Quote from Dennisjr13 :

Someone who races on the streets.

Then what constitutes a race? How many times must one "race on the streets" to be considered a "street racer"? Travelling at a high rate of speed on a road that is not designed for that high of a speed is very dangerous. The highways in the United States are not the same as certain highways in Europe that have no speed limit. TBH, I don't feel so safe on the highways here in the US, even while going the speed limit. The autobahn has banked corners, the highways in the US are either flat or slope away from the center of the road.

Quote from JTbo :

You don't get license for airplane just like that, but there is not much where to crash on air

Very true I when I flew solo, everything was covered right down to what to do if it bursts into flames or how to crash it, how many advanced driving courses cover how to prevent a spin let alone the basics of collision avoidance and if necessary accepting a (softer) impact? Teaching new drivers how to crash would probably be far more helpful than trying to stop them getting in stupid situations in the first place, I bet more people I know would be alive if they could have didn't end up wrapped round solid objects.

Quote from Dajmin :

Remember that road-legal cars are safety tested within the speed limits, so unless you've added at least a roll cage, there's no guarantee your car will not fold like cardboard if you hurl into a wall at 130.

All the safety devices in the world won't make 120mph on the road safe, a head on impact you stand no chance even in a car with full rally/racing safety protection and the safety response you get at a racetrack, hit a tree at that speed and likewise you stand very little chance. WRC cars generally hit things at under 60mph and it's still dangerous, there's no light way to hit a tree.

Quote from DieKolkrabe :

Ok. So a 17-18 y/o with a part time job, in college and restoring a car can afford to drive up to 3hrs away and pay $2000 for an hour's running? I don't think so

£1000 for an hour? For that kind of money you could be racing something seriously meaty rather than going round a track in a hatchback. There's nothing wrong in driving quick on the road within reason, just don't even think about racing or pushing anywhere near the limits of the car.

Quote from Jonesy_ :

Please define street racing.

Is it when you race against some other car on the public streets?
Or is it just going over the speed limits at a silent hour having that bit of your own fun going into the next bend faster than your instructor would suggest?

I guess street racing means lining up your car with somebody else and run the public roads like your own race track. Racing in an uncontrolled environment is dangerous and everybody knows that.

Spirited driving is a different story because you are just driving and not trying to win or get ahead with someone else.

Quote from JTbo :

If teens get some industrial street closed at night time and race there, I really have much against it, they go there by their will and if they happen to wreck then it is their fault, it is unlikely that innocent people will get involved.

From the context, I guess you mean you don't have much against it, and I have to say I'm completely in agreement with you, as I am with a great deal of the rest of your post.

I used to go to a lot of the motorcycle stunt spots in London; there was a regular, Sunday all-dayer that I used to love. It was a publicly accessible road, but behind an industrial estate, so it was rarely used. Some extremely talented riders would turn up to that spot, but, by its nature of being a space where people were extending themselves and their machines, it was dangerous.

Quote from zeugnimod :

They are still doing something dangerous not only to themselves but to other innocent people so they are still stupid idiots.

No, not idiots. Everyone who turned up to that spot did so with a heightened sense of awareness of the consequences, both legal and physical. To condemn such risk taking as the symptom of a diseased mind is to prioritise anxiety as a control mechanism (and as a guarantor of safety). The problem with this is:

1. that there are benefits to taking risks, even though a majority in society will always be risk-averse
   
2. that there is no such thing as a guarantor of safety in life

So I have to admit that I'm divided on the issue, or to be more precise, I will take things on a case by case basis. As I get older I find that this the way I deal with things: black and white forms of morality fail to explain or even cope with most worldly phenomena. So to answer lizardfolk's original question:

Quote :

I want to know (for personal reasons) where do professional racing fans stand on street racing.

Sometimes its just plain stupid and irresponsible. Sometimes it just has to be.

There is many reasons, and 1 BIG reason, why street racing is illegal. I just want to keep it that way.

I'm alright with street racing, because of my friend. However, I don't particularly want to take part in it.

Why don't the local drag strips/racetracks hold cheap trackdays so the people can race safely though? If there were more tracks, people would go to them, yes?

DK

They do hold cheap track days.... All you need is your standard liscence(in the UK anyway) and just pay a certain ammount for unlimited runs. Racing on the streets isn't 'OK' at all. It's unacceptable. Road traffic accidents occur all too often at the Speed Limit, never mind at race speed. It's just immoral, immature, and in-human to do such things. I don't care if these people race at 4am in the Morning. What if a racer lost control and crashed into a house?

There was a drunk driver in England, driving a BMW 5series I think, he was driving so fast, he took off-off of a speed bump, and smashed into the top floor of someones house. Which was their babies room, if the baby hadn't been sleeping with its mother and father in the masterbedroom, things would be different.

If you are willing to put others lives at risk, INCLUDING your own, in this way. YOU are the ones that deserve to die. Not the other people that you are en-dangering.

Quote from DieKolkrabe :

Why don't the local drag strips/racetracks hold cheap trackdays so the people can race safely though? If there were more tracks, people would go to them, yes?

DK

Ah bless the French...

