Good read re: Street Racing by Jim Kenzie in today's Star
03-Jun-2006, 06:51 PM
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Barrie, ON.
Posts: 49
Good read re: Street Racing by Jim Kenzie in today's Star
As topics states:
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/Con...=1149189013105
Copied below for the lazy:
Furious at fast crash assumptions
No proof yet that nitrous mods were involved in 2 deaths
Making car a safer, swifter performer shouldn't be a crime
Jun. 3, 2006. 01:00 AM
JIM KENZIE
Russell Soares is semi-fast, but he's plenty furious.
The car enthusiast with a (slightly) modified car is furious that an Oak Ridges couple died last Saturday night when their Hyundai was, to quote reporter San Grewal's story in Wednesday's Star, "shredded'' by a Honda Civic that allegedly was going some 140 km/h on Yonge St. in Richmond Hill.
But Soares, who is in his 30s, is also furious that the article implied the Honda was modified and that police allege it was participating in street racing.
And he is furious that politicians like Frank Klees, MPP for Oak Ridges and a former Ontario transportation minister, are jumping on this tragedy.
They're calling for the banning of modifications such as nitrous oxide systems, which can increase the power of a car many times over.
A court-imposed publication ban on the case makes Soares wonder how anyone can automatically assume nitrous, indeed, any modification — or even street racing — was involved.
Soares notes that even a 12-year-old diesel Volkswagen can do 140 km/h — it's the idiot who chooses to drive it at that speed in an urban environment that is at fault here.
But some authorities seem all too ready to blame the car.
This attitude has led some insurance companies to cancel coverage if modifications have been done to a car that might even suggest it was ever driven on a track.
(Never mind if that ever actually happened.)
Metaphor time:
Prostitutes wear short skirts. That woman is wearing a short skirt.
Therefore, she's a prostitute.
Let me get this straight: Mercedes-Benz invents an automatic roll bar that pops up to protect you in a crash.
You can't get this technology in a Civic, so at considerable personal expense you install a roll bar in your car, thereby making it safer — and they cancel your insurance?
Also, if some 18-year-old — more likely, Mommy and Daddy — buys a Porsche 911 Turbo, that's okay?
But if said 18-year-old buys a Civic and makes it as fast as a 911 Turbo, that isn't okay?
Maybe it isn't okay.
But, either way, it isn't the fault of the machinery.
There was even a fatal crash some time ago that involved a kid street-racing a Mercedes-Benz M-Class SUV.
Hello?
The worst crash involving a Wheels reporter occurred some years ago when two drunk/high young men in a stolen Dodge Caravan, with police in hot pursuit, failed to make the modest left-hand bend in Lake Shore Blvd., at Yonge.
The old van T-boned the Jaguar XK8 coupe that our man was in, waiting at a stop light.
Fortunately, the van hit the press fleet Jag around the left-front door post, where the structure is the strongest.
Had the impact occurred even a half-metre farther back, he would have been much more seriously injured.
I don't recall the Honourable Mr. Klees calling for a ban on killer Caravans.
Another example of the hypocrisy surrounding this issue occurs whenever enthusiasts organize track days so fellow car nuts can test their cars' performance to the limit, in safety.
You can almost guarantee that local cops will be stationed at every entrance and exit to the track, hassling the competitors for having blue windshield washer nozzles.
The Star story did point out one person in authority who seems to have a grip on this issue.
York Regional police Sgt. Dave Mitchell, co-founder of the task force Project ERASE (Eliminate Racing Activity on Streets Everywhere), said that high-performance cars, whether factory-built or subsequently modified, are like alcohol.
"People can buy it, but they know they can't drink more than a certain amount and then get behind the wheel of a car,'' he said.
Exactly.
The story also noted that street racing has been associated with at least 33 deaths in the GTA since 1999. Let's do the math: that's about four deaths a year.
Is street racing the biggest traffic safety problem we have?
Hardly.
Almost 3,000 people are killed every year in this country on our roads. Every one of them is a tragedy.
