Apparent Street Race Kills U Of T Student

[Brookstone]

Another group of dumbasses who think they own the road! Its always the innocent regular citizens who always suffers in any kind of bad situation. The bad keeps getting chance after chance. Forget the 3 strikes law, go for the 1 strike law, ppl that suffers from any crime dont get a 2nd chance.

http://www.citynews.ca/news/news_3695.aspx


He'd come to Toronto for an education and a chance at a better life.
All those dreams ended in a split second for a University of Toronto foreign exchange student on the Queensway near Cawthra Road late Tuesday night.

The still unidentified 30-year-old was driving a pick-up truck in the eastbound lanes when he became the unwilling centerpiece of a suspected road race between two others cars, which zoomed up behind his vehicle.

One of those hot rods apparently clipped the truck, sending it careening like a rocket into a hydro pole. The student never had a chance and was killed in the impact.

"Some vehicles were travelling at a high rate of speed together and it would appear that this is the direct cause," notes Peel Cst. Pete Brandwood. "It's very tragic. This is something that should be avoidable."

Police allege five cars were involved in the incident overall, calculating the skid marks on the pavement where the vehicles lost control. The road was closed for nine hours.

Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion has seen too many people killed or injured from racing on her streets and feels helpless to put a stop to it.

"We have enough accidents without street racing," she complains. "I think the police have to crack down. But how can they be everywhere street racing takes place?"

The innocent bystander in this case had borrowed the pick up truck from a friend. Investigators call him an everyman, who was just driving along minding his own business.

The Harper government is planning on introducing a bill to make street racing a federal offence. And those who've seen the carnage believe it's no different than picking up a lethal weapon.

"This is no less violent than taking a gun and shooting it off on the streets," condemns O.P.P. Cst. Ken Taylor. "It's every bit as despicable. "

 

[LancsLad]

Want to eliminate it?

Build a track and they will come.

Not good enough. There is no way those punks would use the track, ifthey had to pay and you can't use tax money for it.

Put the fuctards in jail and have a huge civil penalty assessed against the vehicles owners. Damn them all.

 

[Dodger]

Want to eliminate it?

Build a track and they will come.

Shiek although I agree with the idea that you propose for the purpose of getting them off the street and into a controlled enviroment, there is a problem actually a few.

First off understand that I am already involved with amature and professional racing in Ontario and have been all over North America providing safety procedures at many high profile as well as amateur events.

There are already facilities within easy reach of these fools that provide a relatively safe way to show their talents or lack there of. Mosport, Cayuga, Toronto Motorsports Park, Dunnville and Shannonville all have facilities for this type of activity.

Most times they will say it is too far away and that they want something closer. Well closer is within the GTA boundries and if you have checked out the price of real estate recently you will realize that this is a virtual impossibility. Then you still have to build the facility. A facility built near Ottawa recently spent upwards of 10 million dollars on paving alone for a 4 mile track. That does not include the layout and prep work for the pavement to be layed. So a costly venture to say the least.

Organizations that I belong to have tried to convince these people to come out to the facilities that already exist and experience what it is like to compete in a controlled enviroment. They are not interested because there are too many rules. They want to make it up as they go and if someone dies along the way oh well too bad. The organization that I belong to works with law enforcement in an effort to educate these people but they are not interested in learning.

Unfortunately this is usually compared to the early beginnings of drag racing in Southern California, and there are a number of similarities, but the people to day do not want safe and fast they want Fast and Furious.

So build it and they will come is not going to be feasible because they want it in their back yard, but their neighbours don't. And they want it free or virtually free and no person would make that investment for no return.

 

[The Bandit]

Peel Regional Police - Man killed in 5 car collision

MISSISSAUGA, ON,, Sept. 20 /CNW/ - On Tuesday, September 19, 2006, at
about 10:10 p.m., the 30 year-old victim was driving a Toyota 4-Runner
eastbound on The Queensway approaching Stanfield Road when his vehicle was
rear ended, causing him to lose control and hit a light standard.
The victim's vehicle was rear ended by a black Honda Civic, which was
being driven by a 19 year-old man. The Civic was travelling eastbound with 3
other vehicles behind the victim. These vehicles, which included a white Honda
Civic, a Kia Spectra, and a black Pontiac Sunfire, were reportedly travelling
at a high rate of speed. The driver of the Spectra lost control of her vehicle
due to manoeuvres made by the driver of the white Honda Civic. After rear
ending the victim, the driver of the black Honda Civic lost control and was
struck by the black Pontiac Sunfire.
The victim was pronounced dead at the scene. His name is being withheld
until next of kin can be notified.
None of the other drivers, all from Mississauga, were injured.
The investigation is continuing by the Major Collision Bureau. Anyone
with information is asked to call (905) 453-2121, ext. 3710, or Peel Crime
Stoppers, at 1-800-222-TIPS/8477.

