NJ Bill Intro'd for Street Racing

[79T/A]

Street racing is dangerous and shouldn't happen, I agree 100%, but I still don't think these stiffer punishments will keep people from street racing. It'll just make people more likely to try and evade the police.

People who engage in organized street racing already try to outrun the police. Just ask Sgt. Tommaso Popolizio in Newark who chased that racer...oh, wait..you can't...he's dead (Not making a joke, just illustrating the seriousness of the consequences of street racing). The crotch rocket folk do it routinely; in fact, I'm told by some in those circles that a majority of them run rather than face prosecution. The stiffer penalties obviously don't stop everyone from drunk driving or people wouldn't still be getting arrested for it. You are just as likely to be killed by a street racer as you are by a drunk driver, so should we reduce those fines too? If the change of penalties (Within reason) is a deterrent to at least a percentage of people who street race, or at least makes people think before engaging in such behavior, I'm for it.

A ton of responsibility rests on the police when it comes to pursuits, but the bottom line is this: The police do NOT start the pursuit; the violator does. The police officer has the massive responsibility of ending the pursuit should it become too dangerous. For all of the pursuits you see in the news that result in an innocent bystander getting hurt or killed, there are hundreds you don't read about or see on TV that end because the officer or their supervisors end the pursuit. If they don't end the pursuit when it becomes too dangerous (Residential areas, which is a majority of NJ, school zones, hazardous road conditions, too much speed, etc.) or are ordered by their supervisors, they run the risk of losing everything, starting with their jobs and ending with civil lawsuits.

Yeah, most of us have street raced, I'm not going to pretend I haven't done so once or twice in the past. And I'm really lucky that I didn't get caught and even luckier that I didn't kill anyone, including myself. Had I gotten caught, I'd have been P.O.'d, but it would've been my own fault. And I'd have had to pay. What it comes down to is if someone wants to gamble with their life, and the lives of everyone out on the street, they can go ahead and pay for it if they get caught. You're absolutely right; street racing will probably go on as long as there are streets, but that doesn't mean that the lawmakers should sit back and do nothing about it.

[IROCZBeast]

Originally Posted by 79T/A

People who engage in organized street racing already try to outrun the police. Just ask Sgt. Tommaso Popolizio in Newark who chased that racer...oh, wait..you can't...he's dead (Not making a joke, just illustrating the seriousness of the consequences of street racing). The crotch rocket folk do it routinely; in fact, I'm told by some in those circles that a majority of them run rather than face prosecution. The stiffer penalties obviously don't stop everyone from drunk driving or people wouldn't still be getting arrested for it. You are just as likely to be killed by a street racer as you are by a drunk driver, so should we reduce those fines too? If the change of penalties (Within reason) is a deterrent to at least a percentage of people who street race, or at least makes people think before engaging in such behavior, I'm for it.

A ton of responsibility rests on the police when it comes to pursuits, but the bottom line is this: The police do NOT start the pursuit; the violator does. The police officer has the massive responsibility of ending the pursuit should it become too dangerous. For all of the pursuits you see in the news that result in an innocent bystander getting hurt or killed, there are hundreds you don't read about or see on TV that end because the officer or their supervisors end the pursuit. If they don't end the pursuit when it becomes too dangerous (Residential areas, which is a majority of NJ, school zones, hazardous road conditions, too much speed, etc.) or are ordered by their supervisors, they run the risk of losing everything, starting with their jobs and ending with civil lawsuits.

Yeah, most of us have street raced, I'm not going to pretend I haven't done so once or twice in the past. And I'm really lucky that I didn't get caught and even luckier that I didn't kill anyone, including myself. Had I gotten caught, I'd have been P.O.'d, but it would've been my own fault. And I'd have had to pay. What it comes down to is if someone wants to gamble with their life, and the lives of everyone out on the street, they can go ahead and pay for it if they get caught. You're absolutely right; street racing will probably go on as long as there are streets, but that doesn't mean that the lawmakers should sit back and do nothing about it.

