For all of you with modded MINIs (and everyone else too of course)...

I saw a news report from Cali where the cops are 'cracking down' on street racing. They are extremely nervous about the trend, and are harassing anybody with mods - LIKE US! - and anybody who goes NEAR a known street racing site.

The popularity of street racing is through the roof because of 2F2F, and is getting national attention now...

So - is the movie killing us? Is it bringing unwanted negative attention to those of who just want a cool sounding, cool looking car? Is it casting a shadow on all of us who have added an intake, exhaust, swaybar, or springs?

I think it is. The original movie (I haven't seen the sequel) showed little regard for responsible tuning, including the way tuners drive, obtain money for mods, and treat authority. This is certainly not the way I operate but wonder if people think I am a street racing, anarchist punk because my MINI sounds a little racy.

Comments?

 

I agree, Cops are cracking down. I was already stopped for my exhaust note...sure its only a matter of time for my tints.

 

did you see my thread about intakes being illegal in CA?

I was at an IN n Out by the Ontario Mills Mall (BIG street racing area) and when I was leaving the parking lot the cops came and made a road block and broke up a crowd of racers hanging out by a nearby gas station. They stopped me and made me open my hood, gave me a citation for my intake now I got to go through all this BS for it. I wasnt even at the street races I just happen to be in the area!

The cops have REALLY been crackin down on the steet racing because of 2F2F, I bet in the future their gonna make all engine and car mods illegal!

 

>>The cops have REALLY been crackin down on the steet racing because of 2F2F, I bet in the future their gonna make all engine and car mods illegal!

This is the reason why car enthusiast organizations need to exist and preferably work together. MINI mod folks have a common cause with many of the "ricers" out there. You just shouldn't sit there and take it. Organize, petition and take action because they are taking away your freedom. There are the laws related to pollution, and that's for the common good. Then there are the ones that are just plain restrictive for no good reason. You aren't trying to change traffic laws. The main difference here is that the law shows prejudice against a certain kind of car that CAN go fast, as opposed to ticketing and arresting DRIVERS that DO go fast and are reckless. Not to divert start a gun debate, but it's like the old saying, "guns don't kill people. People kill people."

 

Well said, I totally agree!

 

Even Tom Brokejaw of NBC did a segment on street racing the other night. I was on my bike on Monday and almost got nailed by a kid in a ricer. I *hate* those guys. Even had one person killed in my part of town in the last year by guys racing.

 

Hi guys new to the cite. I can't stand those punks. Last year it was mid-night and I was a sleep on the couch then, the hole apparment building shook and I ran down stairs to see what happened. Here in Bakersfeild the street called Ming Ave is a drag strip from 10PM to 2am. What had happened is these @@!@^%#&^%$ were drag racing and one lost control and went flying through two apartments nearly killing two kids asleep on the couch. when the car hit the couch it flipped it over on top of them and acted as a padded cocoon and saved them from being sandwiched by the car and wall. Thean you have my yougest brother who is one of these !#@*&^% and he distroyed the relationship between all of us in the familly becauase of his crap.
tavis1

 

Sorry to hear about that tavis1. Theres been more and more accidents due to streetracing, usually becuase young teens who just got their licenses think they can do what they want with out thinking about the consequences. Well I dont think street racing will ever be stopped and I dont think more laws will help stop it anytime soon. These laws will just make people like us who mod our cars suffer from what a few have done.

 

That's true! If they outlaw all mods, the responsible ones will be the only ones who suffer. Street racers will still have them.

It's like if they outlaw guns. Only the criminals will have them.

MINIACK

 

So intake and exhaust, which boost my car's hp to a terrifying 125 or so, make me somehow more dangerous than the 17-year-old punk with the stock 350Z? I think not. Going after the mods themselves is ridiculous.

_________________


Borla exhaust, Moss intake, Magnecor

 

Glad I'm in Ohio - street racing is virtually nonexistant around me.

 

>> Not to divert start a gun debate, but it's like the old saying, "guns don't kill
>> people. People kill people."

Actually, according to Charlton Heston, "Guns don't kill people, Apes with guns kill people."


Bill

 

"Take your filthy hands off me you damn dirty apes!!!"

 

So if you get a ticket for an intake, you should start screaming "IT'S A MADHOUSE!"?

Rocketboy_X

 

The reasone he got a ticket for the Intake was because it was not CARB legal. The other 49 states do not have to worry about that.

The street racing scene has been arround since the 60's, (Maybe even the late 50's). That is why the NHRA was started, to try and educate drivers and comunities. They were succesful and got people to open up drag strips, so people would have a place to race. The kids now days do not seems to want take it to the track. Maybe they just do not want to see that there Civic only does a 16 sec 1/4, even with the sweet aluminum wing on the back, or maybe they are just all idiots and do not care who they could hurt.

 

Around here in B.C.-Canada, the cops now have the right to take away your license on the spot right there on the road, for a year, and impound your car. They also hiked the fine rates. Paying more for speeding now.
But they don't seem to realize something. They think that stiffening the rates and such will work. There's enough cars out there that can out run cops like nothing. If they see the lights go on, and they know their license will be taken right there if they stop, then why stop. Just mat it and run. Then now there's going to be more of that. Already been hearing of it. I have once in my Lightning. Had a bad record with speeding. Wasn't supossed get another ticket, so I nailed it and got away.
If the city would just build a track, it would solve sooo much. Not a real high grade fancy deal with bleachers and that stuff either. Just a couple paved 1/4 mile drag strips. The tracks that around here, aren't easily accessable. Far enough away to be a bother, and they're not open all the time. Just for certain events, and rarely for public use.
Why don't cops see this. Increasing punishment will not solve a lot. Give everyone a place to go.
Even some businesses around here have been opening up their parking lots for some racing, and auto-X stuff.
Off the soapbox.
Cheers,

 

About 5 years ago, a sister in the other sorority on my college campus was killed when she got between 2 kids and their rice burners. Did that deter the folks around here from drag racing down the main strip? No. We have folks all over the Starbucks parking lot (a favorite hangout on Sat. nights for me just to make fun of them - it's a mini NOPI) and at the BP with their modded out ricers who just don't grasp that most of those mods do no good and make the car look horrible. One of my sorority sisters (with whom I actually went to NOPI with) has a '96 Civic, and I have to admit her kit, painted wheels, and interior mods are fairly classy and not ugly. They can be done in the right way... I just wish people could grasp the concept of what the right way is. I'm all for mods that are practical and not fugly... though I have to say that the best car at NOPI was a Chili Red with not a lick of shopping cart wing-ism around it. Rice burner clubs are all good fun though... they just need to be responsible drivers - and most of the ones that I know usually are.

 

hildy where do u live? cuz that sounds EXACTLY like the ricer hang out where i live in monroville... they hang out in the starbucks / tacobell plaza with the bp right next to it heh