deaths related to STREET RACING.....

[djTOY_2000]

Street Racing deaths - S.W. washington/ Portland, Oregon area.....

let me just start off on saying that there has been some very bad news for this area over the last 6 weeks

5 young adults / teen-agers have died as a result of street racing
(all separate events)

i would like some input as to what are your guys & gals thoughts towards the illegal street racing that goes on in your area and across the nation.

how do you feel ?

how can we prevent such problems ?

what do you think of this situation ?

why ?

i would like to collaborate on this subject in a serious matter so please keep all comments and suggestions to a mature stature.....

[DrivenFast]

For question # 2

Take it all to the Track. It's safe, controlled, and they have EMTs available if something goes wrong.

[2000celicaspeed]

Ok first and for most, i have been to ALOT of street races, the only time i have ever seen it get semi dangerious, is when the cops show up, everyone loses there brain when the cops come. SO my thought it keep the cops the hell away, and i dont think 90% of these deaths would occur. What authorities fail to say when they are writing there reports about these deaths is that it happeened seconds after the police arrived, not befor!

Don

[nxracer]

Bull ****

[CelicaDetective]

I used to be a maniac on the roads. Then one day a friend told me about "The Learning Curve" - an SCCA sponsored SOLO II instruction class. It didn't cost much at all, it was a short night of class and a long day of SOLO II. When I first heard about it, and when you see the cars zipping around the cones, you're thinking "man this looks easy and GHEY!!" until you do it yourself - or better yet, be the passenger in an AWD Eclipse GSX - then your mind will change.

The Learning Curve changed my driving skills forever. It made me see the line between street racing and other forms that are out there. It teaches you what your car can do, and makes you a better driver.

Many people that race on the street don't know what the limit of their vehicle is and their limit. They don't know about tire wear and brake wear changing the characteristics of the car. They push too far beyond one of those limits they are unaware of on the street, and it's too late. Bad things can happen. In SOLO II, the worst that can happen is you knock over some cones and lose time or get disqualified (DNF) from that run. And you learn how and where you can push your car - and in some cases, weather conditions.

People need to be more informed of organizations such as the SCCA and what they can do to learn more and participate. If you've never done it, I suggest you give it a try. You'll thank me for it later. It's a very exciting life experience that you will never forget, and it makes you a BETTER, REAL RACE DRIVER - WHERE IT COUNTS. I know, some people live out in the boonies where there is no SCCA. Please, make a road trip for a weekend - drive some hefty miles, and you'll have a blast.

Mike

[Takeoff]

I think street racing is dangerous but they don't provide enough places for racer to go. We have two places in SD. One is a 1/8 mile which is only open occasionally and a 1/4 mile which is far away. I think if the cities invested some money into getting more tracks that street racing would be at a bare minimum. The only money they ever invest is to catch people doing wrong and not preventing it.

[02CeLiCaGrL]

0ver here in Arkansas...there's not alot of streetracing.
i dont think there has been any accidents relating to streetracing over here...not that i kno of. the Racing scene is not that big but after the fast n the furious things started kiking up a bit.

i think streetracing is dangerous...cuz i usta go to em
but i learned the hard way man..by gettin into a wreck
its scary cuz u dont kno wen u can lose control
streetracing is something you do for fun...but is it worth ur losing ur life?
if it is more power to u but bcareful cuz u can kill somebody else

[racinjason]

I think more tax dollars should be used to make these kids aware of the fun that can be had at the track. In a safe environment. Many of these kids on the other hand don't care and just want to screw around in thier ricers and end up getting others hurt and killed. They also don't feel welcome at the track many times and in certain areas. So they don't go. Others are just scared to go. And feel at ease on the street. It's a shame.

[MfS]

Here in England they're thinking to ban young people from powerfull cars. (You can drive from the age of 17 here btw) So I think it will be something like 20+ before you can have a performance car. Wich I think is good...

[nxracer]

The 2002 "Learning Curve" is April 6 & 7 at Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Illinois

More information can be found on the Chicago Region, SCCA (http://www.scca-chicago.com/solo/) web site.

Entry to the school opens February 8th by either picking up a entry form at our booth in the the Chicago auto show or downloading one from the web site

(the entry form will be posted on February 8, 2002)

[selika2000]

Some people are selfish and don't think of the problems in the long run.

