What did that poor IROC Camaro do to deserve that kind of fate. Absolutey nothing. The idiot owner should be held responsilbe and jailed, the poor car shouldn't be crushed. The cash strapped state of California could acution off these siezed cars for serious $$$ if they get on the ball and don't let them sit and rot in the impound yard for years.(I know they do that in Nashville)

I think that street racing has a time and place. Late night when the streets are empty, and in a controlled, oranganized group reduces the danger of wrecking your car. Of course being in a organized group can lead to fights and gang wars, etc. Just choose your company wisely.

There are times that street racing shouldn't take place, like during the daytime with ANY traffic around. And there are the idiots that drive insane speeds that are extremely dangerous, such as driving 90 on the interstate isn't really a big deal, but absolutey insane on a neighborhood street.


Its kind of like smoking. Even though it has been proven that it kills you, people still do it. Granted, since we have known that smoking kills you, the number of smokers has declined dramatically. But there are still those people who continue to smoke despite there being 30 years of documented proof, people still smoke and will continue to do so.

Just because they start giving more serious penalties to street racers, it doesn't mean the promblem will completely go away.

 

I predict an increase in high speed chases and people running from the law.

 

Here's what I think they need to do:

If caught illegally street racing, I think in certain situations, the law has the right to confiscate your car. Not ALL situations mind you, just the really dangerous ones (ie. closing down part of your favorite highway to race... seen it done in enough vids).

ANYWAY, instead of crushing the car like an idiot, SELL the car to an enthousiast, someone who will respect and take care of the car. Obviously, this assumes that the confiscated car is worth anything.

ANYHOO - Take the $1000's from the sale of the vehicle and put it towards opening up more drag strips... or at least help fund some of the ones that are in jeopardy of being closed.

Will it work, who knows, I'm not sure. Street racing is really bad here in Idaho. I'm a supporter of a local group of street racers, because they are adults, have drag experience, and we are about 20 miles outside of town on an old farm access road. Doesn't make it right, but they do play it safe there. If Idaho had a drag strip closer than 5 hours away, I really think this problem would be significantly reduced.

 

i saw this on the news, and im kinda for it. most people that still even bother street racing around here are ricer/import guys and those in broke *** 3rd gens and broke *** 5.0's

not a big loss to me. id personally go watch the ricers getting crushed

 

I know that anyone from San Diego/So. Cal will know about this, and most likely more than I do. But www.racelegal.com has a program set up that tries to get people to participate in a controlled enviorment instead of on the streets. from the times that i have been there, it seems to have a decent amount of support from the city and a lot of racers. I enjoyed it.

 

I'm not sure what post of mine you read that prompted this reply.

BUt, ya, I think everyone at some point has "flexed their car muscle" at some point... MY POINT, was that even if the car was confiscated, fine... but why crush it instead of selling it to make money for the city? What a total waste for the city, and an IROC is dead to boot.

 

Sounds more like Lounge material...

BTW, did any of you even read the article???

See? Sold at auction.

TS

 

Ya, but it was donated back to the city... they could have sold it instead of crushing it.

 

#1 This cant be legal. Off to the Supreme court with this...

#2 This will encourage people to run from the cops putting even more peoples lives in danger! My guess is that people will start to run and then LA will have a no chase policy.

 

Confiscating the car from the owner and taking his license away is enough. What's next, letting murderers go free, as long as we can destroy their weapons?

 

The entire state of MA has had this same mandate for at least a few months now...something like 50+ cars state-wide have already been impounded and sold. And its really sort of ridiculous, because where do you draw the line?

If I am on a dark highway at 1 AM with no traffic and I choose to drop a couple gears and run it up to 90 or so, am I racing myself? Or just driving fast? Who decides? Certainly not me...and I dare say I'm less of a threat doing that then the jackass tailgaiting people and swerving through rush-hour traffic at 65.

Since this law passed, I have made the concious choice to not even nail the car to hard if there's even the possibility a cop may be around. The last thing I need is to have my beloved car impounded because of a cop on a power trip. MA law does NOT state you need to be racing another car...I can just nail it down the road, it appears, and I could be deemed "racing."

I am all for traffic safety, but this goes over the line. My next house will be down south somewhere in the country where I can at least get a good run in on an empty road now and then

 

I'm more interested in the basic question: what's defined as street racing. Based upon what I've seen on TV (cops or media definitions) accelerating quickly from a street light is enough to be defined as street racing. They said body language, looking over at the other lane, nailing it were sufficient taunts. I almost always floor it when the light turns green (otherwise why did I buy a 4th gen). However if this somehow inspires the person beside me to "race" and they do anything stupid, suddenly I'm at fault. Realize that the next logical step is to limit hp in cars because one must ask: what do you need all that power for when you don't have an autobahn and are limited to 65/70 mph. Nailing it at a street light or freeway entrance when you want to "open it up" fits under the definition of street racing and that's exactly why high hp cars are so popular. Most people want to know that they can and occasionally flex their muscle to beat the person next to them.

 

just wanted to add that NBC dateline will have a feature on street racing tonight, i think

 

Perhaps you should change your driving habits - even with a 4th Gen.

That's street racing. That is exactly what they are trying to stop. If you get caught doing it, I have no sympathy for you (excepting what I posted previously in this thread).

 

Perhaps you should change your driving habits - even with a 4th Gen.

Why? I'm not doing that because there's someone next to me, I do that in the middle of the night with no one on the road. When I run an 8 minute mile and some numb nut decides to try and run with me (yes, this has happened) and suffers heat exhaustion or God forbid a heart attack, I'm the one to blame?

That's street racing. That is exactly what they are trying to stop. If you get caught doing it, I have no sympathy for you (excepting what I posted previously in this thread).

So, again, I don't drive differently when there's someone on the road vs. no one on the road yet I'm racing. Your logic eludes me. You're telling me I have to adjust my behavior to anticipate someone else's stupidity. I guess we all need to be mind readers.