Article in Wheels about the new Racing Law
Article in Wheels about the new Racing Law
Article that Jim Kenzie wrote about the new Street Racing law:
http://www.wheels.ca/Columnists/article/248098
Just a slight nudge above 150 km/h and Jim Kenzie joins Fantino's Most Wanted List
Jim Kenzie
Special to the Star
May 24, 2008
I am now officially a "street racer."
I went up to Dave & Buster's in Vaughan, near Highways 7 and 400. I confronted the young kids in their slammed Civics and tarted up STis, and said, "Okay, dudes, who's got a pink slip they want to put up? I got a four-year-old diesel-powered automatic transmission Volkswagen Jetta station wagon, and this silver-haired old man is ready to take on any of you. Anyone got the guts?
"That Natalie Wood look-alike can drop the hanky for me; that Christina Aguilera look-alike can drop the hanky for you."
Well, it didn't happen exactly like that.
I was cruising along with the flow of traffic on the 401 at just under 140 km/h. I thought about the recent furor generated by OPP Commissioner Julian Fantino, that anyone doing 50 over the limit is automatically a street racer, and wondered what it would be like to be a Bad Boy.
So I nudged the accelerator just a titch, and barely saw 150 on the clock.
Wow! I'm a street racer!
In a Volkswagen. Jetta. Station wagon. Diesel. Automatic.
It was so much fun that a few weeks later I tried it again, this time in a 70-hp three cylinder sub-1.0 L Smart car. Okay, so it does have a Ferrari-style Formula One paddle shifter.
And seconds after I backed off from this lofty speed, an OPP paddy wagon went flying by me – no emergency lights – as if I were painted on the pavement.
C'mon, Julian. Get a grip. You can't even convince your own employees to buy into this nonsense.
And I read recently that a cop from another jurisdiction stopped a cop in a marked cruiser, who was allegedly driving more than 50 km over the limit. So much for that "we're-all-in-this-together" theory.
We build highways that are capable of these speeds. We have cars that are capable of these speeds. There is considerable doubt we have drivers that are capable of these speeds, but until or unless you choose to do something about that, you can't keep trying to be King Canute, driving back the tides, trying to keep us from driving at these speeds.
Ontario drivers are voting with their right feet, every single day.
You are proud of the fact that Ontario has the safest highways in North America. Fair enough. And there's no doubt that we shouldn't ever be satisfied, and seek to be even better.
But this little speed vendetta of yours is a complete and utter waste of time, and of scarce police resources.
According to a recent story in the Toronto Star, as of last weekend 5,000 vehicles had been impounded by your new edict, their owners subject to massive financial penalties that will continue to accrue due to raised insurance premiums.
Has it had any effect whatsoever?
Recently, your minions stated that speed-related fatalities have been reduced by 41 per cent from last year, hinting, if not directly claiming, that the street racer law is responsible for this dramatic decrease.
Just as similar claims made to support photo radar 12 years ago proved spurious, this one stinks of statistical skulduggery too.
First, every car crash is "speed-related" to one degree or another. If nobody is moving, i.e. there is no speed, then there are no crashes – unless a stationary car falls off a bridge.
Second, a change of this magnitude to a "mature" statistic like this clearly cannot be attributed to any single intervention, and surely is an anomaly. If there is any joke about statistics, it's that two points make a straight line, three points make a trend. You barely have two points here.
Third, the police seem to still be catching "street racers" in undiminished numbers, which suggests that this intervention is not in fact slowing down many people; anyone with eyes can see the same thing on any stretch of controlled-access highway in this province.
So even if 41 per cent is a robust number, wouldn't we notice a simultaneous decrease in the number of street-racer arrests, and in average speed on the highways?
Not to mention that this procedure flies in the face of a thousand years of British common law jurisprudence, turning the cop into the judge, jury and executioner. The punishment is meted out with the alleged perpetrator never having a minute in court, let alone his day.
(By the way, if this sort of thing turns your crank, there's a petition on this very issue on the web at: petitiononline.com/civil013/.)
Ontario's good traffic safety record has been there for a long time, far longer than this recent endeavour, far longer than you, Mr. Commissioner, have even been in office, so claiming any credit for it at all is fatuous.
