Street Racers: bust them, or close them?
Discussion
I don't know what happens at england and all other places from where Pistonheads come, but around here, in Portugal, street racers become more usual.
The authorities go crazy and mad trying to solve the problem. As just as it happens with speed limits, they can't avoid them! So there as got to be a better way to solve the problem. If you can't bust them all, why not thinking about more track days, cheaper to everyone, trying to avoid death circus at our front door? Can't th government help with this? What do you think?
Here in Blighty they install speed bumps, which don't stop the idiots in stolen cars, it just moves them elsewhere.
Now there's a subject, speed ramps. They are put in place to cut down road deaths in built up areas. They are a waste of time and money and fundamentaly flawed. Such items slow down those with low ground clearance, mostly sports cars with excellent brakes. Whereas Mr white van driver with shite braking power can ignore such lumps in the road. These speed ramps also promote vehicle emissions, brake, accelarate, brake etc.
Sorry, one of my pet hates.....
Now there's a subject, speed ramps. They are put in place to cut down road deaths in built up areas. They are a waste of time and money and fundamentaly flawed. Such items slow down those with low ground clearance, mostly sports cars with excellent brakes. Whereas Mr white van driver with shite braking power can ignore such lumps in the road. These speed ramps also promote vehicle emissions, brake, accelarate, brake etc.
Sorry, one of my pet hates.....
Bolt on boys again?in Holland here there isnt much street draging going around in different places, most of the time they use the same piece of road for it. The only problem is the police doenst like it, thats why they (the racers)have talked about this with the local "goverment" (dont know how to call it) but they just dont want to give them there own piece of road to preform the dragging on...
But if there not going to give them there own piece of road the illegal racing wont stop! i think personnaly that they just have to give the "racers" there own quarter mile track and the problems will be solved (mainly)
By the way, arent there other Dutch people who have to say something about this? And the situation in there own region.
But if there not going to give them there own piece of road the illegal racing wont stop! i think personnaly that they just have to give the "racers" there own quarter mile track and the problems will be solved (mainly)
By the way, arent there other Dutch people who have to say something about this? And the situation in there own region.
ummm. Tricky. As an ex-street racer I ought not slag off those that still do, but it was born of frustration, and really was a bit OTT. We found a place to thrash our bikes, bit of private road, but the Police complained to the land owner (NOT THE OTHER WAY ROUND) --- and the owner put up a gate.
It was off the main road, relatively safe, no one got hurt in the odd crash that occured, and they still got it closed. I think that sucks bigtime.
Anyone else here go to Docklands race track? - If you're the one that advertised it on the internet, SHAME ON YOU !!!
C
It was off the main road, relatively safe, no one got hurt in the odd crash that occured, and they still got it closed. I think that sucks bigtime.
Anyone else here go to Docklands race track? - If you're the one that advertised it on the internet, SHAME ON YOU !!!
C
Let me start this by saying I have organised a few road races in my past; and would continue to do so in the future.
But my main point is this; we have a huge problem in Macclesfield with 'racers'. The 'racers' (blot on boys) meet up at the local MacDonald’s drive thru and race up and down the dual carriageway right next to it. It is about a mile long with a convenient roundabout at each end so they can come back to re-fuel with burgers, coke, etc and swap excuses. They re-fuel their 'cars' at the Tesco's up the road and come back for more.
The police seem to be powerless to stop this. The owners of the carpark have erected bollards to try and reduce its capacity at night but much of it stays open for the late opening MacDonald’s.
I am not saying what they are doing is sad / immature / dangerous / etc because I am not against having a blast against a worthy adversary myself; but what I do object to is the sort of people this attracts and the lack of organisation.
I, for one, know that this is a magnet for uninsured drivers, very dodgy cars and - most worryingly - stolen motors. Thieves will bring their prize to the carpark, show off, intimidate others on the road (I have been a victim of this) and then torch it (usually in a lay-by near my house). This is where this sort of thing gets unacceptable.
