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[SP_3.2]

Just wondering how they where taught to get the most out of them and the handling. Seen as most seemed to be autos. Would that have used the box in manal mode, keep sports mode on all the time.

What where the tricks of the trade. :question

Thanks

Steve

[Welung666]

90% of the Omegas owned by the plod were manuals not autos. Autos were generally staff or dignitary cars

[OMEEEGAH]

i'd have to disagree there matey,i dunno why the bizzys seemed to love a v6 vectra sri b with a auto shifter and the omegas too, i saw loads at auctions and they mostly were auto.
Now the blue light big lad 24valve senators i had were all manuals  and i never ever saw a bizzy 24valver auto 

just my thoughts 

[joshwyatt]

Lee's correct, the majority of Omega's in service with the police were/are manuals.
Chiltern Transport Consortium (TVP and Bedfordshire) - 93% of the V6 Specials are manual.
The Metropolitan Police - 99% of Omega's were auto, I only know of 2 ex met manual Omega's.
In most other force areas, typically more than 80% of each force's fleet of V6 Specials were manual.
If anyone's interested I have figures from VX SVO about the V6 Specials and how many manuals to auto's were out there etc and some other basic details.

[SJKOO01]

Well 95-98% of Police cars I've seen this way are manual.  Only seen x2 Autos.

Think most Officers prefer to drive manuals as more control of gear for conditions, autos obviously can be overridden, but if you're going to do that you may as well have a manual.

Mind you I have an auto and it's still quick   

[TheBoy]

All the AR vehicles I've seen have been auto, nd seen a fair few previously battenburg'd white ones with autoboxes. Often have LSDs that make them quicker

[Lizzie_Zoom]

Traffic police drove the Omega just like  any other patrol car.

Various techniques when in pursuit included braking in high gear, without the use of engine braking, to give maximum revs when finally dropping a couple of gears through a block change an accelerating out at high speed.

I know because I was trained in those techniques, amoungst many others, by a senior police Traffic officer;)

[2woody]

I have three ex-plod MV6's - all automatic. Well they were anyhow.

[Kevin Wood]

Mate of mine drives an ARV. All Omegas he's come across are 3.2 auto.

Kevin

[Ploppy]

I drive an ex police unmarked 3.2 Manual ARV.

Suffolk had quite a few of these, all manual blocks.

As for driving ...it's all about bend assessment you know...looking far ahead for any dangers etc.

With those principles you can drive any vehicle at speed safely.

Ploppy

 

[sotmh]

I don't know if there are any transmission preferrences, but I agree with many comments relating to the style of driving plod was instructed to use as I took the IAM advanced driving test where both my instructor and examiner were class 1 police pursuit drivers and used their official material to assist, which in the video showed only manual from my recollection.

[2woody]

..... and I wouldn't hold Police drivers up as in any way special - they are without doubt the worst and most dangerous class of drivers on UK roads.

[sotmh]

I understand and agree to some extent considering some the MV incidents they have been involved with, but I believe there must be some starting point.  If anyone out there is interested there is something that RoSPa do which is has 3 grades bronze, silver and gold. 

Don't get me wrong, I am not advertising these orgs' just trying to give some  useful info 8-) 8-) 8-)

[Vamps]

I don't know if there are any transmission preferrences, but I agree with many comments relating to the style of driving plod was instructed to use as I took the IAM advanced driving test where both my instructor and examiner were class 1 police pursuit drivers and used their official material to assist, which in the video showed only manual from my recollection.

As was mine when passed in 1990, Met Police as I lived in Hertfordshire at the time... Now I bought a Rover P6B (V8) auto and asked about techniques in my local IAM group with no particular advice re auto,s  I guess then that this would be different now, I think there has been a massive increase in auto cars these days, and rightly so imho
I have borrowed my Mums car, a 2.0l HDI Pug 206?? little thing anyway, very quick but horribly uncomfortable and you need 3 legs to drive it, why would anyone use 3 pedals when 2 will do nicely for comfort or serious driving.....

[sotmh]

living in london autos more advantageous although I have a manual through circumstance but will change in the future.  However, it seems from a thread elsewhere on forum it is believed manuals more fuel efficient.

Whats your opinion?