Many of you on CL want to test your wheels in the quarter-mile against the guy next to you, but most of you (HOPEFULLY all of you ) know that it is illegal and dangerous to do so on public roads. Just in the last month or so, here in the D.C area, over 20 young people have been killed or seriously injured in drag-racing on public roads. One of the cars totalled was a brand-new GTO just a couple of weeks old. The guy lost it on a sharp turn on a two-lane road about a mile or so north of my house and wrapped it around a large tree trunk....three teen-agers died. Another guy in a yellow Mustang GT killed three more teen-agers locally drag-racing.
Many people are calling for more "education", "parental guidance", and police crackdowns............but I honestly don't think that's going to make any real difference. As for me personally, drag racing was never my cup of tea, even as a young driver....but it is a FACT that many young people are simply ADDICTED to it. They are NOT ignorant. They KNOW the dangers. They see their friends get killed and handicapped. They see totalled cars. They see grieving parents and loved ones. BUT IT DOESN"T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE. They are ADDICTED. They are GOING to do it. It is like being addicted to drugs, alcohol, sex, gambling, overeating....and many other things. I have actually heard kids say on interviews that they know what can happen, but they love drag-racing so much that THEY ARE WILLING TO TAKE THE CHANCE......EVEN IF IT KILLS THEM. Too often it DOES.

So.....what is the ultimate answer to this? I think we're going to have to accept it as a fact of life.....but that still doesn't mean it should be legal on public roads. Here is my solution:...........and I'd like to get your input on it.

Have local governments require that drag-strip and race-track owners reserve at least one night a week specifically for those who would otherwise be drag-racing on public roads. The track owners could charge a modest fee, have car-owners sign an injury-liability waiver (parental consent if under 18), a car-warranty-waiver.....most car warranties do not cover drag-racing anyway.......and require at heast a helmet and some other basic safety gear.....and let these kids get their jollies off legally, without concern for the police, and with minimal chances wrecking their cars, of killing themselves or others. In return, track owners would have to agree to consider any damage to their tracks from this simply as a cost of doing buisness....most of them they already have insurance.

 

I'm sure that legalized racing could work, but there is a lot of resistance here in Fla. I have a few tracks within 2-3 hours of me but the times, track, waits, preparation or any combination of them and some other factors always seem to contribute to a less than fun experience. We have Moroso (1 hr for me), Bradenton (about 2 with trailer), and Orlando (little more than 3.5 hrs). I've never been to OSW, but Bradenton and Moroso are in the middle of nowhere. Some people are close but the majority are not.

Additionally, Moroso (West Palm) doesn't have the greatest reputation for the local Test and Tunes that usually happen on Weds and Friday nights. Track prep is spotty at best, management of the cars is sometimes horrendous, you can hang around all night and get 2 runs some times or you might get 12, but you never know which. Then sometimes, they will let certain classes race and while others watch. And the last time we checked track rentals, they only allow 10 cars and one lane which very few are ever interested in.

Bradenton will allow track rentals (4 hrs) with 70 cars and many get to "hot lap" (continuously race). Here it is easy to get numerous runs, but you have to be willing to go a few hours.

Many times these options are not convenient for the local racers, enthusiasts, ricers, etc. They find roads where they think they can get away with it and many do, others don't. Various groups in South Fla have tried to open additional tracks in the Fort Lauderdale/Miami area without any success.

And in general local authorities are really not interested in looking at real solutions to save lives and no one wants a track near them. It's great if you put it someplace else, but OH NO, not near me. And we have a few decent alternatives that could be used that are not that close to residential areas, but there hasn't been much success outside of getting signatures on petitions. In some of these instances there has already been funding provide by outside sources and they still don't want to listen. They would rather keep their ticket revenue high. This type of stance leaves little out for those kids and others that you mention mmarshall.

Part of the problem too, is that too many people continue racing when they leave the track, happens at Moroso all the time, thankfully it is a country road for a few miles. But people are legitimately afraid to have this crusing thru their neighborhood.

I hear there is a program in San Diego where they make a track around Jack Murphy and they allow people to race, I think this has helped but not sure how much.

Unless viable alternatives are provided, which are local for major metropolitan areas, there will not be any significant reduction to traffic issues from street racing. And tracks need to be well planned and allow little opportunity for fun and games when the track is clearing, but many discussions never get this far and I doubt we will see anything other than enforcement crackdowns without providing outlets for the near future and beyond.

 

Have local governments require that drag-strip and race-track owners reserve at least one night a week


That line above is the problem, VA isnt California, for the most part the people believe in property rights. I sure wouldnt vote for anything that allowed Gov't to usurp the property rights to buisness owners.
Perosnal property is just that personal the Gov't should have not authority.

 

Yes....I understand that. I'm well-aware of VA's property-rights tradition....as in a number of other states. But what is the BETTER choice for protecting property?.....having a car go out of control at a track, which is designed for that and has safety barriers built in......or having a car come up on your property and take out a tree, your car, or part of your house? I think the answer is obvious.
And....as for this "Not in My Back Yard" stuff.....IMO, keeping this stuff at the track where it belongs will prevent it from being literally in someone's back yard.