I must admit to organising a few 'road races' myself, but I have only ever done so with my close friends. We have always marked out a designated course through unpopulated countryside and we have done it in our own fully insured and well maintained cars early in the morning. A designated individual goes out the day before and writes up a set of pace notes marking all the corners, hazards, road works, cameras, etc. Each racer has to have a co-pilot to read the notes, a mobile, a full tank of petrol, etc. In short it is well organised and as safe as possible. This is how it should be done; not licence-less Dazzar, his shoddy cut and shut XR2 with a bean can exhaust and a mile of populated motorway.
The police occasionally trap them in the carpark but all they can do is check for licences, MOTs, Tax, etc. And if they do force them off the carpark they just go else where.
In yoof speak this is called a 'cruize' (I sound 45, I'm only 21) but in my book it is a parade of the kind of w*nkers that should never be let near a car. These tossers are the thieves, the uninsured, the uneducated, the dangerous, the egotistical and the root to many, many of our problems. I am not saying that many well organised larger ‘cruizes’ are like this, just, in my experience, the one in Macclesfield.
Sorry for the rant.
Spandexx.
But my main point is this; we have a huge problem in Macclesfield with 'racers'. The 'racers' (blot on boys) meet up at the local MacDonald’s drive thru and race up and down the dual carriageway right next to it. It is about a mile long with a convenient roundabout at each end so they can come back to re-fuel with burgers, coke, etc and swap excuses. They re-fuel their 'cars' at the Tesco's up the road and come back for more.
The police seem to be powerless to stop this. The owners of the carpark have erected bollards to try and reduce its capacity at night but much of it stays open for the late opening MacDonald’s.
I am not saying what they are doing is sad / immature / dangerous / etc because I am not against having a blast against a worthy adversary myself; but what I do object to is the sort of people this attracts and the lack of organisation.
I, for one, know that this is a magnet for uninsured drivers, very dodgy cars and - most worryingly - stolen motors. Thieves will bring their prize to the carpark, show off, intimidate others on the road (I have been a victim of this) and then torch it (usually in a lay-by near my house). This is where this sort of thing gets unacceptable.
I must admit to organising a few 'road races' myself, but I have only ever done so with my close friends. We have always marked out a designated course through unpopulated countryside and we have done it in our own fully insured and well maintained cars early in the morning. A designated individual goes out the day before and writes up a set of pace notes marking all the corners, hazards, road works, cameras, etc. Each racer has to have a co-pilot to read the notes, a mobile, a full tank of petrol, etc. In short it is well organised and as safe as possible. This is how it should be done; not licence-less Dazzar, his shoddy cut and shut XR2 with a bean can exhaust and a mile of populated motorway.
The police occasionally trap them in the carpark but all they can do is check for licences, MOTs, Tax, etc. And if they do force them off the carpark they just go else where.
In yoof speak this is called a 'cruize' (I sound 45, I'm only 21) but in my book it is a parade of the kind of w*nkers that should never be let near a car. These tossers are the thieves, the uninsured, the uneducated, the dangerous, the egotistical and the root to many, many of our problems. I am not saying that many well organised larger ‘cruizes’ are like this, just, in my experience, the one in Macclesfield.
Sorry for the rant.
Spandexx.
quote:
We have always marked out a designated course through unpopulated countryside and we have done it in our own fully insured and well maintained cars early in the morning. A designated individual goes out the day before and writes up a set of pace notes marking all the corners, hazards, road works, cameras, etc. Each racer has to have a co-pilot to read the notes, a mobile, a full tank of petrol, etc. In short it is well organised and as safe as possible.
This is just the problem. Street racers are kids with too much excitment on their heads. Sorry SPANDEXX, but I think what you and your friends do is the must childlish thing that I can imagine. What do you think you are? Colin McRaes and Grists waiting to be discovered? That is nonsense and don't try to find excuses or pretend that this is safety or responsability!
