Streetracing....why?

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

EVERY day I get a Honda or a crotchrocket (did I mention all and every Rustangs too) who wants to race...
First day its fun, but after 7 years of owning a Viper it gets old. Nowdays I tell them to come to Pocono and we can sort things out, other than that, I'll be smoking my cigar and they can play with other retards.

And yes, they call me names too, but I really dont give a SH7T. Its not worth it. (unless its at POCONO's, then all bets are off...)

True - every word. These days I tell them to meet me at Sebring. If they can beat me I'll pay their day, if they can't they pay my day. I even tell them to bring a neutral car and I'll just run four laps and they can have it the rest of the day. None of them ever take me up on it.

'Course if it's anybody I recognize from Sebring all bets are off.

 

[Madduc]

this wont be popular but i hate racing on a track. (1/4 mile) i think its for old people and ****. i have done it and dont like it. racing on the street is where cars were made to race. its more fun to ME doing highway pulls from 60-160 or from 60 till the other guy lets off. it shows who's willing to push harder and go faster.

street racing is way more fun !

when you can hit 160-175+ and hold that speed or more for a mile or so, THATS fun to ME.

on a 1/4 mile track my car can maybe go 140+ top speed ?.....thats not nearly fast enough for me.

BUT, i wont do this stuff in traffic and really like doing it late at night or early in the am when the roads are clear. not saying i haven't done stupid things before though...

Well it's popular with me. I have had several runs in Mexico and lived another day. Playing on the street does have risks involved but, regular everyday driving does too. 99 percent of my runs have been with other friend's so I feel 'safe' to play vs just some yahoo in his fart can'd honda. But I also like going to the track. But at my current time's I have been booted off until I get a cage so that limits going to the track.

 

[TAILWAG]

Nationally those are some meager numbers to support an anti-streetracing campaign. Drunk drivers kill 15,000 people annually and they don't even take their car away for drunk driving.

That said, the times they are a-changing and the bottom line is you're gonna lose your car if you street race so don't do it. You're much better off to just get drunk instead.
/sarc

Sarcasm aside, of all types of racing, street racing proves the least of any of them. So you got a car that can run 50mph to 150mph faster than another, it doesn't mean you have any skill. Drag racers know the skill is in the launch and road racers will laugh at you for bragging about a 150mph roll.

I am in no way, shape or form saying that street racing is good, however, for you to claim that skill does not play effect on a roll from 50-150 is non-sense. Yes, I road race one of my cars and I have never laught at anyone bragging from a 150 roll...especially when you have 2 cars that are evenly matched...driver plays a huge roll.

 

[Mopar Boy]

I think some of it is your age Chad. When I am out in my Viper( I am in my 20's as well), I get the same thing as you. Younger guys wanting to race. When dad is out in the Viper (he is in his 50's), few people even try.

For the older generation, street racing was just the way it as done when they were younger. Tracks as such did not exist to the same extent so they did it on the street. Granted, it was done maybe with a little more more commen sense than is done today, and there was also less traffic. So for those that are older, I can see why you all still preffer the street race. That was the way it was done. Go to a rural (key word!!) road ad race a 1/4 mile. In the 60's cars were also not as fast, nor did they go as high into the 100+ because the cars were not so stable or tight so they just did not do it as much.

For our generation though, I think movies like F&F have made it a thing of cool image to be/or be known as a street racer. Street racing today though is of a different kind. They prefer high speed multimile races, weaving in traffic, on city highways and it is done with less common sense on top of it all (pronounced less respect for others property and safety).

I think partially what helps street racing appeal to the youth is there is no track fee (regadless of how small it is), they do not have to leave their hometown to go to a track, for some the cars do not meet tech inspections if they did go (scarier still!!) and again, they are wanting LONG races, not 1/4 mile (and most have no clue they could even run at a road cource).

For me, I do not find the street race worth it. Here in Ontario if you get cought doing even 30 MPH over, you are charged under the criminal act, charged $10,000.00, and car is impounded and your licence revoked. Not to mention the danger that I would be putting other is. Just not worth it in my opinion. I have to much respect for others and their lives. Not to mention I would not want to injure myself, or potentially wreck the car that I saved for 10 years to purchase! Do I get alot of people wanting to try, yeah, every car show has the younger folks wanting to take on a Viper. Bottom line is, I know I am faster than 99% of the other cars anyways, why do I need to prove it??