Ironically, these speed racer stats were also quoted in a recent Star report of a Victoria Day holiday tragedy where three young women died going approximately zero km/h, after doing a U-turn on a country road. Two apparently weren't wearing their seatbelts, a disturbing sign, but when you get T-boned by a transport truck, seatbelts aren't likely to help.
Here's my bet as to why Ontario has such good overall safety numbers: most such statistics are based on deaths-per-so-many-vehicle-kilometres travelled. It is well known that controlled-access highways are by far our safest roads, because the opportunities for T-bone or head-on crashes – by far the most dangerous type of car crash – are virtually eliminated.
How ironic, again, that highways are also by far our fastest roads.
And I'm guessing that Ontario has a higher percentage of traffic travelling on highways – 401 et al. – than just about anywhere.
Hence, better overall safety numbers. Just a guess.
Not that I am trying to make light of street racing. Okay, I am, but I am not condoning it. Sure, it is an issue, but statistically it is a very small issue.
And automatically slapping that label on anyone who goes 50 over the artificially low speed limit (20 over what I think should be the real limit) isn't going to help.
If you want to do something intelligent about speed on our highways, try following the lead of other jurisdictions that have done it successfully.
The key? Set a realistic speed limit, one that the driving public will buy into, and enforce it consistently.
Most Ontario highways can easily handle 130 km/h. They do, for hundreds of thousands of cars, every day.
So make that the limit, make sure we all know it, and apply the needed enforcement.
Geez, if they can make it work in France – and they have – why won't it work here? Surely it's worth a try.
Oh yeah, it wouldn't hurt if we could do something about our lane discipline too.
Imagine, roads that are faster, more efficient and safer!
Dare to dream, Julian. Dare to dream.
Wheels' chief auto correspondent Jim Kenzie can be reached at jim@jimkenzie.com
Toronto Star
http://www.wheels.ca/Columnists/article/248098
Just a slight nudge above 150 km/h and Jim Kenzie joins Fantino's Most Wanted List
Jim Kenzie
Special to the Star
May 24, 2008
I am now officially a "street racer."
I went up to Dave & Buster's in Vaughan, near Highways 7 and 400. I confronted the young kids in their slammed Civics and tarted up STis, and said, "Okay, dudes, who's got a pink slip they want to put up? I got a four-year-old diesel-powered automatic transmission Volkswagen Jetta station wagon, and this silver-haired old man is ready to take on any of you. Anyone got the guts?
"That Natalie Wood look-alike can drop the hanky for me; that Christina Aguilera look-alike can drop the hanky for you."
Well, it didn't happen exactly like that.
I was cruising along with the flow of traffic on the 401 at just under 140 km/h. I thought about the recent furor generated by OPP Commissioner Julian Fantino, that anyone doing 50 over the limit is automatically a street racer, and wondered what it would be like to be a Bad Boy.
So I nudged the accelerator just a titch, and barely saw 150 on the clock.
Wow! I'm a street racer!
In a Volkswagen. Jetta. Station wagon. Diesel. Automatic.
It was so much fun that a few weeks later I tried it again, this time in a 70-hp three cylinder sub-1.0 L Smart car. Okay, so it does have a Ferrari-style Formula One paddle shifter.
And seconds after I backed off from this lofty speed, an OPP paddy wagon went flying by me – no emergency lights – as if I were painted on the pavement.
C'mon, Julian. Get a grip. You can't even convince your own employees to buy into this nonsense.
And I read recently that a cop from another jurisdiction stopped a cop in a marked cruiser, who was allegedly driving more than 50 km over the limit. So much for that "we're-all-in-this-together" theory.
We build highways that are capable of these speeds. We have cars that are capable of these speeds. There is considerable doubt we have drivers that are capable of these speeds, but until or unless you choose to do something about that, you can't keep trying to be King Canute, driving back the tides, trying to keep us from driving at these speeds.
Ontario drivers are voting with their right feet, every single day.
You are proud of the fact that Ontario has the safest highways in North America. Fair enough. And there's no doubt that we shouldn't ever be satisfied, and seek to be even better.
But this little speed vendetta of yours is a complete and utter waste of time, and of scarce police resources.
