The original letter sent in to the paper (Printed in The Toronto Star, Wheels Section:Your View, January 1st, 2004)
A couple of response letters sent in to the paper from other readers (Printed in (The Toronto Star, Wheels Section:Your View, January 8th, 2005)Street racers need fair and realistic solutions
I am a police officer and an avid car enthusiast. I am in support of street racing, and I'll elaborate.
First, the notion that anyone with a modified vehicle is a "street racer" is untrue and ignorant. We are "car enthusiasts" with many being professional, hard working and responsible people. If two people race down a main road with lots of traffic during the day, they're idiots. Don't group them in with the rest of us because their actions are not condoned.
But I don't see the harm in two guys racing down a deserted industrial road at 2 a.m. with nobody around. The only people they can hurt is themselves, and I have yet to hear of a fatality under those circumstances.
People have been racing their cars on the streets for more than 50 years and you'd be naïve to think it's going to stop now. The more police push them, the more underground they go and I don't see that as a solution.
There is absolutely no dialogue or open communication between police and "the scene." I would even say that the police are hated. That may be because every time one of these guys moves, they're nailed with everything under the sun. Heck, I'd be ticked too.
A statement often heard is to "take it to the track." This is usually uttered by people who speak before they think and who have no knowledge or understanding of the facts.
I would like to see information gathered and a project set up to address this issue in hopes of finding a resolution where people can race in the GTA without it being on a populated road.
I believe this would lessen the incidence of spontaneous racing on main roads while still providing an outlet for these guys. I'd be happier knowing that they're racing, rather than stealing cars or breaking into homes.
Name and address supplied,
but withheld on request
Racers learn from history
Re: Street racers need fair and realistic solutions
Yourview, Jan. 1
I could not believe the comments made by the anonymous police officer regarding car-tuner enthusiasts and their illegal street-racing activities. These illegal racers aren't wearing fireproof suits, helmets, likely do not have roll bars or window retraint systems let alone a safety crew standing by to deal with emergencies.
He also dismisses (although he never explains why) those who say "take it to the track." History teaches us good lessons and the officer would do well to study the southern California car scene in the late 1950s and through the '60s. Many car enthusiasts were enjoying the increasing number of high-performance vehicles being produced. They were in the same boat — conducting dangerous and illegal street races.
Many of them banded together into car clubs and approached the community and local law enforcement to find safe and controlled environments to race. Abandoned airports and other similar venues were the birth of many of today's major automotive sporting events.
As a starter, how about the real estate at the old Downsview airport?The officer should be approaching the police association and local politicians to find places like this that will help tuner enthusiasts enjoy their passion legally and safely.
I'm disappointed that an officer of the law can't get his head out from under the hood long enough to be part of the solution instead of the problem.
N. Romani, Scarborough
Street racing is illegal. Why should a group of "car enthusiasts" expect a municipality or the province to supply them with a publicly-funded road on a regular basis, let alone not have any say on how it is used?
The owner of any property holds the legal liability for activity that occurs on it.
Anyone who thinks otherwise should see how their insurance company would view you allowing an unregulated party on your front lawn, just because it's night and you're not using it.
Similarly, many of the modifications made to cars, in addition to affecting the safety of the vehicle, likely violate the conditions of the vehicle insurer.
While they may only be small in number, the "car enthusiasts" who drive as if any road, at any time of day, is their personal race track are hurting the image of the others, since that is what the general public sees.
It's not up to the rest of the world to clean up this image.
If "car enthusiasts" want to practise their hobby, perhaps they should follow the lead of stock-car racing enthusiasts and redirect some of the money they spent on their vehicles and fund — or convince the private sector to fund — a proper racing facility.
Of course, users would have to pay and follow rules. Since much of the street-racing culture is defined by its "extreme" and counter-culture attraction, I don't think many would use it.
Len Aitchison, Wyebridge
The article by leading columnist and Professional Driver, Ian Law, in response to the original letter from January 1st, 2005 (Printed in The Toronto Star, Wheels Section, January 8th, 2005)
Racing on the street is a real no-brainer
Letter to Wheels makes columnist's blood boil
Ian Law - Better Driving
I have spent the past two decades trying to convince auto enthusiasts not to pursue their love of competition on our streets but to take it to a venue where it can be done safely.
Many automotive journalists and racers have also fought this battle to keep our sport from becoming a public scourge and a danger to innocent bystanders.
Now, a Wheels reader's letter published last week has sent my oil pressure soaring.
Our anonymous reader supports "street racing" under certain circumstances. Ironically, he/she wishes to remain nameless because the reader is also a police officer.
The caution is understandable, as this is a rather compromising situation.
The reader does form some good points, but there are also very erroneous and dangerous assumptions.
As stated in the letter, it is true that anyone with a modified car is not necessarily a street racer. Some owners of modified cars just love driving a unique vehicle and the extra attention it garners. Others like to show off their craftsmanship and imagination. Certainly, not all of them race their creations.
However, modifying a vehicle from the factory specifications can make it more difficult and dangerous to drive. Having raced cars with modified suspensions at racetracks, I know this for a fact.
These modifications, which can increase performance, also reduce the vehicle's "window of recovery," making it more formidable to drive at its limits.
Most drivers, including these street racers, are not trained well enough to remain in control of a regular car, never mind a modified one.
Many modifications, especially those oriented toward style, can actually reduce a vehicle's performance and safety.
For example, some larger wheels and tires can noticeably reduce braking performance due to increased mass.
Racing down a "main road with lots of traffic during the day" does make one an idiot, as stated by our reader. That is the proverbial no-brainer. However, I do take exception to the next statement that "two guys racing down a deserted industrial road at 2 a.m." would hurt no one but themselves. This is a very short-sighted statement.
