Cops bust street racers in Norfolk VA

[bhop]

I was just watching the news. There was a little bit on street racing and how cops are cracking down. Apparently last week some kids were killed in a street racing related crash. To quote the news guy "The Los Angeles County cops have had enough". So apparently there's a new law that allows them to confiscate cars involved in street racing and crush them. (I can't understand how this is legal, i guess street racing is forfieting your rights) They were showing some souped up 'stangs that were bound for the crusher. They also showed some cops in "school" learning what to look for on cars. They showed some slides of 'big' exhausts and some brightly colored stuff under the hood, as well as some in-car electronics.

I don't street race myself. Not only am I just too old for it, but I just don't think it's smart, but I just thought i'd mention this news story since i'm sure there are people here that do.

This whole 'cop school' thing sucks for people like me that don't street race, since now i'm sure i'll be stuck in that category despite my age thanks to my exhaust and rims.... lame.

 

[xcelr8n]

wow, i couldnt imagine a cop taking my car and crushing it....
hopefully you guys riot or something nuts, Cali style w00t....

 

[96TSi_Chris]

So your saying, Cali cops have nothing better to do?

If you ask me, its pretty stupid how serious they get about modified cars. Shouldnt they be focusing on drug busts and abusive husbands rather then "big exhausts" and "flashy shit". Oh well, Delaware 4 life.

 

[khsdm]

because people keep dying and f-ing it up for every one else. plus street racing is retarded any way. go to a track.

 

[98eclipseRS]

because people keep dieng and f-ing it up for every one else. plus street racing is retarded any way. go to a track.

exactly its the idiots that #### it up for the rest of us, only problem is there are only two drag strips in all of norcal that are still around(there used to be like 8 but htey shut them all down) so going to the track isn't much fun itself. Plus like bhop said I don't street race why do I get profiled and harrased along with it. cali cops = :thumbdown

 

[Injected]

Several times every week there's a thread about California and it's crappiness (91 oct., cop stories, smogging), etc.). So I ask, 'What is so F#@$ing great about California that people would willingly live there?'

MOVE!!! Come here and live it up !

 

[bhop]

Several times every week there's a thread about California and it's crappiness (91 oct., cop stories, smogging), etc.). So I ask, 'What is so F#@$ing great about California that people would willingly live there?'

MOVE!!! Come here and live it up !

Well, i'm a graphic designer, this is where the work is for me, and if I go back and learn 3d graphics like I want, it'll be even moreso since the studios are all here. It's nice to be able to go to the beach and the mountains in the same day. The girls here are the some of the hottest in the world. If you're into movies, (I am) there are lots of 'limited release' or revival theaters going on here. LA auto show, E3, various other conventions.. did I mention the ladies already?

There are lots of reasons that I haven't left LA yet, those are a few.. yes, CARB rules do suck, but there is more to life than cars, (i'm sure some will disagree )

 

[Injected]

I know about the industries and events that revolve around the region and it is a very beautiful part of the world. There exists an underlying frustration within me towards bureaucracies that feel it necessary to impose all sorts of taxing (in every sense of the word) regulations on its constituents. To me, Cali's great, but that's just because when I go there, I can always leave. If you grew up there, you're probably used to it and you don't give it a second thought until something reminds you that you’re being slightly oppressed. I've probably rambled enough, if not too much for now.


WHAT DO YOU MEAN THERE'S MORE TO LIFE THAN CARS?!?

Just joking. Hey bhop, you contract or work with a studio?

 

[Thomas91169]

if you dont give the officer a reason to pull you over then you will never have anything to worry about. if youre turbo theres almost no wasy even if you have no cat and a 3" full exhaust that you will be even half as loud as 95% of the civics with their bolt on axleback mufflers. if you dont look like a riced out accord usually nobody will be the wiser and wont even notice a stock looking or even mildly modded exterior of a eclipse. i have yet to see a cop even look at me, yet everytime im in my freinds CRX they stare you down. imagine that.

even though i know someday ill be asked "sir may you pop your hood" and i will get raped if i do, raped if i dont. i will try "4th amendment, right against illegal search and seizure, wheres the warrant biaotch?". i hardly every streetrace, and if i do its on a pretty wide street and i get halfway through 3rd and stop(60-70ish) cause usually the ricer is 10 cars back and theres no point. but if by some chance im speeding i hear thats probable cause for a "inspection". so does every car that speeds and gets caught be inspected? no. its profiling. and thats what ill use in court. ill ask for the documents on every car that gets pulled over for speeding and what their inspections had on them. when they cant pull that up then i think its a win for all of americas anti-ricer pro tuner crowd.