Because traffic deaths tend to occur to younger people — car crashes are the Number 1 killer of people under age 44 — the loss in person-years is even greater.
What a waste.
I know: before I was born, a 5-year old who would have been my sister was run over by a truck in front of our house. I never knew her, but her death still resonates in our family.
Virtually every one of these road deaths is preventable.
But we have to attack the largest problem areas first, not the mosquito bites.
Klees, and Ontario's new transportation minister, Donna Cansfield, should get on with tougher driving tests, higher standards for driver education and stronger enforcement of truly dangerous driving behaviour.
And I don't mean speed traps on open highways.
If you need some ideas about where to start, my email address is below.
Jim Kenzie (jim@jimkenzie.com) is Wheels' chief auto reviewer.
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/Con...=1149189013105
Copied below for the lazy:
Furious at fast crash assumptions
No proof yet that nitrous mods were involved in 2 deaths
Making car a safer, swifter performer shouldn't be a crime
Jun. 3, 2006. 01:00 AM
JIM KENZIE
Russell Soares is semi-fast, but he's plenty furious.
The car enthusiast with a (slightly) modified car is furious that an Oak Ridges couple died last Saturday night when their Hyundai was, to quote reporter San Grewal's story in Wednesday's Star, "shredded'' by a Honda Civic that allegedly was going some 140 km/h on Yonge St. in Richmond Hill.
But Soares, who is in his 30s, is also furious that the article implied the Honda was modified and that police allege it was participating in street racing.
And he is furious that politicians like Frank Klees, MPP for Oak Ridges and a former Ontario transportation minister, are jumping on this tragedy.
They're calling for the banning of modifications such as nitrous oxide systems, which can increase the power of a car many times over.
A court-imposed publication ban on the case makes Soares wonder how anyone can automatically assume nitrous, indeed, any modification — or even street racing — was involved.
Soares notes that even a 12-year-old diesel Volkswagen can do 140 km/h — it's the idiot who chooses to drive it at that speed in an urban environment that is at fault here.
But some authorities seem all too ready to blame the car.
This attitude has led some insurance companies to cancel coverage if modifications have been done to a car that might even suggest it was ever driven on a track.
(Never mind if that ever actually happened.)
Metaphor time:
Prostitutes wear short skirts. That woman is wearing a short skirt.
Therefore, she's a prostitute.
Let me get this straight: Mercedes-Benz invents an automatic roll bar that pops up to protect you in a crash.
You can't get this technology in a Civic, so at considerable personal expense you install a roll bar in your car, thereby making it safer — and they cancel your insurance?
Also, if some 18-year-old — more likely, Mommy and Daddy — buys a Porsche 911 Turbo, that's okay?
But if said 18-year-old buys a Civic and makes it as fast as a 911 Turbo, that isn't okay?
Maybe it isn't okay.
But, either way, it isn't the fault of the machinery.
There was even a fatal crash some time ago that involved a kid street-racing a Mercedes-Benz M-Class SUV.
Hello?
The worst crash involving a Wheels reporter occurred some years ago when two drunk/high young men in a stolen Dodge Caravan, with police in hot pursuit, failed to make the modest left-hand bend in Lake Shore Blvd., at Yonge.
The old van T-boned the Jaguar XK8 coupe that our man was in, waiting at a stop light.
Fortunately, the van hit the press fleet Jag around the left-front door post, where the structure is the strongest.
Had the impact occurred even a half-metre farther back, he would have been much more seriously injured.
I don't recall the Honourable Mr. Klees calling for a ban on killer Caravans.
Another example of the hypocrisy surrounding this issue occurs whenever enthusiasts organize track days so fellow car nuts can test their cars' performance to the limit, in safety.
You can almost guarantee that local cops will be stationed at every entrance and exit to the track, hassling the competitors for having blue windshield washer nozzles.
The Star story did point out one person in authority who seems to have a grip on this issue.