I live in Tucson, Arizona and we've had innocent people killed while racing.. one incident that is so clear to me, was down a main road called Oracle. This old man was making a U-Turn and didn't judge the speeds of the oncoming drivers, and got hit from the side, spun out, and killed.

I agree with the whole.. if you need to race thing, take it to the track.

Street racing is dangerious .. and maybe you might be a good driver, but the person next to you may not.

Thos are some problems..
People not judging speed before making their decision and People who don't watch the drivers around them.

[djm221]

Darwin's Theory, hard at work. :ugh:

[Auto[BoT]_GTS]

Some people just dont know when to quit.....they dont know when it gets dangerous or they dont care........most kids think it would never happen to them. I know I was like that also.....but I am one of the the lucky ones who saw the big picture and realized its not real smart or worth it to race 100mph on a city street. But I have Gotten into a few stoplight races.

[djTOY_2000]

good thoughts guys !!!

i mean.... all these deaths have been innocent people !! most were the passengers in the vehicle

these were all stupid calls on behalf of both the racers involved. I think of it this way....

what goal do you achieve by beating that guy next to you ? did you win anything other than the race ? were you awarded a trophy or some prize money ? oh freakin' woop-iddy do... you beat an Si.... you lost to an RX-7.... you beat a hatchback with a b16a swap....

I deffinitely agree with keeping it on the track !!

some people out there just have no brains whatso ever !!

another pointer to these deaths -

welcome to the pacific northwest.... where it ALWAYS rains !!

these idiots were racing in extremely wet weather.... (i think it has rained up here for about 2 months straight now)

in the recentest death there was this 19 yr old kid in an Si that lost control on wet pavement at nearly 90mph on a busy street and struck a telephone pole.... killing his 17 yr.old girlfriend

he is now facing manslaughter charges for her death !! all because what.... he thought it'd impress his girlfriend ?

[Maelfyn]

Illegal drag racing is a part of American culture and it has been for a long time. I know they have been doing organized illegal drag racing at least since the 60s in DC. In the exact same spots too.

What we think doesn't really matter. The fact of the matter is there are a lot of people out there that don't want to pay their money to wait in line for 90 minutes to race down the strip once. At the illegals you can also pick your races which is more fun to watch. On the other hand, at the strip you will probably be paired up with an 11 second Mopar monster. Every time I go to the strip it is packed to the gills. Even when it's 35 degrees out. I don't understand why more aren't opened. It seems to be pretty profitable.http://www.plaudersmilies.de/eek7.gif

[djTOY_2000]

so what could we as an import scene do to help correct this nationwide problem that seems to be growing larger and larger by every weekend that passes ?

should the media condone and scrutinize FntF for this problem ?

who is to blame ?

who do you see to be the blame ?

[Maelfyn]

I don't think it's necessarily an "import" thing. Plenty of dumbestics are street racing in fact I see more dumbestics at the illegals than anything else.

[MfS]

Originally posted by djTOY_2000
so what could we as an import scene do to help correct this nationwide problem that seems to be growing larger and larger by every weekend that passes ?

should the media condone and scrutinize FntF for this problem ?

who is to blame ?

who do you see to be the blame ?

Never blame a film! Always when somethings bad happens they blame films, ie. a shooting in a school, blame it on the basketball diaries (or whatever) The only one to blame is the persons racing the cars, THEY slam the pedal to the metal!
Try to be responsabile in what you do... always.
-- my 2 cents--

[PoweredbyRICE]

man....just take it to the track......i got my wreckless racing ticket when i was just driving along side my friend going the speed limit...the cops here are upset about that Sunnyside girl that died racing with 4 ppl in her car....their cracking up on everyone here..but I'm gonna get off, dunno about my friend who has 6 tickets including one wreckless. ... funny thing was that we were driving eachother's car heading to my house:angry:

[CL MaNTis 21]

Originally posted by 2000celicaspeed
Ok first and for most, i have been to ALOT of street races, the only time i have ever seen it get semi dangerious, is when the cops show up, everyone loses there brain when the cops come.

Very true! A kid just lost his life here in my town a week or two ago because when someone yelled "cops!!!" everyone ran, cars started hallin' ass outta there, and he got hit several times by several different cars. The police found him lying dead next to his car. =/

[Raw Iron 1]

Hello.