According to a recent story in the Toronto Star, as of last weekend 5,000 vehicles had been impounded by your new edict, their owners subject to massive financial penalties that will continue to accrue due to raised insurance premiums.
Has it had any effect whatsoever?
Recently, your minions stated that speed-related fatalities have been reduced by 41 per cent from last year, hinting, if not directly claiming, that the street racer law is responsible for this dramatic decrease.
Just as similar claims made to support photo radar 12 years ago proved spurious, this one stinks of statistical skulduggery too.
First, every car crash is "speed-related" to one degree or another. If nobody is moving, i.e. there is no speed, then there are no crashes – unless a stationary car falls off a bridge.
Second, a change of this magnitude to a "mature" statistic like this clearly cannot be attributed to any single intervention, and surely is an anomaly. If there is any joke about statistics, it's that two points make a straight line, three points make a trend. You barely have two points here.
Third, the police seem to still be catching "street racers" in undiminished numbers, which suggests that this intervention is not in fact slowing down many people; anyone with eyes can see the same thing on any stretch of controlled-access highway in this province.
So even if 41 per cent is a robust number, wouldn't we notice a simultaneous decrease in the number of street-racer arrests, and in average speed on the highways?
Not to mention that this procedure flies in the face of a thousand years of British common law jurisprudence, turning the cop into the judge, jury and executioner. The punishment is meted out with the alleged perpetrator never having a minute in court, let alone his day.
(By the way, if this sort of thing turns your crank, there's a petition on this very issue on the web at: petitiononline.com/civil013/.)
Ontario's good traffic safety record has been there for a long time, far longer than this recent endeavour, far longer than you, Mr. Commissioner, have even been in office, so claiming any credit for it at all is fatuous.
Ironically, these speed racer stats were also quoted in a recent Star report of a Victoria Day holiday tragedy where three young women died going approximately zero km/h, after doing a U-turn on a country road. Two apparently weren't wearing their seatbelts, a disturbing sign, but when you get T-boned by a transport truck, seatbelts aren't likely to help.
Here's my bet as to why Ontario has such good overall safety numbers: most such statistics are based on deaths-per-so-many-vehicle-kilometres travelled. It is well known that controlled-access highways are by far our safest roads, because the opportunities for T-bone or head-on crashes – by far the most dangerous type of car crash – are virtually eliminated.
How ironic, again, that highways are also by far our fastest roads.
And I'm guessing that Ontario has a higher percentage of traffic travelling on highways – 401 et al. – than just about anywhere.
Hence, better overall safety numbers. Just a guess.
Not that I am trying to make light of street racing. Okay, I am, but I am not condoning it. Sure, it is an issue, but statistically it is a very small issue.
And automatically slapping that label on anyone who goes 50 over the artificially low speed limit (20 over what I think should be the real limit) isn't going to help.
If you want to do something intelligent about speed on our highways, try following the lead of other jurisdictions that have done it successfully.
The key? Set a realistic speed limit, one that the driving public will buy into, and enforce it consistently.
Most Ontario highways can easily handle 130 km/h. They do, for hundreds of thousands of cars, every day.
So make that the limit, make sure we all know it, and apply the needed enforcement.
Geez, if they can make it work in France – and they have – why won't it work here? Surely it's worth a try.
Oh yeah, it wouldn't hurt if we could do something about our lane discipline too.
Imagine, roads that are faster, more efficient and safer!
Dare to dream, Julian. Dare to dream.
Wheels' chief auto correspondent Jim Kenzie can be reached at jim@jimkenzie.com
Toronto Star
And here is Julian Fatino's reply!
http://www.wheels.ca/newsFeatures/article/250631
Wheels readers respond with outrage – both for and against Jim Kenzie's opinion
May 31, 2008
Hey, look at me! I'm a street racer!
Jim Kenzie, May 24
Jim Kenzie's article is irresponsible, ill-timed and irrational, especially coming from a writer who considers himself Canada's top automotive journalist.
His actions, and subsequent bragging in print, diminish the good work being done by OPP officers – and their municipal colleagues – province-wide.
Last year, 451 people died on highways within OPP jurisdiction, almost half of them because of speed, drinking and driving and not buckling up.
That's totally unacceptable to me and my officers and should be unacceptable to every Ontario motorist, including Mr. Kenzie.
