To the editor: The new nondescript California Highway Patrol cars are sorely needed and hopefully appreciated by law-abiding folks who are sick and tired of dodging speeders, tailgaters and drivers glued to their cellphones (“CHP’s stealthy new SUVs are coming after reckless California drivers,” Aug. 20). Since so many of the vehicles on the road are SUVs, the new patrol cars (also SUVs) will easily blend in with the flow of traffic.
The 100 new Dodge Durangos put on the roads three months ago will escape easy detection with no police lights, sirens or emblems. I can picture a guy in his late 30s with a chip on his shoulder speeding in the fast lane of the freeway going about 95 mph, looking in the rearview mirror to find a plain-looking SUV keeping up with him and thinking to himself, “Okay, this guy wants to race.” And the next instant, flashing red lights and a siren.
I see one drawback in this scenario which is, sans visible lights and police emblems on the cars, the deterrence factor may suffer, but hopefully not to the extent of the program not being a success.
Bill Spitalnick, Newport Beach
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