Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General General FL turning into hell...

I read in the paper this morning, something that scares me more than a bit. My mother mentioned to me actually... Twas about drag racing penalties going up... Caught drag racing might soon mean a $1000 fine, and 2 yr suspension of liscense. It's made it through one part of the legislature... It may actually become true soon....

then dont drag race

Good.

I know you're not supposed to race on the streets, but most of you here can't honestly say, "I was sitting at a red light and this little rice burner civic pulled up next to me. He revved the engine, but it never occured to me to race." No, it's "Hey I pulled up next to this little civic, and womped him at a light." Or lost, for some of you... Or in my usual case, pulled next to a Mustang GT and had some fun showing him Cadillac style And I'm hunting through the Florida Today website... trying to find the article.

Yeah, I can. Street racing is as dumb as drinking & driving. Confiscate their cars !!

That seems like a small penalty. They should increase it.

Here's the law and the changes that have been made.

http://www.leg.state.fl.us/cgi-bin/view_...ssion&Submenu=1

Here's a quick summary of some some the changes:
God help you if you are under the age of 18. You can forget driving again.
A repeat offense within 5 years of the 1st offense is a FELONY
Vehicle impoundment at roam towing rates
Anyone spectating, or assisting is guilty of same. Repeat spectating is a felony.
Absolute arrest on the spot.
Ticket costs alone are between $250-$750

misdemeanor

30 (4)(a) No person shall in any manner facilitate, aid
31 or abet, or participate or be a spectator in any drag race,
1 race, competition, contest, test, or exhibition, nor shall
2 such person for the purpose of speed competition obstruct or
3 cause in any manner, or place a barricade or obstruction that
4 causes, the movement of traffic to slow or stop in any such
5 drag race, race, competition, contest, test, or exhibition.
6 Any person who violates this paragraph commits a misdemeanor
7 of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or
8 s. 775.083.

I beleive Neil posted that link a few days ago, but yes I have heard the same thing. It sucks. Dont get me wrong, im not Fast and Felonious but a random stop light drag isnt that big a deal every once in awhile. Especially in FL, "the land of the straightest of all roads" I usually let off after about 65 on the street because ive made my point by then. Its the idiots who give it a bad name. What REALLY pisses me off is that in FL, if you have no insurance, its a $70 ticket for the cheap SOB illegal aliens that get away with anything and everything under the sun while they target the auto enthusiasts. God forbid some of us really do know how to drive...the cops take it personally!

The "ricer fly by" after a lost-race is just their inability to stop with 5" drum brakes if you ask me >g<

Yeah sure sounds great!
Maybe you shouldnt sleep either, or maybe not eat.

I remember when Sandman was the only high and mighty person here. He actually had a reason, though.

I don't drag race, but I've made sufficient points several times in the past how street racing can be safe given the right conditions. I'm also not about to spew "then don't drag race" sentiments because I've been there in the past and I'm there every day and I know sometimes it's not that easy.

Not that anyone makes you drag race, but there are many situations where no harm can possibly come of it and it's very difficult to look at the kid with the stupid look on his face and watch him take off and just ease it into first after him.

That spectating law is also pretty nuts.

MarkO, don't even get me started on how ridiculous the whole DWI/DUI thing has become. Not only has the government taken away our 5th Amendment right (we are required to give Breathalyzer "testimony" against ourselves without a court order), we are denied due process (license is revoked without being convicted of a crime).

Also, as I believe people are entitled to make one mistake, I think first time penalties are too harsh. It's the repeat offenders that we need to buck down on... the people with 20 offenses (how is even getting that many possible), rather than ruining the life of a person that made one stupid mistake.

I agree that driving is a privilege, but it is wrong for us to give up our civil rights when we're doing it.

Making things like drag racing a felony is ridiculous. I am frankly tired of government crinimalizing everything.

