I have to agree wholeheartedly with the above statement. This is really the only way to significanty decrease street racing. (I don't think you will ever get totally rid of it.) I have also been guilty of opening up the car (not racing) although not on side streets or with anyone around. Would much rather do it at a track but we don't have one around here.

 

Vega,

You pose some very good arguments and thanks for staying with this thread. Now, I'd like to address some of the points you've brought up. please see below:

-- yes, but skydiving companies do not have you jumping into a public area, endangering bystanders. The jump sites are away from the public.


Now on the issue of siezing the car for street racing, I think it should be weighed against the incident. If folks were racing on a open desert road, maybe not. In a school zone with kids around? Definately! I think this law should also be used for drunk drivers too since there are much more drunk drivers that street racers and the accident results are very similar.

 

Well, In Illinois it is an automatic revoke of your license for racing. I lived through that and it took 10 years for me to get it back and huge amounts of money. I have now had it back for 13 years.

The statements about driving a Prius and less chance of speeding/ racing are not true. Say everyone was on that level playing field, well, someone with their ego will still have the mentality that they are faster and want to race. It is not so much a racing issue as a pride/ego/hormone etc. thing. It all comes down to taking responsibility of your actions and using proper judgement and self control. While walking next to a friend that all of a sudden turns into a foot race won't get you killed, doing it in a car plain a simple will. Maybe not today, maybe not tomarrow, but at some point, odds are against you. And while some may claim to not do it around people, late at night etc..... ever think of the unexpected? Person decides to walk across the road, animal darts out and you swerve to miss etc.? I say this because I thought the same way, and those things have happened personally. While there is no right way to "fix" the problem, there will always be that ego thing. And that is the key. Don't think there is a way to solve that, until something happens to that person that effects them.

 

Well put Jim. While jogging this morning I thought of this analogy.

If you saw a couple kids playing paintball in a field across from your home, you'd most likely not say anything. Take those 2 kids and put them next to your house and your car parked beside the curb on the street. You'd be livid and scream at those kids to get away from your car and house. You'd "kill" them if they shot your car or house with paintballs, even if it was an accident.

 

I was driving down the road @ dusk last night and all of a sudden I saw a Momma duck with about 6-7 ducklings walking right across the 4 lane road. I have NEVER seen ducks walking across there before and I have been driving that road consistently for over 3 years. Unexpected. You bet!

How many drivers, racing or not, would not automatically hit brakes and swerve to avoid the stupid ducks. I slowed and swerved - car cars around me.

 

I may be helping this get off topic but after wading through the thread even after the cleanup I feel like I have statement I would invite anyone to discuss.

Numerous members have posted for and against it. Since the thread has been called propaganda and has been rationalized to make street racing glorified, I ask of you to answer one question and I will leave it vague so you can respond without feeling the need to address a direct question. Since we have tried to entail the dangers of street racing and listed the cons and the darkside of it, all those opposed to "propaganda" of this thread please state the pro's of street racing.

 

IMO there isn't really a "pro" to street racing cause there really isn't a point to it, but like I said that is just my opinion.

 

well, there would definitely be pros to the subject of street racing, otherwise nobody would be doing it. From a 'street racer's' point of view, being I considered myself one when I didnt wise up and realize the cons greatly outweigh everything, I would say the pros would be a quick adrenaline rush, competition, self satisfaction, and bragging rights if you win. Also a bit of curiousity to see what your car can do in a given situation against an unfamiliar car. Obviously all this can be achieved in a safe manner at the track, but unfortunately those tracks are few and far between, and pulling up next to a car you want to test happens fairly regularly while driving around the street.

Once again, I am in no way condoning street racing simply because of the risk of other people's lives involved, and it's in no way worth the fines, arrests, car getting impounded, etc etc. It's sad to say though, that If I was a part of this forum when I was between the ages of 17 and maybe 21 or so, my thoughts would be the exact opposite. Generally, as us people grow older, we grow wiser and can make better decisions in those tempting situations.

We've obviously all been through these phases in our lives, like most of us admit, but since a good portion of members in this forum are of those younger ages where they feel invinsible, we are going to run into this argument time and time again, unless theres an age/maturity limit requirement to join this forum. Just my thoughts on the subject.

 

I agree with what you have said, however all those things can be accomplished at a track and IMHO the exhiliration and anxiety you get staring down the finish line is second to none! Also at the tarck you are more than likely to have an opponent who is skilled and has worked as hard or harder on their ride so you have your hands full every pass.Just my .02 .

 

At the track you are sure you will have some one to race every time.
You have a fair starting system and an electronic way to tell who won in case it was close.
You have a place to watch the races safely.
The are many races taking place. At a street race you are lucky to see 1 or 2 races an hour.
Your car generally runs quicker at the track because of track prep.

I do however agree that California is a Nazi state. Where do they think they have the right to take your car just because you have changed something.

 

Better watch out or you will get terminated by Cowl eee For knee ugh

 

You lost me on that one.