What if one of those quiet mornings, some old lady woke up earlier to walk her dog? Can you assure tath everyone nows she's there? Life is impredictable. Only risks are sure. Think before acting. That is not a gentleman act. Not very Pistonhead-like either. If you have the budget to such an "intelligent" organization, why not going for a track day, and do it fast? Are you afraid to have real drivers passing you by?
Thank you for your reply! Have a happy and safe new year!
Greetings from Portugal!
Good points, all. I hope you weren't going to have a go at me and the bike crew for using an otherwise unused road? I admit that it is foolish to do drag racing in a public place, but if you can get away from the general population the only people at risk are those participating. Hence the blatent stupidity of the police in closing it down. It only pushed the madness somewhere else, and I ain't telling where, 'cos I only recently found out myself - and don't want it closed next year ! 
McReis, I am fully aware what I do is silly / immature / dangerous / etc and take your ticking off as fully deserved. I will slap my own wrists and admit that I am a silly kid with too much excitement in my heart and I know what I am about to write is a poor excuse and I should look more into track days etc, but please do let me have my say.
Firstly, and I must stress that I am not being insulting or derogatory saying this, but it seems your response is verging dangerously on the 'knee jerk' reaction. This is the same type of ill informed generalisation that dreams up such campaigns as 'speed kills'. Yes, speed in the wrong hands does kill but you only have to look through some of the many threads on this site to know what most Pistonhead's attitudes are toward that statement and the rational and factual arguments that support their views.
I understand that what I do is dangerous but, like I say, we try to keep it as safe as possible.
Firstly we do it in our own cars; paid for out of our own pockets and loved and cared for like any Pistonhead does for his/her motor. This means that we take things a little more easy as we don't want to crash / sod up our insurance / get points / die / kill someone / etc. These machines are our pride and joy, not a go-cart that we can throw around with the care and abandon of someone that has been granted eternal life - so we respect their limitations and adhere to common sense.
When I say we do it in unpopulated areas - I mean it. I don't mean that we try to avoid power sliding our cars past the local primary school at home time; I mean that we race at first light around the roads of the Goyt Valley. Those who know it will be fully aware that if an old lady was able to walk her dog up there at 4 o'clock in the morning then she will be tough enough to stop two tons of car travelling at any speed without a scratch. When I say remote I mean it. In fact my main jaunt is a one way track where the only thing you are likely to crash into is stray livestock (the kind that scoff at Everest) and grass.
Like I said in the previous post we mark out a predetermined route with pace notes purely for safety - not so we can say "easy left 90" in a Colin MacRea stylee - but so we can say "shit!! big f"£k off corner coming up to the left; brake or I will slap you!" These are not drag races so they are also there so we don’t get lost (the yokels have yet to understand how to spell ‘sign post’ never mind erecting one that says anything more informative than "There be beasties here!".)
When it comes to the race we each leave five minutes gap between each car so no idiocy is possible and during the race we all look out for each other.
If you think about it in reality all it is is a quick blast around the countryside. We have all done it. The only difference is I have a stopwatch running, I know where I should be and what is about to happen and I have a chance to discuss it with a few close friends afterward. No-one has been hurt yet (incidentally I have only done this twice) and, if I / they stick to the rules and follow my / their common sense then it is no more dangerous than having a spirited drive on your own.
As long as this country continues to clog up its roads with nonsensical speed traps and damaging traffic calming measures then I will be willing to take these risks to enjoy the open road with my friends while I still can.
But what you said is fully justified and I can totally appreciate your point of view. My actions are antisocial and if anyone was hurt then I would be the only one to blame. Also I apologise to all the members (and Ted) if my actions are not in the spirit of Pistonheads.
Spandexx.
