View Poll Results: DO you think this is too harsh? IF yes explain.
Yes
13
30.23%
Nope, no pity for them.
30
69.77%
Voters: 43. You may not vote on this poll
Street racing punishment.
06-21-2007, 01:57 PM
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: 07-26-2006
Location: Soon to be Longview, Texas
Posts: 903
I think it's a waste. A better idea would be to auction off the cars rather than destroy them. Even still, RaceOn has a point, this is meant to instill the fear of God into the racers but all it does is instill a "Screw the Law, because that's all the Law does to us" attitude.
06-21-2007, 02:00 PM
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: 04-30-2006
Location: Maryland Heights, MO
Posts: 9,149
What that video leaves out is that those car were found to have stolen parts on them. That's why they were able to impound them.
Here's a fuller version of the story from the AP.
Cars crushed in street racing crackdown
By GREG RISLING, Associated Press WriterWed Jun 20, 6:52 PM ET
Charles Hoang winced when the whoosh went out of the tires. Daniel Maldonado took pictures with a digital camera as glass exploded and rained down to the ground.
The cars the teens had so meticulously souped up and tricked out were crushed Wednesday as part of a crackdown on illegal street racing in Southern California.
"That's my heart, my dream," said Hoang, 18, of Chino, who was surrounded by friends as his 1998 Acura Integra was put into a compactor. "That's my girlfriend, the love of my life. The cops can crush my car, but they can't crush my memories."
Authorities destroyed six vehicles Wednesday at an auto graveyard, hoping would-be racers think again after looking at the mashed machines. Illegal street racing is responsible for or suspected in 13 deaths in Southern California since March.
The thrill-seeking, adrenaline-pumping activity is rampant in Riverside and San Bernardino counties east of Los Angeles where rows of tract homes line wide streets that attract racers.
Nearly 1,000 people — drivers and spectators — have been arrested for investigation of street racing activities over the past two years in San Bernardino County alone. Police need a court order to destroy the cars. They must prove that the serial or identification numbers on a vehicle or its parts are removed, altered or destroyed.
Police said they have managed to reduce illegal racing and related fatal collisions, but know the underground hobby still thrives.
"We are making a dent," said Ontario police Cpl. Jeff Higbee. "But it's summertime and ... we expect to see more activity."
Hoang said he was caught late last year racing his prized car, on which he spent at least $10,000 to get into top shape. The 350-horsepower engine topped out at 160 mph, Hoang said, swearing it could beat a Corvette or even a Ferrari.
When police popped open the hood, Hoang said, they found a stolen transmission. Hoang flashed a receipt for the transmission he bought from his father who runs an auto shop and doubted the item was hot.
"Everything on that car was practically brand new," Hoang said as he watched his car get moved to auto death row. "They should take out the stuff that matters, auction it off, and give the money to charity."
Because racers put heavy stress on their vehicles, they often burn out or blow up parts. Higbee said the need for the expensive parts has created a "theft mill" where additional cars — usually Hondas or Acuras — are stolen and stripped of the necessary replacements.
Most of the cars police examine are illegally modified. Sergio Zavala, 18, was pulled over in his 1993 yellow Honda Civic for a broken tail light in December. He had purchased a B-20 Vtech engine with a double-overhead cam a couple months before, and after a police investigation, was told it was stolen.
Zavala, who admits he's been involved in street racing, estimates he and his mother spent about $10,000 on improvements to his car.
After watching his Civic demolished, Zavala is left without a car as he plans to attend a fire academy in the fall.
"It's heartbreaking to see this," said Zavala, who graduated from high school last week. "This is where all my time and money went."
Maldonado also said he put plenty of time and effort working on his 1992 black Honda Civic. He was stopped in November by police in what Higbee described as an area where racers gather.
The 18-year-old mechanic said a vehicle identification sticker apparently fell off and without it, police suspected some of the parts were stolen. Maldonado stood several feet away from his car as it was pounded into a heap of metal.