In Fremont,Ca if you are a SPECTATOR you get a $500 fine on your first offense. If you are racing your car will for sure get impounded and it will likely cost you 400-1000 to get your car out of impound depending on how long they kept it(usually 30 days). Not only that but the ticket it self will probably be in the $300+ range. Oh and don't forget about your insurance rate damn near doubling. Which is where they really get you because if you don't have proof of insurance in CA they will tow your car, back to, you guessed it the impound yard.

OK Infuryum!
Don't race if your not prepared to pay the price for getting caught or killing someone while doing so!

SVT Car Boy!
If driving is a prviledge then when the state takes it a way your not losing a civil right your having a privledge revoked. Just as when a person is jailed for a violent crime. It's to protect everyone else from you. They don't sentence you there on the spot. They right you a ticket and tell you to be prepared to go to court.

-Andy

I think the penalty for DWI/DUI should be much stiffer!!!

Anyone who doesn't does not deserve the right to drive.

It is the ultimate act of irresponcibility behind the wheel. Therefore it should garner the most severe punishment. I would even go as far as permanent revocation of one's license for multiple offenders. Then jail time when the idiots drive again anyway! (hell just shoot the bastages! I don't want to have to pay for them!)

Now some of the "drag racing" punishments can be a bit severe IMO. However they are the law and if by your own chosing decide to put yourself in those situation; you should pay the penalty and stop whining like a baby because of it.

Just be happy you're not doing it near my house. A monetary fine would be the least of your worries if you came roaring down the street where my children and their friends play!

I'm not saying I never street raced or still don't enjoy a high speed highway sprint. I'm just saying the location makes a big difference and IMO the penalties for such should reflect that.

Good comparison there....

Comapring vital functions to urges.

Hands down one of the stupidist comparisons ever....

Driving is a privilege, but it's still wrong for you to be punished without due process. If you commit a violent crime, you are arraigned in front of a judge that can demand bail, no bail, or release on recognisance... based on the situation. In a DWI, you get your license revoked, period, even though in the vast majority of cases the person does not represent a threat to themselves or others, and is a good member of society. I believe first offense DWI's should be just points, a fine, and a substance evaluation. If you are not considered to be an alcoholic, then you're free to go on with your life. Now if you repeat within 10 years, now we're talking a more serious matter which deserves more serious penalties.

I don't approve of drunk driving, but I think the penalities for first offense have gotten out of hand.

Demon, I'm glad you're not making laws. I'd hate to see a system that mandates agreement with your beliefs. Also, I'm amazed that you allow your children and their friends to play in the street. My dad would have whooped by butt for THINKING about playing in the street. That's what your yard is for, preferably back yard.

I've always heard it's so crowded with old folks in Florida, well how do you find enough room to race???? :rolleyes: I've visited New Mexico some years ago pently of room out there, and people still manage to run into each other.
Paul

It was a joke, street racing is definetely not smart, but why get the galant(POS i think), or any "sports" car if your not going to flex it?

I think that Fl is being a little extreme. I have really been trying to cut back on street racing a lot. I wont go looking for a race but if some base mustang or something comes up revving on me ill probably hit it till 65 or so. Some of you guys take what you have for granted. I live in a city where the nearest track is almost a 4 hour drive away and its not even open right now. Whats the point of buying a performance oriented car if your just gonna shift at 2500 rpm everywhere you go? Guys can talk bad about your car and say their 2.0l jetta can walk all over and you can say ok lets go to the track. While some of us dont have a track to go to? Sure we can jus shrug it off but it definatly gets annoying after a while.

I've been to Florida and I haven't found one retiree that wanted to race. Since they account for 87% of the population of FL, I don't think this will affect too many people.

And about the DUI thing, I agree with what svtcarboy is saying, but I also think that assuming the accused gets treated justly, the penalties should be stiffer in most states.

:rolleyes: He is plenty able to "flex" it at the strip, autoX, etc.

thats fine, i just dont like those cars.

Hey, I've got an idea...why don't we take all of the cars away and that would solve the whole damn problem. Whether we like it or not there are ALWAYS going to be exceptions to EVERY rule. The man with the most "correct" money and power wins!

then why would you bring it up? feeling stupid?

Of course they are going to breathalyze you....it's called collection of evidence. What do you suggest they do ??