The Star, by running the article, is not only promoting excessive speed on our highways, it is sending a message to others that it is acceptable to break the law and put oneself and other motorists at risk.
The fact that Mr. Kenzie has extensive experience in testing cars at high speeds on closed tracks world-wide doesn't give him the right to flaunt the rules of the road here in Ontario.
I wonder what reaction he'd have received from those who lent him the Volkswagen Jetta and Mercedes-Benz Smart car if he'd had to call them to let them know the vehicle he was driving was in a police impound yard and would be unavailable for media test drives for the next seven days.
There is no need and certainly no excuse for driving more than 50 kilometres over the posted speed limit.
I would remind Mr. Kenzie and Wheels editors that the OPP doesn't set the speed limits – we just enforce them!
I invite Mr. Kenzie and other writers of the Wheels sections who do not support the "street racing" legislation to accompany my officers the next time they have to knock on someone's door and tell them their father, mother, son and daughter won't be coming home.
The Ontario Provincial Police will continue its efforts to make this province's highways the safest anywhere, one irresponsible driver at a time.
Julian Fantino, Commissioner, Ontario Provincial Police
Wheels readers respond with outrage – both for and against Jim Kenzie's opinion
May 31, 2008
Hey, look at me! I'm a street racer!
Jim Kenzie, May 24
Jim Kenzie's article is irresponsible, ill-timed and irrational, especially coming from a writer who considers himself Canada's top automotive journalist.
His actions, and subsequent bragging in print, diminish the good work being done by OPP officers – and their municipal colleagues – province-wide.
Last year, 451 people died on highways within OPP jurisdiction, almost half of them because of speed, drinking and driving and not buckling up.
That's totally unacceptable to me and my officers and should be unacceptable to every Ontario motorist, including Mr. Kenzie.
The Star, by running the article, is not only promoting excessive speed on our highways, it is sending a message to others that it is acceptable to break the law and put oneself and other motorists at risk.
The fact that Mr. Kenzie has extensive experience in testing cars at high speeds on closed tracks world-wide doesn't give him the right to flaunt the rules of the road here in Ontario.
I wonder what reaction he'd have received from those who lent him the Volkswagen Jetta and Mercedes-Benz Smart car if he'd had to call them to let them know the vehicle he was driving was in a police impound yard and would be unavailable for media test drives for the next seven days.
There is no need and certainly no excuse for driving more than 50 kilometres over the posted speed limit.
I would remind Mr. Kenzie and Wheels editors that the OPP doesn't set the speed limits – we just enforce them!
I invite Mr. Kenzie and other writers of the Wheels sections who do not support the "street racing" legislation to accompany my officers the next time they have to knock on someone's door and tell them their father, mother, son and daughter won't be coming home.
The Ontario Provincial Police will continue its efforts to make this province's highways the safest anywhere, one irresponsible driver at a time.
Julian Fantino, Commissioner, Ontario Provincial Police
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 4,001
Likes: 379
From: Aurora, Ontario, Canada
This Julian guy is a joke.
I support Jim's opinion 100%.
You should read some of the replies people have written into the Star regarding this issue.
If we can stop giving licenses out like they were crackerjack prizes, maybe we'll be able to solve the "speed kills" and "streetracing" mentality alot of people have.
Alas, we live in a society where everyone thinks they're the best driver and that driving is a right, not a privliage.
I support Jim's opinion 100%.
You should read some of the replies people have written into the Star regarding this issue.
If we can stop giving licenses out like they were crackerjack prizes, maybe we'll be able to solve the "speed kills" and "streetracing" mentality alot of people have.
Alas, we live in a society where everyone thinks they're the best driver and that driving is a right, not a privliage.
Wat? were talking about speed, not drinking and driving, and not the lack of people bucking up. He just said that so people would see the number 451 dead, and automatically link that to speeding,what a flake.
Trending Topics
Go Hard....or Go Home
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,344
Likes: 0
From: Toronto
Fantino and Cam Wooley (aka Grand Stand Cam) are strictly in it for the media attention. Funny when Fantino 1st went to the OPP the 1st thing he did was try and gag Grand Stand so he could get all the attention. Interesting thing is when you ask who is the police chief of Toronto, or York region or Durham etc most of us dont have a clue. These guys go about their jobs without any fanfare or media attention, they just do their jobs. If we all stop listening to Fantino and Wooley, and stop watching and listening to stations that constantly broadcast them, maybe they will disappear too as the media wouldnt find them marketable anymore!