I LOVE street racing. I have been doing it for 10 years. Not every day or every week. More like once a month with a random run-in with someone at a stop light or something.

I live in Virginia and 9 out of 10 times that you hear about teenage punks wrecking it is just across the border in Maryland. They are psycho in Maryland and don't know how to drive. Every time I turn around there is another multi-teenage car death accident in Maryland. If fact, it is so noticeable a trait that over the past 26 years that I have lived here in VA 10 miles from Maryland, I have decided that the next time a bunch of teenagers get killed in a car wreck in Maryland, I am going to call the press and point this out to them.

Jason

[RedNOSceli]

What we have here is three diffent types of racing

Drag Strip Racing- Very safe...Boring...Pain in the ass to go because its usually 20-40 miles out, $15+ just to race only one pass sometimes.

All in all, safe but sucks...

Illegal Drags- This is where a bunch of people meet up in some secluded area and race. When it's just a few people, its actually pretty safe because its on some road in the middle of noware with no traffic what so ever As long as you dont have stupid morons standing two feet from the cars 1/2 way down the road. Also, this looses it's safty when you get about 300 people crowded in one area literaly an arms length from the car down the whole road. Ive raced at a lot of illegals, but when It gets crowded, the celica gets parked. Also, this sucks when the cops come because everyone fu*kin runs like a bunch of pu*sies..Ive almost been hit like 3 times(Knock on wood)

Fun, only dangerous when crouded but still Illegal.

Public Road Racing- We've all done it, whether from a stop light, or from a role, this is the worst. I claim to be no angel here either, but this has to be the worst kind of racing.

Dangerous and gay in every way.

:nono:

[HilfigerCelica]

Illegal street racing is only stupid when you're on a busy road or in a residential area. I think it's fine if you're in a road out in the middle of nowhere.

Now these morons racing in the rain are just knocking on death's door. It doesn't take a genius to realize that it's going to take longer to stop a car in the rain plus it's easier to lose control.

Blaming the FnF is not going to help. Illegals have been around since the muscle car days. There wasn't a movie then. We can help stop it by just posting stuff like this, cause some of the newbies might be racing and not using common sense.:nono: We can also help by not doing it ourselves.

[rocket celica]

You guys are really mis-informed.

Street racers for the most part are great drivers.
YOu speak of 5 killed fe days ago or so but look at how many people get killed in a normal day by regualr drivers.

[Pure Racer]

Rocket Celica made a very good point... There is also probably 100x mroe deaths relating to drunk driving then night racing... But I do admit I used to be a regular amongst the nigh racing scene (now in College so I got no time), it has gotten a little more dangerous since the last time I went, but I agree with Don that the cops make it 1000000000x more dangerous when they come... I guess it is stupid, but what would be better, me spending my nights racing or me spending my nights getting high off drugs and doing other bad things... One of my friends was basically an alcoholic at age 17, but when I took him once to the night races, he spends his nights watching the illegal drags rather then drinking himself to death, ultimately Night Racing has it's pro's and con's... But most of those racing deaths are usually not at what I call the night races; where it's organized and more people, but an isolated race with a friend, dunno how to explain it... But yeah, that's stupid to race on the freeway or residential road, but I have also done that, so that makes me stupid, but I learned from my mistakes...

[2kgtx]

RedNOSceli you forgot Auto X racing whcih is fun as hell and safe, My opinion on this matter is that parents are just giving the keys to a high performance car to someone to imature to handle it, I think that their needs to be more knowledge of the autocross SCCA racing (By the way I am doing a SCCA SOLOII driving school in Feburary) Last year 9 people teenagers under the age of 18 died within a 5 mile radius of my house, All of this was due to racing, two died when a Camero Z28 driven by a 16 year old lost control while racing a 2000 or so Mustang Cobra driven by a 17 year old. I don't think kids in High school can afford cars like that, and when you give someone something like that they don't apperciate it as much as, as when they had to earn their money for it, Before anyone goes saying stuff about how I am wrong about this when I turned 16 I was handed the keys to my Mom's neon 28 days later I was calling them to tell them the car was upside down next to a tree but I wasn't sure what I had hit, Scary incident, This all happend because I had the atitude of it can't happen to me. Now the steering wheel broke in my accident and was ruled no fault but I know that if I hadn't been racing the steering wheel wouldn't have broken, This was 5 years ago I was almost killed in that accident and have decided to do anything to keep it from happening to others. Since then I have spoken in schools, and at my church several times about it, bottom line is that we can't stop this from going on put we can prevent people from getting killed by introducing them to things such as Auto cross, and other forms of legal and safe racing,

[hypeGTS]

rocket celica: You guys are really mis-informed.
Street racers for the most part are great drivers.
YOu speak of 5 killed fe days ago or so but look at how many people get killed in a normal day by regualr drivers.

