What do you say to street racers?

Nothing,,

Trans_Maro wrote: Nothing,,

Bout what I figured. Why I came here to rant rather than dope smacking them.

Although I'm still trying to drag in as many little idiots as I can to an SCCA event. Flyers, iPad with GoPro videos and photos. Although chances are his fender well will slice the hella-flush tires on the first corner.

tell them they should come to the track sometime to get some 'real' racing experience

We came across a street race in deep south Dade a few years ago. Scared the beejeezus out of me. Probably 2-300 people there, standing right on the side of the road. Some very fast cars, nitrous, etc. Nobody died, but the opportunity was certainly there. That is nuts. And we have a legal strip here, run by the City of Medley Police Dept, where you really can run against a cop. P71, lights and sirens, the whole deal. Win a tee shirt if you beat the Heat. P71 runs in the 13's, so they have leaned on it a bit. Female cop does the driving, too.

amg_rx7 wrote: Nothing. Most of them are stupid and full of excuses as to why they can't get to a track.

This, even if you try to get them to drag on a strip instead of the street...it's almost like they're afraid to drive on the track.

Those who aren't this stupid will figure it out for themselves.

My little brother was keen on the street racing scene a few years ago (didn't do much racing, just had a hard-on for it). He was genuinely hesitant to autocross his car though. I think part of it is the legitimacy of it. You can make lots of excuses if you lose on the street, not so much if you lose a fair fight at an organized event. I eventually convinced him to give it a go by paying his entry fee in exchange for him letting me co-drive. I whipped the piss out of him in his own car and damn near made him car sick. He's been hooked ever since.

Slowly step out of the vehicle and walk backwards slowly towards the sound of my voice.

JohnInKansas wrote: I think part of it is the legitimacy of it. You can make lots of excuses if you lose on the street, not so much if you lose a fair fight at an organized event.

And that is precisely why.

I usually make eye contact, shake my head and say "idiots" then leave.

But I also tell panhandlers to "Get a job slacker". So maybe I'm just an ass.

Bobzilla wrote: So maybe I'm just an ass.

I'll buy that for a dollar

Why would you say anything? Do you really think it matters? Street racing has been around as long as the car has and always will be. If being smug to some punk who thinks you're an idiot makes you feel better, then have a good time with it.

Street racing will only be around as long as the driver-controlled car.

I once had some talk to me - at a light - about the geo (!?!?!?) that I was driving. I declined their invitation to join them the next weekend, and invited them to come to an autocross. They didn't.

BTW, the only ones who I know of who've visited the GRM forum were annoying.

It's not how you stand by your car, it's how you race your car.

Or in some cases how you crash your car in front of a cop......

I laughed reading through Joey's link to discover the word filter works retroactively.......lots of BobCostas's in those threads....

I used to carry around "business cards" for my autox clubs and hand them out in parking lots that were filled with "street racers" on weekend nights.

I gave up when I never saw any of them show up.

When I lived in Virginia (Hampton Roads area) about 10 years I did a bunch of street racing and fully admit it wasn't the smartest thing to do, but I was young and how often do young kids listen?

Fast forward a few years & smartening up I had an employee that used to brag about street racing in his DA Integra that was pretty riced. After multiple run-ins with the locals he lost his license. After that he finally listened to me and started going to the nearest dragstrip with me. He even convinced a few of his friends. The $20 it cost them to race to their hearts content was worth it to them and that it was also in a safer environment.

Point is that you can tell them about the mistakes you've made and hope that they listen to you. Invite them to some legit event, it may just be what they need.

Beer Baron wrote: In reply to Keith Tanner: I wonder if the local cops would help me organize an auto-x to help cut down on street racing.

I've always thought that the SCCA (or NASA, BMWCCA, PCA, etc.) should run one autocross per year that has no entry fee for newbies. If people liked it, they would come back and pay. If they didn't like it the car club wouldn't lose any money (unless they crashed and sued them). I think it would be good for street racers to see police encouraging them to race in a controlled environment (like an autocross). Heck, maybe the police would wan't to run a few laps themselves. I think the key to getting people to auto cross is advertising. The mainstream auto magazines (that car enthusiasts read) such as Car and Driver very seldom mention auto cross.