Maldonado said he has taken the advice of police by racing legally on one of several race courses around Southern California. For the money spent in fines and other penalties — on average about $5,000 for illegally modified cars — Higbee said street racers could compete about 250 times a year at a legitimate track.
"If you have to race, take it to a legal venue," Higbee said. "But as long as they keep racing illegally, we keep crushing their cars."
All three men who saw their vehicles destroyed said they believe illegal street racing will continue to prosper across the region. "It will never go away," Maldonado said. "If it's in your heart, you will continue to do it until you can't anymore."
Copyright © 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.
Here's a fuller version of the story from the AP.
Cars crushed in street racing crackdown
By GREG RISLING, Associated Press WriterWed Jun 20, 6:52 PM ET
Charles Hoang winced when the whoosh went out of the tires. Daniel Maldonado took pictures with a digital camera as glass exploded and rained down to the ground.
The cars the teens had so meticulously souped up and tricked out were crushed Wednesday as part of a crackdown on illegal street racing in Southern California.
"That's my heart, my dream," said Hoang, 18, of Chino, who was surrounded by friends as his 1998 Acura Integra was put into a compactor. "That's my girlfriend, the love of my life. The cops can crush my car, but they can't crush my memories."
Authorities destroyed six vehicles Wednesday at an auto graveyard, hoping would-be racers think again after looking at the mashed machines. Illegal street racing is responsible for or suspected in 13 deaths in Southern California since March.
The thrill-seeking, adrenaline-pumping activity is rampant in Riverside and San Bernardino counties east of Los Angeles where rows of tract homes line wide streets that attract racers.
Nearly 1,000 people — drivers and spectators — have been arrested for investigation of street racing activities over the past two years in San Bernardino County alone. Police need a court order to destroy the cars. They must prove that the serial or identification numbers on a vehicle or its parts are removed, altered or destroyed.
Police said they have managed to reduce illegal racing and related fatal collisions, but know the underground hobby still thrives.
"We are making a dent," said Ontario police Cpl. Jeff Higbee. "But it's summertime and ... we expect to see more activity."
Hoang said he was caught late last year racing his prized car, on which he spent at least $10,000 to get into top shape. The 350-horsepower engine topped out at 160 mph, Hoang said, swearing it could beat a Corvette or even a Ferrari.
When police popped open the hood, Hoang said, they found a stolen transmission. Hoang flashed a receipt for the transmission he bought from his father who runs an auto shop and doubted the item was hot.
"Everything on that car was practically brand new," Hoang said as he watched his car get moved to auto death row. "They should take out the stuff that matters, auction it off, and give the money to charity."
Because racers put heavy stress on their vehicles, they often burn out or blow up parts. Higbee said the need for the expensive parts has created a "theft mill" where additional cars — usually Hondas or Acuras — are stolen and stripped of the necessary replacements.
Most of the cars police examine are illegally modified. Sergio Zavala, 18, was pulled over in his 1993 yellow Honda Civic for a broken tail light in December. He had purchased a B-20 Vtech engine with a double-overhead cam a couple months before, and after a police investigation, was told it was stolen.
Zavala, who admits he's been involved in street racing, estimates he and his mother spent about $10,000 on improvements to his car.
After watching his Civic demolished, Zavala is left without a car as he plans to attend a fire academy in the fall.
"It's heartbreaking to see this," said Zavala, who graduated from high school last week. "This is where all my time and money went."
Maldonado also said he put plenty of time and effort working on his 1992 black Honda Civic. He was stopped in November by police in what Higbee described as an area where racers gather.
The 18-year-old mechanic said a vehicle identification sticker apparently fell off and without it, police suspected some of the parts were stolen. Maldonado stood several feet away from his car as it was pounded into a heap of metal.
Maldonado said he has taken the advice of police by racing legally on one of several race courses around Southern California. For the money spent in fines and other penalties — on average about $5,000 for illegally modified cars — Higbee said street racers could compete about 250 times a year at a legitimate track.
"If you have to race, take it to a legal venue," Higbee said. "But as long as they keep racing illegally, we keep crushing their cars."
