This is getting out of hand ...

Cliff notes: If we think you might go street racing, we will crush your car!

http://www.thestar.com/News/article/227464
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Jun 20, 2007 11:17 AM
Robert Benzie
Queen's Park Bureau Chief

Likening speed shops that make street racers to illegal drug labs and bomb factories, Attorney General Michael Bryant is warning the cars could be seized before they even hit the roads.

Bryant threw down the gauntlet at street racers today in the wake of Monday's Highway 400 accident, allegedly caused by racing, in which truck driver David Virgoe was killed.

"Somebody who's putting together a … car for street racing might as well be putting together an illegal narcotic or putting together an explosive," the attorney general told reporters.

"What I would say to anybody who is engaging in the illegal act of street racing is, we don't need to wait until that car hits the road fully loaded," said Bryant.

The attorney general pointed out that Ottawa and Queen's Park have worked together to tighten up laws designed to curb street racing.

"We can seize that car if we have information from police and, just on the balance of probabilities, if we can establish that that car is being used for the unlawful purpose of street racing, we will seize it and you will never see it again," he said.

"We will crush your car. We will crush the parts. You will never see it again."

While Bryant declined to discuss details of Virgoe's death or the case of three men charged in connection with it, he noted that Ontario prosecutors are making use of new provisions in the Criminal Code for street-racing offences.

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Won't this violate our basic charter or rights? The "Shoot first, ask later tactic"

 

Its the inexperienced, immature, IDIOTS out there that race bone stock cars with bone stock tires at rediculous speeds that ruin it for the rest of us tuners. I agree with the cops but at the same time i know its only killing the aftermarket tuner industry.

 

I read that yesterday and blew a gasket. The cars that were participating in "racing" up the 400 to Wasaga included a Grand Prix and a 10 year-old mustang and both appeared to be completely STOCK. 90% of the vehicles on our roads today are capable of sustained high speeds including and in excess of 200 km per hour.

The legislators and powers that be once again have mis-targeted the enthusiasts crowd (which does have the odd bad seed I admit). If my SVT "appears" to be ready to race then they will consider crushing it? F that. There are so many production cars on the road today with 300+ hp direct from the manufacturer that of course speeds on the highways (that should be limited to 120 as they were originally designed for) will climb and settle.

I feel terribly for the families of those people that have lost their lives in these senseless tradgedies but it's not the cars nor a single group of people commiting these offences. These are 18-25 year-olds with NO respect for the laws of the road nor the safety of those around them.

If I'm caught doing 150 then give me a ticket don't call me a racer. If I'm caught doing 175 in the company of another vehicle driving in a competitive or reckless fashion then sure, take my car. I'm not an idiot.

 

I really hate this crap, I do. This is stereotyping or generalizing.

 

this guy is such a complete retard.

They don't even need to press charges to take your car?

WTF is this, **** germany?

Any of you lawyeresque folks want to chime in on what our actions need to be from here?

what the hell do they think will happen if they start doing this on a wide scale?

streetracing isn't even a problem, 5x more people die from toasters than from streetracing.

if this gets passed, and starts happening on a large scale, I'm getting the hell out of this **** province. I really love the area, but can't stand the recent political trends.

maybe we need to start a lobbyist group.

 

I'd like to know the percentage of street racing accidents that actually included vehicles that were modified by speed shops.

Not Civic's and Crapaliers modifided at canadian tire or thier buddies rim store

 

I bet 5 bucks that if they carry out this "before you even street race and we think you are going to street race, we will crush your car," they will get some lawsuits. I also bet another5 that they are going to lose those lawsuits.

It's like giving you a ticket walking down the street because you Might jay-walk.

This is total b.s and hell i don't even live in the province but god only know big bad Ontario's gonna do it? why not Alberta or other provinces.

Best thing to do? don't let them see you street racing and have a drag racing license so if and when this car seizing / crushing comes about you have proof that your intentions/actions are legal and on the strip not the street.

 

I doubt this would pass constitutional muster (mustard?)

has the bill been enacted yet?

 

Why not give our attorney general a piece of our minds...in a diplomatic, respectful fashion so we don't look like a bunch of punks? I think he's forgetting a few democratic principles here. He's also forgetting a lot of voters and influential people like to modify their cars and don't street race.

