In a move sure to please more than a few motorists, police in Tulsa, OK are testing new sirens on their patrol cars with a tone low enough to send vibrations through targeted vehicles and their occupants. It sounds strange, but as cars become more isolated from the outside world, it has become increasingly difficult for cops to grab the attention of wayward motorists. Locked in our motorized cocoons, a wailing siren just can't be heard over the din of cell phones, Sponge Bob and iPods.
This new and innovative (and non-sadistic) approach called the Rumbler is designed to blast a deep tone up to 70 yards away to alert drivers through vibrations in their backsides. The Tulsa police have three units in use, with three more expected within the next ten days. Law enforcement officials in Washington DC, New York, Pennsylvania and Florida are also trying the technology. Talk from the officers and the public indicates this apparently harmless approach works pretty well. If put into widespread use, it seems to us that the booty-shaking siren just could become the best part of being pulled over.
Follow the jump for video of the Rumbler in action and hear what the new sound of police sirens may soon be in your city. Thanks for the tip, Screwtape!
[Source: KTUL - Tulsa Channel 8 News]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Brian @ Feb 22nd 2008 1:26PM
I wonder how many car alarms it will set off just going by
LoneWolf @ Feb 22nd 2008 1:30PM
Haha, the Sirens became HALF-LIFE²
SPG @ Feb 22nd 2008 1:31PM
This makes a lot of sense actually.
And as a bonus, it's really funny.
Xcountryflyer @ Feb 22nd 2008 1:37PM
I hear sirens, but I'm sure a lot of people are not paying attention in their isolation cocoons.
ronnie schreiber @ Feb 22nd 2008 1:37PM
I'd love to sell these on the aftermarket as an audio system accessory. All the homeboys with the bass cranked up enough to shake body panels would love it.
Why should the cops get all the fun toys?
Aron Trimble @ Feb 22nd 2008 1:42PM
Who's leg do I need to hump to get this added to my home theater?
Nick the Hammer @ Feb 22nd 2008 1:43PM
Great, as if the sirens alone don't make you crap your pants....
AK @ Feb 22nd 2008 2:23PM
Yes, I wonder if you have diarrhea, if the police department will pay for cleaning your car.
MachinaDC5 @ Feb 22nd 2008 2:32PM
Ha ha, their new siren creates the brown note. That'd be great.
Bart @ Feb 22nd 2008 2:37PM
And my next excuse shall be.. I had the seat massager on. "No officer, it's an S-class you see, it comes with these seat massagers, why dont you have a go." Officer takes a seat and completely stress-relieved lets me off with a warning....
...we'll have to come up with better excuses.
Playdrv4me @ Feb 22nd 2008 2:45PM
Oklahoma... While other states focus on ways to keep real criminals off the street, we can always count on OK to be on the cutting edge of traffic stop technology.
CMDR @ Feb 22nd 2008 3:37PM
I'm from Tulsa and I'll have a hell of a time getting pulled over whilst your time will be ordinary. Tulsa is working on pulling people over in other dimensions too, take that "playdrv4me" :)
Oh, and have fun queening around in your Range Rover.
brn @ Feb 22nd 2008 6:18PM
Playdrv4me,
This isn't necessarily about pulling people over. I've logged countless hours riding in a squad car. Getting traffic out of your way can be surprisingly difficult. If you feel the rumble, they're probably not after you. They probably are trying to reach those real crimes you speak of.
Gardiner Westbound @ Feb 22nd 2008 2:51PM
Had this happen a while back. Never heard one of these before, didn't have a clue what it was, thought the wheels coming off my car, so I stopped suddenly. The surprised police officer person, apparently on an emergency run with lunch, stood on her brakes. There were fries everywhere!
RP @ Feb 22nd 2008 3:18PM
Is this more effective than a fire truck's air horn? Those things are pretty hard to ignore!
brn @ Feb 22nd 2008 6:21PM
RP,
Where I live, the squads to have fog horns. They help a little, because they create a different sound, but they don't seem to solve the problem. The biggest problem is at speed. At 60mph (or more) by the time you hear the siren, the squad is riding up your bumper.
Rocketboy @ Feb 22nd 2008 3:20PM
Hell, you don't even have to have the radio cranked to not hear a siren sometimes. I went through a green light just as an emergency vehicle was about to go through. All I was doing was accelerating with the heat on full blast. That was more than enough not to be able to hear it.
Brent @ Feb 22nd 2008 3:43PM
What was that reporter talking about when she said something about a health risk? It is noise and vibrations, is that going to stop a heart?
Nick the Hammer @ Feb 22nd 2008 4:02PM
If you crap your pants with this thing, think you can use the bathroom excuse to get out of the ticket?
chrisg @ Feb 22nd 2008 4:44PM
The police here in DC have them on their cars and you can feel it even where you on the sidewalk when they go by.
It doesnt set off alarms on the parked cars, thankfully....