Circuit Carole

This is a circuit just outside of Paris. I believe that at certain times of the week it is freely open to motorcyclists who can conform to a bare minimum of rules (decently maintained machine, leathers, etc). Damn good idea...

Quote from BlueFlame :

They do hold cheap track days.... All you need is your standard liscence(in the UK anyway) and just pay a certain ammount for unlimited runs. Racing on the streets isn't 'OK' at all. It's unacceptable. Road traffic accidents occur all too often at the Speed Limit, never mind at race speed. It's just immoral, immature, and in-human to do such things. I don't care if these people race at 4am in the Morning. What if a racer lost control and crashed into a house?

There was a drunk driver in England, driving a BMW 5series I think, he was driving so fast, he took off-off of a speed bump, and smashed into the top floor of someones house. Which was their babies room, if the baby hadn't been sleeping with its mother and father in the masterbedroom, things would be different.

If you are willing to put others lives at risk, INCLUDING your own, in this way. YOU are the ones that deserve to die. Not the other people that you are en-dangering.

And how many street racers have a license and are willing to pay for track days? nihil gave an example of a track in France that is open to everyone who can maintain a basic set of rules, why can't more tracks do it?

DK

Quote from DieKolkrabe :

And how many street racers have a license and are willing to pay for track days? nihil gave an example of a track in France that is open to everyone who can maintain a basic set of rules, why can't more tracks do it?

DK

Well to drive a car on the street you need a licence......
If you dont have a licence then it's called joyriding...

Mondello hosts track days for people to come along with their road cars and drive around the track.

Come to Finland, we keep trackday here next summer?

Day on track 60 euros / person
You need car that is in ok shape and not leaking + helmet.

Also you can meet real race drivers and teams, maybe impress them?

Don't forget that some of the people here are from the US, which, as far as I know, doesn't open its tracks as "freely" as they seem to do in the UK.

Well we all know why that is tbh. Thuggery.

Anybody who street races should be beaten to death with large pieces of wood that have large rusty nails sticking out of them. If you are racing on a public street you deserve to die. Simple really.

Quote from lizardfolk :

...But before I give my opinion of it what do you guys think?

Am interested in your opinion on the article, lizardfolk. And the personal interest you spoke of.

Quote from DieKolkrabe :

And how many street racers have a license and are willing to pay for track days? nihil gave an example of a track in France that is open to everyone who can maintain a basic set of rules, why can't more tracks do it?

i know this may sound a little crazy but you see maintaining a track and keeping it from looking like... well like most tracks in the uk do costs _money_

sorry sir but you see your wife and kids had to die because i couldnt afford that track day... seriously ?

Here in toronto, theres a track near by, I think its about an hour and a half away from the city center.

It's only $60 canadian for a day at the track, you bring your car. moded or not.

We don't see alot of street racing in toronto these days, but I have witnessed a fue idots, who thaught just by adding a cool spoiler and front aero package that there car would magicaly turn into a formula one.

Quote from Gunn :

Anybody who street races should be beaten to death with large pieces of wood that have large rusty nails sticking out of them. If you are racing on a public street you deserve to die. Simple really.

Interesting concept (though bizarrely sexualised - a phallus studded with phalluses?), but can't help feeling that it rather upsets the notion of proportionality in law.

The only problem i have with street racing in my town anyway is that it keeps me up at night i live near a main road and racing goes on regularly and a two in the mouring all i can hear is loud rice pipes and backfires as they let off the trottle. Not that i am compeltly against this i think at 4am on a wide straight road what harm can u do only to urself. when innocent people start getting involved i think is a majour problem people who street race and put innocent people in danger are just idiots i honstly couldnt care less if one of them killed themselves it would be there own falt and they knew the risks

Quote from Gunn :

Anybody who street races should be beaten to death with large pieces of wood that have large rusty nails sticking out of them. If you are racing on a public street you deserve to die. Simple really.

Something me and you both agree with.

Eh... This is a pretty weak piece. It's all been said before- nothing groundbreaking.

Generally speaking, street racing is stupid because the vast majority of these "racers" drive crappy cars and do it where they shouldn't (in the middle of a city, for example).

That said, I really don't have a whole lot against people going fast off in the hills at odd hours where there's no chance (and I do mean NO chance- nobody lives there and nobody's around). It's not the greatest thing ever, but at least nobody but the driver is being put at risk.

Meh, people who race amonst heavy traffic are retards. not as an offense or anything, but just because they totally neglect that they can get run over or smacked and rammed off the road by oncomming cars that most likely is bigger then them.

I do street racing but that's only because i have no money for the track and there is a long and mountinous road right outside my driveway, and there are no traffic whatsoever at 2 am. and i have been doing this long since before i got my license

Just when everyone though you couldn't sink any lower, you go and do it... :doh:

Quote from atlantian :

Meh, people who race amonst heavy traffic are retards. not as an offense or anything, but just because they totally neglect that they can get run over or smacked and rammed off the road by oncomming cars that most likely is bigger then them.

I do street racing but that's only because i have no money for the track and there is a long and mountinous road right outside my driveway, and there are no traffic whatsoever at 2 am. and i have been doing this long since before i got my license

Please, when you die in crash, make sure nobody else does not hurt

Rent a track. don't put other citizens who don't want to race in danger.