Next time you're in front of reporters, Michael, I hope you will clarify your previous statements. You're not taking my car.

Michael Bryant's e-mail is...
mbryant.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org

 

My sister is a Phd. and she deals with the charter of rights all day long. She agrees that the goverment is playing fast and loose with it ( charter of rights). All it takes is one person with the knowledge and the funds to contsest this with the goverment and the law and most likely the morons who tried to put this together are done.. I guess they are assuming that, like the BS tickets they hand out, the person convicted is too young and/or too afraid to retaliate..

class action anyone?

 

Hell yeah. Lets do it. I'm trying to get in to law school, this would look great on the application:

Extra Curricular Activities: - Putting Overzealous Governments In Their Place.

 

Just released... two young men in Corvettes were caught racing 200 km/h up the 400 yesterday afternoon... The 400 sounds like it's becoming quite the dragstrip.

Read more here: http://www.thestar.com/News/article/227997

 

I am suspecting it will suck this summer ......

Good thing I have a super sleeper.

 

Rediculous! Soon they will arrest all the gun owners of Ontario for being a "Potential Murderer". Or worse! They'll arrest all the fathers with young kids for being a "Potential Pedophile".

 

2 American 20-somethings racing up 400 in black Corvettes... on the same day that political moron announced he'll confiscate and crush any vehicles caught "racing"...
I wonder if he'll take these stock black Vettes and crush them??? Hmmmm, lets see how this unfolds....

 

I guess I better buy that GT35r now...

But really, the cops around here could give less of a ****.

 

We have gone international!

http://www.autoblog.com/2007/06/21/o...ore-it-hits-t/

Now autoblog is aware of our **** gov't

 

Wow three pages of largely sympathetic remarks from the Americans... Let's unionize!!!! UAENA United Automotive Enthusiasts of North America

 

I really dont see the different between 300hp highly moded jap car with 300+hp domestic muscle cars. If they wanted to seize and crush this modify cars then they should seize and crush the rest of the high powered cars. I dont believe someone bought a ferarie nor viper etc etc....so they can go groceries shopping with it.

I am getting really anxious to drive my rex ...but now some idiot cop can just pull me over...and take my rex and crush it??? (wtf??? even if i drive it at the speed limit??)

 

ok...what riding is this douchebag running in. i'll run against him. assemble the masses...bi-election time.

 

Being a young male driver of an FD, i'm just waiting for an officer to threaten to crush my car. Worst part of it is, I roll with a few other modified cars, including a skyline, so we're not exactly hard to notice. Like many others have said, even with my car being modified (slightly), a lot of factory cars are more race-ready. Complete B.S. No way anyone is going to take my car from me without a lawsuit.


Michael Bryant has been e-mailed.

 

If we look at this issue through the eyes of the politician, then the whole message and its delivery makes perfect sense.

We're on the verge of the July long weekend. Drivers of all 'styles' are about to hit our highways in very large numbers. Summer sees more multiple car collisions (notice that I didn't use the word accident) than any other season. Summer also sees the average cruising speed at its highest of the four seasons. A message against speeding in general is common place for this time of year.

Politicians are about to experience the summer lull in their "campaigns".

Media, in its usual 'front page' fashion, is giving higher exposure to this issue to capture viewers/readers.

I'm just waiting for someone to link this to the environment and we'll have our "political winner" for the season.

With my limited knowledge of the law (and I do mean limited: I teach an introductory law course one semester a year at my high school, so it's not something that I'm exposed to as much as my other courses), they would be infringing on the Charter in several sections including search and seizure. So I believe that the threat of actually crushing your car is both a knee-jerk reaction and political posturing for the public. The criminal case of those drivers charged in the death of the truck driver will be one to watch for sure.

At most, the cars will be auctioned off is per usual practice for permanent vehicle seizures. They may even go so far as taking the step of removing aftermarket 'accessories' from said vehicles as a consolation for members of the public who would like to see the threat of crushing them followed through.

 

what's his email.

 

mbryant.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org

pfsantos had it in an earlier post

I think everyone who has a problem should let him know. The more, the better.

 

Both Bryant and Dalton have recieved e-mails from me. Like hell anyone is touching my car for no reason without a big fat lawsuit. So you're gonna arrest a man for assault because he goes to the gym or takes martial arts classes? Give me a break.

