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 ...
Some of the smaller front-wheel drive cars have a visible tranny. I've never looked under the hood of an Acura.
but I don’t like government deciding confiscating personal property and destroying it “to teach someone a lesson”
It's not to "teach them a lesson". It's called punishment.
Center for Problem Oriented Policing- Street racing
The City of San Diego was among the first to pass a vehicle forfeiture ordinance, in 2003. A vehicle will be declared a nuisance and permanently seized if it was used in a race or exhibition of speed and the driver has a prior conviction for certain serious driving offenses (such as reckless driving or evading officers)
Yep. It is friggin nuts out there.
These people will get little sympathy thats for sure.
Hate to tell you, but I was a Tech Inspector in the Army and did helicopter crash investigations. I’ve been in the automotive trade for over 40 years, except for the 8 I was in the Army.
In the stupidity of my own youth, I too did some street dragging which resulted in an accident, although no major injuries.
I understand your analogy of the gun, but why stop there? Why not confiscate and destroy the vehicles of all who may engage in some act in a car that has resulted in deaths or injuries? Why only Street Racers? More deaths are caused on our highways each year due to several other behaviors and wrongs.
It amazes me that so many wish to punish the vehicle more than the idiot driver.
You still miss the point, though. Once you allow them to get their foot in the door on stuff like this, they don’t stop. It just keeps expanding until none of us have any rights at all.
It's not to "teach them a lesson". It's called punishment.
Again, from the article, "Authorities destroyed six vehicles Wednesday at an auto graveyard, hoping would-be racers think again after looking at the mashed machines.
Hmmm. Looks like "teaching a lesson," to me.
But, why punish a machine? Why not the driver?
And still, where does confiscation and destruction of personal property stop, once allowed by other citizens?
I agree with you to an extent. Personally, I’d be fine with increasing their insurance rates 10,000 percent after being convicted of street racing and 6 weeks community service at the local coroners office.
So is ANY punishment meted out to lawbreakers. Even Mom said "Knock it off or you'll get it too!".
But, why punish a machine? Why not the driver?
Holy smokes what pap. *sigh* The machines were illegal. The drivers suffered their loss due to illegal activity. It sounds like the drivers were punished to me. CARS are inanimate.
Did you even READ what I posted from the link in 261?
The City of San Diego was among the first to pass a vehicle forfeiture ordinance, in 2003. A vehicle will be declared a nuisance and permanently seized if it was used in a race or exhibition of speed and the driver has a prior conviction for certain serious driving offenses (such as reckless driving or evading officers)
And, I have no problem with that approach either.
I had a 69 Camaro with a 454.”
Which you used to engage in illegal activity and probably endangered some lives in the process.
It amazes me to see so many ardently opposed to emminent domain, yet approve of taking someone’s vehicle, also privately owned property, and destroying it.”
A lot on FR are faking it.We probably have “Freepers” from every law agency in existence.
These folks love big government when it serves their own desires.
San Diego and Rialto aren't the only ones doing it. It still doesn't make it right for government to just confiscate personal property.
What stops the punks from just getting another vehicle and doing it all over again, but trying harder to evade Police?
Does it escape you that a driver sitting in jail will not be racing up and down the street? But, a crushed car can be replaced in a very short time.
Since so many feel this confiscation program works so well, I await any ones assessment of just what else should be forfeited and destroyed to “punish” a wrong doer.
Yep.
Me, John Milner and Toad took em all on.
you outta be a writer.......you tell it visually in a sentence
scream it from the roof top brother. Loud and pound your chest too.
I’m 51 and before the chain auto parts stores when the best mom and pops store were the norm, if you wanted a carb trick, valves,heads or trick gearing in the tranny it went through us.Local auto parts stores. You better know your stuff and the parts counter guy better know his stuff.
We did. Way later was the manifold , exhaust, machine shop speciality hot rod stuff warehoused ,much less sold retail, locally.
And that was a long time til that speciality thing happened too.
did’nt fund themselves long either btw.
Lastly, market wise via the professional ( NASCAR ) and the drive one home retailer home owner ( GM , FORD , TOYOTA (( sucks )) etc etc etc et al etc.........
R - E - A - R - W - h - e - e - l - D - r - i - v -e
rules
Ut shot that photo in June 1972, when he was a local stringer for the AP in Vietnam. It won him a Pulitzer. After he got the shot, he pulled the girl, Kim Phuc, into his jeep and took her to a US field hospital where surgeons saved her life. She is scarred, but healthy, and married with children. She lives in Vancouver. Ut lives in LA. They stay in touch.
So why is a guy who shot one of the most famous war photos in history shooting a car crushing? Because when you've worked for the same agency for 30-odd years, when you're the stud of the LA bureau, you're entitled to pick the fun and easy gigs. War photography is a young man's game. I'm guessing Ut gets the first pick of LA assignments; he shoots a lot of Laker games.
It's not really relevant to street racing, but I thought it was an interesting story bout an interesting guy.
If the AP photographer, Nick Ut, has a familiar-sounding name, it's because of this:
Oh they probably will but they have to start all over again. It takes time money and effort. Even if they bought another car the day after theirs was crushed, it will be awhile before they race again. $10,000 these guys said they put in their cars. Will they risk it again? Maybe not.
Does it escape you that a driver sitting in jail will not be racing up and down the street? But, a crushed car can be replaced in a very short time.
They won't sit in jail very long because of overcrowding. And when they get out, there's their illegally modified, stolen parts, street racing rod sitting there all ready to go. Unless you make them start from scratch.
And did you miss the part about PRIOR CONVICTIONS? Jail and/or fines didn't work before. What I posted to you said cars can only be seized if there are PRIOR CONVICTIONS.
Since so many feel this confiscation program works so well, I await any ones assessment of just what else should be forfeited and destroyed to “punish” a wrong doer.
Sorry but driving is not a Constitutional right. Neither is street racing. You sound like a d*mn lib weeping over crushed illegal cars. I can just hear a DUer "WHY crush the CAAAAAARS?"
That comes under the category of grab ass in a likely unmodified (for speed anyhow) car.
You know where you shove your d*mn lib comment, don't you?
To me, ones advocating confiscation of personal property by big government are more like d*mn libs.
Now, since you ignored it, why not enlighten us all into what else should fall under this great program you advocate? Surely someone as outspoken and enlightened as you could think of dozens of ways big government can make our lives better by expanding this program.
I'm 50 now and, good Lord, what I wouldn't give to have that car back again...
Such a sweet ride. Too bad I was too young to know it.
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