The way you talk either A) in law enforcement B) has family/friends in law enforcement or C) trying to enter the law enforcement field.

Just so you know I'm not trying to go against whatever it is you said. I fit into both B and C above. I'm not bashing the law or law enforcement with anything I said. Just stating the clear fact that lets see hmm as the 8th Amendment states "no cruel and unusual punishment". Going to jail for "racing" your car seems a little cruel in my opinion for a first offender.

and if that bill goes through the way its written now then there are going to be a lot of PO'd people when they go to jail for "street racing" or "making a speed record" when they pass grandpa on the right or accelerate out of a traffic light...

p.s.- thousands of bills get introduced but only a few hundred if that many get passed and the ones that do get passed almost always end up getting marked up(means changing a bill for those that don't know) and it'll normally take a while. so I wouldn't get to worried about this yet.

[Teds89IROC]

I agree with most people here that the terms need to be defined. I also agree that they should concentrate more on the groups who race and not individuals who go light to light. Not that I condone one way or the other, but obviously the more people involved the greater the chance of injury/death etc. Which also leads me to something else, how many innocent deaths (innocent bystanders who happen to be at the wrong place at the wrong time) occur during the year due to street racing? I'm just curious because we hardly hear of this stuff, maybe 4 or 5 times a year on the news. It just seems like the punishment is way too harsh especially for what they are trying to prevent.

[NightRydaSS]

i really don't think they're talkin about "light to light" ppl, i really think they mean the organized racers; like the groups of ppl who go out for the sole purpose of finding a street to race. I think this also has to do with the fact that it isn't just racing goin on at these areas; drugs, underage drinking, and theft all have a place there (think stolen cars/parts).

[IROCZBeast]

Did a little study on street racing a while back in criminology I have a little book on all of it through the policing point of view heres a link to the website that gives you the run down on somethings, the book I have goes into a little more detail.

You guys might enjoy taking a look at this though, lots of interesting stuff.

http://www.popcenter.org/Problems/pr...eet_racing.htm

[IROCZBeast]

Originally Posted by Teds89IROC

I agree with most people here that the terms need to be defined. I also agree that they should concentrate more on the groups who race and not individuals who go light to light. Not that I condone one way or the other, but obviously the more people involved the greater the chance of injury/death etc. Which also leads me to something else, how many innocent deaths (innocent bystanders who happen to be at the wrong place at the wrong time) occur during the year due to street racing? I'm just curious because we hardly hear of this stuff, maybe 4 or 5 times a year on the news. It just seems like the punishment is way too harsh especially for what they are trying to prevent.

To answer your question Ted it is estimated that at least 50 people die every year as a result of a street race.

[sinistr]

i know of 3 aboned air strips around here , why can't we race there ???? ohhhh but we can go off roading in the middle of know where and get drunk and thats not a problem

[NightRydaSS]

Originally Posted by sinistr

i know of 3 aboned air strips around here , why can't we race there ???? ohhhh but we can go off roading in the middle of know where and get drunk and thats not a problem

u just said it; "middle of nowhere", the worst thing you might do is hit a tree, a deer, or flip ur truck over. there are no ppl out in those woods. the number of ppl that are there are small, you're not going over 100 mph, there are no drugs deals going down, gang members or stolen properity. I don't kno about the drunk part though, it is still drunk driving which is illegal.

[79T/A]

ohhhh but we can go off roading in the middle of know where and get drunk and thats not a problem

It's not a problem IF YOU DON'T GET CAUGHT, just like street racing. I haven't read up on them, but as someone who goes off road LEGALLY, I know there are some heavy fines out there for wheeling where you're not supposed to. Combine that with possible criminal charges for trespassing and the getting drunk and you could be in a world of hurt.

Just so you know I'm not trying to go against whatever it is you said. I fit into both B and C above. I'm not bashing the law or law enforcement with anything I said. Just stating the clear fact that lets see hmm as the 8th Amendment states "no cruel and unusual punishment". Going to jail for "racing" your car seems a little cruel in my opinion for a first offender.

