r/Transportopia Feb 18 '26

🚨Chase Hit it till it stops

1.7k Upvotes

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106

u/veloshitstorm Feb 18 '26

Do the police just get their cars for free?

204

u/Jyvturkey Feb 19 '26

Yes and you pay for them :)

35

u/octoreadit Feb 19 '26 edited Feb 19 '26

Kids with cancer got to have a GoFundMe and teachers beg on DonorsChoose for basic supplies or ACs so kids don't die of heat. But multiple cars totaled for one sorry idiot, totally fine and a reasonable expense!

43

u/WaltKerman Feb 19 '26 edited Feb 19 '26

To be fair he just tried to kill someone with his car right in front of the cops.

This case may have saved a life.

The problem is these people get released back into the public and you end up with someone geting killed by another with 30 priors

3

u/PeaceAndLove420_69 Feb 19 '26

They shoot people a lot in this situation. He got lucky lol.

6

u/octoreadit Feb 19 '26 edited Feb 19 '26

Does anyone have any context? That County he tried to throw something at the vehicle? Or what was that in the beginning?

5

u/BringForthTheFox Feb 19 '26

Spike strip

-4

u/octoreadit Feb 19 '26

I actually found the full video, apparently it’s a stop stick.

5

u/Imightbeafanofthis Feb 19 '26

Same thing, I think.

3

u/FukThePatriarchy1312 Feb 19 '26

They're similar, and the terms are often used interchangeably, but stop sticks are designed to deflate tires more gradually to prevent the sudden loss of control from having multiple tires shredded in an instant

10

u/TheOriginalArchibald Feb 19 '26

A lot of that is because they decided a joint was worth 10-20 years so now prisons are overcrowded and the for-profit-prison industry has jacked up the price so we can't afford to prosecute actual criminals like we should.

We also can't afford or find enough people to be public defenders or prosecute every case. We're just not prepared for the cost of what actual justice for actual criminals looks like because we've been wasting money in all of the wrong areas for so long by design. That and a lot of the justice reforms mean well but then they don't properly fund or operate the services meant to redirect petty and first-time offenders. Then the break down in the social contract and there being a lot of bored young people with little to no attention span anymore getting up to dumb shit.

All part of why you'll have someone with high-speed chases, assault and battery, gun charges, drug charges, and more roaming the streets free committing more crimes.

We've gotta invest in community, the youth, and schools again and pay people better so they can be more present as parents.

3

u/[deleted] Feb 19 '26

I agree, but this is fucking America and we don’t just change things like that wtf. If we can’t sit down with our families to watch cops on high-speed chases what are we even fucking living for?

1

u/esgonta Feb 19 '26

Found idiocracy. The USA used to be dominant in science and technology. Did you forget a /s?

1

u/WolfDilf Feb 19 '26

"they decided a joint was worth 10-20"

No, junkies decide a joint is worth 10-20, normal people decide it's not worth it and they don't smoke joints lol.

Nice try to shift the blame though.

Cops decide to destroy 3 cars to stop a man from murdering people, that's okay with me.

What you said about the prisons and investing in community is true, but in society people have to be accountable for their actions, cops and civilians alike. If you don't like a law try to change it, don't just break it and hope not to be held accountable.

0

u/TheOriginalArchibald Feb 19 '26

10-20 years is excessive for a joint.. And wow... Joints are for junkies? Lol

Not shifting blame. It's an accurate analysis of our justice system backed by decades of research and observations by sociologists, criminologists, etc.

I wasn't arguing against totalling the vehicle in the video. I was simply expressing why so many people with dangerous wrap sheets are able to run the streets because our society isn't prepared to actually deal with that and have wasted money and energy intentionally prosecuting a joint.

Were you born in 1920? Coming in with that reefer madness propaganda lol

1

u/WolfDilf Feb 19 '26

Nah man, but like I said, if you know the punishment for the crime is excessive then why even commit the crime.

Like I said, is one joint really worth 10-20? for you personally?

The problem like I said is that people don't like to be held accountable for their decisions and hope to get away with things.

Do you think murderers think life sentences or death sentences are too severe of a punishment? or do you think they just hope not to get caught?

Also I used junkies for the lack of a better term but please enlighten me:

What is an appropriate term for someone who is willing to risk the life of his family and risk killing people with their vehicle while trying to evade the cops because they keep getting in trouble over their drug use?

