BS on the left coast; Los Angeles Street Racers Face Crunch Time

Ok, I can MAYBE see this if you actually get busted while pounding pavement.

"A week after that accident, police arrested 12 people during an illegal gathering in Van Nuys, where they confiscated two souped-up Ford Mustangs."

Illegal gathering? WTF?

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Los Angeles Street Racers Face Crunch Time

10/14/2004

L.A. Officials' New Strategy Against Illegal Races Packs Big Wallop. Law Sends Some Seized Cars to Scrap Heap. By Amanda Covarrubias, Los Angeles Times

Hoping to discourage illegal drag racing, Los Angeles Police Chief William J. Bratton and Mayor James K. Hahn held a car-crushing demonstration Wednesday at a Sun Valley junkyard intended to send a strong message to violators: Race, and you risk arrest and the demolition of your vehicle.

After two incidents this month involving illegal street racing, Bratton and Hahn said it was time to remind racers drawn to the San Fernando Valley's wide boulevards that the activity won't be tolerated.

"We went almost a year without any street fatalities," Capt. Greg Meyer of the Los Angeles Police Department's Valley Traffic Division said before Wednesday's demonstration. "But we've seen racing start up again because they forget. This is a dramatic reminder of what can happen if you get caught street racing in the city of Los Angeles."

Bratton and Hahn presided over the destruction of the first vehicle confiscated after the city's car seizure law went into effect in July 2003. The law, aimed at cracking down on street racing, allows for the destruction of "nuisance vehicles."

A crane lifted a flat, metal "crusher" that looked like a giant bacon press and dropped it three times on a white 1989 Camaro, sending shards of glass flying.

For years police have struggled to crack down on street racing in the San Fernando Valley. Earlier this month, two teenage boys died and another was seriously injured while racing in Sun Valley.

The injured boy, 17-year-old Michael Lee, is recovering from brain surgery. The two who died, Nicholas Roth and Christopher Oliver, were also 17 and seniors at Village Christian High School. No charges have been filed, but the case is still under investigation, Meyer said.

A week after that accident, police arrested 12 people during an illegal gathering in Van Nuys, where they confiscated two souped-up Ford Mustangs.

"People say we're taking away their fun," Hahn said Wednesday. "But it's no fun to go to somebody's funeral.. If you want to race, go out to a real raceway and do it."

Seven vehicles have been seized since the new confiscation law went into effect. Some will be destroyed and others will be sold for their parts.

The recent increase in street racing corresponds with a 17% rise in traffic-related deaths in the Valley, where there have been 69 traffic fatalities this year. Three were the result of racing, Meyer said. There were 59 traffic fatalities in 2003.

"We're telling them, 'Some of you care more about your cars than your lives,' " said Councilwoman Wendy Greuel, who sponsored the car-seizure law and represents an area where much of the city's street racing occurs. "It's not a game. It's not a movie. It's a choice that has consequences and it's illegal."

Reply to
FBR
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I would imagine that illegal gathering is also known as "organized street racing".

Reply to
Bruce Chang

Two less Mustangs on the road, can't be a half bad law. LOL :).

Seriously, racing is stupid. That's what a track is for. Joe--ASE Certified Parts Specialist & 10th Ann.Club Tech Director '80 Carousel Red Turbo T/A, 27k orig. '79 "Y89" 400/4 speed 10th Ann. T/A, 57k orig '84 Olds 88 Royale Bgm 2 dr, 307 "Rocket" (lol), 143k and still going....

Reply to
Bigjfig

Right! and in the next California law "illegal gathering" will be also known as "organized political rally" like they have in China. oh wait, that's communism. Street racing is illegal. They should arrest the people racing and take away their licenses. Check the Bill Of Rights for the "right of the people to peaceably assemble". It's in amendment number one. State of California will look pretty silly buying souped up cars to give back to these people after the courts throw out this blatantly unconstitutional law, like they have done countless times in the past. Andy W.

Reply to
Andy Warren

My guess is that the gathering was illegal because the street racing was part of it. It's only legal to have a gathering as long as the gathering is not for the purpose of breaking the law.

Reply to
Cy Welch

Or at least if you don't have a local track you can find an old abandoned airstrip.

Reply to
Cy Welch

All that quoting for two measly lines?

Reply to
SgtSilicon

Let me see if I understand. You're at the local cruise night at a drive-in.

2 guys torch em off leaving. The cops come and impound your car because you're part of what they consider an "illegal gathering" and impound your car. And you're ok with that?
Reply to
FBR

The subject of Street Racing is often a touchy one on-line. Heckle and belittle me all you want, I still do it.

It's no where what it used to be around here. Any more it's degenerated in to a un-organized stop light gran-prix. They stopped out every area around here it was done at, a lot of the serious guys either bailed out totally, or ended up in jail, paying gross fines, losing there drivers licenses, and a few cars. Thankfully I bailed for the serious scean before I ended up being cuffed and stuffed.

Before you say: "Take it to a track" you have to understand how different that is. First thing you have to look at is how do these people meet up?

Usually at Cruse-ins that are open to every one, or gathering spots. Like a business parking lot at night. the latter usually doesn't start until well after 10PM. Some times it will last till 4 AM. Usually most of the people at one of those gatherings are socializing. They all want to run, and sooner or latter some one will suggest a match. More often then not, for money. Not that many people race for titles. That's something a clueless newbie offers to do.