York Regional police Sgt. Dave Mitchell, co-founder of the task force Project ERASE (Eliminate Racing Activity on Streets Everywhere), said that high-performance cars, whether factory-built or subsequently modified, are like alcohol.
"People can buy it, but they know they can't drink more than a certain amount and then get behind the wheel of a car,'' he said.
Exactly.
The story also noted that street racing has been associated with at least 33 deaths in the GTA since 1999. Let's do the math: that's about four deaths a year.
Is street racing the biggest traffic safety problem we have?
Hardly.
Almost 3,000 people are killed every year in this country on our roads. Every one of them is a tragedy.
Because traffic deaths tend to occur to younger people — car crashes are the Number 1 killer of people under age 44 — the loss in person-years is even greater.
What a waste.
I know: before I was born, a 5-year old who would have been my sister was run over by a truck in front of our house. I never knew her, but her death still resonates in our family.
Virtually every one of these road deaths is preventable.
But we have to attack the largest problem areas first, not the mosquito bites.
Klees, and Ontario's new transportation minister, Donna Cansfield, should get on with tougher driving tests, higher standards for driver education and stronger enforcement of truly dangerous driving behaviour.
And I don't mean speed traps on open highways.
If you need some ideas about where to start, my email address is below.
Jim Kenzie (jim@jimkenzie.com) is Wheels' chief auto reviewer.
03-Jun-2006, 10:48 PM
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: North York,Ontario
Posts: 2,544
Re: Good read re: Street Racing by Jim Kenzie in today's Star
Originally posted by lowblackdub
[B]
Also, if some 18-year-old — more likely, Mommy and Daddy — buys a Porsche 911 Turbo, that's okay?
But if said 18-year-old buys a Civic and makes it as fast as a 911 Turbo, that isn't okay?
Maybe it isn't okay.
[B]
Also, if some 18-year-old — more likely, Mommy and Daddy — buys a Porsche 911 Turbo, that's okay?
But if said 18-year-old buys a Civic and makes it as fast as a 911 Turbo, that isn't okay?
Maybe it isn't okay.
A Porsche is built to go that fast. And it has the safety to back it up.
My crx + civic speedo tops out at 200 kph, whereas a Porsche tops out at what 320 kph ?
there's a reason for that...
Doing 140 in a civic is like doing 280 in a porsche
Period.
04-Jun-2006, 12:24 AM
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Mississauga
Posts: 13,184
Re: Re: Good read re: Street Racing by Jim Kenzie in today's Star
Originally posted by ROBB
Civics arent built to go as fast as a Porsche.
A Porsche is built to go that fast. And it has the safety to back it up.
My crx + civic speedo tops out at 200 kph, whereas a Porsche tops out at what 320 kph ?
there's a reason for that...
Doing 140 in a civic is like doing 280 in a porsche
Period.
Civics arent built to go as fast as a Porsche.
A Porsche is built to go that fast. And it has the safety to back it up.
My crx + civic speedo tops out at 200 kph, whereas a Porsche tops out at what 320 kph ?
there's a reason for that...
Doing 140 in a civic is like doing 280 in a porsche
Period.
he was just making a point not saying it was fact... your analogy of the civic doing 140 being the same as 280 in the porsche is exactly the same thing... I have to say it was very well written, too bad this isn't going to get noticed all over the place, it'd be so interesting if this made like the 6pm news or something then it'd be huge...
04-Jun-2006, 04:09 AM
#14
Registered User
Join Date: May 2004
Location: North York, Toronto-Downtown, London
Posts: 2,316
Re: Re: Good read re: Street Racing by Jim Kenzie in today's Star
Originally posted by ROBB
Civics arent built to go as fast as a Porsche.
A Porsche is built to go that fast. And it has the safety to back it up.
My crx + civic speedo tops out at 200 kph, whereas a Porsche tops out at what 320 kph ?
there's a reason for that...
Doing 140 in a civic is like doing 280 in a porsche
Period.
Civics arent built to go as fast as a Porsche.