Just my 2 cents.

Robert

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

I am in no way, shape or form saying that street racing is good, however, for you to claim that skill does not play effect on a roll from 50-150 is non-sense. Yes, I road race one of my cars and I have never laught at anyone bragging from a 150 roll...especially when you have 2 cars that are evenly matched...driver plays a huge roll.

Roll racing requires the least skill. No doubt about it. About the only skill required is shift points and since a lot of cars are going to paddles even that skill requirement is diminished.

 

[BAD68GTO]

If I promise not to street race and wear my windbreaker, can I get a lifetime VCA membership?


Streetracing is the BEST! 1320 runs are oh so BORING.....

2000 10Lb Roe SC GTS

 

[BOTTLEFED]

this wont be popular but i hate racing on a track. (1/4 mile) i think its for old people and ****. i have done it and dont like it. racing on the street is where cars were made to race. its more fun to ME doing highway pulls from 60-160 or from 60 till the other guy lets off. it shows who's willing to push harder and go faster.

street racing is way more fun !

when you can hit 160-175+ and hold that speed or more for a mile or so, THATS fun to ME.

on a 1/4 mile track my car can maybe go 140+ top speed ?.....thats not nearly fast enough for me.

BUT, i wont do this stuff in traffic and really like doing it late at night or early in the am when the roads are clear. not saying i haven't done stupid things before though...

I've got to agree with Phil on this one
Street racing is more of a rush than any other racing I've done (drag, road, autox). I do agree that its dangerous the way most kids do it. I almost died in a race when I was younger and I didn't street race for a long time.
The problems have already been discussed why you cannot always just take it to the track. The nearest drag strip is 150mi away and the nearest road track is over 175mi. from me. AutoX events happen twice a year in my city.

I also want to say to BobPantax, anyone can make statistic say what they want. We could turn those around to show that street racing is such an insignificant problem that its not worth the millions of taxpayer's $$ to pursue. The percentages, when broken down, would show that lawmakers have exaggerated the issue of street racing and its consequences. The reason is the voters, primarily the elderly, do not street race. Thus it is an easy strawman to attack for high motor vehicle deaths.
Street racing is such a minuscule part of traffic deaths, yet it is easy to scare old voters into believing their lives are in danger when kids race on the street. In fact I'll bet my Viper that more young people are injured by elderly drivers that should not have a driver's license than elderly people that are injured by street racing youth. Are lawmakers cracking down on dangerous elderly drivers, impounding their cars, sending them to prison, revoking their licenses? No. Please tell me Bob, why.

 

[BOTTLEFED]

Chad, to address your question...
If you don't want to street race, don't do it.
I don't like to gamble; it doesn't do anything for me. When I go to Vegas everyone asks how much I lost. I say none.
Gambling is illegal in most states and so is street racing. Just don't judge those that do it.
No one will ever win this debate, not today, not ever.

 

[Bobpantax]

Because slow driving elderly people rarely kill anyone and they are only exercising their lawful right to drive. The lack of enforcement against those who do not drive properly is definitely a problem. The kids I see "doing their thing" on the highway today do not care about anything or anybody.

My posts are primarily to apprise those who have not thought through the risks involved in street racing. There is an old rule that many live by: even if the risk of the causitive event is not that high, if the liklihood of severe injury is high if the event occurs, it is not worth engaging in the behavior.

There will always be those who insist on being Egyptian and living in a state of denial. Some of them do not live that long. Some of them learn what a wheel chair is about. Some of them learn what a prison cell feels like. Some of them live with the memory of causing a friend to live in a vegetative coma. And some live inside the illusion of everlasting luck and think that they are immortal and immune to unanticipated human and/or mechanical failure.

 

[99 R/T 10]

We are all going to die sooner or later. Old people driving/crashing probably kill more in a year than street racers do, so watch out for both while driving in the state of Florida

 

[Bobpantax]

Old people do not drive fast enough to constitute a significant problem for an alert driver. People on cell phones; however, are by far the most dangerous class of idiots on the road today.

