This says it all...

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/01/22/str...ing/index.html

 

types of street racers out there. I have and will race on the street, but with the older boys my own age. The older crowd selects a wide secluded country road that is long and flat where you can see at least a mile in either direction. Then run races in an organized fashion when there is not oncoming vehicles "at all". One road we like has a dead end so the is no chance of anything coming at all, it just leads to an oil refinery. Then there is the young crowd. Raced these a couple times before the police cracked down but learned otherwise. Plain stupidity with most. They choose a road in an industrial area (common choice now in every major city) which has several businesses and side streets where a night shift worker could happen to pull out not knowing any different. And worst though, unlike my crowd that ends at the 1/4 mile mark, many youth appear to determine a winner by whoever lets of the gas last. I raced one that wouldn't give up until I let off so he could flash for th win. Sure the track is safer, but even here ours is closing down. With so many fast jdm cars coming in and dual income parents buying their teenagers cars it can only get worse yet.

 

I was visiting a friend in an upper class neighborhood in town where he pointed out all the cars that have recently appeared in driveways now that many of the kids on the street are turning 16-18. We are talking skylines, stealths, turbo this and that and in the grips of very young drivers. My first car was a 72 toyota corolla, people need to learn gradually. Put an 18 year old behind the wheel of a 240 hp right hand drive import and introduce him to the street racing crowd and disaster is so much more likely to happen. My youngest kid is 22 now. I started him with a Nissan Micra, then a Dodge K car before he finally bought himself a mustang. Not one accident, he turned out to be a very responsible driver (well, to my knowledge anyway).

 

ya me, im 17 and i drive a 1989 toyota tercel, no accidents and one ticket which was driving withouth headlights(like a dumbass) but all these guys that streetrace nowadays are stupid. i mean if i really want to race somebody, i would drive 20miles to an empty *** road

 

Exactly, there are ways and places to play safe.......I went to lethbridge for their annual car cruise event. Cops were ticketing left and right, one I spoke with said if anyone went out to race just a couple miles out of town they don't even look. However, with spectators lining the streets for the event they were right on top on anyone on the main streets. Seemed fair to me.

 

if the city provided a 2 lane dead end road 1 mile long specifically for the purpose of a contest of speed, there would be a lot less accidents. most people wont spend the 25-50 dollars to gain entrance to a drag strip just to run down the strip 2 or 3 times.

just the other day i was wanting to do a little spirited driving but had nowhere to do it. no track, no "safe" country roads, so i was *** out. kinda makes me wonder if i need to get rid of the 7 if i cant drive it the way its meant to be driven. just my 2 cents

 

About two years ago I went for a talk through the woods and paths near our suburban home. I came up to police flashers at the edge of the woods. Some jackass in a Honda was racing another jackass Honda on the road (which, at the very end of urban expansion past suburbia, become dirts roads). Apparently, he hit some potholes, got it airborne, and put it in the woods and wedged it into the trees about 10 feet off the ground.

That's why you race where it's safe. Keeps you from killing yourself, you friends and loved ones, and other innocent people who are victimized because you are not responsible enough to use your high performance vehicle with responsibility.

 

Well I posted this article to shine the light to others like it shined on me when my father came into my bedroom at 11:00 last night and told me he was not leaving until I was DONE reading it.

When I was 15 1/2 I got my SC drivers license. I am not just 6 months shy of 18 and have had 2 finderbenders, 2 ran stop signs, and a speeding ticket.

None of these have been in my 7. I have been racing on the street since the day I got my permit and never thought twice about it. I've been known as "the best teen driver" from just about everyone I know b/c my parents ride motorcycles EVERYWHERE and very often they go on long trips and like to have an "emergency vehicle,"aka me and my 7. I would say I have about 50k miles under my belt, but when I read this article I knew that 50k was not enough.

My father and I have been tlaking about getting me into autocross. He did it back in the 90's and thought I would really injoy it. I will no longer race on the street b/c I went to an autocross meet of rthe 1st time and knew it wasent worth it out there b/c no1 recognizes you for it, but in SCCA you get actual trophies!!

 

All the more reason to keep it on the track or pick an appropriate road. If the road is rough or ends on a dirt road, than "NO".

 

See...this is my EXACT stand on this so called "epidemic." If these kids had a LEGAL place to go then a pretty good percentage of accidents would go down. Right now there is NO WHERE for anyone to go in So Cal...now if they open Brotherhood in Terminal Island that used to be the place to go. Its stupid. They have a huge problem and they are not even considering the easiest solution for the problem. The county owns tons of property near the airport. It could be given to the parks and rec division. Just like a basketball league or after school programs they should have Thurs and Sun or someday combo of grudge racing and some drifting if peeps wants. Very simple...you sign a wavier..so you cannot do anything if you get hurt or thrash your car. Run what you brung.

also...this so called "problem" is because you have younger stupid kids driving MAJOR POWERED CARS. Street racing has been going since cars were manufactured. Remember James Dean? Hot rods from the 50s etc. People ALWAYS raced their cars...but within the last 10 years cars and modifications have grown by leaps and bounds. So you get a 16 y/o with barely 6 months of driving in a 300+HP WRX or EVO and you get accidents.