At a track you really don't get to pick who you run. Not to mention atleast in this state, Gambling on racing is illegal, and will get you tossed out for good at the track. You can't hang out in the pits, till you find a match. Nor can you after losing come back and get another match. Street Racers biggest enemy at a track is the time clock. Having people know what they run. Street Racers more often then not only use as much power needed to clearly win. Doing more then that will lose you any bets, as well people will be leery of racing you.

Organized Drag racing sprung from Organized Street Racing many years ago (late 1940's). Yet it has evolved so much in that time periodto be a totally different form of the sport. Law Enforcement never gets that fact, most people who never were in Organized street racing do either. Especially when they see idiotic movies like "The Fast & The Furious", where people run 4 wide, and play video games while doing so.

To get Street racing to get legal, you would need the following:

Full usage of a Drag Racing Park (tower, pits, staging area, stands, parking lots).

A company that would insure it.

Racers to comply with NHRA or IHRA rules for safety.

Legalized gambling on the event.

No usage of the time display boards. No one disqualified form running again because they lost a run.

Grudge Match style staging.

Then there is the real kicker. Very few people will want to pay track entry fees, so they will have to be cut down to $10 per car, and $2 per spectator.

If people really want it to go away, that is what it's going to take. I have had this discussion over and over again with other guys that I used to run with. I still bump in to a few of them here and there.

Charles

Former user of Rip-Rap-Road International Raceway.

Reply to
Charles Bendig

Yup :). Joe--ASE Certified Parts Specialist & 10th Ann.Club Tech Director '80 Carousel Red Turbo T/A, 27k orig. '79 "Y89" 400/4 speed 10th Ann. T/A, 57k orig '84 Olds 88 Royale Bgm 2 dr, 307 "Rocket" (lol), 143k and still going....

Reply to
Bigjfig

Andy Warren spilled my beer when they jumped on the table and proclaimed in

Erm.

In order for it to be declared unconstitutional, the trial and appeals would need to go to the Supreme Court...

NOI

Reply to
Thund3rstruck_n0i

Charles Bendig spilled my beer when they jumped on the table and proclaimed in

In reply to your gambling and not racing who you want at the track, I never had that problem on test-n-tune day at Tristate Dragway. :)

NOI

Reply to
Thund3rstruck_n0i

Just thought that I'd point out that there is no constitutional right to drive. Certainly a right to peaceably assemble and petition the government for a redress of grievances, but driving? Nope.

Martin '01 Formula - MTI Air Box Lid, K&N Filter, Hurst-6, SLP Cold Air Induction & Smooth Intake Bellow Corsa Catback w/Premium Tips '83 V45 Magna

Reply to
GLK9MM

I have known people who have been kicked out of Kil-Kare speedway for it. Some one over hears it, and has to go snitch. Not that Kil-Kare is much of a track. Now any one 9.99 or quicker is only allowed to run the

1/8th mile. As the shut down area is just too short. Charles
Reply to
Charles Bendig

No, I'm not ok with that. If the gathering was legit (not for street racing) and a couple of guys get nuts, then they need to get busted. But if all of them are there for a street race, then yeah they should all get busted. However they should have to show that the gathering was a street race.

Reply to
Cy Welch

I don't see how it matters at all. The only ones actually doing anything illegal would be the ones racing. There's nothing illegal about standing around watching. Unless of course it's illegal to be maybe thinking about possibly committing a crime sometime in the future, perhaps. Seizure laws of all types have become ridiculously draconian in recent years. Once your property is seized it's then up to you to somehow prove yourself innocent. In the meantime they can be using it, selling it, or whatever the hell they want. Uh Uh, I call BS on the whole idea from the get-go.

Reply to
FBR

Now, honestly tell me, what does someone doing a BURN OUT have to do with them street racing?

When I drive anything with a little power & attitude people always yell for me to 'Burn 'em. Either that or give the hand signal for it. Doing burn outs does not mean your racing,or about to race.

When I'm having a bad day, roasting off $50 in tread seams to make me feel better, and be nicer. Who should care, after all it's MY money I'm wasting. Charles

Reply to
Charles Bendig

NYC: Show your PBA card and the problem goes away. LOL!

Seriously, if you know the crowd is up to no good, why stay there? When you were a kid and a group of kids looked like they were doing something wrong, what should you have done? Walked away, dissociate, because in the end, you're going to get wrapped up in it. If you're out of it, you're not part of the problem.

There are plenty of venues to hang out and chat/compare notes about cars. Many cities have cruise nights at parking lots and the like. These are peaceful gatherings, and ya, there are always some yokels that spoil it for everyone.

The world doesn't need to know that you think your machine is all that. There are nicer cars there. Just be yourself and people will respect you more for it.

Racing never appealed to me in any way...still doesn't. Joe--ASE Certified Parts Specialist & 10th Ann.Club Tech Director '80 Carousel Red Turbo T/A, 27k orig. '79 "Y89" 400/4 speed 10th Ann. T/A, 57k orig '84 Olds 88 Royale Bgm 2 dr, 307 "Rocket" (lol), 143k and still going....

Reply to
Bigjfig

Different people might be at a gathering for different reasons. Some might be because of the illegal racing. Others may not even know if there will end up being any racing and don't care if there is or not. They're there for the socializing or any number of reasons besides anything involving illegal racing. It's wrong to apply guilt by association alone. And it should not be done. Period.

Reply to
SgtSilicon

Well it can be illegal to have knowledge of a crime and fail to report it. You also have some accessory type concepts. My problem with what was laid out though, is that it goes well beyond that and is basically guilt by association, and that is not to be tolerated.

Reply to
SgtSilicon

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