Firstly, and I must stress that I am not being insulting or derogatory saying this, but it seems your response is verging dangerously on the 'knee jerk' reaction. This is the same type of ill informed generalisation that dreams up such campaigns as 'speed kills'. Yes, speed in the wrong hands does kill but you only have to look through some of the many threads on this site to know what most Pistonhead's attitudes are toward that statement and the rational and factual arguments that support their views.
I understand that what I do is dangerous but, like I say, we try to keep it as safe as possible.
Firstly we do it in our own cars; paid for out of our own pockets and loved and cared for like any Pistonhead does for his/her motor. This means that we take things a little more easy as we don't want to crash / sod up our insurance / get points / die / kill someone / etc. These machines are our pride and joy, not a go-cart that we can throw around with the care and abandon of someone that has been granted eternal life - so we respect their limitations and adhere to common sense.
When I say we do it in unpopulated areas - I mean it. I don't mean that we try to avoid power sliding our cars past the local primary school at home time; I mean that we race at first light around the roads of the Goyt Valley. Those who know it will be fully aware that if an old lady was able to walk her dog up there at 4 o'clock in the morning then she will be tough enough to stop two tons of car travelling at any speed without a scratch. When I say remote I mean it. In fact my main jaunt is a one way track where the only thing you are likely to crash into is stray livestock (the kind that scoff at Everest) and grass.
Like I said in the previous post we mark out a predetermined route with pace notes purely for safety - not so we can say "easy left 90" in a Colin MacRea stylee - but so we can say "shit!! big f"£k off corner coming up to the left; brake or I will slap you!" These are not drag races so they are also there so we don’t get lost (the yokels have yet to understand how to spell ‘sign post’ never mind erecting one that says anything more informative than "There be beasties here!".)
When it comes to the race we each leave five minutes gap between each car so no idiocy is possible and during the race we all look out for each other.
If you think about it in reality all it is is a quick blast around the countryside. We have all done it. The only difference is I have a stopwatch running, I know where I should be and what is about to happen and I have a chance to discuss it with a few close friends afterward. No-one has been hurt yet (incidentally I have only done this twice) and, if I / they stick to the rules and follow my / their common sense then it is no more dangerous than having a spirited drive on your own.
As long as this country continues to clog up its roads with nonsensical speed traps and damaging traffic calming measures then I will be willing to take these risks to enjoy the open road with my friends while I still can.
But what you said is fully justified and I can totally appreciate your point of view. My actions are antisocial and if anyone was hurt then I would be the only one to blame. Also I apologise to all the members (and Ted) if my actions are not in the spirit of Pistonheads.
Spandexx.
Regarding the 'spirit' of PistonHeads, I think your actions probably do encapsulate the desires of most of us. Of all the places to do it, I suppose the route you've taken is the least dangerous to other people but would still urge you to get yourself on a track day. Greater thrills to be had for less risk.
SPANDEXX!!!
I'm so glad you didn't disapointed me!
I'm sure we have very diferent ways to behave in this matter, but I aprecciate the way you think and express yourself. You are fair enough in your comments to my reply, so I don't feel insulted with the "knee jerk". Maybe that's because I'm portuguese and don't understand some expressions.
But seriously, I am very pleased indeed with your fairplay.
I'm sure you have a great time there, and I don't think you're a complete insane guy, but there's still a lot of danger involved. If something goes wrong, days of fun won't be an enough compensation to your conscience.
And the big issue here is that if you are conscious of what you're doing, maybe someday a new guy comes along and gets too much excited. I know how dangerous they can get...
But don't get me wrong. I think you shouldn't do it. But if you do, that's surely the better way.
By the way, have you ever heard about the japanese Midnight Club?
Doing any of the best laps?
Try thinking about a rollbar, just in case.
Good luck for you and your friends, and thank you for your fairplay.
Keep in touch!
P.S: What does "knee jerk" really mean?
I'm so glad you didn't disapointed me!