I am no old geezer but back when I was younger and dumber, headers and a intake on my RX7 meant A LOT! you were lucky to run a 14 1/4 mile....man I have time slips from my RX2 that had a 6 port with a mikuni side draft running 16s at palmdale! come on now...a STOCK civic Si or any of these entry level cars would SMOKE me...so yeah...this racing epidemic is hype. I will get off my soapbox now.

 

I would rather race on the track anyday as if something goes wrong the safty crew is allready one the move before I stop..

Dan

 

Another great thing about autocross and other racing events is that if you do just 2 events per year (doesn't matter if you win or not), you can join Mazda Motorsports and get parts for your 7 at the price dealers pay. It can save a ton of money when it comes rebuild time.

http://www.mazdamotorsports.com/pages/membership.html

 

I used to streetrace in a honda prelude...and I know for a fact that i did alot of stupid *** ****. Freeway driving more specifically was the stupidest thing i used to do. And I almost hurt alot of people including myself.

During the last few weeks of owning the car, i found a style of driving I loved; downhill. Here where I live there are a few secluded back roads within 15-45 minutes away that are perfect for driving, and have very little traffic.

The other night was the first night I took my rx out to see how it handled and I am very impressed. A 45 minute drive(at 14 miles per gallon) and the car handled wonderfully and I only saw three people total.

There are ways to race without the worry about injuring innocent people. But Kids today are too lazy to consider driving to a different part of town, or out of town all together. Ive made a challenge or two to do downhill but nobody wants to drive that far.

in the end, you act stupid, and stupid things happen. mistakes are made that can cost people their life. If kids today were to just realize that they can do it either on a track, or at a safe place somewhere else in town, then a lot less accidents like the one that happened yesterday here in san diego wouldn't happen. A mustang and a GTO were racing and the mustang went off the road into a building. Just Stupid.

 

I agree with the majority of things being said; I have dented and torn the fender off my 7 just because of my lack of driving experience in hazardous situations (i.e sliding out and such) and can only imagine some 16 year old who thinks he knows how to race his brand new EVO X.

But I also think that beginning drivers should be required to take hazardous driving courses or racing courses to learn how to control their vehicles.

Also, for me to go the local racetrack is expensive and though I am not going to be racing anytime soon, I would like to road race when i have built up my skill and car some. I would love to have some empty freeway out in the middle of nowhere or some cool little race park to take my car, it would be so much more appealing that this idea of racing a bunch of guys on crowded streets with the possibility of injuring me or others; most importantly hurting the 7 anymore than I have already.

I mean its all fun in the Need for Speed games and the Midnight tuning arcade games... as for real life? It takes on panaicing driver or one ******* to cut you off when you're doing 120+ to total you and your car...

What this country needs is a resurgence of cheap or free areas for people who enjoy their cars to legally and safely without putting any other drivers but the racers themselves at risk.

 

The biggest hing is the power some of the youth have under foot these days. I'm 45, but when i was 18 a 16 second car felt fast, and a 14 second car was king of the street. Now you need a 14 second car just to be average. The kids will shoot me, but i think the gov't needs a graduated licensing program with restrictions on what people can drive the first couple of years regardless of age.

 

this is one part of the real answer, the other is the releasing of city property to use as a recreational area with the necessary safety measures in place.

kenn

 

Help me out guys. Remember this kind of topic is for the non-technical section, that is what I went to bat for to get that section. :-)

 

Agreed

 

I hear ya! And coming from a "teen" I agree. But I can honestly tell you that no teen doesnt know a way around that.


For instance...I pay around $100 a month for my insurance, but when I put a camden on my 7, my insurance doesn't go up a penny. Kno y? B/c I don't tell my insurance that I have a supercharer, but If they were to find out, my rate would be out the roof.

Another ex: When I was looking for my 1st car I wanted a Mitsubishi 3000GT, but I was told I could not have anyhting that was a "GT or SS," Without paying over $200 a month. So what did I do? I went and got me a 1984 Mazda Rx7 GS and I am probably faster than many cars that r GTs or SSs.(with the help of some RB mods)-That my insurance is unaware of-

The only problem wiht this is if I wreck, I recieve the depreciated value of my car WITHOUT MY MODS...But I'll just pray they will be ok!

I am glad people are taking part to this article!!

 

There is an actual CNN video of this. It was like WOA!! Because the reporter interviewed a racer who currently drives a Honda Civic... but the reporter later states that the racer originally started with a Mazda Rx7. Again, I was like WOA!!

 

No, problem is if you wreck your insurance provider may not cover you when/if they discover the mods. I have a good rate but i know my insurance carrier does not permit any performance modifications. And, they refuse to provide collision coverage on any rhd japanese imports.