Spike strip

Last updated
A U.S. Army soldier deploying a stinger at a vehicle checkpoint in Iraq US Army spike strip.jpg
A U.S. Army soldier deploying a stinger at a vehicle checkpoint in Iraq

A spike strip (also referred to as a spike belt, traffic spikes, tire shredders, stingers, stop sticks, Stinger or formally known as a tire deflation device) is a device or incident weapon used to impede or stop the movement of wheeled vehicles by puncturing their tires. Generally, the strip is composed of a collection of 35-to-75-millimetre-long (1+12 to 3 in) metal barbs, teeth or spikes pointing upward. The spikes are designed to puncture and flatten tires when a vehicle is driven over them; they may be portable, as a police weapon, or strongly secured to the ground, as those found at security checkpoint entrances in certain facilities. (These particular models, however, retract and do not cause damage when a vehicle drives over them from the proper direction.) They also may be detachable, with new spikes fitted to the strip after use. The spikes may be hollow or solid; hollow ones are designed to detach and become embedded in the tires, allowing air to escape at a steady rate to reduce the risk of the driver losing control and crashing. [1] They are historically a development of the caltrop, with anti-cavalry and anti-personnel versions being used as early as 331 BC by Darius III against Alexander the Great at the Battle of Gaugamela in Persia.[ citation needed ]

In the United States, five officers were killed deploying spike strips in 2011 alone, having been struck by fleeing vehicles. Dallas, Texas police are among those banned from using them, in response to the hazards. [2]

Remotely deployable spike strips have been invented to reduce the danger to police officers deploying them. [3]

Private possession of spike strips was banned in New South Wales, Australia in 2003 after a strip cheaply constructed from a steel pipe studded with nails was used against a police vehicle. John Watkins, a member of New South Wales Legislative Assembly, stated they would be added to the New South Wales prohibited weapons list. [4]

Following the rise in terrorist vehicle attacks whereby a vehicle is driven at speed into pedestrians, a net with steel spikes that can be deployed by two people in less than a minute, reported able to stop a vehicle of up to 17 tonnes, was developed for preventive use at public events in the UK, with the name "Talon". It has steel spikes to puncture tires, and becomes entangled around the front wheels, halting the vehicle. It is designed to reduce risk to crowds by making the vehicle skid in a straight line without veering unpredictably. It was first deployed to protect a parade on 11 September 2017. [5]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Land mine</span> Explosive weapon, concealed under or on the ground

A land mine, or landmine, is an explosive weapon concealed under or camouflaged on the ground, and designed to destroy or disable enemy targets, ranging from combatants to vehicles and tanks, as they pass over or near it.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caltrop</span> Anti-cavalry device

A caltrop is an area denial weapon made up of two or more sharp nails or spines arranged in such a manner that one of them always points upward from a stable base. Historically, caltrops were part of defences that served to slow the advance of troops, especially horses, chariots, and war elephants, and were particularly effective against the soft feet of camels. In modern times, caltrops are effective when used against wheeled vehicles with pneumatic tires.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hubcap</span> Decorative disk on an automobile wheel that covers at least a central portion of the wheel

A hubcap or hub cap is a decorative disk on an automobile wheel that covers at minimum the central portion of the wheel, called the hub. An automobile hubcap is used to cover the wheel hub and the wheel fasteners to reduce the accumulation of dirt and moisture. It also has the function of decorating the car.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stryker</span> Canadian/American family of wheeled armored fighting vehicles

The Stryker is a family of eight-wheeled armored fighting vehicles derived from the Canadian LAV III. Stryker vehicles are produced by General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada (GDLS-C) for the United States Army in a plant in London, Ontario. It has four-wheel drive (8×4) and can be switched to all-wheel drive (8×8).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">PIT maneuver</span> Pursuit tactic used by law enforcement in an attempt to stop a fleeing vehicle

The PIT maneuver or TVI is a pursuit tactic in which a pursuing vehicle forces a fleeing vehicle to turn sideways abruptly, causing the driver to lose control and stop. It was developed by BSR Inc. and first used by the Fairfax County Police Department in Virginia, United States, in 1988.

A stinger is an organ or body part found in various animals, typically arthropods, that usually delivers some kind of venom

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jersey barrier</span> Modular concrete or plastic barrier for separating vehicle traffic

A Jersey barrier, Jersey wall, or Jersey bump is a modular concrete or plastic barrier employed to separate lanes of traffic. It is designed to minimize vehicle damage in cases of incidental contact while still preventing vehicle crossovers resulting in a likely head-on collision. Jersey barriers are also used to reroute traffic and protect pedestrians and workers during highway construction. They are named after the U.S. state of New Jersey which first started using the barriers as separators between lanes of a highway in the 1950s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Car chase</span> Chase between two automobiles, often involving law enforcement

A car chase or vehicle pursuit is the vehicular overland chase of one party by another, involving at least one automobile or other wheeled motor vehicle, commonly hot pursuit of suspects by law enforcement. The rise of the automotive industry in the 20th century increased car ownership, leading to a growing number of criminals attempting to evade police in their own vehicle or a stolen car. Car chases may also involve other parties in pursuit of a criminal suspect or intended victim, or simply in an attempt to make contact with a moving person for non-conflict reasons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FB PM-63</span> Polish submachine gun

The PM-63 RAK is a Polish 9×18mm submachine gun, designed by Piotr Wilniewczyc in cooperation with Tadeusz Bednarski, Grzegorz Czubak and Marian Wakalski. The RAK combines the characteristics of a self-loading pistol and a fully automatic submachine gun.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Snow chains</span> Devices fitted to the tires of vehicles to improve traction on snow and ice

Snow chains, or tire chains, are devices fitted to the tires of vehicles to provide increased traction when driving through snow and ice.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BRDM-1</span> Amphibious armored scout car

The BRDM-1 is a Soviet amphibious armored scout car. It was the first purpose-built Soviet reconnaissance vehicle to enter service since the BA-64 and was built on the chassis and drive train of the BTR-40 armored personnel carrier. It is the world's first mass-produced combat vehicle of its class.