 

[PogiTSI]

They cant just Crush ur car right when they catch you for racing. What they do is, IMPOUND ur car. when its not paid for, Then its crushed. They just dont tell you about the middle stuff. They impound ur car cause 1. Used in commiting a crime(street Racing).2 Speeding, Depending on how fast you were going. 3. Smog.

 

[bhop]

They cant just Crush ur car right when they catch you for racing. What they do is, IMPOUND ur car. when its not paid for, Then its crushed. They just dont tell you about the middle stuff. They impound ur car cause 1. Used in commiting a crime(street Racing).2 Speeding, Depending on how fast you were going. 3. Smog.

Well, that's pretty obvious, but what was metioned on the news is that your car is CRUSHED as a DIRECT RESULT OF BEING CAUGHT IN THE ACT OF STREET RACING, and that it is a NEW LAW. I'm sure it has to go through some paperwork and it's not like they take it directly to the crushing machine, but still... I don't know how accurate it is, I haven't done any research into it, but I wouldn't put it past the government in LA to do something like this.

actually, I just found an article about the same incident, these are quotes from the article:

"The drivers were booked into the Van Nuys Jail on suspicion of engaging in street racing, and the flagman was booked on suspicion of aiding or abetting. Bail was set at $10,000 each.

After the arrests, police seized the Mustangs under a new Los Angeles city code that allows destruction of "nuisance vehicles." If found guilty, the motorists face a minimum of 10 days in jail, a fine of $900, driver's license suspension and higher insurance rates.

"We're sending the message that if you street-race in L.A., it will not only cost you a couple hundred dollars for a speeding ticket, but it will cost you your car, and it will be destroyed," said Lt. Steve Allen of the Valley Traffic Division."

you can read the whole thing here if you like:

http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,200%7E20954%7E2450872,00.html

 

[Defiant]

From the same article:

"City Councilwoman Wendy Gruel, who sponsored the ordinance, lamented the fact that street-racing continues.

'You can die by drag racing. We're not going to give up on this until it stops.'"

Yeah, you betcha, Wendy. We'll just write up a bunch of laws and everyone will stop being bad.

This country is so goddamned far down the shitslide, I don' t think there'e any hope of geting it back.

And this from LA, where racing was invented.

Take a look at Grand Avenue in Corona- THAT WAS A RACE TRACK, YOU FOOLS.

 

[Slipstream]

just for reference state law is as follows for a first offense of street racing:
Minimum county jail sentence of 24 hours and maximum of 90 days.
Vehicle probably impounded for at least 30 days.
Owner responsible for vehicle's towing and storage charges ($1,000 or more).
If owner fails to pay, vehicle could be sold at a lien sale.
Anyone who aids or abets a street race also faces a maximum 90-day jail sentence

Agreed the country and california specifically are going further and further down the tubes. However, I'm surprisingly okay with stiffer penalties for this crap. Being cited for being modified is a very different story than being cited for street racing, they aren't going to crush your car because of an exhaust and a type-s. I'm not one for more laws, but making stiffer penalties on some is a good idea imo...not just street racing, but I won't go political here. Maybe it will help cut down on the illegal races and make them take it to the track, maybe it won't. Generalizing a bit about the age and financial situation of your typical street racer I can assure you that they're only likely to loose 1 car a piece before they get the hint.

 

[autronicDSM]

What happens when you're just going 10mph over speed limit in your car and cop pulls you over and says you were street racing? That is the dumbest law I ever read about.

 

[DevilSperm]

they are just trying to scare people...no way in hell they would just crush your car....they would probably get sued by you AND your bank considering most the time banks own peoples cars....dont let the man scare you

 

[a_scobel]

I was just watching the news. There was a little bit on street racing and how cops are cracking down. Apparently last week some kids were killed in a street racing related crash. To quote the news guy "The Los Angeles County cops have had enough". So apparently there's a new law that allows them to confiscate cars involved in street racing and crush them. (I can't understand how this is legal, i guess street racing is forfieting your rights) They were showing some souped up 'stangs that were bound for the crusher. They also showed some cops in "school" learning what to look for on cars. They showed some slides of 'big' exhausts and some brightly colored stuff under the hood, as well as some in-car electronics.

I don't street race myself. Not only am I just too old for it, but I just don't think it's smart, but I just thought i'd mention this news story since i'm sure there are people here that do.

This whole 'cop school' thing sucks for people like me that don't street race, since now i'm sure i'll be stuck in that category despite my age thanks to my exhaust and rims.... lame.

So...what about people who do it way out in the middle of nowhere???? WTF...I'd say, maybe if they've been busted like 2 or 3 times before, then yea go ahead & crush it...or people who are caught flat out racing in 25 mph zones, sure. Not for somebody who was busted once, for racing way out in the middle of nowhere though...

