Just to add a bit more to the discussion..

As said above this thread isn't here to bash people for street racing.

The sole purpose of this thread is to help educate and spread the word to others to just simply put some thought into your actions. All statistics aside, if a car is driven at a high rate of speed the odds of something happening is greater. Granted many accidents can happen due to other reasons as well.

Every year Z28.com grows with new members. Many of these new members are new generation drivers & enthusiast. It is our duty as senior enthusiast to help educate and teach our friends/family not to make the same mistakes we have.

Think about it, would you want your teenage son/daughter out there doing 100+ mph? As a parent myself, that scares me especially with all the cars and other craziness out there on the roads.


So lets take this thread for what its worth. We are not bashing anyone personally for street racing, cause I am sure we have all done it at one point or another. We are simply trying get people to think about the possible consequences of what could possibly happen. Let me just say from my own personal experience that it can happen so fast and when you least expect it.

Try to be safe out there!

 

This is a subject that is very important to me ---

Grab a cup of coffee (or select beverage) and sit down -- this is going to be a longggggggggggg one.

First off -- at the risk of upseting a few people:

If you are caught street-racing -- the authorities should have the right to seize the car. (they must be able to prove within reasonable doubt -- video -- that you were actually street racing........meaning -- starting point - ending point -- driving at stupid speeds.)

Sorry - -but we ALL know it's against the law. Breaking the law invokes penalties.........a few seized cars and i GUARANTEE that it will get everyones' attention.

Second -- we all know we build fast and powerful vehicles -- I've never understood WHY people have to do burnouts in an inappropriate location/event/

Case in point: We BEG people NOT to do burnouts in the parking lot of the Corvette Museum -- or the Gathering in Atlanta -- and SURE AS HECK -- a few do it anyway -- it does not seem to occur to them that they could seriously injure -- or worse -- kill someone.

How bad is street racing?

Here's something I wrote after a few of our comrades were KILLED at the Gathering in Atlanta......



A whole bunch of people looked forward to this Memorial Day weekend …many of them spending it in Atlanta with fellow Fcar enthusiasts.

A few young men I'm sure were looking forward to driving in from the Carolinas.

It was a great show….hundreds of Firebirds and Camaros lovingly maintained/restored/modified. A great tour of GMMG. Some great vendor displays. A Beach Party. A weekend built around a way to remember our veterans and those who gave their lives for our country.

But a tragedy happened early Sunday morning.

We (as well as most manufacturers) build performance cars. We build them with many, many safety features. We try to anticipate human error. But some things can't be anticipated. And it's especially hard to engineer around bad judgement on the part of the driver.

We put safety belts in all of our cars and trucks.
No…we don't deserve a gold medal for this…it's the law…..a GOOD law. It's also the law in most states that you are supposed to put them on when you get in the vehicle. I guess we don't know whether or not the fellows in the back seat of the Camaro SS on Windy Hill road would have survived had they had put the belts on.

Windy Hill Road in suburban Atlanta has curves and elevations. It has as I recall, a 35 mph speed limit. It was not designed for cars to travel at twice or three times that speed.

In some ways, I guess I was fortunate. I was in my hotel room. It was late…it was a long day………I had a great time meeting a lot of great people and spending time with some old friends. So I retired around 1 am and went to sleep. I didn't have to witness the heartbreaking catastrophe firsthand.

I wasn't prepared to hear the news the next morning. I, as I'm sure many others are -- am still in shock. And I pray for the families and friends of all involved.

I guess at this point in time, I can only hope that amidst this terrible, terrible tragedy that perhaps those who attended the Gathering…….those of you reading this…….and those who read the newspapers/websites and watched TV will think twice before getting into a car or truck and not putting the safety belt on ---PROPERLY --- each and every time. Second: If you want to race, take it to the track guys and gals. Or to the dyno. (the dyno doesn't involve driver error…….)

Simply put: We know these cars are powerful. I like burnouts as much as the next guy or gal………but there is a time and place for that…..and it isn't in a parking lot or on the street. It's at the track under controlled conditions.

I don't ever want to see a street race. I don't ever want to see another burnout in a parking lot.

And I don't EVER want to hear about one or more of my fellow enthusiasts……who I care a great deal for…….. being killed in one of our cars or trucks. Is it avoidable? I sure wish it were.

So how ‘bout we make sure we ‘stack the deck' in our favor?

How ‘bout we make a commitment to each other RIGHT NOW…….that we pledge never to street race – ever………… (And I don't care HOW many other motorists are egging you on…….)

How ‘bout we make a commitment to each other RIGHT NOW that we will ALWAYS wear a safety belt…and that goes for everyone in the car or truck with us…………………..

