CA Cops Set Out To Crush Illegal Street Racing

[duberforlife]

http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/06/hondacrush.jpg

http://www.foxnews.com/video2/launchPage.html?062007/062007_hunt_cars&What%20a%20Drag&FNL&California%20cops%20want%20to%20crush%20illegal%20 street%20racing...%20literally%21&US&-1&What%20a%20Drag&Video%20Launch%20Page&News

The state of California has taken a hard line against illegal street racing, the type of which has on occasion led to the death of innocent pedestrians and the racers themselves. They're employing a new deterrent to make these illegal racers think twice about competing on public roads – crushing the impounded cars of those caught street racing. This Fox News video clip (click this link to view) shows a local reporter present at the inaugural crush who appears a little too excited about the event compared to the disembodied anchorman whose voiceover we hear in the backgroiund. The tuned Honda Civic hatch is flattened quickly inside the crusher's jaws, the extreme pressure popping out its windows like eyeballs and some of the hatch's contents ejecting out the back like vomit. Fortunately, it looks like the aftermarket rims may have survived. The Ron Burgandy wannabe behind the desk says it best at the end exclaiming, "Half the guys in the studio are crying at what you just showed us."

[Source: Fox News via GMInsideNews]

[oc-audica]

lame erecticle dysfunction ad comes on first - i thought we already started doing this - in LA at least i remember seeing similar footage some years ago

[PhätTony]

I cheered (because it was honda) but grimaced (because it could happen to one of us.

[JETTAone420]

booo for erectile dysfunction commercials...

and hey tony u dont say nothin, they dont know nothin

[addicted2thevr6]

is it even legal for them to crush it?

[RavinJetta]

It was actually a nice looking civic hatch too.

[themandillon]

i saw this one the news last night and got angry... what does crushing cars do??? just pisses people off and the cops dont get any money from it... making 1000+$ for a racing fine give the state way more money that crushing a car. i dunno i just think its stupid.

[duberforlife]

Yesterday we learned that California has begun the practice of crushing modified cars obtained while being used for the illegal and dangerous activity of street racing. The hope is that seeing their expensive toys flattened by a compress will deter street racers from endangering the lives of others on public roads. Judging from the news coming out of Canada, it appears that the province of Ontario is prepared to go one step further. Ontario Attorney General Michael Bryant has stated that the authorities in his province will confiscate and crush vehicles built for street racing before they even put rubber to pavement on city streets.

"Just on the balance of probabilities if we can establish that a car is being used for the unlawful purpose of street racing, we will seize it and you will never see it again. We will crush your car, we will crush the parts."

The report from The Star in Ontario tells us that Bryant's fiery edict was given just a few days after a truck driver was killed after being cut off by three youths street racing on Highway 400. The driver, David Virgoe, drove his truck off the road and down an embankment rather than cross the divider and risk colliding with oncoming traffic.

More after the jump.

[Source: The Star].

[wikedgolf]

OMG... u could have gotten at least 1k for those wheels!! I cried cause i felt sorry for the poor car.. BUT glad to see something being done about those racing...

BTW.. did u hear they want to shut down the 1/4 mile track in palmdale!!! that will only leave us one 1/4 mile track left in cali!!!!

WOW.. great move to increse Illegal Street Racing

[veedubber7]

too many puns for me

[Schneller]

Faaaaaarck! I hate Hon-Duhs more than most people...but STILL! That's heartless!

At least part the turd out, and make some moolah off of it!

:bs:

[anitx]

I didn't have any ED commercials, I had one for Microsoft...or something.

[duberforlife]

mel did you really cry?

[wikedgolf]

mel did you really cry?

i proclaimed "oh no... how sad" out loud.. then sent that to the web producer of honda tunning.. hahaha


did u see the mini cooper in there :)

[Rento_VW]

I cheered (because it was honda) but grimaced (because it could happen to one of us.

x2. I loved how they crushed that lawnmower... Then.. I got mad because they stopped crushing it.... Should have reduced it to a pancake... :tdown:

Makes me mad that that could be one of us if cops say crap about gtgs...

[RollinInGreenz]

When they ran this story on CNN this morning they said that the cars were crushed not only because of their use in illegal street racing, but because they had stolen transmissions and engines in them as well.

I call BS on that...I'm sure they're confusing swapped with stolen.


And no, this isn't the first crushing session they've had, and it wont be the last. I'm pretty sure this is reserved for the ringleaders of the streetracing crews who get caught, people who injure others or do property damage, and those who are repeat offenders.

