Carrotchomper gets his hands on a new M-B!!

[Carrotchomper]

Well folks, today had the pleasure of driving a brand new 07-registration Merrrr-cedes Benz, with 220 miles on the clock. Sadly it was not mine, nor was it an SL. However, for a Vito I think it's pretty well loaded...

Handsome chap...

All of the kit... Amazingly for a police vehicle they decided to leave the radio and CD player in :bannana: . "I predict a riot" on a Saturday night in town anyone?

The screen you can see covered with film is a dual-camera hi-spec video system, not yet activated, with tiny camera mounted to rear view mirror and one at rear. Before you lot get any ideas, it's CRIME detection not speed...

At the bottom of the picture is the TETRA terminal, connected to handsfree kit and headset.

Large control panel does the lights and sirens etc.

Van also comes with leccy windows/mirrors, air con, traction control, 6-speed manual box and various other gadgets.

Not sure what engine it has, but can confirm it is diesel, pulls like a train and is sufficiently rapid for all forseeable needs!

Only problem now is getting in before my staff do and nabbing the keys...

And luckily they have increased the space in the back seats... Loads of room!

And even the cheap seats are lovely!

I know it's a long post, but hope you appreciated a glimpse of a working Benz...

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Nice motor CC!!

Watch that plate though, it looks like it's been tinkered with and maybe illegally spaced to me!!

 

[Fandango]

Is that you in the first pic? Where are the stripes?

 

[calmond]

where is the seatbelt for the guests in the back ?

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

where is the seatbelt for the guests in the back ?

Looks like it has the the You're nicked option pack, comprising:

(633) Flashing grille

(774) Body graphics

(821) Rear seatbelt delete

(823) Great big cage with rock hard seat (only in conjunction with 821)

(999) Cardboard cut out friendly police officer

 

[calmond]

Thought it would be an auto allowing for the option to
turn and point at rowdy passengers during a downshift while navigating a roundabout at a missile dodging speed

nice vehicle dont want a ride though !!

 

[Carrotchomper]

Is that you in the first pic? Where are the stripes?

On order. Because I'm so special they take ages to make!

Not a proper Sergeant yet. Just running teams as a "locum" if you will, in order to gain evidence for promotion...

 

[recycled]

And it is a manual

 

[Carrotchomper]

And it is a manual

Yes, not ideal. We were discussing this today. The Sprinters we have are autos but can only be driven by people who have passed the course. Because the Vitos have to be for general use, they can't be Auto. Sadly. Not a great fan of the manual but hey, still shifts... In every sense of the word.

 

[recycled]

What the auto course?

 

[Dieselman]

What the auto course?

Obviously harder than the manual one..

 

[Swiss Toni]

Out of interest, how many seats do you count it as?

And doesn't that limit who can drive it? (as its a minibus?) so most of the young cops won't have the entitlement on their licence...? Because when they were 17 ( way back in 2005 ) there was no automatic entitlement from the DVLA...

And driving over speed humps at anything more than 4mph with a rear cage like that is a good way for the driver to earn a conviction for assault...

(On you Sprinters there will be more head room and so less likely to injure)

 

[Dieselman]

Because when they were 17 ( way back in 2005 ) there was no automatic entitlement from the DVLA...

LOL..

And driving over speed humps at anything more than 4mph with a rear cage like that is a good way for the driver to earn a conviction for assault...

Cheers, I'll remember that if ever I'm in the back then.

 

[BTB 500]

Not sure what engine it has, but can confirm it is diesel, pulls like a train and is sufficiently rapid for all forseeable needs!

I imagine it's the 150 bhp engine (the most powerful of the 4-cyls). The V6 isn't available with a manual gearbox.

Very similar to the ones I see in London, but they get alloys!

 

[Dieselman]

IVery similar to the ones I see in London, but they get alloys!

Arrr, well y'see alloys and ploughed fields don't mix too well...

 

[recycled]

Obviously harder than the manual one..

I was wondering. I thought passing a manual allows you to drive the auto.
Maybe not with the old bill.

 

[Carrotchomper]

I was wondering. I thought passing a manual allows you to drive the auto.
Maybe not with the old bill.

Yeah, it does. The only reason for the anomaly is force policy and the way courses are laid out/allocated.

Stage 1 (Basic Driver) takes 1 day and allows one to drive any manual vehicle up to Vito size in non-response mode and to stop vehicles. It does not cover automatics or the Sprinter crew buses.

Stage 2 (Standard driver) takes 3 weeks and allows one to drive any vehicle up to Vito size in response mode, and obviously to stop vehicles. In general crew buses and automatic vehicles will only be covered if there is spare time (Ie- Never!)

Initial pursuit takes an extra week at a later stage and allows response drivers to follow vehicles which fail to stop, until an RPU unit can deploy tactical options.

Stage 1 (Advanced driver) AFAIK takes 3 weeks and is mega difficult. No I don't have this ticket.

Crew bus training takes 1 day and allows one to drive the Sprinters and other comparable vehicles in response mode. It is also by default an "Automatic" course and allows one to drive other auto vehicles. All of the Sprinters are auto.

Obviously the fairly major headache for the force is the 1997 change whereby an extra catergory (D1) is needed- As a result the force has trained two of the staff in D1 assessing to DoT standards- So they now offer a 1 week course which puts D1 on your licence if you don't have it..

The auto thing is probably a bit of a legal liability thing- The force has to check the driving ability of everyone to DSA standards initially and if a muppet killed someone due to unfamiliarity with auto boxes the poo could hit the proverbial.

BTW... I was going to challenge the bumpkin comment but thought that, since I was just finishing a can of Blackthorn it would be churlish to do so. In my defence, 8 for £5 at Spar. Plus 13.5 % extra free!

 

[hawk20]

where is the seatbelt for the guests in the back ?

Is there an answer to this one, please? Fair question.

 

[JC180]

Is there an answer to this one, please? Fair question.

Fair question?!

It's quite simple really, the p1ssheads that usually end up there would probably strangle themselves.

 

[Spinal]

Is there an answer to this one, please? Fair question.

Handcuffs? You can't bounce too far when you're cuffed to the grille

Seriously though, nice post! I read it quite keenly!

Michele