EliteHardcoreCannuckSquad
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 3,178
Likes: 0
From: London, England/Sesimbra, Portugal
England for 3 years, then the south of Europe to semi-retire lol.
I've driven in Europe many times (mostly through France/Belgium/Holland where the speed limit is 130km/h with most drivers doing 150). The passing lane is actually respected and it's not uncommon to be passed by streams of cars doing 170+. I have to say that in general, motorists there are more courteous, more aware and actually seem to understand HOW TO DRIVE. Strangely enough, police enforcement is virtually non-existent on highways but much more prevalent through little towns where speeding might actually increase the risk of accidents. Speed cameras are well indicated and placed in areas where you shouldn't be speeding in the 1st place. It all just makes sense.
This street racing law makes me sick. What's worse is that it appears that most folks who aren't car people actually seem to agree with it. How else could this law get passed?? It shows you just how stupid the average Canadian has become. I see dangerous driving everyday, the kind of stuff that REALLY kills people and I'd be willing to bet that it's the same people who agree with this street racing law that are cutting me off, tail gaiting me, siting in the left lane doing 100, talking on the phone, eating, trying to control their kids, texting...
Driving is dangerous. Accidents happen. People die. The rest of the world seems to understand that and accepts it. If you want to reduce your risk, you learn how to drive better. Simple. What am I saying... this is North America. That logic is lost on everyone here. Just give them a ticket, show them who's boss, generate some income (which we need to fix our shitty roads anyways). Do cops actually think they are slowing people down? What stops me from speeding again after I get slammed with a ridiculous street racing ticket? Why isn't that guy who almost ran me off the road by not doing his shoulder check not getting pulled over officer??
Stupid.
From the replies to that article:
"Excessive speed belongs in the same category as driving under the influence and criminal assault. "
Wow.
I've driven in Europe many times (mostly through France/Belgium/Holland where the speed limit is 130km/h with most drivers doing 150). The passing lane is actually respected and it's not uncommon to be passed by streams of cars doing 170+. I have to say that in general, motorists there are more courteous, more aware and actually seem to understand HOW TO DRIVE. Strangely enough, police enforcement is virtually non-existent on highways but much more prevalent through little towns where speeding might actually increase the risk of accidents. Speed cameras are well indicated and placed in areas where you shouldn't be speeding in the 1st place. It all just makes sense.
This street racing law makes me sick. What's worse is that it appears that most folks who aren't car people actually seem to agree with it. How else could this law get passed?? It shows you just how stupid the average Canadian has become. I see dangerous driving everyday, the kind of stuff that REALLY kills people and I'd be willing to bet that it's the same people who agree with this street racing law that are cutting me off, tail gaiting me, siting in the left lane doing 100, talking on the phone, eating, trying to control their kids, texting...
Driving is dangerous. Accidents happen. People die. The rest of the world seems to understand that and accepts it. If you want to reduce your risk, you learn how to drive better. Simple. What am I saying... this is North America. That logic is lost on everyone here. Just give them a ticket, show them who's boss, generate some income (which we need to fix our shitty roads anyways). Do cops actually think they are slowing people down? What stops me from speeding again after I get slammed with a ridiculous street racing ticket? Why isn't that guy who almost ran me off the road by not doing his shoulder check not getting pulled over officer??
Stupid.
From the replies to that article:
"Excessive speed belongs in the same category as driving under the influence and criminal assault. "
Wow.
Last edited by RXcetera; Jun 2, 2008 at 10:07 PM.
You can view the per capita traffic accident injury and fatality rate for various countries here: http://cemt.org/IRTAD/IRTADPublic/we2.html
As you can see, some of the faster driving countries, like Germany (where almost 50% of the Autobahn is still unlimited) and France have a much lower rate than Canada. 'Streetracing' is just another buzzword to create fear and paranoia. It's the automotive equivalent to 'terrorist'. Geroge W. made a killing with that, why not Fantino.