A Porsche is built to go that fast. And it has the safety to back it up.
My crx + civic speedo tops out at 200 kph, whereas a Porsche tops out at what 320 kph ?
there's a reason for that...
Doing 140 in a civic is like doing 280 in a porsche
Period.
i wouldn't agree saying a civic in 140 is like a porsche in 280... because going fast is going fast... its causing danger to others... that's the reason why cops shouldn't be nailing on car enthusiasts... because modifying to make a car has all sorts of horsepower doesn't mean the person will speed and do all sorts of dangerous driving... a kid can drive a 80hp car and still reach 140 and kill someone...
i totally support that article, its stating reasonable and valid points/reasonings... all the points are back with statistics and data...
but the cops just want to make money from modders... i wouldn't mind giving them money if they can keep the gunshots rate lower
04-Jun-2006, 09:35 AM
#18
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: CFB Petawawa
Posts: 2,207
"but the cops just want to make money from modders... i wouldn't mind giving them money if they can keep the gunshots rate lower"
If your car mods aren't against the HTA set by the province and not the police then you won't get a ticket.
I sick & tired of people seeing this as a cash grab for the police, which it really isn't.
If your car mods aren't against the HTA set by the province and not the police then you won't get a ticket.
I sick & tired of people seeing this as a cash grab for the police, which it really isn't.
04-Jun-2006, 10:26 AM
#19
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Toronto
Posts: 5,836
Originally posted by starboy869
"but the cops just want to make money from modders... i wouldn't mind giving them money if they can keep the gunshots rate lower"
If your car mods aren't against the HTA set by the province and not the police then you won't get a ticket.
I sick & tired of people seeing this as a cash grab for the police, which it really isn't.
"but the cops just want to make money from modders... i wouldn't mind giving them money if they can keep the gunshots rate lower"
If your car mods aren't against the HTA set by the province and not the police then you won't get a ticket.
I sick & tired of people seeing this as a cash grab for the police, which it really isn't.
yup project ERASE and the thing the london police are doing with the modded RSX are examples of how they are taking an intiative to show car enthusiast what they can and cannot do .
04-Jun-2006, 02:54 PM
#20
Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: North York
Posts: 1,148
I definitely agree with this article, it's not that street racing isn't a problem, it's just that it is being blown way out of proportion.
It gets me annoyed how it is always immediately blamed whenever there is a crash involving an import, even if let's say there are two modified cars speeding and they crash, even that doesn't mean it's a street race nor does it mean that it couldn't of happened if it was two stock cars.
I hope they don't pass a whole slew of legislation making it tougher on people who have modded cars but don't street race them. Like the article said, "even a 12-year-old diesel Volkswagen can do 140 km/h — it's the idiot who chooses to drive it at that speed in an urban environment that is at fault here."
And legislation won't even produce tangible results. If they come down hard on modded cars, two things will happen. First there will be a lot of cars with a sleeper look still out there modded as before just less obvious, and there a lot of people will use their money to buy cars that are faster when stock instead of modding them to get them fast. In the end the problem won't change, because a very small group of people will still be speeding and driving recklessly in fast cars on city streets.
It gets me annoyed how it is always immediately blamed whenever there is a crash involving an import, even if let's say there are two modified cars speeding and they crash, even that doesn't mean it's a street race nor does it mean that it couldn't of happened if it was two stock cars.
I hope they don't pass a whole slew of legislation making it tougher on people who have modded cars but don't street race them. Like the article said, "even a 12-year-old diesel Volkswagen can do 140 km/h — it's the idiot who chooses to drive it at that speed in an urban environment that is at fault here."
And legislation won't even produce tangible results. If they come down hard on modded cars, two things will happen. First there will be a lot of cars with a sleeper look still out there modded as before just less obvious, and there a lot of people will use their money to buy cars that are faster when stock instead of modding them to get them fast. In the end the problem won't change, because a very small group of people will still be speeding and driving recklessly in fast cars on city streets.
