PIT maneuver

PIT is an acronym meaning Pursuit Intervention Technique (Yes, I know the phrase "Technique Maneuver" is somewhat redundant, but the police and reporters use it).

The PIT maneuver is a technique used by some law enforcement organizations to put an early end to pursuits, particularly high speed pursuits. It involves steering the front end of a police car into the side of a fleeing car, causing it to spin out. It can only be safely used at relatively low speeds (35 MPH and lower, generally). It can be defended against by a skilled driver, but there are very few people who would be fleeing from the police who have both the skill and the knowledge to counteract it.

Here in California, the California Highway Patrol uses it whenever the situations are favorable, and the LAPD has been known to employ it occasionally.

How do you perform the PIT maneuver?

               ,--------------.
    ________.,'___fleeing car__`._____.
   !_.____,--._|_____.|_____,--._____|
    \____|    ||______|____|    |X___|- o O 0
          `--'              `--'      

The X is the ideal area to place the front of the police car's bumper while driving along side and at the same speed of a fleeing car. You would then crank the police car into the fleeing car at this point while keeping the same speed. This will effectively turn the fleeing car 180 degrees (or more) right in front of the police car. Of course, the higher the speed, the more dangerous and unpredictable the outcome.

A view from the top:

    ___-````````--____
---/   |     8  | |  *|
   |   |     8  | |   |   police car
   |   |________| |  *|
---`-===---------===--'
                    _________________  
                ---'   |        | |  * 
                   |   |        | |   |   fleeing car
                   |   |________| |   | 
                ---`-===---------===-*