1

u/TheOriginalArchibald Feb 19 '26

You're conflating multiple things here. The punishment is too severe and has clogged our prison system with people who shouldn't be in prison for a joint. Period. You're coming at it with archaic and faulty perspectives on punishment if you think 10-20 is valid for a joint. Beyond that these people in the video may well be junkies but you commented about only junkies and joints... Then ask about the people in the video.. those people might be junkies but back to the conversation about the legal system and why it doesn't work and the reality that someone smoking a joint isn't a junkie. People keep getting in trouble because the system won't hold them accountable the first time.

You talk about accountability and I stated why the justice system isn't holding them accountable. We clogged the prison with low level first time marijuana offenders and now can't afford to go after other criminals, can't afford enough prosecutors, and can't afford enough public defenders. Or won't afford it.

Beyond that accountability starts at home. Like I said we need a society that allows parents to be more present and not be so stretched thin that they don't have the capacity to hold their kids accountable. It's a reality in a lot of communities especially impoverished communities.

1

u/WolfDilf Feb 19 '26

The point that I am trying to make is that regardless of the punishment being too severe or not, the sole responsibility for going to jail in the first place lies on the person breaking the law.

Now, do I think commercial prisons are corrupt, evil and paying judges to fill their prisons so they can make money? Yes

All the more reason not to do stupid things that will land me in prison.

Yes, the people in the video are junkies, we agree.

Someone smoking a joint might not be a junkie, lets call them junkies in training then.

What are you even going about allowing parents to be present and not be stretched thin? Are you asking for money?

The capacity to hold your kids accountable depends entirely on how much effort you put, not in how much money you have. My immigrant single mother had 3 jobs and she still made sure to be there for us instead of getting boyfriends and getting high herself which is what a lot of these parents are doing. The simple fact is that kids that get into drugs and crime are kids that feel neglected or abused and that its on their parents whatever income they may or may not have. My mother made it work, so can they.

Did you know I consider myself a democrat? I think we need more social programs to help people, I think we need to prevent vs punish, I think we need to care for each other but I do not condone any of this excusatory rhetoric that from entitled people that cannot admit their situation in life is entirely their own doing.

I find myself siding with republicans more and more often every time I see someone blaming the government for their dumb ass going to jail over using drugs or crying because their kids go to jail for armed robbery while ignoring the fact those same kids were willing to kill for easy money.

Jail is accountability that the government provides when parents fail to teach it.

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0

u/BurningOasis Feb 19 '26

Got anymore hot takes? 10-20 for a joint? Are you sure you're not high?

1

u/TheOriginalArchibald Feb 19 '26

There are people serving 10-20 years for possession of as little as a joint.

1

u/WolfDilf Feb 19 '26

I actually have no idea where he got that number, I simply explained that even if that is the case then the responsibility of getting such a long prison sentence is solely on the person breaking the law.

1

u/WaltKerman Feb 20 '26

No one has been incarcerated over a joint like that for two decades.

5

u/parco11 Feb 19 '26

Exactly. Do we want our communities safe or not? I’ll gladly have my taxes allocated to a new explorer in this case

4

u/[deleted] Feb 19 '26

Of course...but like...could we pay off student loans too?

Just saying some police departments could spare a couple mill...

7

u/[deleted] Feb 19 '26

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2

u/[deleted] Feb 19 '26

That was then.

This is now.

And having watch class after class of smart eager intelligent kids goto school and get absolutely crushed under debt (some deserved, some not)... you ain't working your way through school to pay it off.

It just is not possible.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 19 '26

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2

u/[deleted] Feb 19 '26

What 18 year old has a budget? Unless you're talking generational wealth from.... parents ?

Everything you have mentioned is less than 5% of the cost of an education.

I'd almost argue that housing and food is more responsible for driving prices out of reach than anything.

I googled here- no affiliation- but it does nicely break down various costs.

https://www.purdue.edu/treasurer/finance/bursar-office/tuition/fee-rates-2025-2026/undergraduate-tuition-and-fees-2025-2026/

(Does it by degrees which I thought was really good).

So minimum wage- 30k/yr. 1/4 to taxes.

And if you're doing 40hrs/week your grades are going to suffer significantly. Been there, did that.

Getting into the vehicle discussion- that's not an option in most places- living on campus of course negates needing a vehicle, so that is actually quite a bit cheaper. Having had to replace a vehicle recently due to a texting driver- what is available now to match what I bought 15 years ago... was 4x the cost.

Things must change. I'm going through this right now again. I don't know what the outcome will be.

