Were you in Greensboro during the era of the famous Greensboro police department "fuzz bunnies"? They actually made a national ad for the relevant company, Dr. Phil writes coyly. (smirk)Given your smirk, Phil, I sense another conversation coming on that I will have to distance myself from, but nevertheless -- Tell me about the Greensboro, N.C., "fuzz bunnies." I'm clueless.
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Fuzz bunnies
Phil "Dr. Phil" Kaldon writes:
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The Greensboro P.D., looking for a way to save money, bought a couple of VW Rabbits around 1980. They were equipped with the engine and running gear of what would later be the Wolfsburg Limited Edition Rabbit GTI. And they were fast.
They were nicknamed Fuzz Bunnies, of course.
One night around 3am a Fuzz Bunny picked up a guy speeding in a souped up sports car -- I think on I-40 -- and the VW chased the guy on Wendover Avenue heading east. The runner got up well over 100mph and found the VW gaining on him. I think they got up over 140mph, at which point the guy gave up.
It made the news and VW was pleased as punch. A full-page ad ran in Time Magazine, but Greensboro insisted its name be airbrushed out of the photo on the shield on the side of the car and on the policeman's uniform. The city was identified only as in North Carolina.
I tried Googling just now, but didn't hit a combination of terms which covered it.
Before moving to Greensboro, I was in White Plains NY, and their attempts at cheap police cars included these truly dreadful Fiat 128 police cars -- and the Fuzz Bugs, which were old-style VW Beetles, circa 1972 -- with their police radios and gear, neither car could get over 40 mph.
Aren't you glad you asked? Someone at the Greensboro paper ought to be able to find an article about the original Fuzzy Bunny chase, if you still have contacts.
Dr. Phil
Found it! In an eBay ad.
http://homepage.wmich.edu/~kaldon/images/Greenboro-Fuzz-Bunny.jpg
Dr. Phil
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