Great drivers? because u passed ur dmv written test and took drivers ed/passed your dmv driving test? or because you got the highest score ever on the "street racer" certification exam?

[Auto[BoT]_GTS]

what some of your guys said about the illegals is true....IMO they only seem to get dangerous when the cops show up. But regardless....theyre will be the dummies that make everyone else look bad.

[2K1BLKCELGTS]

Racing in all different aspects. I've been driving home from work on the highway doing 60-65 and someone always finds a need to pass. Especially new big engine peecups. One will pass another and soon youve got high center of gravity, heavy weight vehicles doing 100+/-. Lots of this is just ego racing.
I-25 between Denver and Colo Spr for example during rush hour, average vehicle speed is probably 90-95 for 60 miles. (don't go slower than that or you'll get run over). 90% of those are trucks. And then you get the guy wanting to do 125. I see more deaths from this that Fri night racin SI's Stangs, and other street racers.
Most street racin usually runs 70,80, 90 100 MPH for a short period of time. And for the number of street racers out on the street,relatively few accidents or deaths actually hapen. Lots of the street races are over as soon as one car is a car length ahead.
I really feel safer in the company of a bunch of guys (mostly in thier twenties), that have pride in their ride, and usually better handling vehicles to do it with.
When I get scared, and when the major accidents happen is on Major interstate highways, at 90 to 100mph almost bumper to bumper, and you look over and there is a semi passing you. Or suddenly you see pipes and lumber comming out of the back of some peecup.
I would much rather race with the kids to the next light.
I also had races with other sports cars one on one up major mountain passes at screeming speeds.
Anyway my point is: I would prefer this to racing the yuppies up and down I-25.

[Auto[BoT]_GTS]

Now that i think about it around here no one has died racing..............they just were driving way to fast and they were young.

[MarcMichaud]

hey i saw your sig and it said you have Hoosier 225/45ZR15 A3S03 Tires. are those on the Stock GT Rim. If so, how do they fit any rubbing? Thanks

Marc

[Qwertop]

what some of your guys said about the illegals is true....IMO they only seem to get dangerous when the cops show up.

so, what? are the cops just supposed to ignore it? i'm not defending cops but enforcing the law is there job. there is a reason street racing is illegal, because it's dangerous. if the cops don't intervene, wouldn't things still get out of hand? and think about how you would feel if you were a cop who decided not to intervene in a street race, and then someone got killed.

[nxracer]

Originally posted by MarcMichaud
hey i saw your sig and it said you have Hoosier 225/45ZR15 A3S03 Tires. are those on the Stock GT Rim. If so, how do they fit any rubbing? Thanks

Marc

Yes they fit on the stock GT rim and they do not rub.

[erok]

Street Racing = Scary
Road Course & Autox = Fun

[MattZR]

Here in Australia, I was sent this email:

I just found this on a forum.. somewhere in NSW..... thought you may like to know the dangers of it

This isnt designed to be a sermon, i just gotta get this off my chest..

Last night, a friend of mine died, spectating @ an illegal drag race.. the race involved two VL'Commodores and a WRX, the VL's having a head start.. the Rex soon rounded them up.. My friend was the spotter, looking for other cars.. this was run on a nice, flat, wide section of road, late at night..

Said spotter came out of his position (in his car), to warn of an on-comming vehicle, only to be cleaned up by the first car, which clipped him.. the second car (Rex) was the killer, it t-boned him at an estimated 200+ km/h.. the following car also carrened into the other two, smashing into a rock wall..
My friend, was thrown from the car, legs torn off his torso, the driver of the Rex, has severe spinal injuries and the driver of the last vehicle, has since died..
The Rex and the "spotter" car, were each broken into two pieces, with the front "cut" of the Rex being found 100m further down the road from the remainder of the vehicle..
The spotter car was broken squarely on the centre piller, and it is suspected that the drivers body was propelled from the vehicle by direct contact with the Rex..
The remaing cars ar complete right-off's.