When anyone gets hurt during these street races, it greatly affects all of us. The public has to pay for the participants' medical bills, years of rehabilitation and the cleanup. This can cost thousand of dollars or even millions if someone is killed or paralyzed.
When these racers crash, all of our insurance rates go up to pay for the carnage.
This is one reason why "young male" drivers all have inflated insurance rates, including the innocent ones that do not race.
It would be a safe bet to say our reader has complained about insurance rates at some point.
On top of this, racers at the tracks are getting a bad name as we get lumped in with all performance drivers. We spend a lot of energy and time trying to make racing safe and reputable only to have our sport tarnished by the street-racer image.
The reader's use of the phrase "racing down a deserted industrial road" is also disconcerting. Just what is this "racer's" definition of a "deserted industrial road"? Is it the same as other street racers?
This terminology is too vague. When does "deserted" and "industrial" begin and stop? Where do you draw the line? Who will stop two street racers from having an impromptu race down a road they think is deserted just before a taxi makes a left onto the "track"? Who sets the ground rules?
But the one particular statement this reader makes that I really take offence to is, and I quote, "A statement often heard is `take it to the track'. This is usually uttered by people who speak before they think and who have no knowledge or understanding of the facts."
I am one of those "people" who have been urging racers to take it to the tracks.
I have been driving for 34 years (probably longer than our reader has been walking) and racing for two decades in auto slalom, ice racing and track. I have driven almost every car that has been made and many more modified cars. In short, "Been there, done that."
This particular topic has had me searching for a solution for many, many years.
I can assure you, dear reader, I did not speak out before I thought and I do understand the facts!
The only way to make street racing safe is to take it off the streets. When racers use our streets, they are in an environment that they have very little control over.
While blasting up the road, do you really know what your car will hit if you snap a CV joint or blow a motor? Will it hit a curb and flip or wrap itself around a lamp post? Will that empty road stay deserted or will a truck come around the corner?
It is not a case of "if" it will happen, but "when."
At a racetrack, whether it is for drag racing, solo, oval or road racing, these unknowns are either eliminated or greatly reduced. Safety is paramount and years of experience, technology and planning have gone into making the sport as safe as possible. Rules are formulated to reduce danger and increase competitiveness.
There are no excuses for racing on the street. If you need to prove your car's superiority, then sign up for a Solo (auto slalom) event. These competitions run each weekend in the GTA from spring to late fall.
If you are met by a challenge, invite your opponent out to a parking lot (Solo 2) or a racetrack (Solo I) and determine not only who has the faster car, but also who is the better driver. For icing on the cake, they even have competition schools that will help you with the sport and greatly improve your driving skills.
There will always be the need for enthusiasts to compete. It is part of our human psychological makeup. That part we cannot change. However, we can do a couple of things to help all of us.
One, we can educate these enthusiasts that there are safer ways of competing than racing on our streets.
We can help them understand that they are not invincible, immortal or infallible and it is possible they can take an innocent life with their passion. They need to understand that we are not talking about a video game.
If you crash you cannot simply press the start button and try again. Human damage can be permanent.
Two, we need a drag racing venue for these enthusiasts to use that is nearby and accessible at all hours to replace their "industrial" drag strip.
Our street racer and I both agree on this point: There are no drag race facilities within a half-hour of the GTA. The closest one is two hours away.
If one is not provided, these racers will continue to use our streets. The famous line from Field of Dreams could not be more true: "Build it and they will come." If we want it off the streets, then we need to provide a facility other than our streets.
Car racing is inevitable. Racing cars on our streets need not be.
Street racers need to know that they can decide their superiority without using our streets. But they need to be mature enough to do it at the right place and at the right time.
ianlaw@ianlawracing.on.ca - Ian Law's E-mail
Ian Law Racing - Ian Law's Professional Driving School Website
Additional articles by Ian Law - Additional Articles by Ian Law
For Reference, here are the links to the original articles on the Toronto Star's website:
Original Letter
Other Readers Responses
Ian Law's Article
The article says it all. I am in agreeance with Ian Law's article 100%. "Take it to the Track!!"
Feel free to post your comments and reactions to the above letters/article.
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Jeff Aycan - Site & Forum Owner/Administrator
Since there hasn't really been a movie from Hollywood about it, not many people have caught onto the trend, allthough "drifting" has become popular now among ricers. Frankly I hope it never becomes as widely-advertized as illegal street racing has (i.e. every car shop sells NOS decals). I agree with the first letter that someone with a modified car should not be pulled over and had his/her hood lifted simply because it "looks illegal." Car enthusiats have their own rights to customize their vehicles to a certain extent in order to make them unique! It would be boring to see 50,000 of the same honda civics and not a single one without a huge obscene wing. 
honestly we need something to laugh at or stare at in awe once and a while. It's a form of expression! But i do agree with the authors of the other letters that street racing (drag racing on the highway or city streets) is stupid. Who wants to endanger themselves and others when there is practically no skill involved? Anyone can drive in a straight line. Proving that your car is faster only means that you spent more $money$ on it. Proving that YOU are faster requires skill.. and that can only be found on the track and in the twisties. Not the drag strip, but a racing circuit-style track or a windy mountain pass in which you may actually become a better driver in the process. It would seem like it'd be more dangerous, but kids need to learn that if they can't control their car, they shouldn't be racing at high speeds in traffic. Just a thought.. sorry for rambling! 
got too much free time and thought I would vent. Touge isn't the safest alternative, and it's still illegal street racing.. but I've found it to be way more fun, way more educational, and last way longer than just racing for a quarter mile. thnx for ur time lol
that's just lame. but with that in mind, i welcome cops to pull me over just to look at the car! 
they probably dont know what it is or what it's got in it, so might as well let them gawk lol