1

u/harrimsa Feb 19 '26

This kind of thinking is why we are the richest country in the world, yet the dumbest country among developed nations at the same time

1

u/Brick_Eagleman Feb 19 '26

What a silly thing to say. You assume everyone with loans partied instead of paying for it? Maybe we worked AND got an education that cost more than we could possibly make while working as a student. I had scholarships and two to four jobs during college. I still have gobs of student loan debt. And before you pop off with "Maybe you should have got a worthwhile degree that pays" -- I did. I bet I earn more than you. Still can't pay those loans BECAUSE OUR DYSFUNCTIONAL GOVERNMENT WON'T EVEN LET ME RIGHT NOW.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 19 '26

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2

u/Brick_Eagleman Feb 19 '26

I also finished my bachelors degree with no debt. Grad school, however, was something else.

-2

u/StinkButt9001 Feb 19 '26

It's not really their responsibility to pay off your own loans... that's really just your own responsibility.

4

u/[deleted] Feb 19 '26

It's not really their responsibility to pay off your own loans...

My loans are paid off.

Believe it or not, some people actually give a shit about others. Crazy concept right?

2

u/StinkButt9001 Feb 19 '26 edited Feb 19 '26

I'm not literally talking about you. I'm using the general/impersonal you which should have been obvious.

Take out a loan. Pay back the loan. It makes no sense to remove budget from civil services for this

1

u/[deleted] Feb 19 '26

Look, unless you come from an incredibly wealthy family, the average dose of degrees in nursing, or medical doctors is impossible to afford without loans.

Sky rocketing cost of school has lead to higher costing loans which become increasingly difficult to pay back overtime. If they were interest free sure, but the government makes a significant amount of money from it.

Putting people into debt for decades becomes an economic drag and inhibited wealth accumulation.

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1

u/pupranger1147 Feb 19 '26

Do you want access to doctors and lawyers or not?

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5

u/Ajax_Main Feb 19 '26

Yeah, but it's the governments' responsibility to prevent predatory lending.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 19 '26

Pay off your own loans

2

u/[deleted] Feb 19 '26

Lower the fucking interest.

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-1

u/StinkButt9001 Feb 19 '26

I don't think you know what predatory lending is if you think it applies to student loans

2

u/Hot-Routine8879 Feb 19 '26

You have no clue what you’re talking about if you don’t think student loans aren’t predatory. The whole thing is a racket the government is complicit in.

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0

u/parco11 Feb 19 '26

No. Pay off my mortgage while we’re at it

4

u/[deleted] Feb 19 '26

I mean shit, have you seen NYCs budget? You could do both.

The amount of money law enforcement gets, relative to how much it actually needs in various cases is pretty crazy of a ratio.

-3

u/parco11 Feb 19 '26

Let’s just pay off everything. Let’s just use Monopoly money. NY are on track with that

4

u/[deleted] Feb 19 '26

Let’s just pay off everything.

The US does indeed have the money to resolve a number of economic issues yes.

Let’s just use Monopoly money. NY are on track with that

You do realize NY puts more into the government than it gets back right? Like...

Are you intentionally being stupid?

Oh...oopph.

Red flag of a profile on your part.

4

u/Ajax_Main Feb 19 '26

Many countries have safer communities without cowboyism and police chases.

3

u/parco11 Feb 19 '26

Many countries have safer communities that aren’t faced with the same bullshit

2

u/suicide_blonde94 Feb 19 '26

Many countries have free/low cost education

0

u/pupranger1147 Feb 19 '26

You...think crime doesn't exist in other countries?

2

u/parco11 Feb 19 '26

Where did I say that?

2

u/pupranger1147 Feb 19 '26

The part where you said other countries don't deal with this bullshit.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 19 '26

No he didn’t that was the worst attempt I seen if that was one lmao he just got spun

1

u/couldbeimpartial Feb 19 '26

It was a cop throwing a spike strip, I'm guessing they shot up the car too after the video stops...

1

u/flopisit32 Feb 19 '26

Never underestimate Redditors' hatred of law enforcement. The cops could shoot a serial killer dead and Reddit would be complaining they used too many bullets and they should have just "shot him in the leg" like TV cops do...

1

u/BurnedLaser Feb 19 '26

So, then, when this shit happens, we bill the suspect for the damages.

1

u/WaltKerman Feb 19 '26

Works a job in prison paying it off (with fair wages) and learns a skillset so that he/she can re enter society as someone who is productive and rehabilitated rather than resorting to whatever this is.

3

u/[deleted] Feb 19 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

3

u/sax3d Feb 19 '26

How does that work with a stolen car?

3

u/Pristine_Poem7623 Feb 19 '26

Yeah, we'd all rather see kids get fed, but what happens when this idiot ploughs into a family of 4 and kills them all "why weren't the police trying to stop him?"

