Topic: cars and radios (Read 25562 times)

dhparker · « **on:** November 09, 2006, 11:10:37 AM »

This probably ranks right up at the top of my dumb questions list, but I'm not a car person. Can police use their radio extenders when their car is turned off (without risking a dead car battery)?

I occasionally see cars left running. Are they somehow secured so a criminal-minded person couldn't just jump in and take off with them, or get equipment out of them? Obviously most people would have enough sense to leave them alone, but you do get a "dumb criminal" sometimes.

JIM DOHERTY · « **Reply #1 on:** November 09, 2006, 11:27:14 AM »

Donna,

I don't say that this is universal, because there are all sorts of cars and all sorts of radios, all competing for the law enforcement dollar, which means there are many products I'm not personally familiar with, but, in my experience, when the car is turned off, so is the car radio.

Some departments, including mine, equip their squad cars with a button that allows the vehicle to idle (and, consequently, the radio to stay operating) while the key's out of the ignition. This way, you can leave the car running, and still lock the car. This automatic idle button only works when the transmission's in "PARK," and, as long as the key is not in the ignition, no one can shift out of "PARK."

Michele Viney · « **Reply #2 on:** November 09, 2006, 11:57:00 AM »

Donna - not a dumb question at all!

I wonder what Irish and English police do in this case because most cars on these two islands are stick shift - It is very unusual for a car in Ireland to be an automatic. I don't think you can take the key out even if the car is in neutral.

Jim, do you have any police friends this side of the Atlantic you can ask?

Michele

JIM DOHERTY · « **Reply #3 on:** November 09, 2006, 12:10:28 PM »

Quote from: Michele Viney on November 09, 2006, 11:57:00 AM

I wonder what Irish and English police do in this case because most cars on these two islands are stick shift - It is very unusual for a car in Ireland to be an automatic. I don't think you can take the key out even if the car is in neutral.

Jim, do you have any police friends this side of the Atlantic you can ask?

A few, but we don't have to go that far. Andy A was a civilian cop in Scotland and a military cop in Ulster. He'd probably know.

Cars in the UK and the Republic are usually sticks, huh? And people on this side think the Brits are wimps!

Michele Viney · « **Reply #4 on:** November 09, 2006, 12:27:12 PM »

Quote from: JIM DOHERTY on November 09, 2006, 12:10:28 PM

Cars in the UK and the Republic are usually sticks, huh? And people on this side think the Brits are wimps!

....and we drive on the left!

I thought of Andy after I posted and had a duh! moment.

Michele

AndyA · « **Reply #5 on:** November 09, 2006, 11:09:59 PM »

'On the case... only the facts Ma'am...'

UK police vehicle radio's work no matter what state the cars are in (except the battery removed or flat) Probably as with US, they also have a 'panic' button that, when pressed locks the radio on to transmit, and all noise speech etc in the vicinity of the vehicle can be heard (and recorded by the Control Room). This can be an interesting feature when it is accidentally pressed and the vehicle occupants conversations can be heard. Usually results in frantic radio messages via the personal radio to highlight the situation. (From a writing perspective, it may be a good way of allowing a confession or a character's conversation to be heard and recorded without his or her knowledge.)

Personal radios, on a different frequency, are also carried, although you can be 'patched' through.

As far as Edinburgh was concerned, the car radio covered the whole city and could be heard by all vehicles and the personal radios were on different frequencies for each Division or sub Division. So shouting for help got you a bigger audience if you used the vehicle radio!!

A search on 'Airwave' in UK would give some background to the new system currently having teething problems..

Hope this helps.

Andy

dhparker · « **Reply #6 on:** November 10, 2006, 08:09:03 AM »

Thanks, Jim and Lee! As always, you've been a great help. Your explanations and stories gave me a lot of room to imagine.

Michele and Andy, thanks for the info on British police cars and radios, too. Good idea about the "panic button". I may have some more questions for you two some day.

donna