A word with all you who are street racing

[kidcoastal]

I'm going to try my best to keep this benign. I have been taking this with tongue in cheek for a while with the whole altima thing. Even jokingly posted that that kewk should race Rogue. However, I'm seeing this pop up more and more and it's VERY alarming. I went through the thread "What have you blown away" tonight and I was shocked. I'm tired of reading and hearing about members here taking about their "kills" or street racing experience in general. Like several of us here, I've been effected by illegal street racing. best friend in high school.... dead. Sisters friend in passengers seat... injured, mother hit by car who was racing.. luckily no injury... blah blah.. I can go on an on with details but I'm not. This stuff is not a joke. Those that do this aren't just putting themselves at risk, you are putting me, my wife, my unborn child, my family and all other innocent lives at risk. I'm not some old dude lecturing here. A LOT of you here already know me.... I'm only 33.
Am I talking to those of you that occasionally go over the speed limit? Of course not. I do it too. Street racing is clearly an entirely different degree of Monster being adrenalin and ego driven. This makes for bad judgment. Please, if you want to race, get off our streets and go to your local track, salt flats, desert or other legal street racing location etc... http://www.rasr.info
Time slips are the real proof anyway.

If you feel the need to flame... by all means.. I'm a big guy and I can take it. I personally would rather see this thread hit 2972 times without a single "**** you" or "thank you". I cant however, sit here idly and not say anything when I know people here putting the rest of us at risk. The bottom line is you know I'm right. Please........ PLEASE ...drive safely.

[HEMEEE]

Amen babeee!

There was an episode of Oprah recently that featured a young man in his 20's who had been involved in a horrific street racing collision in which he broadsided another vehicle. He was able to walk away from the wreckage and quickly ran to the other car to see if he could render aid. As he looked inside the car, he found both the driver and her elderly passenger were dead... he also discovered that the driver was his own Mother, she had taken a friend out to look at Christmas lights in the neighborhood. He is now doing prison time, so his family is further traumatized.

It was a gut-wrenching show, and my thought was that it should be must viewing in all high schools, driver training programs and traffic classes.

[lennoxavesosa]

Kid.....I couldnt agree with you more.

Myself being only 20 with such a nice and fast car already makes my testosterone-driven self take over and want to race every guy that pulls up next to me at a redlight.
I know there is a time and a place for everything, and take it all in lieu. If the conditions are right and safe I dont think there is anything wrong with a lil *illegal* street/highway race, but when you are endangering not only yourself, but other peoples well-being it is a totally different story. I have lost 3 friends within the last year due to car accidents and it really makes you start to think.
Personally, Im not big into the whole 'street racing scene', but I think we all know our cars are fast as hell and sure do have alot of balls, so it is sometimes kind of hard to back down when another car challenges you on the road. Just dont be an idiot about it, and even if it costs you loosing the race, make sure you are safe. Wouldnt want to wreck/total a car, let alone have anyone get hurt over a stupid street race.
-Like I said before, theres a time and a place for everything, and I think we all know our own limits and perameters when it comes to driving/racing our cars. Just be safe. Thanks for stepping up and finally posting this Kid, as Im sure alot of the more mature members here have thought the same thing, but just have never took the time to mention it.

To anyone else who dosent agree with this
Oliver.

[frank29]

Originally Posted by kidcoastal

I'm going to try my best to keep this benign.................................drive safely.

I feel the same way.

This week, two Mustangs were racing on Buford Highway, outside of Atlanta.......a 5 lane road (2 lanes each way plus a turn lane)....a man and his daughter-in-law were in a van, in the turn lane, waiting to take a left.....the van was hit.....the daughter was killed.

It was very sad to hear the father interviewed on the radio. A reporter asked him about his injuries and, in a sobbing voice, he replied that he didn't care about himself, all he cared about was his daughter.

One of the sons of bitches that killed his daughter was arrested. Police are looking for the other. I hope no members of this forum are transformed into sons of bitches. If anybody thinks that is too harsh, let me ask you: What would you think if that was your daughter killed on Buford Highway due to street racing?

[glenn4dde]

While I am not into "street racing", I do enjoy the 300C, especially when some rice box pulls up next to me. With that said, I want so badly to disagree with you guys, but I can't. It IS dangerous because other people make it dangerous. If everyone drove like me, the world would be a faster place, but they don't...so it is what it is.