Yeah, I'm with you on the first offender. Jail IS too harsh the first time, but once someone gets nailed three times, it's time for a harsher penalty.

[Mike]

there is no such thing as MANDATORY jail time, that is terrible wording. you would have a trial, a lawyer and most likely a plea deal before you ever went to jail, new jersey jails are HORRENDOUSLY overcrowded and the prosecutors would probably plea everyone down anyway

[Raist103]

like said before now there will be a lot more people running from the cops "i know if i am goofing off on the street and hit the gas coming off a off ramp to a highway and see a cop turn around i am gone. i will not go to jail for something like that." that is ridiculous because you know all the cops are going to be pricks and try to make a point of the new law for a year or two. total bs. i agree 100% make the fines higher or whatever but jail time and 180days min?

[BonzoHansen]

Originally Posted by cbrrmike

there is no such thing as MANDATORY jail time, that is terrible wording. you would have a trial, a lawyer and most likely a plea deal before you ever went to jail, new jersey jails are HORRENDOUSLY overcrowded and the prosecutors would probably plea everyone down anyway

Doesn't apply to this law, but Federal Sentencing Guidelines put lots of people in jail for seemingly minor offenses, like pot possession (and I don't mean a truckload). Very dumb. Judges complain they have no leeway.

[maroman88]

for DWI there are very clear laws set, 0.08 or higher and your legally drunk, no if ands or buts. they really have to work on the wording or make some sort of system to prove you were street racing or watever u wanna call it

[chemicalstylez]

Wooo go NJ for outragious punishments. Anytime I "drag race" on the streets aka 295 or the AC expressway, its never planned. I've been close to getting caught though, and yes i ran like hell...there was no way i was getting arrested by some pitman wannabe cop sitting on 55.

[zuuhlsT/A]

Originally Posted by sinistr

i know of 3 aboned air strips around here , why can't we race there ???? ohhhh but we can go off roading in the middle of know where and get drunk and thats not a problem

Probably has something to do with the owner of the property would be held liable for anything that happened there. i.e some dumb kid that can't drive takes Dads car or his own out to race and ends up hurting the car and or himself and any innocent bystanders and.........OMG is that an army of lawyers coming to sue my A** off because it happened on my property?? sad but true, our society has become a bunch of money hungry, sue happy pieces of gargage. Why get a job and work when you do do something astonomicaly stupid and get paid for it. It's just so sad...

p.m. me the airstrips bro, I'll go!!!!!

[NJSPEEDER]

poking around the interweb i looked a bit mroe into it. the wording from teh excerpts i read is all screwy. they have a ton of stipulations of how and when the laws in question wil be able to be applied.
sounds as powerless as the current laws, jsut with bigger and more glorious sounding fines to make the blue hairs happy.

[Dark_Knight7096]

Everyone clamoring for a clear definition of what "drag racing" or "making a speed run" is, will not get it.

Lawmakers are great for throwing a little ambiguity into their laws (in the favor of course) that way they can mold the definitions of what they have into what they choose. I've seen it done quite often before, its really sad that we allow our lawmakers to do this to us.

[Savage_Messiah]

Originally Posted by chemicalstylez

I've been close to getting caught though... on 55.

You and me both... and another member or two I won't name

[Slow Z]

This law would make street racing's punishment a lot more severe than DUI/DWI... what is more serious and which causes more death in this state? I'm willing to bet street racing deaths are a fraction of DUI deaths in this state. Guys who propose bills like this shouldn't be in office, he's not thinking for the good of the people, he is thinking "this will get me in the paper, make me look better, and further my political career (and give me more money)"

Seriously, make the punishment fit the crime. saying street racing is worth 6 months in jail and DUI is worth 0-30 days in jail and 3 month license suspension is asinine and people who think otherwise should NOT be making laws.