The Ontario MR2 forums have also been notified as of now, with people already sending in letters/complaints.

For anyone interested, here's a rough draft of what I wrote (altered slightly between the 2 recipients)

Mr. Michael Bryant,

I would like to start off by agreeing that the state of Ontario's roads is certainly somewhat disheartening. Day after day there are headline reports of speed related accidents on the 400 series highways, some of which have been attributed to reckless speeding/driving, and others to street racing. However, I can't disagree more with the, dare I say, outrageous statements that I heard come out of you this past Wednesday. I definately do agree that something has to be done about the situation, but simply taking any modified car and crushing it? Essentially, that would be stereotyping a car enthusiast who enjoys working on his/her car in the same category as your typical street racer, correct? That's outrageous! Has there even been any research done concerning statistics, perhaps cross-sectioning accidents caused by modified cars vs. stock cars? I know many people who modify their cars (myself included) and none of us drive recklessly on the road. We care about our posessions and take great pride in owning these vehicles, and as such, we save the speed for the appropriate time (Mosport or Shannonville track days). To presume that anyone modifying a car is doing so for street racing purposes is simply ignorant. As a daily commuter on the 400 series highways, the majority of actual "street races" that I see are not between modified cars, but rather between everyday passenger cars, minivans, 4x4 pickup trucks, etc. Street racing isn't modified car exclusive - put an ignorant driver behind the wheel of any vehicle and it can happen, be it a Toyota Prius or a 500+ hp Corvette. Allow me to illustrate an example; there are 2 people, one (person A) drives a ~250 hp modified Honda Civic, but doesn't street race at all, is a responsible driver, takes it to the track to have fun, etc. Person B is from a wealthy family, and obtains a Porsche Cayman S or something to that effect, which comes with ~300 hp bone stock out of the factory. Person B, on the other hand, speeds, drives recklessly, and races in his Porsche. Does this mean that person A, who is a responsible driver and whatnot, gets his car taken away and crushed because it's modified, whereas person B gets to keep his car, regardless of his driving tendencies until he gets caught? That's ridiculous. Alot of the higher end stock cars from the factory make an enormous amount of power, more so than most of the modified civics and whatnot putting around. More often than not, it's these sorts of people who I see driving dangerously, the people in the more low-profile cars. Those with fancy, modified street rods tend to drive very cautiously, even if only to avoid unwarranted harassment from police officers. Confiscating and crushing modified cars for no reason other than an "anonymous tip" that it may participate in street races, or that it's modified, will not really do anything other than perhaps temporarily stop a small amount of street racers, and kill a potentially profitable hobby for enthusiasts. If people want to street race, I'm sure they'd continue to do so in a stock, out of the factory car.

While I do agree that these activities do need to be stopped, it is my opinion that perhaps a different course of action should be taken, rather than applying such extreme measures which, in my opinion won't solve much of anything. As I stated before, I don't think confiscating and destroying modified cars will do anything for the state of the roads. Instead, I would perhaps suggest tighter law enforcement, particularly from police patrol units. Instead of just setting up a speed trap and waiting, they should be encouraged to patrol more often. Speed trapped areas become known, and people just tend to either slow down in the area, or simply avoid them alltogether. Police should also start handing out tickets to drivers not only for speeding, but for tailgating, reckless lane changes (which doesn't have to have anything to do with speeding), and the like. Furthermore, cell phone usage, people driving below the speed limit and people driving excessively slow in the passing lanes should be addressed as well. The penalties for street racing should be raised, and they should be enforced much more heavily. Educational programs against street racing would help as well, much like there are programs like MADD for impaired driving awareness. Professional driving courses should also be mandatory, and liscences should be issued more cautiously. Only after some of the guilty suffer some serious penalties will you see the phenomena die down. If someone is caught street racing and proven guilty/sentenced, then by all means destroy the car. Also, perhaps consider building a government taxed dragstrip/raceway within close vicinity to the GTA would be a viable option? I'm sure that some of these "would-be-racers" might not want to make the long trip out to the east end to visit MoSport or Shannonville. I would appreciate hearing your position on this.

Thank you for your time,

Scott Fung