Street racers’ souped-up cars crushed

AP via MSNBC ^ | 6/20/2007

[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.

[Names Ash Housewares]

This burns these people most in the few things they actually care about in life.

let them burn.

[Names Ash Housewares]

The answer is obvious to that.

[coydog]

I got the impression that Snot Rod (the ‘cuda) was kind of a nerd who wanted to hang out with the cool crowd.

Yeah, I’m a serious CARS fan, right down to being co-admin on a fan board.

[OKIEDOC]

As I understand this story, these cars had their identifying numbers removed on purpose.

Why would people remove identifying numbers unless the parts and or cars were stolen.

Living here on the border a stolen car is very rarely recovered.

Yet once a car is stolen the parts come back across the border to black market sellers.

Not long ago the local Cinema parking lot had five cars (SUV’s) stolen in just a few short minutes in the afternoon.

Illegals doing stealing jobs that some Americans will not do.

[from occupied ga]

This burns these people most in the few things they actually care about in life.

They actually care about not being in jail too, stealing cars and receiving stolen goods can get you a vacation in the graybar hotel. Dealing drugs - the same. I'm not against punishing them with the statutes already on the books. I'm against the wanton confiscation and destruction of property.

[DJ MacWoW]

accusing me of a crime (ie street racing) because I disagree with your viewpoint is. I notice you didn't much like it when the shoe went on the other foot and ran crying to the mods.

Get a grip.

[Lurking in Kansas]

The answer is obvious to that.

LOL. Sorry I’m so dense. Why don’t you explain it to me.

[Names Ash Housewares]

See post 181

[from occupied ga]

Get a grip.

whatever.

[Names Ash Housewares]

I support this strongly because it sends a huge message to the rest of these urban *terrorists*.

They use these vehicles to terrorize the rest of us on the road.

I am a pilot, I have and had high performance vehicles.
Risk management is part of my life and I do not scare easily. So I am no old lady shaking my fist at those youngsters ok?

These people are road terrorists.

You guys have to realize the old ways do not work.

It keeps happening.

This really kicks them in the balls.

[Professional Engineer]

Somebody must have called these guys. {click}

[-YYZ-]

“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.”

So charge them with receiving stolen goods and, when you get a conviction, confiscate their cars as proceeds of crime, while they’re in jail. Or maybe you just think that the asset forfeiture laws are A-OK.

[Old Professer]

Don’t park your Yugo on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, then.

[BearCub]

Mustang with the illegal engine swap

What is an "illegal egine swap"? I can put whatever engine I want to in my car. As long as it passes the emissions inspection there's not a damn thing anyone can do about it.

[-YYZ-]

“They are CRIMINALS folks.”

Then the criminal charges and convictions should be forthcoming, right? Or do you, or the cops, or whoever, get to decide who’s a criminal based on your feelings about how they look and what they drive?

[Names Ash Housewares]

see post 190

[BearCub]

No, you shouldn’t feel sad for these kids, throw the book at them. What you should feel is that this is another getting the foot into the door move like they have done with tobacco, to deny property rights to people

Perhaps a more appropriate punishment would be to put the car 'in jail' for a number of years. Take the car away and impound it for a set amount of time, during which the kid might grow up a bit. After paying reasonable storage fees, he could get the car back.

[Old Professer]

The bubblegum crowd.

[Old Professer]

I doubt the police snatched the car off the street and impounded it while it was traveling at 60mph+...

[-YYZ-]

Yes, that’s exactly the kind of thinking that brought you the asset forfeiture laws in the first place.

I’m glad I live in Canada where you still have to be convicted of a crime before your assets can be seized as proceeds of crime. Although, they are trying to do something similar to this in Toronto - and I don’t like it here, either, and I doubt if it will stand up to a court challenge.