Quote:

Making things like drag racing a felony is ridiculous. I am frankly tired of government crinimalizing everything.

Leave the US then.

MarkO, is that your solution for everybody that dissents the ever expanding power of government, to leave the country?

Our country was built on the principles of our government staying out of people's lives, having a bare minimum of authority and power to maintain order. Allowing the maximum rights, privileges, and freedoms to be retained by the citizen.

The expanding power of government threatens the very freedoms this country is all about, and I'm sorry if your offended that I'm not afraid to speak out against it.

Patriotism isn't rubber stamping everything our government does. Patriotism is about the nation, and the principles of freedom that this nation was founded on. Those principles are in ever increasing jeopardy every day, yet sticking up for them is a bad thing?

On the breathalyzer, it's not collecting evidence. It's requiring me to provide a bodily specimen at the will of the police. I would suggest they need a court order to require me to provide that specimen, just like they do take any other bodily specimen. It will make the job of the police more difficult, but it's more important that our individual rights are upheld.

Which is what I believe they are doing, to maintain a semblance of order on the public highway by cracking down on street racing and by imposing stiff penalties for DUI/DWI.

I take no offence at all, your opinion is just as valid as mine, just different. The freedoms this country is all about, that are under attack right now, that our servicemen are defending overseas have nothing to do with the right or perceived right of the citizens of the country to do what they want on a highway with disregard for the general public.

The rights granted to you as a citizen are not infringed IMO by law enforcement enforcing the law, provided the law is not unconstitutional, in which case I hope and believe it will be struck out.

Agreed, patriotism is not about rubberstamping government but I don't see how the principles of freedom are being jeopardized, at least not in this case.

It's requiring the person stopped to provide a specimen to determine, through science, whether or not that person is intoxicated or not and therefore whether they should be driving or not. That to me is collecting evidence.

Regards....

I agree that street racing should not be considered legal. However, I believe that there is no need to impose more legislation on the matter, as current laws are more than adequate for enforcement. Speeding and reckless driving laws already exist, and are enough to handle these situations. I dislike when new laws are passed when adequate laws alreadty exist. My annoyance was with making everything a felony. I'm sorry, but street racing (and especially watching it)isn't that bad. Watching street racing should just be a disorderly conduct citation. Any piling on of laws gives government greater opportunity to increase its power over the people.

On DUI/DWI, it's the fact that there does not even need to be proof that you broke any laws to be pulled over for a breathalyzer. I'd like to have a statute that at least requires proof that a police officer has reason to believe you are driving drunk before he pulls you over. Then, I believe you should have to fail a test which assesses your ability to drive. Then the evidence would go to a judge (night or day), who would issue an order authorizing the seizure of the bodily sample. If it was not possible to get the order in a timely manner, the sample cannot be tested until the order is given, or destroyed if not given in 24 hours. I think the requirement to provide a sample without an order is contrary to the 4th (illegal search and seizure) and 5th (providing testimony against yourself) amendments.

I have issues with how the Constitutionality of laws is determined. I believe it should have to fall within the enumerated powers of government to be Constitutional. The Supreme Court (determined by a Chief Justice who believed in a strong central government) decided otherwise, with inadequate recourse on the part of the people.

I believe both the law and the method of enforcement must be Constitutional, and my standards are different than the Supreme Court's, but more in line with the author's intent.

Sorry, but I think the level of attack we're putting against first time DWI offenders is excessive. Give them their one mistake (unless they hurt someone), then if they repeat within 10 years, throw the book at them.

Ok so let's all buy hondas then the police will get tired of waiting for you to get faster than the speed limit. unless ur in a 20 MPH zone

I don't recall a poll asking if you liked it or not, do you?

And anytime you wanna throw your "something or another" modded SVT into the arena (be it auto x or 1/4 mile), just tell me. I'll be more than happy to show you how well this ugly car performs against yours.....

Not that it is that much faster, I just have a hunch you drive as well as you type....

And the Rose Nylund Medal of Conversational Excellence goes to...