 

[1HandInMyPocket]

That plus having experienced folks running it at minimal cost..... seems like a win solution for me. You've got nearly a mile long track there.

The only problems are:

1) some of these street racers enjoy the thrill of doing something illegal.
2) IMO, the thrill is also zipping by other motorist, not by "boring" concrete barriers.

Unfortunately, the only way some of these racers learn their lessons, if they hurt themselves, or someone close to them does.

 

[Thousand]

Here is what Toronto needed to do to eliminate street racing:

1) Tougher law on racing (at least 2 years imprisonment)
2) Impose a tax on performance parts (if the tax is high enough, it might deter kids from racing. As well, it provide a source of revenue for the government's increased effort in eliminating street racing)
3) Build speed bumps on roads popular to racers (If the road is full of speed bumps, racing wouldn't be fun to the kids)

 

[1HandInMyPocket]

Here is what Toronto needed to do to eliminate street racing:

1) Tougher law on racing (at least 2 years imprisonment)
2) Impose a tax on performance parts (if the tax is high enough, it might deter kids from racing. As well, it provide a source of revenue for the government's increased effort in eliminating street racing)
3) Build speed bumps on roads popular to racers (If the road is full of speed bumps, racing wouldn't be fun to the kids)

points 1 and 3 are good to help reduce racing, but not eliminate it. Though a tax on performance parts punishs those who do enhance their cars for legal show competions and legal races. I do like your 3rd point, it may upset some residents, but it is necessary.

 

[impala77]

Here is what Toronto needed to do to eliminate street racing:

1) Tougher law on racing (at least 2 years imprisonment)
2) Impose a tax on performance parts (if the tax is high enough, it might deter kids from racing. As well, it provide a source of revenue for the government's increased effort in eliminating street racing)
3) Build speed bumps on roads popular to racers (If the road is full of speed bumps, racing wouldn't be fun to the kids)

I don't think putting speed bumps on the road is a very practical idea because there are so many roads around the GTA that can be used; eventually every road would have to have speed bumps on them. Considering the city already has a hard time keeping up with necessary road maintenance for pot holes and regular maintenance speed bumps would be a waste of time.

Enforcement is the best way to curb the problem. Severe punishments for those caught racing up to and including a life time ban from having a drivers licence. If someone can't display that they are mature enough to handle a car in a safe manner then they shouldn't have a licence in the first place.

 

[Cobster]

I am with you on this one Milhouse 1 strike you are OUT.
You fuck it up royally by killing someone, YOU ARE FUCKING GONZO. Bye~Bye driving priviledges...idiots.
Same with drunk drivers.

 

[STASH]

Want to eliminate it?

Build a track and they will come.

I think you're right on with that comment Sheik

It would at least take some of it off the streets....how much is unknow but some anyway

 

[Moraff]

Unfortunately speed bumps would also have the likelihood of moving the street racers to other streets that may even be less suited for their idiocy.

I heard a rumor at one point cops would pull over cars that looked like they'd been tricked out and then sent letters to their insurance agents about the modifications. Maybe another tactic to be tried?

I agree with the one strike you're out for these crimes. Driving is a privlidge and you've shown you don't deserve it. Help boost those transit revenues <grin>

Moraff

 

[daty]

We have the place, downsview. Everything is there except the support from the govt. All that would need to be done is install concrete barriers for the drag strips and the timing gears.

That plus having experienced folks running it at minimal cost..... seems like a win solution for me. You've got nearly a mile long track there.

.

I really think it is a GREAT idea

BUT

any idea how rich the insurance companies would get even with signed waivers?​

.

 

[twentynine]

citizen surveillance

Here's an idea: if you have a cell phone with a camera capable of taking video -- record the buggers and post it online with details, and let the cops and the insurance companies take care of the rest. Get thousands of people doing that until they racers get the picture that they are being watched and will go to jail, their license perhaps revoked and their insurance will go through the roof. It's called citizen surveillance. It's not big brother if its not the government doing it.