All three men who saw their vehicles destroyed said they believe illegal street racing will continue to prosper across the region. "It will never go away," Maldonado said. "If it's in your heart, you will continue to do it until you can't anymore."
Copyright © 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.
06-21-2007, 02:27 PM
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: 07-12-2006
Location: Derby, KS
Posts: 390
To me 100 crushed illegal street racers is better than some innocent driver / bystander getting killed. If they are going to put other peoples lives at risk they deserve the consequences as harsh as they may be. Sometimes you have to take drastic measures for people to get the hint.
Now it's just too bad they can't crush those rice mobiles for having bad taste.
Now it's just too bad they can't crush those rice mobiles for having bad taste.
06-21-2007, 02:27 PM
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: 07-22-2006
Location: Dixie
Posts: 118
Aaaahhhh, does anyone want to point a finger at Hollywood for any of this? Nah, none of the crap they put out glamorizes street racing now does it? Let's see; Gone in 60 Seconds; Fast and Furious; 2 Fast and 2 Furious, etc. Stolen cars, stolen parts and street racing. Yeah, kids would never try to emulate any of what they see on the big screen. What a history lesson!
Pat
Pat
06-21-2007, 03:16 PM
#15
Senior Member
Join Date: 01-20-2006
Location: Centralia, Missouri
Posts: 1,707
06-21-2007, 04:54 PM
#16
Senior Member
Join Date: 03-05-2007
Location: Bowmanville on canada
Posts: 222
I heard on the radio this morning,here in ontario canada. that they(police) want to be
able to seize any souped up vehicle they see,racing or not..If this goes through i would hope that they include every car on the street that has been hot rodded, imports and american muscle alike, t buckets, what ever .the way they made this sound was that only import type cars would be taken .
there is a 50's car show every sunday at a local mall, the cops would have a field day.
able to seize any souped up vehicle they see,racing or not..If this goes through i would hope that they include every car on the street that has been hot rodded, imports and american muscle alike, t buckets, what ever .the way they made this sound was that only import type cars would be taken .
there is a 50's car show every sunday at a local mall, the cops would have a field day.
06-21-2007, 05:57 PM
#17
Senior Member
Join Date: 06-09-2007
Location: Newark, Ca.
Posts: 114
Let me say a few things here.
First off I have been street racing since 1972 legal drag racing since 1974. I have street raced off and on from 1972 to 1999. Many years and mucho money won! Of course a few dollars lost
Here in the bay area you have to drive 110 miles to go racing at a drag strip. It is in Sacramento. There used to be the ever famous Fremont Drag Strip right down the street from here. It was closed due to the damn azzhole yuppie mutherfudgers that complained about the noise on Fri and Sat nights. Before the track was closed it was rare to have a street race and when it did happen it might be just two cars with one race and only a few spectators. No big deal. No one ever got hurt. Cops would watch and then leave. Everyone had fun for a few minutes and then took off. No booze, no drugs, no problems!
Now that they have had the track closed the street racing has really picked up! Its not unheartd of to have 50 or more cars and hundreds of spectators. There are shootings, drugs, booze, fights, gangs so on and so fourth. Lets not even go into the side show morons! I think these people should be arrested and serve some time in jail. Not only the drivers but the spectators also. Its mainly the spectators that cause the problems. If it wernt for them these idiots wouldnt be showing off. They should impound the cars for 30 days periode! 1 year susspension of there license and community service. Nothing more nothing less. If its only a couple cars out in the boonies with no drugs,booze, or weapons. Let them go with a warning after they see who won!
When we do have grudge night at the Sacramento Drag Strip there is usually more than 200 cars racing and the stands are full. You could be in a staging lane for more than an hour waiting to make a pass. They have lanes for Camaros, Mustangs, Rice burners, Motorcycles, Super stock, and Pro Stocks. I was lucky that I ran Pro Stock. They let us gop more often as we have no air conditioning or a fan for that matter. It can be well over 100 degrees in my car and have been at 150 in Las Vegas. The crowds want to see the Super Stocks and Pro Stocks run so we get alot of track time. Its Fun and only runs 50 bucks for car and driver. This keeps alot of kids off the street.