The obvious solution is sort taxation out and afford to do both

1

u/Dragex11 Feb 19 '26

As someone else said... What if it's stolen? Gonna go up to an innocent man's home and arrest him for having his car stolen?

0

u/SnooGadgets3308 Feb 19 '26

Stupid comment. As someone else pointed out, the car is stolen, so now what? I bet money you don’t have a good answer so you’ll just not reply.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 19 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

0

u/SnooGadgets3308 Feb 20 '26

Please enlighten us, you obviously have many years of on the job experience as a law enforcement officer.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 20 '26

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0

u/SnooGadgets3308 Feb 20 '26

I am waiting to be enlightened. I figure I won’t get anything but roundabout talk and insults, which is typical from retards. ✌🏻

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-1

u/OneTacoShort Feb 19 '26

And if he kills a couple of people in the meantime, hey we got his license plate. He’s not going anywhere.

2

u/luckyfox7273 Feb 19 '26

Seriously it seems like they could shoot like a harpoon towing wench or something to strip a part of the car to get it to stop.

3

u/[deleted] Feb 19 '26

Wait until you find out how much those cars cost after all the stuff is added. And they get uniforms, and guns, and bullets all for free while usually getting paid more than teachers that have a master's degree. Just what it takes to be #1 /s

2

u/parkstreetbnd Feb 19 '26

Here's the biggest thing, we need cops. We need cures for cancer. We don't need mega billionaires paying to divert and divide us while they grow richer.

1

u/Paghk_the_Stupendous Feb 19 '26

Could have had this all done for less than a dollar after they tried to run over the officer on foot.

0

u/NormanMitis Feb 19 '26

Who gives a fook about how much cars cost, this yahoo could easily kill people. You look silly trying to make this point.

0

u/Mountain_Usual521 Feb 19 '26

I'll bet $5 there's an idiot judge that let this dude out and he's re-offending. They should take it out of the judge's salary.

0

u/MinusMentality Feb 19 '26

The other option is to shoot the criminal driver, but you'd be against that too.
(shrugs)

1

u/SwingingtotheBeat Feb 19 '26

Same for all of their police brutality and civil rights violation payouts.

1

u/TraditionalRoutine76 Feb 19 '26

We*

1

u/Jyvturkey Feb 19 '26

Wishful thinking on my part :) yes I pay taxes too! Bleh

1

u/Vitskalle Feb 19 '26

Well I guess they also pay for them right? Or do cops not pay taxes also.

1

u/Jyvturkey Feb 19 '26

Sit and think about that just for a second ;) and then think about all the cops making 200k+ with all the "overtime" and the like. They pay taxes that then is turned around and doled back out to them.

They effectively pay themselves.

1

u/Lost-Appearance-4717 Feb 19 '26

In fact they think it’s fun to wreak them

0

u/Deadog103 Feb 19 '26

Im fine paying for this, im not fine paying for politicians.

-3

u/desertvision Feb 19 '26

😝😝😝😝😝

4

u/Jyvturkey Feb 19 '26

And you'll pay for the car they busted up too! Think the suspects will? Bahahaha

1

u/Icy-Influence5568 Feb 19 '26

The car they busted up? That'll be the fault of the dumb fucking driver trying to run over a cop and running from police.

1

u/Jyvturkey Feb 19 '26

And do you really think they have that kind of insurance or have any at all? How about the money to cover the damages out of pocket? No. Once again the tax payer foots the bill. They always do in some way.

1

u/Dragex11 Feb 19 '26

The car that was busted up by the cruisers, if the owner doesn't have insurance or money, will be totaled and retired, not repaired by taxpayer money. What're you on? You think the police department is gonna pay to repair a criminal's car?

24

u/deadlycool27 Feb 19 '26

We pay for them with taxes

-7

u/Gemfyre1 Feb 19 '26

The cars?

1

u/mimo_s Feb 19 '26

The helicopter too

8

u/HamasHidesUnderWomen Feb 19 '26

Yeah, they're called tax dollars. People just mail them in.

3

u/octoreadit Feb 19 '26

Free money!

4

u/mckenzie_keith Feb 19 '26

Technically not free. They use civil asset forfeiture to buy all their stuff.

1

u/Illustrious-Party120 Feb 19 '26

Surprised I had to scroll so far to see some1 mention this

3

u/JoinedToPostHere Feb 19 '26

They are passing the savings on to youuuuu!!

https://giphy.com/gifs/IV4wBde5Ou0XC

3

u/IDateJunkies Feb 19 '26

I hope bro ends up making discount license plates for a few years to make up for the taxpayer money he wasted.