As you can see, some of the faster driving countries, like Germany (where almost 50% of the Autobahn is still unlimited) and France have a much lower rate than Canada. 'Streetracing' is just another buzzword to create fear and paranoia. It's the automotive equivalent to 'terrorist'. Geroge W. made a killing with that, why not Fantino.
Per Stats Canada
Therefore exceeding the speed limit is (in most cases) unrelated to the CAUSE of the collision. Driver error is the only cause.
If they want to save lives consider banning SUV's. From SAE magazine:
SUV's:
60% rollover fatalities ejected
70% " " no belts
rollovers - 3% of collisions - 32% fatalities
Therefore exceeding the speed limit is (in most cases) unrelated to the CAUSE of the collision. Driver error is the only cause.
If they want to save lives consider banning SUV's. From SAE magazine:
SUV's:
60% rollover fatalities ejected
70% " " no belts
rollovers - 3% of collisions - 32% fatalities
that is a good article.
it's really too bad that people don't want to listen to simple statistics and reason and will blindly go along with this crap we call "law" like dumb sheep.
i guess we should be glad we don't have bigger issues in society to worry about
it's really too bad that people don't want to listen to simple statistics and reason and will blindly go along with this crap we call "law" like dumb sheep.
i guess we should be glad we don't have bigger issues in society to worry about
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 3,106
Likes: 0
From: London, Ontario, Canada
The thing is, while the street racing law is a recent thing, getting caught doing 50km/h over has always been a major offense. I'm not sure what the fine was, but it has been increased to $2-10k. Yes that's a lot of money, but nothing compared to what occurs with your insurance. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't facility insurance ~$8k/year. It takes 3 years for a minor offense to come off the insurance companies' record and even then you are given a permanent scarlet letter in the form of being in the category of "have been dropped by insurance". I'm much more concerned about that and always have been. How hard is it to _not_ do 50km/h over? Only in rare circumstances have I violated it and only for brief moments.
I violated it briefly this morning southbound on the 404 to work. I'd have no problem with the law if 400 series highways had realistic speed limits of 120 or 130 kph. As for the fine amounts... it's all to pay for the ******* airplane.
http://www.wheels.ca/newsFeatures/article/250631
Last year, 451 people died on highways within OPP jurisdiction, almost half of them because of speed, drinking and driving and not buckling up.
Julian Fantino, Commissioner, Ontario Provincial Police
Last year, 451 people died on highways within OPP jurisdiction, almost half of them because of speed, drinking and driving and not buckling up.
Julian Fantino, Commissioner, Ontario Provincial Police
[/sarcasm]
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
From: canada
Originally Posted by Jim Fantino
Last year, 451 people died on highways within OPP jurisdiction, almost half of them because of speed, drinking and driving and not buckling up.
That's totally unacceptable to me and my officers and should be unacceptable to every Ontario motorist, including Mr. Kenzie.
The Star, by running the article, is not only promoting excessive speed on our highways, it is sending a message to others that it is acceptable to break the law and put oneself and other motorists at risk.
That's totally unacceptable to me and my officers and should be unacceptable to every Ontario motorist, including Mr. Kenzie.
The Star, by running the article, is not only promoting excessive speed on our highways, it is sending a message to others that it is acceptable to break the law and put oneself and other motorists at risk.
Originally Posted by Jim Fantino
I would remind Mr. Kenzie and Wheels editors that the OPP doesn't set the speed limits – we just enforce them!
Originally Posted by Jim Fantino
I invite Mr. Kenzie and other writers of the Wheels sections who do not support the "street racing" legislation to accompany my officers the next time they have to knock on someone's door and tell them their father, mother, son and daughter won't be coming home.
I could go on, but logic and causal analysis don't interest lawmakers or law enforcers, let alone the general public. Rhetoric has been degraded, no longer having basis in reason, but only in inciting the emotions of the masses long enough to give the appearance of having done something to better society.
Defected to the dark side
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 924
Likes: 0
From: toronto
I could go on, but logic and causal analysis don't interest lawmakers or law enforcers, let alone the general public. Rhetoric has been degraded, no longer having basis in reason, but only in inciting the emotions of the masses long enough to give the appearance of having done something to better society.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post