 41, check for them on the right side before the bridge and after the bridge once in awhile up on that hill. I've seen a Trooper park up there a few times, sure gives him a birds eye view!
Before exit 42 I-95 Northbound on the left hand side in the passing breakdown lane; Room for a State Police cruiser, I've seen them, park there and clock.
After Exit 42 I-95 North parked on the right side before the bridge, parked on the grass, they like that spot.
Also I-95 southbound between 43 entrance ramp and exit 42 on the right side, a couple of days ago I saw 2 troopers there waiting in Crown Victoria's with no lightbars on.
Exit 46 North bound or southbound I-95 on the right side they love that spot too!
Exit 36 I-95 Southbound before the bridge, there's a grassy area for them to park, then after the bridge on the right, don't be surprised if their sitting there.
Exit 36 I-95 northbound same thing look for them on the right before and after the bridge, nice hiding place!
Let's not forget I-95 northbound just after I believe exit 39B on the right side. Don't be surprised if your doing 74ish and you see a Crown Vic parked toward traffic idling. Busted!
I-95 southbound after I believe exit 39A there is a patch of grass on the right they love!
BETWEEN EXITS 25-27 NORTH AND SOUTHBOUND I-95 45 MPH SPEEDLIMIT STRICTLY ENFORCED!

And do you think this information is hush hush? Well it isn't! The Connecticut State Police want you to know where they are hiding, as they explained in the NBC30 special. But there's so many speeders, especially out of state ones, it isn't too hard to find a violator. And if these traps aren't enough, watch out for their airplane and the new helicopter!

Being the sucker I am for police cars, I ran into two former Connecticut State Troopers at past jobs I used to work at, one of them as little as a few months ago. Gary Chrostowski was a Trooper from 1969-1989. He told me about the mighty 428 and how the late 1960's vehicles were two doors. I also luckily met Charles Kallay. He was a Trooper from 1974-1994 and his first car was the awesome, kickass 285 horsepower 1973 Plymouth Fury 440! Talking to these guys was an experience. What's it like to talk to former Troopers? These guys were cool, relaxed, and you would never think (in the case of Charles) that you were talking to a SWAT team, former sergeant of the CTSP, and ex-Army veteran with a Bachelor's and Master's under his belt. I have many police car books but talking with these gentlemen was more informative then the best Law Enforcement .encyclopedia Charles did not have air-conditioning in the Fury in 1974, so a few years later when he got A/C he would blast it in the winter! His car was powder blue, with of course the famous Connecticut removal lightbar and STATE POLICE signs in the front and back of the cars.
One day I hope to restore an old 70's police cruiser to Connecticut State Police specs. I check out pictures from Police car shows and to this day, I have never seen a CTSP vehicle. But California, Texas, Utah, you name it other states are represented.

AND...a few more places that the Connecticut State Police like to hide!

Let's not forget I-91 southbound when you past exit 4 I've seen a trooper at night parked on the right breakdown lane, perpendicular to traffic, or parked parallel to traffic, waiting... (Wow...perpendicular I did learn something in school!!!!)
I-95 southbound between exit 35 and 34 on the right side, check out the 'grassy knoll' area on the right with the trees and the little hill. I've seen a Trooper waiting there (especially a Dark Green or Brown Crown Victoria.... camouflage)
One early morning I was driving home from work, 7 a.m. and right before exit 41 southbound I-95, I saw a big dark sedan parked perpendicular to traffic on the right side, past the exit and before the bridge. People doing beyond 70 mph were oblivious to the Trooper too! (Maybe they were just tired) Other troopers were waiting on the right side on that long entrance ramp to the highway.
And...right before I-95 southbound exit 41 there's a grassy area on the right side. A nice favorite choice spot for a parked Trooper. People coming down that hill, especially in the hammer lane doing over 70+, busted!
Between 32 and 33 Northbound I-95, behind that wall on the right, sometimes a Trooper waits there.

Check out exit 43 I-95 southbound, I've seen one park right there at night pointing toward traffic. Very hard to see and if your speeding, that spot could really sneek up on ya.
Oooops another hiding spot! I got off exit 5 northbound route 8 exit ramp and there was a Trooper I assume clocking the northbound traffic parked on the leftside of the entrance ramp going northbound. So if your think your clear cause you don't see any Troopers up Route 8 in that area or your detector is going crazy, you know why!!!!!!!!!!