Let's face it, I'm 24 years old, I love to go fast, I get 12MPG. However, I know my limits, and everyone else should, too.

[CohibaEsplinado]

I'm 23, and I totally with you too... I'm so sick of seeing cars driven by young kids (young by even my standards, 16, 17, 18) weaving in and out of traffic on the highways. It's not safe, it's not fun for other drivers, and its won't be fun for you when you get arrested, or even worse, injured/killed.

Everyone goes through that phase though, where you just get your liscence, and you think you know everything. I went through that when I got my liscence, and it took me totaling my car to realize how stupid I was. My town happens to be pretty wealthy, and when alot of the kids here get their liscences, their first cars are ridiculous. When I was in highschool, I remember alot of first cars being Corvette's, Mustang Cobra's, M3's, and one kid had an Acura NSX.

I think that part of it is caused by just the attitude in this country about liscences. Many people think of them as a right, not a privelage.

[Model 57]

I have to agree with you, I used to race a lot, when I was younger. But even then we would go out of town on a lonely highway, and do our racing there. We also had some spotters if traffic were to approach.
All that I do any more is the 1st 50ft. off of a stoplight. Not many can stay with my Honda Valkyrie.

[StarJack]

Originally Posted by frank29

I feel the same way.
One of the sons of bitches that killed his daughter was arrested. Police are looking for the other. I hope no members of this forum are transformed into sons of bitches. If anybody thinks that is too harsh, let me ask you: What would you think if that was your daughter killed on Buford Highway due to street racing?

What Frank said. Those punks could've driven 45 minutes north to Commerce 1 or 2 Fridays a month and run at a real dragstrip for $25 a night. Or they could've lined up on I-985 at 03:00 when traffic is so light you can get out and relieve yourself in the fast lane without seeing other headlights in either direction if they wanted to risk their own lives. Frankly, I wouldn't blame the man who lost his daughter if he shot the punk dead on the courthouse steps and then turned himself in. Because the little bastard that did this will do a few years at the WORST for taking his daughters life, just cause he wanted to be a big man.

[WhiteDiamond]

While I agree with your statements, I find the whole situation has gotten larger and communities seem to think it can just be stamped out. Automobiles are perhaps the largest hobby in the United States and speed is a very large part of many of those loyalists. While the young ones tend to be very stupid in their attempts to race, there are plenty of adults who share this same brain issue. It also bothers me that communities are running drag strips out of business left and right and the remaining strips only open for certain hours on certain days. This makes it very hard for the majority to get their 'fix' on a constant basis. While this is not an excuse, it is an observation that the hobbiests are viewed as a threat and most people won't take the time to realize that all hobbies need and outlet.

It is a shame that so many of our youth and some of our adults have resorted to the type of street racing that has resulted in so many deaths. It is wise for you to know that most states now have laws in place the make the survivor of the race, if their is one, a participant in a murder or man-slaughter trial. You can face many years in jail and have the pain of somebody's death on you for life.

Take it to open places and try to make it a sanctioned track. Never on the neighborhood road, the freeway around others, the main street or basically anywhere near others.

Yes, I have fun occasionally too, but I know when and where and I always make sure I know my vehicle well before. I used to race cars in various SOLO and SCCA events, and that experience is something I think all drivers should get early in their driving career. Finding and learning a vehicles limits should be something we all do, but in controlled and safe enviroments, not during some street race when a pedestrian steps out in front of you.

Todd

[vvv90]

Well obviously I'm one of the guilty ones I admit and I understand where you're coming from. It is dangerous no doubt.

Not that it makes any difference and I'm sure you still think I'm an ass but I am not reckless in the least believe it or not...I guess the term "reckless" is relative but...

The Cobra was through one gear between 2 stop lights before we shut down just as he overtook me....Late, absolutely no cars and NOT even that fast, just a quick sprint.

The WRX STI I spoke about was stupid, but there were still absolutely NO cars around but us.

I get egged on by people in traffic and absolutely decline. I'm not into "street racing" per-sey, just quick runs against others to see who's got what. There is a huge difference.

Again, I'm not defending my actions, I know it's stupid.