Citys need to relize that the car created this. As long as two guys have a car there going to race. Instead of closing the tracks and creating the street problems they need to open up tracks for people to race. The money that they could make is enormous. This also stops most of the street racing.
There is a secret street race held once a year out in the valley. Its on a Saturday day time. We get a 4 lane road. The cops block it off. The Fire dept. as well as an ambulance show up. Everyone is checked for license, med. insurance, and auto insurance. Your car is saftey checked to meet NHRA specs. We spend the day racing. The cops are off duty and we get a small fund together to hand over to the crews plus we give them a free bbq. There is no drugs, booze, fights, Its just fun and the city allows it with there blessing. Of course you sign a release for the city.
I think Texas also does this in one of there cities.
What im getting at is that car buffs need a place to show off there pride and joy. Buy closing off avenues for kids and oldies like me to do what we love to do is just asking for problems.
When the Fremont track was closed down several folks tried to reopen it. The city wouldnt allow it. The said that the endangered fresh water shrimp and some kind of mouse was found there so we couldnt have the strip reopened no matter what. Guess what? Just a few years ago the city allowed a developer build a huge strip mall there. RIGHT WERE THE FREMONT DRAG STRIP WAS!!!! Now aint that some crap. We couldnt have a track but Costco, Home Depot and Lowes could dig up the mice and shrimp.
So you figure it out. They dont want us street racing but wont give somewhere to race. When we have a location they come up with some lame excuse not to allow us to open it.
First off I have been street racing since 1972 legal drag racing since 1974. I have street raced off and on from 1972 to 1999. Many years and mucho money won! Of course a few dollars lost
Here in the bay area you have to drive 110 miles to go racing at a drag strip. It is in Sacramento. There used to be the ever famous Fremont Drag Strip right down the street from here. It was closed due to the damn azzhole yuppie mutherfudgers that complained about the noise on Fri and Sat nights. Before the track was closed it was rare to have a street race and when it did happen it might be just two cars with one race and only a few spectators. No big deal. No one ever got hurt. Cops would watch and then leave. Everyone had fun for a few minutes and then took off. No booze, no drugs, no problems!
Now that they have had the track closed the street racing has really picked up! Its not unheartd of to have 50 or more cars and hundreds of spectators. There are shootings, drugs, booze, fights, gangs so on and so fourth. Lets not even go into the side show morons! I think these people should be arrested and serve some time in jail. Not only the drivers but the spectators also. Its mainly the spectators that cause the problems. If it wernt for them these idiots wouldnt be showing off. They should impound the cars for 30 days periode! 1 year susspension of there license and community service. Nothing more nothing less. If its only a couple cars out in the boonies with no drugs,booze, or weapons. Let them go with a warning after they see who won!
When we do have grudge night at the Sacramento Drag Strip there is usually more than 200 cars racing and the stands are full. You could be in a staging lane for more than an hour waiting to make a pass. They have lanes for Camaros, Mustangs, Rice burners, Motorcycles, Super stock, and Pro Stocks. I was lucky that I ran Pro Stock. They let us gop more often as we have no air conditioning or a fan for that matter. It can be well over 100 degrees in my car and have been at 150 in Las Vegas. The crowds want to see the Super Stocks and Pro Stocks run so we get alot of track time. Its Fun and only runs 50 bucks for car and driver. This keeps alot of kids off the street.
Citys need to relize that the car created this. As long as two guys have a car there going to race. Instead of closing the tracks and creating the street problems they need to open up tracks for people to race. The money that they could make is enormous. This also stops most of the street racing.
There is a secret street race held once a year out in the valley. Its on a Saturday day time. We get a 4 lane road. The cops block it off. The Fire dept. as well as an ambulance show up. Everyone is checked for license, med. insurance, and auto insurance. Your car is saftey checked to meet NHRA specs. We spend the day racing. The cops are off duty and we get a small fund together to hand over to the crews plus we give them a free bbq. There is no drugs, booze, fights, Its just fun and the city allows it with there blessing. Of course you sign a release for the city.
