Nick Ut / AP Posted on 06/20/2007 8:31:15 PM PDT by Ready4Freddy
Nick Ut / AP
Manuel Hernandez reacts after his car
and other impounded vehicles were crushed
at Ecology Auto Parts in Rialto, Calif., on Wednesday.
Southern California authorities crack down on illegal hot rods, street racing
RIALTO, Calif. - Charles Hoang winced when the whoosh went out of the tires. Daniel Maldonado took pictures with a digital camera as glass exploded and rained down to the ground.
The cars the teens had so meticulously souped up and tricked out were crushed Wednesday as part of a crackdown on illegal street racing in Southern California.
"That's my heart, my dream," said Hoang, 18, of Chino, who was surrounded by friends as his 1998 Acura Integra was put into a compactor. "That's my girlfriend, the love of my life. The cops can crush my car, but they can't crush my memories."
Authorities destroyed six vehicles Wednesday at an auto graveyard, hoping would-be racers think again after looking at the mashed machines. Illegal street racing is responsible for or suspected in 13 deaths in Southern California since March.
The thrill-seeking, adrenaline-pumping activity is rampant in Riverside and San Bernardino counties east of Los Angeles where rows of tract homes line wide streets that attract racers.
Nearly 1,000 people — drivers and spectators — have been arrested for investigation of street racing activities over the past two years in San Bernardino County alone. Police need a court order to destroy the cars. They must prove that the serial or identification numbers on a vehicle or its parts are removed, altered or destroyed.
Police said they have managed to reduce illegal racing and related fatal collisions, but know the underground hobby still thrives.
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
Are their carparts from stolen vehicles too? Do you also object to cars used in drug deals being confiscated?
Does that mean that they should lose their constitutional protections and fundamental rights?
Driving is a state licensed privilege.
The punishment should fit the crime. I am of the mind that stealing ones’ car and crushing it far exceeds the crime of drag racing. It used to be $150 and 4 points on the license, I believe.
It does it by being light so less energy is used going up hills and by having a low drag coefficient. The biggest source of rolling resistance at highway speed is the tires. BIG tires and fair amount of drag - also LOTS of tire noise at anything over 40 mph. Exhaust is barely audible until the doors open (at 3500rpm) (it also has pretty good engine control software)
Are their cars illegally modified with stolen parts? Did you read the whole article?
It does fit the crime. They were illegally modified with stolen parts. It's in the article at the link.
If this is so then the stolen parts should be removed AND RETURNED TO THE OWNERS or to the insurance company for resale if a settlement was paid. If it can be shown that the ricers knowing received stolen parts, then this is covered by "receiving stolen property" and is a crime all on its own for which they shoudl be convicted and punished under that statute.
Do you also object to cars used in drug deals being confiscated?
Absolutely. Most of the so-called drug deal confiscations are done in advance of any conviction and frequently done without anyone ever being convicted of anything. Same with cash confiscations. Most confiscations are just another way that the government has to grab money.
I had a 1978 280Z 2+2,sky blue. Loved that car! Bought it brand new and drove right off the show room floor. That car would Sh@t and git!!
So sayeth the government, but they also say that gun ownership is a privilege (Guiliani, Clinton, etc.). Basically according to the bureaucrats, they'd like to get you into their mindset that anything not mandatory is forbidden so we cann all be good little peasants and follow our masters' will without question.
They probably did that. But to let them keep the vehicles means that they'll just buy more chop shop parts to ILLEGALLY modify their cars again. Which means more stolen vehicles.
From the article: "It will never go away," Maldonado said. "If it's in your heart, you will continue to do it until you can't anymore."
Sound to you like the kid's going to quit? Did you read WHERE they race?
From the link: The thrill-seeking, adrenaline-pumping activity is rampant in Riverside and San Bernardino counties east of Los Angeles where rows of tract homes line wide streets that attract racers.
Innocent people die everywhere. So what? Life sucks, get a helmet.
This is an extremely bad law because now it gives police more authority to steal. If these people are criminals, put them in jail or fine them. Seizure of an automobile without a conviction by jury trial is grand theft auto under color of law.
You cannot have freedom without running into the freedom to be stupid. This isn't a site for nanny-staters.
Which these kids did, which is why the cars were confiscated and destroyed. That's why the court order was required, determining that the cars were full of stolen parts, as indicated by the altered serials. Due process was served.
You're missing the part where I mentioned the laws against "receiving stolen property" What this is doing is punishing an inanimate object. If the guys are knowingly receiving stolen property, then they should get some jail time. As far as that goes you're not thinking this through. As long as they are not jailed for their illegal activities (ie theft) then they're going to keep committing crimes - crush their car? steal another one. Crushing the cars is just stupid, when the actual criminals are guilty of other crimes. (if they really are guilty of crimes and this isn't just the bureaucrats softening us up for some more tyranny by demonizing an unpopular group first)
where rows of tract homes line wide streets that attract racers.
How about digging potholes in the streets? it makes just as little sense.
No, so sayeth the law. Driving is a privellege that can be revoked for breaking certain driving laws or otherwise becoming inelegible. Too many people look at the Government as trying to stomp on their right, when, as in the case of driving laws, they are providing for the safety of all on the road.
Sez who?
Driving a car build up out of stolen parts sure isn't a right. Nor is possessing it. Nor is getting it back after it is used in the commission of yet another felony.
You also have the right to bear arms. You don't have the right to steal the gun and discharge it on crowded public streets, then complain when the gun isn't returned to you by the cops.
Anyone want an ‘87 MR2 to trick out?
It is not punishing an inanimate object. It hits these guys in the pocketbook. They didn't steal the cars......they had stolen parts. Go to the link and actually read the article.
From the article:
Maldonado said he has taken the advice of police by racing legally on one of several race courses around Southern California. For the money spent in fines and other penalties — on average about $5,000 for illegally modified cars — Higbee said street racers could compete about 250 times a year at a legitimate track.
Zavala, who admits he has been involved in street racing, estimates he and his mother spent about $10,000 on improvements to his car.
Hoang said he was caught late last year racing his prized car, on which he spent at least $10,000 to get into top shape. The 350-horsepower engine topped out at 160 mph, Hoang said, swearing it could beat a Corvette or even a Ferrari.
Street race do ya?
Were the entire cars stolen? Or was it just some of the parts? If the entire vehicle was stolen it should be returned to the insurance company who made good on the original claim for salvage. Likewise stolen parts. Suppose they had a stolen gear shift know. Does this mean that the state has the right to steal their whole car or just take the shift knob? If you unknowingly purchase a stolen DVD player at a flea market does this mean that the state has the right to burn your house to the ground?
What is going on here is an expansion of state power starting with an unpopular group - No one likes ricers except ricers.
But this is how the state always expands its power - a little at a time. Remember seat belt laws? First it was only if you were stopped for something else, and now we have the odious "clickit or ticket" where the seat belt gestapo can pull you over for something like this. And along this line, should they be able to take your car for not having your seat belt on? I see a future where this is on the agenda and the useful idiots going "yes! you're endangering yourself, you don't deserve to have a car, etc."
It’s because Statism is king on FR. Sad, really. But not surprising.
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