How ‘bout we make a commitment to each other RIGHT NOW that we will tell our loved ones how much they mean to us…….and that we DEMAND that they wear a safety belt………. Every time………no excuses.

(You think a safety belt is uncomfortable? Well how about this statistic: A 180 pound human being traveling in a car at 35 miles per hour that strikes a solid object will create THIRTY SIX HUNDRED POUNDS OF FORCE. Do you want that 3,600 pounds of force to be dissipated by a safety belt or do you want it dissipated by a steering wheel and windshield – or the pavement -----now…do you still think the seatbelt is uncomfortable???)

………… some of you may say “Scott…stop with the rant…it's inappropriate at this time.†To you I say…†I care about you and my fellow enthusiasts and friends and loved ones. And I don't want to attend your funeral or see you in a hospital due to an avoidable accident. So if I'm being inappropriate, it's because I care.â€

To the family and friends of those who lost their lives this weekend in Atlanta: You have my prayers. I don't know that I or anyone else have the words to console you other than to say how very deeply saddened and sorry I am for your loss. And many of us will be thinking of you for a lot longer than you might imagine.

To the organizers (my very dear friends) of the Atlanta Fbody Gathering: You have worked so long and so hard to put such a great event together. This was not your fault. People come from many states to enjoy the passion that these cars generate. We are indebted to you for your hard work…and we hope we'll be invited back again next year. Thank you for your hospitality – thank you for your friendship – and thank you for all the good things you do for the F-car community.

To the Associates at the Marriott Atlanta Northwest: Thank you for your kind understanding and for all you did to help everyone through this weekend. You are truly a class act.

In closing, Everyone: Wear your safety belts. No more street racing. Put the cell phone down when behind the wheel. Practice safe driving habits. If you're going to drink, don't drive. No one should lose his or her life needlessly. And remember….every time you get behind the wheel…..YOU are in charge. Don't turn your vehicle into a lethal weapon.

Spread the word.

 

Sooooooooooooo.................the moral of the story?


Street Race and you may kill someone.........

Another story --

There were street races held 'down river' in the Metro Detroit area for years --

One evening -- as TWO Police officers looked on -- (they were trying to be 'nice guys' --) one of the racers lost control of his car -- flew into the crowd -- and killed two people.

Both Police Officers are now in Jail........


OK -- Lecture over...........

 

--- and I take my hat off to those who Randy and Jason who have put this thread out there -- I pray that a few people will read it and take it to heart.

 

Thanks Scott, But I can't take all the credit for this one. This was mostly Randy leading the idea with the entire Mod Squad and myself supporting.

 

Father has spoken! Moral of the story, Take it to the track!

If ya street race you are going to get a or :bitchslap or

But be thankful thats all ya get, cause that could be better than the alternative.

 

OR.........................


#ad

#ad

#ad

#ad

 

SCOTT,
Thank you for putting it all in perspective for us. You do have a wisdom in your words that always seems to hit the mark.

Not to change the subject, but when I learned that the leading cause of vehicle accidents was use of cell phones, I began to limit using it while driving. If I am in rush hour traffic or there are a lot of distractions around me, I do not answer the phone. Even then, I try to make my calls as short as possible and put it on speaker so I have both hands for driving.

Also, now (I have been pulled over for drunk driving back in 1991), I will not drive even if I've had one drink within two hours (even though it takes the average body one hour to burn off one ounce of alcohol).

Back to the topic at hand. I will try my utmost best to avoid stomping on the gas pedal to exhibit the power of my Z28--or ANY car i'm driving--on public roads. But I will be the first to admit that it's HARD to say no. I'd hate to say it but it's just like a drug addiction where you NEED that fix.

But having the ramifications and potential destruction in the front of my mind, while I drive, it gives me the willpower to "just say no."

On the statistic of deaths caused by street racing--just like drunk driving and other unnecessary deaths (on or off the roads)--the statistics only tell half the story. For each statistical death, more than just that victim was affected. Friends, siblings, parents, spouses, children, coworkers, and the community suffers, and a part of them dies too.

 

Well said Scott and a reposting of the Atlanta event is in good order as we are all prepping for this years trip to Atlanta!

 

now in the province of ontario if your caught street racing or doing anything that could be considered "stunt driving" they can and will impound your car for a week and a $10000 fine! ouch.
and good luck getting insurance after that.

the other day i sprayed a bunch of seafoam into my tb and took it out on the
expresway for a good run. got going and was all of the sudden filled with anxiety over getting caught. i was scared ****************less.
not hardly worth it anymore.