 

[fastlane8]

I really want to race in Miami against old people that drive in the wrong direction,or people the drive while talking & texting on their phones.Then winner takes all against the drunk driver! The prize would be unprotected sex!

 

[dun4791]

Anyone driving a Viper that doesn't respond to a challenge on the street OR at a track should be cruising in a base Corvette. Then you could act like you don't even notice the Viper next to you at the stop light........

 

[fastlane8]

Anyone driving a Viper that doesn't respond to a challenge on the street OR at a track should be cruising in a base Corvette. Then you could act like you don't even notice the Viper next to you at the stop light........

I experience the stoplight thing all the time from the "grandpas" in vettes!!!

 

[Fatboy 18]

Well, you are probably more mature than your buddies. So, good for you. There are plenty of tracks to go and pump your chest in...but, the ocassional spirited runs on wide open spaces...well, there is just something cool about that...

Im with you on that one My thoughts too

 

[lankhoss]

I've got to agree with Phil on this one
Street racing is more of a rush than any other racing I've done (drag, road, autox). I do agree that its dangerous the way most kids do it. I almost died in a race when I was younger and I didn't street race for a long time.
The problems have already been discussed why you cannot always just take it to the track. The nearest drag strip is 150mi away and the nearest road track is over 175mi. from me. AutoX events happen twice a year in my city.

I also want to say to BobPantax, anyone can make statistic say what they want. We could turn those around to show that street racing is such an insignificant problem that its not worth the millions of taxpayer's $$ to pursue. The percentages, when broken down, would show that lawmakers have exaggerated the issue of street racing and its consequences. The reason is the voters, primarily the elderly, do not street race. Thus it is an easy strawman to attack for high motor vehicle deaths.
Street racing is such a minuscule part of traffic deaths, yet it is easy to scare old voters into believing their lives are in danger when kids race on the street. In fact I'll bet my Viper that more young people are injured by elderly drivers that should not have a driver's license than elderly people that are injured by street racing youth. Are lawmakers cracking down on dangerous elderly drivers, impounding their cars, sending them to prison, revoking their licenses? No. Please tell me Bob, why.

There are so many posts in this thread I agree with, but I chose this one as it had most of the points I wanted to make

Street racing is illegal, and there are dangers involved. I'd never try to convince someone to do it, or make them feel bad for not doing it. However, the dangers are way over-hyped. Most of the accidents and fatalities come from 1 of 2 things. Either there were REALLY STUPID people racing in an area with cross streets, driveways, pedestians, etc or someone died running from the cops. I agree with others in that I've raced at a drag strip and auto cross, and the best "rush" is on a highway. However, you should NEVER do these sorts of things with other cars around, nor in an area where it's POSSIBLE other vehicles or pedestrians could get in your path. It is beyond me why people would do that sorta thing.

I don't like the people like Chad is describing, who wanna do it for reputation or stature, either. If you are that competitive, then you should race at a track. If you have slicks and nitrous and have to use race gas, or whatever......why do you even drive that car on the street??? I think it is fun to get in a safe setting with some people I know, and just let it rip. I just simply find it fun, and not really all that competitive. I know there are risks involved, and I'm willing to deal with that. I'd rather do the things that excite me and have a risk of injury or death than live my life avoiding the things I enjoy because there are possible consequences.

Everyone dies, but not everyone truly lives. I think as long as you aren't in a position to hurt other innocent people, do what you want. At the same time, if others don't share your view on it....don't give them crap about it.

 

[RTTTTed]

"Street racing".

Fast and Furious is about going fast and sliding around corners for miles, in traffic? Never tried that but it seems a quick way to die.

Downtown streetracing? Read in the papers that a HONDA CIVIC was street racing and hit a cop dop at a red light at 140mph, downtown! Guy got home arrest for 6 months. It takes a Honda civec MILES to get to 140mph and downhill road. Honda Civic is NOT a race car. 140mph downtown traffic is not racing, it's suicide. Accident in newspaper says Mustang race car smashed into pedestrians kills two. Stock MustangGT is not a RACE car. These drivers are stupid and should all be put into jail until they grow up. Going fast in traffic, blowing through red lights, speeding excessively with pedestrians all around is a RETARD problem and shouldn't be considered "racing". It's hard for me to imagine finding two retards that would got fast downtown, to find a couple that would go 140mph they would have to import them into the country as I find it hard to believe people growing up here could be that stupid?