 

The constitution and bill of rights are abosolutes its not about what is better or the lesser of two evils. If we dont like private property rights then somebody needs to change the constitution. That is the approproate mechanism. But a better solution is to have stricter penalties and higher levels of enforcement to address the problem

 

i always thought that it would probably be revolutionary if instead of condemning streetracers, local governments embraced them. there is at least one or two straight roads in every city that is rarely used at night and i dont think it would be too hard for the local PD to spare a couple of guys to monitor the racers there just to make sure that theres no alcohol or drugs goin on and to make sure things stay safe. i know its a poor substitute for a strip; no tech, or timeslips, but these kids have been streetracing on public roads since the 50's and i think that it would be at least a little safer if the PD watched over them isntead of trying to arrest them whichdrives them to go to more remote areas where, if something happens, no1 would be around to help them. the govt needs to accept that there is no way they will kill streetracing in general; just like they wil never wipe out murder or drunk driving.

 

I don't think you really understand the problem.....or how widespread and serious it is. Kids don't care WHAT the enforcement levels are or WHAT the penalties are. They are ADDICTED to this stuff....rightly or wrongly. You can't possibly put a policeman on EVERY public road in the country. Look at the 55-MPH Federal speed limit. The more they tried to enforce it, the more of a joke it became. Finally they had to give it back to the states like it was before.
So you (or a judge) take a kid's license away. Big deal......he just goes out and drives (and street-races) without one. Lock him for manslaughter under the age of 18 and what happens? He's out on his 18th birthday.....and his record is wiped clean.
Part of the problem is that the auto press and car magazines tend to encourage this kind of stuff with all the comments they make glorifying "stop-light sprints". Many of those auto journalists need a GOOD SWIFT kick in the a - -.
Believe me....I'm as TOUGH a law-and-order man as they come.....but there some things that are just unenforceable. You might as well legalize them.

 

basically what i tried to say but much cleaner

 

God that guy is just flying on your avatar.. I'd love to be doing that.


3dog

 

I agree with pretty mcuh everything you're saying mmarshall, however WhiteTiger brings up many valid points.

The problem of tracks not being closeby or accessible to everyone is probably one of the bigger obstacles that stands in the way. Building a track is a long process, and there are many who are too stubborn to drive a decent distance to legally race. Although it is the right thing to do, there are many in this world who lack common sense (especially teenage drivers and those who drag race on public roads).

Another problem is that, even if one night a week was opened up to the public to race, what's going to happen the other six nights? Both you and I as car enthusiasts know that such a thrill inducing addiction isn't going to go away when the track is closed. In reality, different tracks would have to be open for racing on different days to counter this, however the issue of not enough tracks being around certainly isn't going to help us out here.

I think that legalized racing is a great idea, and could work - to an extent. Unfortunately, there is no way we could curb even a majority of the racing that goes on out there.

 

One word, Liability. What happens if a car gets loose and slams into another car killing the drivers?

 

mmarshall,

With your proposed idea, how do you explain the problem of street racing in D.C even though there are numerous tracks in Maryland and Virginia (MIR, Capital, Cecil, 75/80 etc.) The closest track to D.C is 45 minutes away and is open Friday nights during the non-winter months for test&tune at a cost of $10 to $20. Almost all the tracks are open for test and tune at least one day of the week.

The problem in DC isn't access to tracks. The problem is that the youth believe they are invincible. They have yet to comprehend the importance of their life and the life of others. In order to curb street racing, I believe education is most important.

 

Yes...White Tiger is a very credible poster. I have a lot of respect for him.
My idea is obviously not a perfect solution....but it least is a start. Something has to be done sooner or later. If kids can race legally at least one night a week, with NO worry about cops, maybe they wouldn't be quite so quick to do it on other nights.

 

Since you obviously live in this area with me, you know about the terrible problem this has become in recent weeks. I live in Vienna, VA....where that kid just totalled a brand-new GTO in Oakton just a mile from my house. In Wheaton, MD, a Mustang GT was going 85 MPH up Georgia Ave and would up on its roof in somebody's front yard recently......I'm sure you saw that, too.
D.C. itself really isn't the center of the problem.....there are too many stoplights everywhere (and the roads are too beat-up) for drag-racing almost everywhere except for 295 and 395. There are also speed-cameras throughout the District.
I agree that the "It can't happen to me" mentality plays a large part. Problem is....it can....and DOES....happen. I disagree, that "Education" is the answer. Of couse it would be the answer if kids LISTENED. Problem is.......a lot of them DON'T. You can only teach people who want to learn.

I agree my proposal may not be perfect.....but I think it is a start. Something, sooner or later, needs to be done. THAT is the purpose of this thread. If you guys can come up with better ideas or solutions than me.........by all means, let's hear them. The sooner we decide on what needs to be done, the sooner we can start to talk to local authorities and legislators in order to get things started.

 

Yeah, the SD Legal Racing thing is down by the stadium parking lot and it's only 1/8 mile long, not our lovely 1320.

it's not as fun as you think.