 

Having raced on the street for the vast majority of my years (not something I'm proud of) since getting a driver's licence m-a-n-y years ago and having dedicated a whole whack of my time lately trying to make people aware of all consequences of street racing, I've concluded the following:
1) those who wish to street race will do so.
2) those who street race have absolutely no difficulty whatsoever rationalizing or justifying their decision and can rarely be persuaded to change their outlook - that is until something drastic happens to them (and then it's a whole 'nuther story!).
3) virtually without exception, the people who street race, and are then forced to deal with the negative consequences of their actions (getting caught, being involved in an accident etc.) wish they could take back their decision, if they are still alive to do so. Unfortunately, it is usually too late by then to reverse their decisions and/or change the circumstances they find themselves in as a result.
4) street racers as a group seem to generally accept the concept that "it won't happen to me". I'd like to point out that virtually everyone involved in life-changing consequences of their actions felt similarly before the incident happened.

As I say, I'm not innocent... however I do feel extremely fortunate to have made it to this ripe old age without ever having had to deal with any of the negative consequences of my actions. I've seen enough to know how lucky I really am to have escaped unharmed or unaffected.
My street racing days have been over now for about 7 years and I've become a certified track junkie. This has proven to be a whole lot more satisfying and rewarding.
Sure, people are constantly trying to goad me into races at stoplights etc, but I feel I've graduated to the point where I can easily ignore those challenges.
I kind of draw a parallel to winning big at Vegas... I figure I've been really lucky and just won the jackpot... and I'm takin' my winnings and gettin' outta Dodge.

Best regardSS,

Elie

 

Everyone please read before posting.

Ok, Getting back on track. Just to inform everyone this thread strayed off its intended path and got way out of hand. I have cleaned the thread up and hopefully we can keep on track to possibly be a positive influence to our community.

As a general reminder the sole purpose of the thread is not to be anti street-racing thread, but more so just an eye opener. It is intended to be a place where people can come and share their unpleasant experiences, accidents, misfortunes while enguaged in street racing or other careless driving. This way we can share our bad experiences with people who do and possibly make them think a bit more of the possible consquences if one were to engage into street racing or driving careless beyond the limits. In a nutshell we are simply trying to be a positive influence to our fellow members & enthusiast.

Every day we have numerous threads about " beating a mustang", " eating some rice", " doing 120+ mph on the interstate", etc.... We were just trying to get a thread out there to possibly make people think of the dangers of what could possibly happen if something were to go wrong as a balance of all the other racing threads on the site.


PS: I have cleaned up the thread and removed most of the controversial discussions earlier in order to get the thread back on topic. If anyone has any objections in regards to this, or ill feelings please send me a PM and discuss it with me in private so emotions don't get out of control.

Also note: If your opinionn differs from the topic of this thread Please post in a manner that is civil. I understand that everyone has different opinions in the matter but ifyou can't post in a civil manner than please refrain from posting.
Thanks,

 

Whether you want to accept it or not is up to you but the fact is that this thread is "anti-street racing" propaganda. You see, its trying to convey to the general audience the dangers and risk of street racing. Ultimately, the purpose of this thread is to discourage street racing. So lets not beat around the bucket with this.

Government's harsh punishment is unjustified in relation to other unregulated public safety hazards that effect our society. For example, smoking. Responsible for millions of deaths every year and yet we still have no ban on it. It effects surrounding people twice as much as the smoker so why don't we seize their property?

As an earlier member posted, cell phone talking while driving has had way more accident related occurrence from it. Again, where is the $1000 fine and car getting impounded? To really curb street racing you need provide the public with access to designated areas where extreme driving can be permitted safely. So obviously, if your manufacturing unnecessary high power performance vehicles for daily street driving, you can't put the blame on people but rather manufactures and Government for not putting in any safeguards. Come 'on, get real..what do you expect people to do with these absurd amounts of power in their car?? The idea behind the automobile is to travel and transport.

Can anyone explain to me why my speedometer reads 0-155mph when the speed limit on the fastest road in California is 70mph?

Why does Nissan Maxima jump from 160hp in the 1990's to 300hp+ currently??
It's like giving everyone a gun.

Do you think people honestly purchase these vehicles so they can envision themselves driving fast? Because I'm sure men like to do a little hallucinating while driving to the store about how fast they could go.

It's just absurd.

Lets ban base jumping, statistically several people die from it everyday. I hear more about airplane crashe fatalities then deadly street racing occurrences.



If you really want to save lives then lets limit the power to 150hp and limit speedometer to 70mph in U.S.

Now than will there be a drastic decrease in car related deaths!

 

No one is making you read this thread....if you feel it is so absurd, why keep posting in here.



See ya on the road,
Matt

 

Guys he has a right to voice his opinion and it is well stated.

Vega,

I do agree with you to some degree bro. Yes, we are trying to convey to the general audience the "dangers and risk of street racing"

If one person reads this thread and makes a choice not to street race just one time, thusfore avoiding that possible accident avoiding the soccer mom bringing her kids to the movies then this thread is worth every second.