I street raced for 25 years, no accidents, no close calls, no traffic lights, no pedestrians, no tickets. Many small towns in Canada don't have race tracks although some have cop organized "Street Racing".

My Viper needs a LOT of room for fishtailing etc. up to 100mph and I don't expect to street race it, again. But, if everything was right .... There is a race track only 9 hours drive away from me - but I'd have to ruin my car with a 'funnycar cage' and thousands of dollars worth of unneccessary SFI equipment to rundownt the track. So track is not an option for a 9sec streetcar.

Ted

 

[V10SpeedLuvr]

To be clear, I was talking about the Fast and Furious style dragracing. Swerving in and out of traffic at night in busy areas. If you are in the middle of nowhere, I do believe thats safer. Maybe not safe, but definitely safeR. I've always been a believer if you want to do something stupid, just don't kill/hurt innocent people in the process. Whatever happens to you is what you deserve. Most drivers out there these days aren't smart enough to be able to handle driving in normal situations. You put them (unwillingly) in the middle of a streetrace, and you can almost expect a disaster. Even if you and the guy you're racing are both professional racers, that doesn't help if someone else on the road is busy on a cell phone, texting, yelling at their kids or are distracted in 1 of a billion other ways. When you're driving at streetracing speeds, not only do you have to be worried about YOUR every move, you have to worry about the guy your racing and the rest of the traffic on the road. Oh yeah, plus watch out for cops, who would love to pop a couple of streetracers. I'm sure streetracing does give a adrenaline rush, I just don't think the possible results are worth it. Go ask the guy who Nick Hogan basically killed in Tampa. Go ask all the people who have been killed streetracing (racers and innocent people). Go ask anyone who got caught and were lucky enough to avoid jailtime, but had to sell their car and start taking the bus because they couldn't afford their insurance rates anymore.

 

[plumcrazy]

good posts in this one....

hard to argue with bob and chuck on this as the stats and laws are what they are. id NEVER think less of someone for NOT street racing cause i know its illegal but please everyone stop looking down your noses at me for wanting and LOVING to street race. (not the F&F kind either)

but only going 140mph is very boring to me and the rush you get at 175+ is like nothing else...

 

[lankhoss]

good posts in this one....

hard to argue with bob and chuck on this as the stats and laws are what they are. id NEVER think less of someone for NOT street racing cause i know its illegal but please everyone stop looking down your noses at me for wanting and LOVING to street race. (not the F&F kind either)

but only going 140mph is very boring to me and the rush you get at 175+ is like nothing else...

My God I wish you lived near Atlanta

 

[kllymartin]

So is street racing from a "dig" or is it from a "roll" ?

 

[V10SpeedLuvr]

So is street racing from a "dig" or is it from a "roll" ?

I've seen idiots do it from a 45mph roll.....on interstate! They get on Interstate, line up (possibly taking up all lanes on interstate--depending on how many cars are racing), and slow down to 45mph, blow horn, take off. Picture a semitruck coming up at 70-80mph and going into the back of a Honda/Mustang/Corvette doing 45mph. Ummmm, ouch!

 

[BOTTLEFED]

I've seen idiots do it from a 45mph roll.....on interstate! They get on Interstate, line up (possibly taking up all lanes on interstate--depending on how many cars are racing), and slow down to 45mph, blow horn, take off. Picture a semitruck coming up at 70-80mph and going into the back of a Honda/Mustang/Corvette doing 45mph. Ummmm, ouch!

Yeah, kinda like those old people that drive 45mph on the freeway, huh?
I don't think any street racer has ever been rear ended by a semi truck

kllymartin, street racing is any racing/competitive driving on public roads, according to the law. The lines are very blurry and as you can see from these posts, there are many kinds of street racing.

 

[Warfang]

The VCA should start a "Nick Hogan" award for dumb@$$es that get bad results from street racing.