 

It’s real easy to tell other people not to drive wildly when you have done it thousands of times in the past. I’d like to point out that everyone here that is condemning it use to do it “back in the days.” You need to realize that not everyone has had the same level of wreck less driving experience as you so they have to start somewhere. Every day we have a new driver on the street or a new proud owner of a performance vehicle. That means it’s going to take them awhile to get over. You can’t defeat human nature.

If you added a 0-65mph speedometer and regulate vehicles to 130 hp or less we would have a major reduction of speeding, highway pursuits, and street racing. You would be taken away the incentives to commit such actions. Is any legislation going to be passed? No, that would lead to reduction in revenue.

Then we have two issues here: “Street racing safely” and street racing while endangering bystanders. Listen; if you care about people so much then why not purchase an electric vehicle or hybrid? Gasoline power vehicles are a major contributing factor in environmental mutagens. Your 5.7L is definitely a major contributor and not mother earth friendly. The carcinogens in carbon monoxide can give people cancer. Millions of people die of cancer every year and practically make the amount of fatal street racing accidents almost insignificant. Street Racing is not like some kind of epidemic/crisis we have going on really.

How about we promote the practice of safe street racing? If not hurting innocent lives is the main issue.

Yes but smoking does. I don’t see seizure of property or $1000 fines being issued there. Any idea how many deaths can be attributed to tobacco? Oh wait I know why, reduction of revenue again.

 

This thread has really made me think about some things. One I have had my Z since November of 07. I love the crap out of my Z. On the day that I got my Z, November 21, 2007, I was in my brothers 2007 Ford Mustang and we were on the way to get some gas and something to eat, you know just hang out for a little while, it was about 8:30 in the morning. I could not sleep a wink that night cuz I knew I was gonna get my Z. Well he wound up talkin about how he is gonna kick my butt with his car and that the only real reason that I am getting my car is cuz he has a sports car and that I have to be better than him by gettin a V8. <---Not the real reason..Needed something better on gas and I fell in love with my car. Anywho he started showing off and he wound up almost totaling his new car by hitting a stone wall. We were both ok, scared crapless needless to say. It really sucked! It anybody has had any personal experience with walls they know they don't give any. I was 18 at the time and really scared of getting my car after that, but I didn't let that stop me I got Uri and I have been faced with the choice to do burnouts and street race and I am very pround of myself by not doing these things. The time that I was faced with the choice to show off was in the parking lot after work. My boss and some of my co-workers were gathered round to look at my new car. One of my friends popped off and said something about doin a burnout or pullin my car sideways. I thought about doing it and then I thought about my bros Mustang. I told him that I was not going to do it and that it is people like him that get ahold of cars like mine and do stupid stuff and make the insurance as high as it is. I couldn't help myself though cuz he was mouthin off about his Versa being able to scratch 2nd gear and so I took off across the parking lot and scratched 1st 2nd and 3rd. I came to work the next day and he wouldn't say anything to me. Anyways I am not really proud of myself but I am human and can say that I have made mistakes but I also can say that I have not done anything like that since Sorry that this is so long but I just wanted to get my personal reason for not street racing.

 

And here lies a HUGE problem. If the people aren't breaking laws and jails aren't full, how will the pockets of the higher ups be filled? Well they won't, and we will still continue to live in a backwards society fed by the greed of people who hide behind and yet against we as a society of "wrong-doers".


Off subject, and now back on; street racing while bad, is some people's only alternative. I know around here, I'm not willing to spend over 100 bucks on gas just to go race at a track (and with an additional $45 entry fee to race the car) my car for 2 passes. That's a total waste of money when i can just go to an empty road or even freeway and race as much as I want for free. I no longer do it, but did I? Hell yeah i did. Got over it after my friends got in trouble. Would i recommend it, not at all. ESPECIALLY if you have a track within realistic distance. Around here, the nearest track is almost 4 hours away, so to me the realistic thing to do was to street race.

 

Please state the pro's of puchasing a Camaro? This should be interesting.

Here lets take a look at a the Camaro commericals. Can anybody see some wreckless driving? Speeding? Fishtailing it? Hey F-Body father, what kind of tactics are you using to lure buyers into purchasing your vehicle? You company is also a contributing factor to this mess.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=NMFYWb5QIcM&feature=related
http://youtube.com/watch?v=_q4TEGZkIBA&feature=related

Hyprocrasy.

Lets look at a more commercials for the performance vehicles. Ah yes, the Corvette..do you remember this ad "F-body Father?"

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Z4YAt0GFsZU

I just don't understand why you would go around condemning reckless driving when you advertise your cars do all sorts of stunts and dangerous maneuvers. It doesn’t make any sense. Yea I know they are professionals but it’s the message you’re sending to your prospective buyers. When I bought my Camaro I wanted to do exactly all that in the commercials. Shoot, and I do! You fellas are like the tobacco industry with the ads. Yea its fun and awesome but in reality there is a risk to your life.