People are going to street race, that is a fact. It is human nature to be competitive. By no means are we saying stop making fast cars, stop living a great life. In everything we do in life there are risk. So why add to it. Just try to make some less risky judgments.

Not to mention the other people it could possibly effect. Hey if you feel the need to go fast that would be one thing if the consequences only effect you. But what about the other innocent drivers on the road, pedestrians, you passenger, etc.. Most importantly your family. I know most of you probably don't have kids, but if you do then think about them living without you or worst having to take care of you being in a wheel chair. What about your Mom, Dad, Grandma, Grandpa, etc...

In regards to cigarette smoking, plane crash, bas jumping, sky diving, or any other risky type of activity. Yes, they are all risky too I agree totally. Lets be real, this is Z28.com, an automotive site.


Vega,

Oh, one more thing. Can I ask you one simple question.

Do you personally think that street racing is dangerous?

 

Well...I will leave this thread. I disagree with whats being said and shouldn't be stirring the pot on something started by people who feel strongly about the subject.

I will only say that Vega has not only provided enough of an argument for the injustice of the laws concerning this topic but, has shown the blind onesidedness to this pigeon shoot.

Well said brother.

To the rest of you, I hope your communication gets across to the people you are trying to reach and that you are all safe.

 

Well here is my .02....if you are caught street racing, I think it's fair for them to take your car. Plain and simple, you were breaking multiple laws and endangering lives (your own included).

All we are wanting to do is maybe help open some eyes out there. I know it's been said before, but we have some young, impressionable members out there. If we can get one of them to think twice...it's worth it. If you don't agree with this thread and ones like them....you don't have to read it.

And for those who want to argue....let's try to use some tact and have an intelligent conversation instead of insulting people.

See ya on the road,
Matt

 

jason, as i said in private communication, this subject needs to be talked about. you have a far greater impact on the enthusiast world than you know. thank you for cleaning this up and putting it back up. if it saves one life, then it was worth it. the horrors created by unsafe street racing go beyond the immediate of those involved in the racing - it can and does affect family, friends, co-workers and associates of all involved. to have to go to a funeral for someone involved in controllable situation - they could have taken it to the track and survived - it's senseless beyond comprehension.

recently there were deaths involved in a high speed romp on the Pulaski Skyway here in NJ. completely senseless, it caused the death of two young men. their back seat passengers, who we assume had their seat belts fastened correctly, survived the crash. they have to live on knowing that the death of those two could have been avoided.

i live near Toms River, NJ, where we have a half dozen accidents on a busy street (Route 37) every year. each time i pick up the newspaper to read a headline like that - 2 dead in street racing gone wrong - or the like, i think, "Oh, no, not again." but, yes, it happens all of the time. if i could affect those involved, if i could talk to them before they head out for the race, if there was some way i could avoid losing one more person to street racing, i would do all that i could.

to think that an idea as simple as that one, take it to the track, is having trouble surviving in a world of performance cars is unimaginable. in my area i have access to 3 tracks within driving distance. there is no excuse for anyone to be out on the street racing illegally when there is a track only 1/2 hour down the road.

anyway, thanks for the outlet. i hope we can affect just one life. that will make it worth the effort.

 

It's called a counter argument. This is a discussion I reckon. Calling it absurd is just showing my disagreement with the original statement. I don't know if you realize this but its kind of what we do on these forums, heh. ,

Your own life is your own responsibility. When we give the Government our responsibilities, then we begin loose our freedom.

Why not eliminate or just not choose a performance vehicle? It adds to it. If I drove a Toyota Prius well there will be significant decrease in speeding tickets for myself and definitely I would not be street racing. When we manufacture these performance vehicles its almost like giving out a loaded gun. Every person who purchases a performance vehicle has at least once open it up. If you think about it, all it takes is just that one time for something disastrous to occur. Again, why else would they purchase these types of automobiles in the first place? They want to go fast! It's so easy to start speeding in these cars.

Car + High Velocity = Danger

Listen, this is what I'm saying...Instead of fighting against human nature why not attack the true root of the problem that will be effective in combating against street racing.

Get organize and start proposing to your local community the need for an easily accessible race track with relatively low fees so to make it very affordable to all groups of people.

Or purchase a Toyota Prius and enjoy the extra money in your wallet from less gas expense and less speeding tickets etc..

Let me put it this way, just driving a car is dangerous. It's more dangerous to be casually driving than street racing.

To answer you question directly, yes it is. However, I accept my fate and accept the danger. So does the opposing racer when we line up in the middle of night with no one around walking the streets.

It's no different than sky diving. Something could go wrong and I could die so I must accept the possible consequences. Heck you have to sign a waiver form to even do that kind of stuff.