I'm pretty sure the law openly states that if you spectate, your car can be impounded for 30 days, but if you're participating they can seize your car (just like they used to). The only difference now is that they no longer auction the vehicles off, because the police realized that kids were just going and buying back their cars at lower prices, or new kids were getting the same raced out cars that had just been taken off the streets.

[Ivan]

Another reason why everyone hates cops.

[slowjet]

stoopid people do stoopid things = lesson learned, or at least i hope. But then again, they are stoopid people, and will still continue to do stoopid things.

[Neccros]

OMG... u could have gotten at least 1k for those wheels!! I cried cause i felt sorry for the poor car.. BUT glad to see something being done about those racing...

BTW.. did u hear they want to shut down the 1/4 mile track in palmdale!!! that will only leave us one 1/4 mile track left in cali!!!!

WOW.. great move to increse Illegal Street Racing

I was pissed when they closed Terminal Island....

[EDM]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v244/volcomsoldier1982/priceless-2.jpg

[Tom (aka Godzilla)]

Another reason why everyone hates cops.

Why don't you hate the councilmen and legislators that passed the law?

I don't see a problem with this. If you don't want to lose your car, don't street race.

[veedubber7]

Why don't you hate the councilmen and legislators that passed the law?

I don't see a problem with this. If you don't want to loose your car, don't street race.

i loosed my car once

[PhätTony]

me too!

[EDM]

Ok to all these people who think this law sucks put yourself in place of someone who has lost a family member to some asshat street racing. Than maybe you might look at it a different way. Like Tom said don't hate on the police it has nothing to do with them they are just doing their job.

[madajb]

Ok to all these people who think this law sucks put yourself in place of someone who has lost a family member to some asshat street racing. Than maybe you might look at it a different way. Like Tom said don't hate on the police it has nothing to do with them they are just doing their job.

It does suck.
Civil forfeiture is an evil thing and should be stopped in all of its forms.

-ajb

[Rento_VW]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v244/volcomsoldier1982/priceless-2.jpg

Where'd you get this pic? Apparently this is a bit later after they crushed the other ricers. Any more info. I need a chuckle.

[EDM]

Where'd you get this pic? Apparently this is a bit later after they crushed the other ricers. Any more info. I need a chuckle.

I found it on another forum.

[mike]

Yeah don't hate on the cops, they are just enforcing the law that was passed, IMO a stupid one, not so much for the street racing, thats a no-no, but crushing for stolen parts, granted, alot of Hondas get stolen and alot of the motors are hot, but that doesn't mean the person whos ride its in knows that, he could have bought the motor from someone on the honda boards, or a shop.

I could see one of us pouring our heart and soul into a rabbit or MK2 and doing a 1.8T swap, then out of a fluke your engine number gets checked, its stolen, and your pride and joy is off to the crusher.

Where do they want these kids to go? Carlsbad closed, LACR is on its way out, Irwindale has the 1/8th (which is no fun), and Pomona always has a pro evebnt going on when the track is open. Back in the 70's when OCIR, Lions, Pomona, Carlsbad, and others had races every weekend, no need to race on the street. Now there aren't any tracks left to run so the kids take it to the streets.

[Woody]

Canada is taking this one step further.... http://www.autoblog.com/2007/06/21/ontario-threatens-to-crush-a-street-racers-car-before-it-hits-t/

[RollinInGreenz]

Mike...don't scare me.

[Woody]

we know, the article was posted in post #8

Mike...don't scare me.

OOPS, sorry bout that! Guess that is what I get for being on this board for almost 5 yrs and having less than 400 posts :D

[idrivea2002golf]

Good for the legislators for trying to put a stop to illegal street racing. i don't agree with their tactics in crushing cars. i mean technically speaking there is not agreement between citizens and the legislators so the destroying of the car could be considered destruction of private property and that can land a serious law suit against the city. my basis for that is, i don't recall signing any contract that stated if you race you get your car crushed.

I think that the best way to stop illegal street racing is to have more legal street racing. they can't take all of the racing (auto-x, 1/4, oval, etc) courses shut them down and then so 'oh by the way if we catch you we crush the car' for all the money that the will be spending the cities should open free race courses and allow people to race there. it would keep people from racing on the streets and give a fun social place to gather and enjoy the car culture that is California. the problem we will see is the government (on the local and city levels) is trying too hard to be profitable that they don't really care for the citizens leisure time any more.