 

Well first of all as you know Im not Fbodfather but I do have to comment on the first two vids with the Camaro in it. Not once is it showing street racing and the first video the worst is showing a little drifting in the end. The second video is of a six cylinder car with a female just enjoying the open road. I wouldnt even say she was speeding much less street racing Yeah we all know that the cars are powerful and the companies advertise that power because they know and hope there are gearheads like us still out there in the world that would like to have one. The ads have to be catchy to attract customers but I can promise you from knowing Fbodfather he is all about safety and preaches it with good manners for the street.

As far as the Corvette goes I would be willing to bet over 80 percent of Vette owners are in their mid 40s and above and lets be honest here.........how many of them actually street race????? They usually buy the car because they have always wanted one and usually at that point in their life they can actually afford one. Plus lets be honest having a car like that makes you feel young again and thats what it is all about. Getting out and enjoying a nice drive on an open road with the top down, ttops off, or targa top off

 

But come on glenn, be honest, what's the selling point? They don't make it look like a carolla ad where the car is being sold to be a normal car, it's sold to be a speed machine. They don't use the shooting techniques they do to make them look like normal driving, it's to look like you're going fast (on a public roads from the looks of the commercial). And there's no doubt that the effect of the commercial is to go out there and have fun in your car. To most of us, taking off at 2k rpms isn't fulfilling the commercials ideal. It's punching it with the windows down and whipping around corners. Probably not at normal speed. If the rear end kicks out like it does in the commercial, i can guarantee those aren't normal conditions.

The commercial from the 1993 commercial also shows a camaro coming over a hill and the front tires starting popping up, not in the air, but enough so that we know he's probably not going 35 mph or so (25 seconds into it) and at the end, clearly drifting (27 seconds) (might be on water, but either way, not a controlled normal driving experience; and unlike the corvette commercial it has NO disclaimer).

I'm just playing devil's advocate. Street racing is still bad, but we know that these cars could easily be produced with V6's and still have awesome exteriors and they'd still be sold, but GM clearly sells these as performance vehicles meant for speed. And when they advertise them as such, we know why and we'll use them like that.

 

If they sold them as V6s only they would never sell. Also in the commercial there isnt any speed limit posted so if the speed limit is 55 then there is a great chance the front end would come up like that. Going down to the country where the lake house is there are roads just like that and the speed limit is 55 and I can promise you on some of those hills if you didnt slow down you could get all wheels off of the ground in ANY car. As I stated yes the advertising is going to lean towards the gearheads because thats what the car is all about but its not necessarily saying "hey jump in this car and go out in the streets and race". As we said all along this thread is to bring up valid points of what CAN go wrong with street racing and hopefully persuade some people not to do it, and maybe, just maybe save a life that could have been taken from doing this. I know as we all do, those that want to do it are going to do it no matter what you try to say or show them but we are banking on some of this showing someone what could happen if things did go wrong and what the consequences could be.

I do believe the one that Fbodfather was talking about in Atlanta a few years back the guy that was actually racing went to jail for murder. Dont quote me on that one cause it was a while back but if I remember correctly reading all the threads thats what happened to him. Now put yourself in his shoes for a second. First of all you just seen your friends DIE right in front of you and then you go to jail because of their deaths and have to sit in there and ponder it day in and day out. Im sorry but a little adrenaline on a city street is not worth seeing someone die or be in jail. As I stated in my earlier post I went to jail for doing this and thats what turned it around for me. I could have easily been the guy in Atlanta and still be there

 

What? Come on now, she is speeding down that Mountain road!! You can see how she just kicks up dirt because she's drifting off the pavement. If a cop sees that you don't think his going to write her up? Street racing is the same as reckless driving. Driving safely on the streets is really what this whole thread is about apparently.

Fine I'll throw another example if your in self denial. You see how these three firebirds line up at the light? When it turns green they haul ass? Well the camera focuses on the middle car but the rest is obvious.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=LeYr32_TyWM

More racing on the street.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=ybB2621WI5w&feature=related

How about this SS Cobalt Commercial?

http://youtube.com/watch?v=A9R6hXXgjn4&feature=related

Theres no way you can keep sugar coating these commercials, Fanta. Do you like Fanta Orange btw?

Old men still punch it every once in awhile. I've seen it. My dad had a Corvette and every once in awhile he like to haul some ass. Yet, once again all it takes is one time you drive wreckless on a street to possibly kill someone.

You really going to keep defending these Commercials? Give it up already.

Well no duh there is no speed limit sign cause its a commercial! What, you want them to show a grocery store too? Maybe some train tracks? An airplane flying over the horizon? The lack of a speed limit doesn't give you permission to go drifting across the road. That is illegal. People could die or you could lose you own life by sliding off that hill!

NOW THIS IS A CAR COMMERCIAL! (Notice no illegal driving maneuvers?)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=ifBgbeC8lC0&feature=related