 

[LaserDad91]

Historically, legislation in CA is always on the forefront. Eventually, it spreads across the US. So, get ready, here it comes~~~

 

[LaserDad91]

they are just trying to scare people...no way in hell they would just crush your car....they would probably get sued by you AND your bank considering most the time banks own peoples cars....dont let the man scare you

Good point, but, nothing has stopped them from confiscating property used in drug related crimes!

 

[DevilSperm]

true but everything is driven by money....they would sell your car on an auction before they would crush it

 

[xBOOSTx]

The consequences of street racing continue to increase while the penalties seem to stay the same for serious crimes. Special Units assigned specifically to street racing, special training, that is just ridiculous. Instead of focusing on real acts of crime, they focus on street racing. If they put half the effort into stopping real crime, maybe they could have prevented that house from being robbed, or that lady from being raped. I could have an AK-47 but i can't street race on a back street/stockyard. With less than half of the force that they have dedicated to street racing, they could easily use these back roads for organized racing. The rest of this force could be used for the real criminals on the streets.

 

[LaserDad91]

true but everything is driven by money....they would sell your car on an auction before they would crush it

You are very right on the money part.

But to resell, that would defeat their "purpose" of taking it off the street in the first place. Of course, we all know, most of the legel "system", has no "common sense".

Off course, they could take your car, install GPS, resell to new owner, watch him, catch him once, and repeat the whole process.............

I wonder how carefully they thought this through....

Let's face it, Big Brother is here!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Jag3892]

If you're gonna street race, play it safe and go somewhere smart. I don't do it much anymore besides a few silly Cavies who think they've got balls at the streetlights and my buddy with his OZ Lancer. But I did do it a lot in high school. Some places jst don't have the luxury of a racetrack, in retrospect that just means build a car club and have a track run every month or something. Young and dumb I guess.

As a side note, some of those street racers should have their cars crushed ... the car would want it that way, all that flashy dumb crap screwin up the lines on such beautiful pieces of machinery. It's enough to make a grown man pee in someone's gas tank. So, build smart, race smart is my 2 cents.

 

[boostedinaz]

The main problem is that the sport has grown by leeps and bounds. It is popular to be "into" cars and the morons come out when this happens. Teh cops have to go after what is popular even if it isnt the right thing to do. If the small portion on the communtiy complains about something then they will make that there main focus. All these retards that race around put the spot light out there for us and we get the bunk end of the deal. The other portion of it is that when you become a part of the Government you IQ takes a hit of at least 100-120 points and you lose all common sense. They think that of they crush the car that somehow that person will never get another car again. I doubt it. This law has so many things wrong with it other than the fact that it is stupid.

I work at a bank and I know for a fact that the bank will NEVER let them crush a car with a lien against it. They will have to auction it off for the remainder of the loan balance becasue the bank will not be happy.

I can go on for hours and hours, but I wont, but for those who say that my rants are lame and I shoudlnt let it bother me if others do stupid shit, well here is the perfect example. This doesnt directly affect me now, but look at all the people in CA that may have to deal with this becasue of stupid people. Then like Laserdad said it may spread to other states.

 

[ITSME4G63]

So your saying, Cali cops have nothing better to do?

If you ask me, its pretty stupid how serious they get about modified cars. Shouldnt they be focusing on drug busts and abusive husbands rather then "big exhausts" and "flashy shit". Oh well, Delaware 4 life.

amen

 

[98eclipseRS]

The main problem is that the sport has grown by leeps and bounds. It is popular to be "into" cars and the morons come out when this happens. Teh cops have to go after what is popular even if it isnt the right thing to do. If the small portion on the communtiy complains about something then they will make that there main focus. All these retards that race around put the spot light out there for us and we get the bunk end of the deal. The other portion of it is that when you become a part of the Government you IQ takes a hit of at least 100-120 points and you lose all common sense. They think that of they crush the car that somehow that person will never get another car again. I doubt it. This law has so many things wrong with it other than the fact that it is stupid.

I work at a bank and I know for a fact that the bank will NEVER let them crush a car with a lien against it. They will have to auction it off for the remainder of the loan balance becasue the bank will not be happy.

I can go on for hours and hours, but I wont, but for those who say that my rants are lame and I shoudlnt let it bother me if others do stupid shit, well here is the perfect example. This doesnt directly affect me now, but look at all the people in CA that may have to deal with this becasue of stupid people. Then like Laserdad said it may spread to other states.

Exactly this is the main problem right here, not that the idiots shouldn't be punished. The problem is that the real tuners and enthusiats will be the ones hard hit by this ####ing ridiculous law casue we were "street racing" All this training gives the cops is the excuse to impound anyones car that they beleive was street racing, and that's the problem if I am driving down the street and the cop thinks I was racing another car I am screwed just because I have a modified car and I was targeted.