I think Texas also does this in one of there cities.
What im getting at is that car buffs need a place to show off there pride and joy. Buy closing off avenues for kids and oldies like me to do what we love to do is just asking for problems.
When the Fremont track was closed down several folks tried to reopen it. The city wouldnt allow it. The said that the endangered fresh water shrimp and some kind of mouse was found there so we couldnt have the strip reopened no matter what. Guess what? Just a few years ago the city allowed a developer build a huge strip mall there. RIGHT WERE THE FREMONT DRAG STRIP WAS!!!! Now aint that some crap. We couldnt have a track but Costco, Home Depot and Lowes could dig up the mice and shrimp.
So you figure it out. They dont want us street racing but wont give somewhere to race. When we have a location they come up with some lame excuse not to allow us to open it.
06-21-2007, 06:15 PM
#18
Senior Member
Join Date: 05-17-2007
Location: Austin, Texas
Posts: 262
The law in my opinion has always been a double edge sword. We scream when a drag car goes out of control and hits a crowd of people killing on lookers who minuets before were cheering for a burnout. We scream when someone has their car destroyed for illegal street racing, and we scream when our kids or family fall victim of the same crime. We don't mind drug dealers having their cars taken and auctioned off, or the crack house that belongs to someone unrelated to the crime being demolished. If you were to auction these parts off who would buy them? Not the soccer mom or granny down the block, but the very people responsible for the problem in the first place at a discount. When do we start policing ourselves and our kids? Where do these kids earn $10,000.00 to build these cars and did you read where the young man mentions my mom and I invested? Yeah in hopes her son won and made the money to pay her back I'm sure. Then where do we draw the line as to how much law is too much law? We do need to promote programs to let these kids enjoy their hobbies in a safe controlled manner. Maybe the city, the police departments, and the parents should work together to make it happen. They could start by stripping these cars when they are involved in street races, and selling them in street legal condition to underprivileged families to fund such projects. Would this not help both sides get what they want? Someone mentioned these actions bring forth a disrespect for law enforcement, I feel these kids have no respect for anything to begin with, thanks to the attitude we have seen over run this country. With the no fear of consequences our kids have developed, and as parents being told by the lawyers and the courts we have no rights to make our kids do anything they don't want to do. When do we start taking back the reins and doing something responsible and helpful to benefit or government, communities, and our kids?
Thanks, Curtis
Thanks, Curtis
06-21-2007, 06:52 PM
#19
Senior Member
Join Date: 05-13-2006
Location: Chicago,IL
Posts: 2,334
I`m gonna go with, this will only create more problems than it eliminates, theory, just as the War-on- Drugs has created a underworld.
If I had a street racer, and I know if the cops get my ride they`ll destroy it, I`m gonna give him a run for his money, I`ve got nothing to lose.
This will lead to more chases, more carnage, more negative/criminal activities, instead of letting these guys run on a strip, with the understanding that you take the risks involved, have fun...
If I had a street racer, and I know if the cops get my ride they`ll destroy it, I`m gonna give him a run for his money, I`ve got nothing to lose.
This will lead to more chases, more carnage, more negative/criminal activities, instead of letting these guys run on a strip, with the understanding that you take the risks involved, have fun...
06-21-2007, 07:12 PM
#20
Banned
Join Date: 10-14-2005
Location: Rochester,N.Y.
Posts: 9,121
That F'n sucks! The report was kind of funny though. "Let's listen to the sound of the crushing!" of the souped up Honder. 
I don't mind rice mobiles going to the crusher, to me that's a good idea anyways. What's going to suck is all of the real cars going to the crusher. It's funny to see a civic crushed but it's a shame to see a Fox-Bodies, F-Bodies, and Y-Bodies go to the crusher. 
I don't mind rice mobiles going to the crusher, to me that's a good idea anyways. What's going to suck is all of the real cars going to the crusher. It's funny to see a civic crushed but it's a shame to see a Fox-Bodies, F-Bodies, and Y-Bodies go to the crusher.