Originally posted by gn85
Still there is a clear problem that is growing with the politicians closing down tracks where racing can be done legally. I find it amazing that something that was praised in the 50s as a great way to reduce street racing. Use ol' air strips, put timing lights and safety barriers and bring those who like racing off the street. Now, 50 years later, they are being turned back onto the street.
A lot of the problem also lies in the "Not In My Back Yard" principle. People want a problem to go away, but they don't want to make even the most minimal adjustments to their lifestyle to accomodate it. Whether it be a new prison that is being proposed, or a racetrack, all they want is for it to be out of sight, out of mind. The funny think is, I'd bet most of the people that petition to close nearby tracks, or petition against new ones, are the same people that drive like a$$holes anyway....shaving, reading the newspaper, doing business, and putting on their makup, all while driving their cars.
But hey, that's not dangerous, right? They know what they're doing.
I think if there were more dragstrips, along with stiffer penalties (fines, confiscation of vehicle), the problem would diminish. Nothing is going to disappear, but this could take a good bite out of it.
Consider CT: We HAD a dragstrip many years ago, but its been closed, right around the time I turned 16. Rumor has it that Consumer Reports uses it for testing. They can't figure out for the life of them give an unbiased report (do they like ANY American car?), so what good is the testing doing?
We could have had one in East Hartford where Pratt & Whitney closed their airstrip (Rentschler Field), but they built a football stadium instead. I realize that a football stadium is a completely different animal, being a much bigger cash cow, and drawing a different kind of visitor to the area, but c'mon people, the asphalt was already there! I guess the almighty dollar is more important than attempting to solve a problem of the magnitude of street racing. Why increase the potential to save lives, and decrease crime when you can have the money instead?
Many residents of East Hartford aren't very happy with the traffic and noise of the football stadium anyway, so what more harm would a dragstrip do?
I'll say this about my own street racing instances: I don't do it on any road where there are curves, any kind of traffic, and certainly not RESIDENTIAL AREAS. Any time we race, we do it late at night, in an industrial area on the outskirts of town, miles away from any residential areas. We use a spotter to monitor traffic and police. No, its still not right, but we do our best to minimize (I don't dare say eliminate) any potential accidents, run-ins with other motorists, and noise that would wake people up.
Until I see a dragstrip in CT, I'll just keep on doing it that way, love it or hate it, right or wrong.
Just my F'ed up opinion.
Steve
, but in all honesty if they were drag racing on this road (which is NOT an ideal road to be speeding on because it curves) they were asking for Darwin to take them