I also think there is much more to street racing than just the driving (see Fast and Furious) that is not necessarily legal.

"If they didn't like it the car club wouldn't lose any money"

Depends on the venue. I'm involved with rallycross, but I know our autocross chairman has mentioned the fees at the board meetings. I remember at least mid-high 3 digit numbers. $500-800? per event. And for our budget, that's significant.

I've always thought that the SCCA (or NASA, BMWCCA, PCA, etc.) should run one autocross per year that has no entry fee for newbies. If people liked it, they would come back and pay. If they didn't like it the car club wouldn't lose any money (unless they crashed and sued them). I think it would be good for street racers to see police encouraging them to race in a controlled environment (like an autocross). Heck, maybe the police would wan't to run a few laps themselves. I think the key to getting people to auto cross is advertising. The mainstream auto magazines (that car enthusiasts read) such as Car and Driver very seldom mention auto cross. I also think there is much more to street racing than just the driving (see Fast and Furious) that is not necessarily legal.

actually, the club WOULD loose money. there is the insurance per drive (i think it is 10 bucks each) and site fees, etc. I know at our local events, if we don't have 42 members pay, we lose money.. and that is at like 35 bucks each. Now, yes I realize you are saying just the newbs are free, but still that is costing 10 bucks per newb so we would need that many more non-newbs to come out just to break even.

what we DO do (hehe doodoo) is we always let first timers drive for 10 bucks (essentially making it neutral) EVERY event. As far as I can see it is working.. a little. around here though, kids don't want an even playing field. they want "timing" done by who looks like they won from the driver's seat, and rolling starts.. where it essentially is just the first one to smash the gas.

they want excuses of why they didn't win ("you jumped the takeoff" "your speedo must be off" "that grandma jumped out in front of me") and they want advantages (racing what they brought with no PAx, or handicaps.. just the fastest car.) they don't want safety inspections, etc.

it isn't the cost... it is the precision.

I tell them, "Entry fee's are cheaper than speeding tickets". The serious ones listen and learn, the punks.....act like punks.

Tell them to block a major highway and drive like a driftrito, but be sure to get it videotaped so the cops can get your license plates. Just this weekend.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkSW0Kaf9os

Or do this

http://youtu.be/ChsBz3AZWw4

You know, so much of what people bring up as the negatives are much more correlative than causative. Seems a lot of people have stories about people wrecking and getting in legal trouble while racing.

Trouble is, in my experience that's generally a case of people who are bad at not wrecking, and bad at not getting caught, who happen to race.

I live in the 7th largest city in USA with a population of 2 million and a similarly large population of LEOs and i have NEVER been caught for anything worse than ~20 over, which is probably as much as 40+% of my driving time when im not in traffic.

And, just because someone doesnt race doesnt mean they dont drive fast. I hit 110mph on my way home tonight. When i drove down i-35 between austin and san antonio i hit 90-95 mph on an absolutely daily basis. If you could magically force me to forgo all street racing until the end of time, i really doubt you'd put much of a dent in my time spent well above the speed limit. If the people i would have been racing are the same way, im not sure much would change. We'd just be speeding around NOT next to each other.

Honestly, i think 'street racing' is a straw man 95% of the time because it usually refers to the elements of danger that are still present even when people aren't racing and have more to do with the ways people are bad at driving than the fact that there happens to be a race going on.

Do guns kill people? Racing doesn't kill people, people kill people. And when people kill people while racing, it's usually with bad judgment or poor driving. Street racing has a VERY small market share in both, but i guess it makes for better entertainment to complain about. It's like the Pit Bull of driving breeds. Media darling. Gonna kill your grandma. Run for the hills! blah blah blah.

Gimp wrote: It's not how you stand by your car, it's how you race your car.