Now, how much fun is this? Think it will never happen to you? This was on a "perfect" piece of road, not a "back-street" or a stoplight drag..
Again, this isnt a sermon, but a realistic reminder of what can and does happen in illegal drag racing.. two of my mates have died in the last 24hrs, one of those a relativly innocent bystander, the other an out an out culprit. I will never forgive these guys for this even tho they were and still are my friends, but i really would like people to know what can happen, in a split second..
u can imagine, these guys having a seemingly great time, until the spot the car in the middle of the road.. then, it all goes wrong..
Please, dont race illegally, even if you think its safe, im sure this looked pretty safe, nice road, no traffic, but you never know, whats ahead of you.

[Miguel GTS]

if they were to give ppl tracksat every corner insurance would just be that much higher b/c they would know that more ppl are into racing and stuff

[2000celicaspeed]

Originally posted by Qwertop


so, what? are the cops just supposed to ignore it? i'm not defending cops but enforcing the law is there job. there is a reason street racing is illegal, because it's dangerous. if the cops don't intervene, wouldn't things still get out of hand? and think about how you would feel if you were a cop who decided not to intervene in a street race, and then someone got killed.
Ok first off, i am not getting mad or anything, but the cops show up cause they are trying to "save lives" However 99% of the time they put everyone in greater risk. I have seen a few accident at the races, all of which were cause by cops showing up. Befor they come the side streets are blocked off by racers cars, everyone is standing on the SIDEWALK, out of harms way. At the race track there is a fence and about 50 feet seperating the track from the crowd, so at the street races we are missing the fence. It is not like we are impeding traffic at 2am, so remind me what the cops are doing again, oh yeah they are trying to save lives.....

[NSX_GTR_LM]

I would also like to add to this saying that yes, alot of kids get cars handed to them, but I have put every dollar int o my celi, and I have bough the car too. I financed it when I just turned 17, and even though its only a GT, I still had to work alot to pay for it. Sports cars (especially domestics) are not necessarily expensive, and even cheaper when bought used. High School kids can afford these cars, they just have to work.

[nick450hp]

I back you 100% Celicadetective. Last summer I went to Mid-Ohio's High Performance Course and it changed me forever. I hate riding with idiot drivers who beat the living s*** out of their car and think they are speed racer, on a real grand prix course their is nothing that can substitute that incredible rush, no street race will give you that with safety to add to it too. Learning to drive like that on that day was the most valuable lesson ever, it taught to control a vehicle and go fast, not being reckless and being fast. It covered everything, slalom, wet braking drill, using their skid car, classroom instruction, and then full course lapping (on the real race track, not just cones on a big tarmac), and ended with an autocross competition. Best $600 i ever spent!

[2K1BLKCELGTS]

I've raced from stop lights and raced out on the open road. I think most everyone has at one time or other.
Of all the times I have 'raced', I am paying more attention than when driving to the grocery store. I think I would much rather drive around with racers (even if they are not trained) than drive in traffic with idiots with a telephone in on ear, not paying attention to anything.
Most of these guys have put everything into their cars and wouldn't let anything happen to them.
I am not condoning street racing, but I think that much worse hazzards exist that really should hold a higher priority in the eyes of the law.
I know I would rather stand in front of racers doing 120mph than to look in my mirror and havin a semi 15 feet off my bumper.

I think 'downtown' drag racing is wrong but should not be as terrible of a crime as it is, or when they take it out on the deserted highway.
Its a risk that everyone present is aware of.
I'm sorry when something goes wrong, but if I gamble, I know the stakes. I think spectators are fully aware of the dangers.

I've seen accidents happen to the four wheelers up in the mountains where multiple people are killed and injured.
So where do ya draw the line?
All I can tell is: if everything is outlawed, I'll be an outlaw!

Hard discussion here. I like the training thing, there should be more of that before you ever get a licience.

One more thing,.. There are many events around the country every year where things would remain much safer without the cops. Their very presence in large crowds set off a chain of events that incite, and consequenltly cause injury and death.
So wouldn't it be more 'life effective' and 'cost effective' for the police to set up ingress and egress routes to and from 'the citizens all night race park'?