Jalopnik - Obsessed with the culture of cars

How Are Car Owners' Rights Protected By The 4th Amendment?

staff@jalopnik.com (B. L. Johnson) — Sat, 29 Aug 2026 22:25:00 +0000

Can police search your car without permission? Learn how the 4th Amendment protects drivers from unreasonable vehicle searches.

Slow-Running Houston Cops Flag Down Uber To Help Chase Suspect They Lost, And He Still Got Away

staff@jalopnik.com (Chris Tsui) — Sat, 29 Aug 2026 19:05:00 +0000

Unable to catch the running, half-naked suspect on foot, the cops eventually hitched a ride in a nearby Uber, but that wasn't much help either.

Texting While Driving Bans Exist In Every State But This One

staff@jalopnik.com (Chloe Clougher) — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 22:25:00 +0000

Cellphone use while driving remains completely legal in many parts of this state, as many residents view any restrictions as a direct threat to their freedoms.

Why Dubai Police Cars Are Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Bugattis, And Other Dream Exotics

staff@jalopnik.com (Kiran Menon) — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 03:25:00 +0000

Police in Dubai are famous for their collection of high-performance pursuit cars, but why do cops in the UAE pick Ferraris over Crown Victorias?

How Stop Sticks Deflate Tires Slowly Instead Of Making Them Explode

staff@jalopnik.com (Charles Krome) — Sun, 23 Aug 2026 21:05:00 +0000

Back in the day, police officers often used spike strips to puncture tires and force fleeing vehicles to a halt. Now they use devices called Stop Sticks.

Canada's Car Theft Epidemic Is Starting To Cool Off

staff@jalopnik.com (Chris Tsui) — Sat, 22 Aug 2026 19:05:00 +0000

After years of rising auto theft numbers and a number of high-profile thefts, the stats are finally heading in the other direction for Canadians.

The Key Differences Between American And European Police Cars

staff@jalopnik.com (Marko Mikulic) — Sat, 22 Aug 2026 15:05:00 +0000

While both American and European police forces use modified versions of existing mass-market cars, the vehicles they choose to rely on are worlds apart.

Flock Announces Band-Aids Meant To Remedy Totally Predictable And Widespread Abuse Of Surveillance Equipment

staff@jalopnik.com (Justin Hughes) — Sat, 22 Aug 2026 12:25:00 +0000

After a seemingly endless flow of stories about system abuse, Flock says it's taking steps to improve its privacy, accountability, security, and transparency.

Michigan Police Arrest Man For Installing GPS Tracker On Woman's Vehicle During Modifications

staff@jalopnik.com (Lalita Chemello) — Fri, 21 Aug 2026 18:25:00 +0000

Being a woman and having to interact with an industry most informed car people don't always trust is already a difficult task.

'No Physical Evidence' Driver 'Applied The Brakes Or Took Evasive Action' Before Killing Cyclists, Investigators Claim

staff@jalopnik.com (Collin Woodard) — Fri, 21 Aug 2026 16:52:14 +0000

When questioned, Benfield reportedly admitted "that he failed to observe the bicyclists until the vehicle directly in front of him changed lanes.

NC Driver Hits University Cycling Team, Killing 2 And Sending 7 More To The Hospital

staff@jalopnik.com (Collin Woodard) — Thu, 20 Aug 2026 16:51:02 +0000

The cause of the crash is yet to be announced.

Flock Cameras In This California Town Are Only Getting License Plates Right 29% Of The Time

staff@jalopnik.com (Justin Hughes) — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 03:25:00 +0000

While Flock claims that its license plate-reading cameras have an accuracy rate in the high 90s, this town's experience shows a far different set of numbers.

5,000 Flock Cameras Cover Atlanta, Yet The Police Are Resolving Fewer Crimes

staff@jalopnik.com (Logan K. Carter) — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 22:25:00 +0000

Flock has long claimed that the presence of their cameras increases the rates at which crimes are solved, but the data from Atlanta contradicts that story.

Shop Charges Woman Almost $4,000 For Transmission Repairs, Then The Mechanic Tells Her The Work Was Never Done

staff@jalopnik.com (Justin Hughes) — Sun, 16 Aug 2026 19:25:00 +0000

Strapped for cash, the owner of the Ford Edge took out a loan to get the repairs done, but the mechanic says he never touched the transmission at all.

Florida Man Just Needed A Nap, So He Jumped A Barbed Wire Fence To Break Into An Airbus A320 And Sleep In The Bathroom

staff@jalopnik.com (Nicholas Werner) — Sat, 15 Aug 2026 19:05:00 +0000

JetBlue is claiming that this entire incident caused a flight delay, costing the giant corporation a grand total of $2,400.

Catwalk Cars: New York City's Weird Wafer-Thin Electric Vehicles Used By Tunnel Police

staff@jalopnik.com (Michael Frank) — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 23:25:00 +0000

An overlooked chapter in vehicle history, these ridiculous electric police vehicles have been zooming across Manhattan tunnels until just a decade ago.

'The Only Thing We Did Was Borrow Two Injectors' Former Kia Service Manager Used Parts From Customer Car To Fix Somebody Else's

staff@jalopnik.com (Chris Tsui) — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 19:25:00 +0000

After the video went viral, the dealership launched an internal review, and the service manager in question was terminated.

As Repossessions Rise, License Plate Readers Aren't Just For Cops Anymore

staff@jalopnik.com (Justin Hughes) — Sun, 09 Aug 2026 19:25:00 +0000

Flock has the biggest network of surveillance cameras in the United States, but cameras mounted to repo vehicles are mobile and scanning neighborhoods.

Flock Cameras Violate Highway Safety Standards As Well As The Fourth Amendment

staff@jalopnik.com (Justin Hughes) — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 16:25:00 +0000

The poles that cameras are attached to don't have breakaway points in case a car crashes into them, and some are just stuck right into the ground.

Dealer Repossesses Deployed Soldiers' Cars, Faces $137,000 Fine

staff@jalopnik.com (Amber DaSilva) — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 15:25:00 +0000

When a service member is deployed for military purposes, repossessing their car isn't as simple as showing up with a tow truck and a claim of missed payments.