History Main / HotPursuit

* ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeed'' is the most obvious example in all video games, with a sub-series of ''NFS'' games called ''[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Hot Pursuit]]'' that allows players to play on either side of the law. Those games (especially ''Hot Pursuit'' 2010 and ''Rivals'') also give those vehicles a lot of weapons to work with; roadblocks, spike strips, helicopters, [=EMPs=], jammers, nitrous, etc.

* Different police forces and countries have different doctrines regarding pursuits as they can be extremely hazardous to the police, the suspect(s) and anyone else on the road. A lot of the time the police will not engage in one unless the offence is serious enough to warrant it, instead opting to send a ticket via mail or quietly arrest the suspect in a safer location at a future point. Even if pursuit is deemed necessary, police will often keep their cars far enough behind to be out of sight and follow the car by helicopter or drone, then move in to wrest the suspect once they’ve stopped. High speed car chases are generally a last resort due to the potentially tragic consequences.

In RealLife, people who flee from police when facing a minor moving violation have often committed other crimes, evidence of which will be found when they are stopped. A person who flees police is likely to either be driving on a suspended license, be driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, have warrants out for their arrest, or have drugs, illegal weapons, dead bodies, and/or kidnapped children in the vehicle. Thus, there is some TruthInTelevision, but not to the degree usually shown.

** Subverted in that stealing an apple is punishable by instant removal of a hand.

* Non-automobile variation in ''Disney/{{Aladdin}}'': the guards chasing after the titular hero for stealing a loaf of bread.

-->-- '''Aladdin''', ''Disney/{{Aladdin}}''

* In the HeroicBloodshed movie ''Film/TheBigHeat1988'', the main character, a CowboyCop, engage a criminal on a foot chase through heavy traffic, both of them firing pot shots at each other while dodging moving cars. [[spoiler: The suspect was eventually shot in the foot while on an overpass, he's unable to move out of the way of another incoming vehicle which then runs him over and sends him flying off the bridge. And upon landing, the victim hits and bounces off the windshield of another vehicle, before hitting the road with a splat. [[THereIsNoKillLikeOverkill Then a third vehicle runs him over for good measure]]. You know, just in case he survives the fall]]...

** In ''Discworld/TheFifthElephant'', he technically leads a pursuit across national borders by pursuing the suspect (the mad werewolf Wolfgang von Überwald) out of the Ankh-Morpork embassy in the town of Bonk. The local watch recognise he has the right and stands back.
** In ''Discworld/{{Snuff}}'', he claims the same right to investigate crime in the disputed Shires region; technically speaking, the Watch even pursue the criminals into Quirm and faraway Howondaland to make arrests.

* Video game example: In both the ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto'' and ''VideoGame/SaintsRow'' series, the police will chase you after a simple fender bender. If the chase goes on long enough (and enough officers [[LemmingCops get killed trying to chase you]]), SWAT teams, helicopters, soldiers and eventually tanks will be called in to take you down. Though to be fair, after the player has killed multiple police officers and racked up thousands of dollars in property damage, they have some valid reasons to call in the tanks and jets.
** To be unfair (Ha!), the police will up your wanted level when they kill ''themselves'' in pursuit of you -- apparently the GTA universe has some ''harsh'' felony murder laws. And of course the cops have absolutely no regard for innocent bystanders. Tanks, helicopters, troop trucks and jet fighters in the middle of an urban area - "Well, he dinged my fender!"

Police officers will engage in high speed pursuits involving dozens of patrol cars for the flimsiest of reasons. No TV police force has a "Do not pursue" policy for minor crimes. Officers involved in the chase are usually LemmingCops and [[HollywoodPoliceDrivingAcademyare poor drivers who crash very easily]]. Sometimes the police might use more advanced tactics like spike strips and roadblocks, but these rarely are successful in fiction, either against the heroes or the villains.

Police officers will engage in high speed pursuits involving dozens of patrol cars for the flimsiest of reasons. No TV police force has a "Do not pursue" policy for minor crimes. Officers involved in the chase are usually LemmingCops and are poor drivers who crash very easily. Sometimes the police might use more advanced tactics like spike strips and roadblocks, but these rarely are successful in fiction, either against the heroes or the villains.

* In Creator/TerryPratchett's ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' novels, policeman Sam Vimes exploits this age-old right of "hot trod" twice.
** In ''Discworld/TheFifthElephant'', he technically leads a pursuit across national borders in hot trod against the mad werewolf Wolfgang von Überwald - the local police recognise he has the right and stands back.

*** Parodied mercilessly in ShadyVox's abridgement of the first episode, where Sam Speed says "We're the high speed pursuit unit. Our job is to chase down anyone who commits a crime and tries to get away in an F1 racing car. And don't you dare say it doesn't happen. Because it totally does!"

* ''Series/DueSouth'' featured a car chase in the episode ''Heaven And Earth'', notable for having highly competent driving on the part of all of the cops involved, along with a [[CrowningMusicOfAwesome bitchin awesome accompanying song.]]

* Seen in the ''Film/SmokeyAndTheBandit'' movies which are actually made of little less than long pursuits.

* Occurs during the "Sk8r Boi" level of ''VideoGame/EliteBeatAgents'', where the Agents are assisting a cabbie who DrivesLikeCrazy. [[spoiler:If you pass the third segment, the cops, informed that Jack's passenger is a woman in labor, subvert this by giving up the pursuit and escorting you, as they would in real life.]]

* Also seen in the ''SmokeyAndTheBandit'' movies which are actually made of little less than long pursuits.

* Roscoe P. Coletrain from ''Series/TheDukesOfHazzard'' would gleefully shout over his CB that he was in "Hot Puuuur-Suit!" of the Duke boys, frequently followed by him driving [[LemmingCops off a cliff]] or into a lake when he couldn't match the Duke's driving ability.

* Parodied in the extreme in ''TheBluesBrothers'':

* Roscoe P. Coletrain from ''TheDukesOfHazzard'' would gleefully shout over his CB that he was in "Hot Puuuur-Suit!" of the Duke boys, frequently followed by him driving [[LemmingCops off a cliff]] or into a lake when he couldn't match the Duke's driving ability.

* Video game example: In the ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto'' series, the police will chase you after a simple fender bender. If the chase goes on long enough (and enough officers [[LemmingCops get killed trying to chase you]]), SWAT teams, helicopters, soldiers and eventually tanks will be called in to take you down. Though to be fair, after the player has killed multiple police officers and racked up thousands of dollars in property damage, they have some valid reasons to call in the tanks and jets.

* In Creator/TerryPratchett's ''{{Discworld}}'' novels, policeman Sam Vimes exploits this age-old right of "hot trod" twice. In ''Discworld/TheFifthElephant'', he technically leads a pursuit across national borders in hot trod against the mad werewolf Wolfgang von Überwald - the local police recognise he has the right and stands back. And in ''Discworld/{{Snuff}}'', he claims the same right to investigate crime in the disputed Shires region; technically speaking, the Watch even pursue the criminals into Quirm and faraway Howondaland to make arrests.

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* The "Police Pursuit" mode in Creator/SternPinball's ''[[Pinball/MustangStern Mustang]]''