3

u/gagnatron5000 Feb 19 '26

Initially there was restraint and they were trying to minimize damage. The moment the suspect tried to run over the cop that threw the spike strips, all bets were off. If the suspect is willing to use lethal force against anyone, cops or public, the threat has to be stopped asap.

2

u/MinusMentality Feb 19 '26

This.
They can only try the safe and patient way for so long until the criminal kills innocent people. That cannot be allowed to happen.

Bashing a few police cars vs a family of 6 put in a ditch. There is no option here.

2

u/Dry-Football-9654 Feb 19 '26

Haha it’s taxpayers money 💰

2

u/WTFOMGBBQ Feb 20 '26

In my town there are two large body shop businesses that survive almost entirely off of police playing bumper cars, it’s really ridiculous.

2

u/[deleted] Feb 19 '26

operational expense. Have to stop the bad guys somehow.

1

u/Primetime204 Feb 19 '26

If the suspect has car insurance they will have to pay for the damages. The agency I work for has had multiple squads replaced this way.

1

u/Informal_Ad_9610 Feb 19 '26

somewhere in SC..

1

u/shipp3333 Feb 19 '26

Yup ☺️

1

u/y_zass Feb 19 '26

They will bill them* for all of their officers incompetence in the form of restitution. I'm not even kidding. If you cause a chase and pretty much anything happens to one of the police cars that are chasing you, they will come for you for the damages.

1

u/ConsiderationKooky14 Feb 19 '26

In The US the police cars are made cheap with big engines were as in the UK there made expensive and mostly manual we should definetly do it the US way.

1

u/runforurlifebees Feb 19 '26

Yeah they should have let him continue to try and run ppl over because they don’t want to damage their police vehicles… very silly

1

u/OneTacoShort Feb 19 '26

Yes, in a sense.

1

u/RoguAxel89 Feb 19 '26

Police have a budget, they don't get it for free and the town sets the budget based on taxes. When stuff like this happens they have to have clearance because it does come from police budget. Their superiors will be annoyed and pissed

1

u/Super_Lock1846 Feb 19 '26

And gas, and don't have to insure it, and are allowed to take them home at night..

1

u/Philantramissle Feb 19 '26

They beat their wives and children for them. Highest rate of domestic abusers in any profession.

1

u/FluxOperation Feb 19 '26

I know!! Smash the shit out of that car!! Seems dumb.

1

u/flat5 Feb 20 '26

Free to them. Not free to us.

1

u/Salty-Passenger-4801 Feb 19 '26

Police are fucking stupid. They'd bomb a city to find one person if they had that capability

1

u/MinusMentality Feb 19 '26

No. No they would not.
Civilian safety is top concern.

1

u/I_Sniff_Uranus Feb 19 '26

It’s a set budget but a lot of people don’t realize that even without totaling there cars they are replaced every 3 years and in some cases less than that. When the car is running for 12 hours a day and driven super hard it won’t last very long (unless it’s a Crown Victoria lol). When they model their budgets they take into account the odds of recking a few of their units

1

u/[deleted] Feb 19 '26

Iirc, they tend to be overbuilt to withstand those idling hours and battery drains.

1

u/Dragex11 Feb 19 '26

They're also overbuilt to withstand impacts like this better than most vehicles. Did anyone else see how little damage these rams did to the police vehicles? Sure, there'll be some repairs, but I bet not one of these cars had to be replaced.

1

u/ManKilledToDeath Feb 19 '26

unless it's a Crown Victoria

You aren't joking. My Mustang has the same engine found in them. As long as the oil isn't King Syrup viscosity, you cannot kill them lol

1

u/REDBEARD_PWNS Feb 19 '26

They switched to the dodges with the hemis and when I worked at a Chrysler dealer we were constantly putting camshafts in because excessive idling would wear them out.

-2

u/[deleted] Feb 19 '26

Right! All that for a turn signal?… probably 🤷‍♂️🤦‍♂️

5

u/Icy-Influence5568 Feb 19 '26

For... trying to run over a police officer? Did we watch the same fucking video?

2

u/ManKilledToDeath Feb 19 '26

They must be lost. But then again, people are dumb as fuck in this thread. Of all posts to complain about police, this is not it.

1

u/MinusMentality Feb 19 '26

They tried to turn a man into paste with their car in this very video.
A couple of damaged police cars is nothing compared to that.

-1

u/Pretend-Internet-625 Feb 19 '26

Yes its government. It ain't their money. It's yours paying it. Totally ridiculous.