A run-flat tire is a pneumatic vehicle tire designed to resist the effects of deflation when punctured, allowing the vehicle to continue to be driven at reduced speeds for limited distances. First developed by tire manufacturer Michelin in the 1930s, run-flat tires were introduced to the public market in the 1980s. They have increased in popularity over time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jacob D. Robida</span> American murderer

Jacob D. Robida was an American neo-Nazi and murderer. Robida attacked three patrons at a gay bar in New Bedford, Massachusetts on February 2, 2006 before fleeing by vehicle to Charleston, West Virginia, where he picked up passenger Jennifer Rena Bailey and drove southwest. He was stopped for a traffic violation by Gassville, Arkansas police officer James W. Sell, whom Robida shot and killed before fleeing east. Robida lost control of his vehicle in Norfork, Arkansas shortly after running over a spike strip laid by police. He then engaged in a firefight with police, during which he fatally shot Bailey and then shot himself in the head.

StarChase is the trade name of a less-than-lethal vehicle tagging system developed early in 2006 to tag, track and locate a fleeing vehicle of interest to police. Its components consist of an electronic tag in the form of a small, cylindrical projectile with the end covered in a viscous, industrial strength adhesive, which contains a battery-operated GPS tracker and Quad-Band transmitter, fired by compressed air from a small launcher on the front grille of a police car.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anti-personnel mine</span> Form of land mine designed for use against humans

An anti-personnel mine or anti-personnel landmine (APL) is a form of mine designed for use against humans, as opposed to an anti-tank mine, which target vehicles. APLs are classified into: blast mines and fragmentation mines; the latter may or may not be a bounding mine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Batcycle</span> Fictional superhero vehicle

The Batcycle, Batblade, or Batpod is the fictional personal motorcycle of the DC Comics superhero Batman. In the comic book universe, Batman's personal Batcycle is a modified street-bike with a 786 cc liquid-cooled V-4 engine. It contains a computer-controlled carburetor and bulletproof wind-guard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spare tire</span> Additional tire carried in a motor vehicle as a replacement for one that fails

A spare tire is an additional tire carried in a motor vehicle as a replacement for one that goes flat, has a blowout, or has another emergency. Spare tire is generally a misnomer, as almost all vehicles actually carry an entire wheel with a tire mounted on it as a spare rather than just a tire, as fitting a tire to a wheel would require a motorist to carry additional, specialized equipment. However, some spare tires are not meant to be driven long distances. Space-savers have a maximum speed of around 50 mph (80 km/h).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baton (law enforcement)</span> Club of less than arms length

A baton is a roughly cylindrical club made of wood, rubber, plastic, or metal. It is carried as a compliance tool and defensive weapon by law-enforcement officers, correctional staff, security guards and military personnel. The name baton comes from the French bâton (stick), derived from Old French Baston, from Latin bastum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Safety in NASCAR</span> Car racing safety

Safety in NASCAR has evolved into one of the biggest concerns in stock car racing's largest sanctioning body. Mainly after the death of Dale Earnhardt, a seven-time Winston Cup Series champion, NASCAR has decided to change all of their safety policies, such as the use of the HANS device. Since 2001, NASCAR has also changed the cars for the NASCAR Cup Series and the Xfinity Series. NASCAR's safety policy includes the racing fire suit, carbon fiber seating, and roof flaps.

Gonzalo Artemio Lopez was an American fugitive, mass murderer, and prison escapee who killed a total of six people in separate murders in 2005 and 2022. In 2005, Lopez kidnapped and murdered a man in Weslaco, Texas. He was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to life in prison. In May 2022, Lopez received international attention when he escaped from prison custody by assaulting a corrections officer and fleeing from a prison bus. He became a wanted fugitive and evaded authorities for three weeks. On June 2, Lopez broke into a ranch and murdered five people from the same family, including three children, before stealing weapons and a pickup truck. Later that same day, police spotted Lopez and engaged in a shootout with him after a high-speed chase, where he was fatally shot during the exchange of gunfire.

References

  1. Beard, Jonathan (24 August 1991). "Technology: Spikes end chases with a hiss not a bang". New scientist. No. 1783. Retrieved 27 September 2009.
  2. "Dallas police ban use of spike strips that can halt fleeing vehicles". Dallas Morning News. June 8, 2012.
  3. "DynaSpike Remote Control Spike System". dynasystems2.
  4. "Ban on home-made road spikes after car chase". The Sydney Morning Herald. December 10, 2003.
  5. "Steel spiked net to tackle London vehicle terror attacks". BBC News. 11 September 2017. Retrieved 11 September 2017.