 

[A-ROD]

Tougher laws are the only thing that will curb a lot of this, for instance;

1) Caught street racing 5 years in prison and loss of driving privileges for 15 years.

2) Causing death as a result of racing 20 years and loss of driving privileges for life.

3) Caught with illegal performance enhancement parts on a car, 1 year in jail, loss of driving privileges for 2 years and confiscation of the vehicle.

The first two could also apply to drunk driving.

Moving this to a track would still cause injury and death as these people are not properly trained race drivers.

 

[Keebler Elf]

Want to eliminate it?

Build a track and they will come.

No, because this has been looked at repeatedly and it's not feasible. First off, it will be difficult to impossible to get any company to insure a race track where kids who don't know what they're doing are driving around in suped-up lawnmowers. Not to mention that insurance companies wouldn't cover the kids' personal insurance. Then there's the cost to the kids. Why drive there when they can drive for free on the road? Then there's the issue of government funding for a racetrack. That's a no-brainer and ain't gunna happen. Imagine the optics when some kid smears himself across the guardrail on a gov't funded race track. Then there's the issue of cost. The gov't is going to fund a racetrack when everyone bitches and moans about any type of government subsidy to automakers, sports arenas, etc.? Think again.

The real problem is that the penalties for street racing are too loose and need to be tightened. Institute jail time or forfeiture of your car upon conviction (and apply them) and you'll see streetracing all but disappear. The fact that no one is coming down hard on streetracing is de facto condonation of it. And that's part of the problem.

 

[Brookstone]

I am with you on this one Milhouse 1 strike you are OUT.
You fuck it up royally by killing someone, YOU ARE FUCKING GONZO. Bye~Bye driving priviledges...idiots.
Same with drunk drivers.

Ya no doubt, i wasnt just refering to street racers but the likes of drunk drivers as well.
Think i saw somewhere recently, drunk drivers get 3 tries until they lose their license?? WTF is that, in 3 tries, you can kill an unlimited amount of ppl.

 

[DATYdude]

Keep in mind that the racers probably don't care about whether they are licenced or insured, so making insurance too expensive for them to afford will only hurt the people they injure while racing uninsured.

I think it might be good to couple the stronger penalties with an education program and a street racer version of "John School", where these idiots can meet some of the family members of people killed by street racers and see what their dangerous behaviour does. Strike one.

The second "strike" should be a new offence, with a more serious version when someone is injured, and a manslaughter or 2nd degree murder charge when deathg occurs. Mandatory in these sentences should be restitution to the victim(s).

There have also been documented cases of these racers making videos of ther explits to be used in video game racing simulations. This should be considered a serious criminal enterprise and anyone financing such operations or games should be charged with counselling to commit murder or something like that.

 

[ragingbull666]

I admittedly have been involved in dozens of "organized" street races in the past myself. I stopped years ago for all the above listed reasons. Crowds are massive now and the secluded streets where we used to race are now lined with houses and store fronts. Cars are much much quicker now as well. 10 years ago a high 11 second car was fast. Now days cars are turning out mid 9's and low 10's. That's roughly 130-140 mph in a 1/4 mile. I'm afraid there isn't much of an alternative/deterent. I know the owners of a track in London who thought of franchising and expanding (no one wnats to drive to London to "street" race) but they were quickly shot down by the city and insurance companies. Stiff penalties may be an answer, fines won't do it as most will pay or at least tie things up in court. License suspensions and repossesion of their cars may work, this has been going on for decades with little or no success at stopping it. In fact it has grown from just the muscle cars, chevy, mustangs etc etc.... to imports and motorcycles.

 

[Thousand]

Enforcement is the best way to curb the problem. Severe punishments for those caught racing up to and including a life time ban from having a drivers licence. If someone can't display that they are mature enough to handle a car in a safe manner then they shouldn't have a licence in the first place.

One problem I see is that it might be difficult to determine if the driver is racing or not. He could just say that he was just driving really fast just to get home. So all he'll get is just a speeding ticket.

 

[1HandInMyPocket]

One problem I see is that it might be difficult to determine if the driver is racing or not. He could just say that he was just driving really fast just to get home. So all he'll get is just a speeding ticket.

if he's driving fast enough that it looks like he's/she's racing, then maybe they should lose their liscence.