I'm sure we have very diferent ways to behave in this matter, but I aprecciate the way you think and express yourself. You are fair enough in your comments to my reply, so I don't feel insulted with the "knee jerk". Maybe that's because I'm portuguese and don't understand some expressions.
But seriously, I am very pleased indeed with your fairplay.
I'm sure you have a great time there, and I don't think you're a complete insane guy, but there's still a lot of danger involved. If something goes wrong, days of fun won't be an enough compensation to your conscience.
And the big issue here is that if you are conscious of what you're doing, maybe someday a new guy comes along and gets too much excited. I know how dangerous they can get...
But don't get me wrong. I think you shouldn't do it. But if you do, that's surely the better way.
By the way, have you ever heard about the japanese Midnight Club?
Doing any of the best laps?
Try thinking about a rollbar, just in case.
Good luck for you and your friends, and thank you for your fairplay.
Keep in touch!
P.S: What does "knee jerk" really mean?
quote:
Regarding the 'spirit' of PistonHeads, I think your actions probably do encapsulate the desires of most of us. Of all the places to do it, I suppose the route you've taken is the least dangerous to other people but would still urge you to get yourself on a track day. Greater thrills to be had for less risk.
Ted - do you fancy convoying to Le Mans again this year
PS. France doesn't count
Stig
www.locost-racing.com
Car No. 13
Spandexx you've annoyed me!, what you suggest and describe is very dangerous and completely unacceptable. Thing is there are motor clubs across the country screaming out for members where you can get up to this sort of fun in far greater safety......please find them and dont put your own life, your passenger or an innocent third party in danger. Come on people drive safe and not stupid. Christ I'm 22 and I sound like my dad!
Your comments as to how it should be done made me laugh, how what should be done, dangerous driving and potential death by reckless driving. Please go to a race track or take part in organised road rallies or something else. I fail to see how an "event" organised by you is different to Dazza and his Nova, what you are basically saying is I think I'm a better driver than Dazza and I know what I'm doing.
Join a motor club take part in proper MSA events, if you enjoy it take up rallies proper, stay safe and have fun. The buzz is still there and you can drive safe in the knowledge that you are covered by insurance and there will be no tractors coming the other way!
"If I'm not looking out of the rear window, I think I can save it"
Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 7th January 21:43
Your comments as to how it should be done made me laugh, how what should be done, dangerous driving and potential death by reckless driving. Please go to a race track or take part in organised road rallies or something else. I fail to see how an "event" organised by you is different to Dazza and his Nova, what you are basically saying is I think I'm a better driver than Dazza and I know what I'm doing.
Join a motor club take part in proper MSA events, if you enjoy it take up rallies proper, stay safe and have fun. The buzz is still there and you can drive safe in the knowledge that you are covered by insurance and there will be no tractors coming the other way!
"If I'm not looking out of the rear window, I think I can save it"
Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 7th January 21:43
Spandexx why don't you do sprint races? What you have described is exactly what these races are. You can use your own car and only need an anti-roll bar and fire extinguisher. They are well organised and you don't get your collar felt.
In fairness to Spandex though there is a BIG difference between driving fast on country lanes/roads that you know and driving like a tw@t on highliy populated areas. The "cruise" boys tend to drive cars that are not designed for speed (a souped up xr2i with bake-bean can exhaust is not a sports car) in highly populated areas. I have a bunch of locals that often go racing up my road and there are kids next to the street! That is far, far more stupid than someone in a performance car giving it some on a nice sunny day on an unpopulated country road.
In fairness to Spandex though there is a BIG difference between driving fast on country lanes/roads that you know and driving like a tw@t on highliy populated areas. The "cruise" boys tend to drive cars that are not designed for speed (a souped up xr2i with bake-bean can exhaust is not a sports car) in highly populated areas. I have a bunch of locals that often go racing up my road and there are kids next to the street! That is far, far more stupid than someone in a performance car giving it some on a nice sunny day on an unpopulated country road.
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