As long as you can afford the fines, the jailtime and the civil lawsuit that will send you and your family to the poorhouse (not to mention the guilt of injuring/killing someone)... race away! It's all a matter of risk and what your tolerance is for it. An empty stretch of freeway... you and another car test to see who has more thrust is much safer than weaving through downtown traffic. I have to say at least once a week... as long as it's an empty freeway, I get up to a hundred for a quick rush, but all I can afford is a speeding ticket. You guys are far richer than I am.

 

[BOTTLEFED]

Old people do not drive fast enough to constitute a significant problem for an alert driver. People on cell phones; however, are by far the most dangerous class of idiots on the road today.

Bob, I agree with you on the cell phone issue. It is currently the most significant issue in traffic accidents today.
Old people and street racing are very minor in comparison.
I think you stated the answer to all our traffic problems when you said this is not "a significant problem for an alert driver." If all drivers on the road were more alert, we could cut all accidents by more than 70%.

Then maybe street racing would move up on my list of concerns.

 

[V10SpeedLuvr]

Yeah, kinda like those old people that drive 45mph on the freeway, huh?
I don't think any street racer has ever been rear ended by a semi truck

kllymartin, street racing is any racing/competitive driving on public roads, according to the law. The lines are very blurry and as you can see from these posts, there are many kinds of street racing.

I never said just your normal idiot driving 45mph on interstate isn't dangerous. But that also doesn't make it safe just because streetracers are doing it instead. I do appreciate you spending your entire life watching all local newscasts and reading all newspapers and accident reports across America to know for sure the cause of every wreck on Interstate. Your wealth of knowledge is second to none

 

[BOTTLEFED]

The VCA should start a "Nick Hogan" award for dumb@$$es that get bad results from street racing.

I think it would be safe to say there would never be any Viper drivers on it.
First off, even if one of us were involved in a accident while street racing, no one would ever admit it.
And second, I like to think we as Viper owners are far more responsible and skilled, both in normal driving and racing, than your average driver.

 

[V10SpeedLuvr]

The VCA should start a "Nick Hogan" award for dumb@$$es that get bad results from street racing.

As long as you can afford the fines, the jailtime and the civil lawsuit that will send you and your family to the poorhouse (not to mention the guilt of injuring/killing someone)... race away! It's all a matter of risk and what your tolerance is for it. An empty stretch of freeway... you and another car test to see who has more thrust is much safer than weaving through downtown traffic. I have to say at least once a week... as long as it's an empty freeway, I get up to a hundred for a quick rush, but all I can afford is a speeding ticket. You guys are far richer than I am.

Agreed, to an extent. The empty freeway thing is fine by me. Keyword: empty. What bothers me is when you hurt or kill an innocent person. I don't give a damn how rich someone is if they kill a loved one of mine. A few years back, 2 idiots were racing and a friend's wife pulled out from a side street (I'm sure they thought they were on an empty road. The sidestreet wasn't). She got t-boned with their baby in the backseat. My friend said many times had he got there before the cops, he would've probably killed the guys racing. Can't say I blame him. Can't say I wouldn't have done the same thing if it had been my wife/baby.

 

[lankhoss]

I think people need to understand, too, that when talking about nearly ALL highway accidents, it's from something stupid. Be it while you are on your cell phone, not watching the road, whatever.

I believe the same goes for street racing. These accidents are from people doing stupid stuff. Like slowing down to 45mph on a 70mph interstate, weaving in and out of traffic, racing through intersections, or racing where there are pedestrians.

The thing is, just because someone "street races" doesn't mean they fall into the category of these other idiots that do INCREDIBLY dangerous stuff around innocent people.

 

[BOTTLEFED]

I never said just your normal idiot driving 45mph on interstate isn't dangerous. But that also doesn't make it safe just because streetracers are doing it instead. I do appreciate you spending your entire life watching all local newscasts and reading all newspapers and accident reports across America to know for sure the cause of every wreck on Interstate. Your wealth of knowledge is second to none

I did not imply that I knew it has never happened.
I wanted to inject the fact that many people drive slow on the freeway every day and don't get rear ended. The logic was severely flawed in your argument; try again.