.::miLan

I'm not sure if any of you watched the news at all lately, but on Burnhamthorpe and Pony Trail, yesterday, July 6th 2002, at around 7:30 to 8:00 PM, two teens were killed in a drag race.

I was outside on my porch, just chilling, when I heard tires squealing and motors roaring on Eastgate Parkway, which is about 250 - 300m from my house. This sound is not new to me, as many idiotic people race on this street. You may recall a couple of years back another individual tragically passed away after his friend's car hit a pole during a race on this particular street.

Anyway, I presume the race then continued onto Dixie Road, as I heard the cars continue onto there. About five minutes later, the sound of sirens began to infiltrate the sky. I got into my car to go pump up my tires at the local Shell station on Burnhamthorpe and Dixie, and saw that the whole street was blocked off by police cars, ambulances, and fire trucks.

I drove by to see what was wrong, and noticed part of an Acura Integra sitting in the middle of the road, while another portion was laying elsewhere. The car was struck by an oncoming Jeep Liberty, as the driver racing the Integra attempted to possibly avoid striking someone in front of him.

I later learned that two occupants of the red coloured Integra, that was involved in the race, who were only 19 years old had passed away at the scene of the accident. One of the occupants - the backseat passenger, from that particular car had survived the incident, but needed to be resesitated, and air lifted to Sunnybrook Trauma Center, where he remains in critical and serious condition.

A second car that was involved in this incident, which people speculate the Acura driver was racing fled the scene. It is a dark coloured vehicle, from what I heard on the news, possibly a BMW with out-of-Ontario plates. Plates from another province, or even a state in the U.S.A.

I am writing this for you guys, and for myself so that we could all learn a lesson from this tragedy. Racing on the streets is not safe, and it never was safe. If you want to show off what you got under the hood of your car, go up one weekend to Cayuga or St. Thomas. These people lost their lives because of simple ignorance; and Burnhamthorpe road is not the best choice of street to race upon - neither is any other for that matter.

Every time you race against someone else you not only put your life on the line, but you put the lives of other drivers and innocent by-standers on the line aswell.

I don't want to sound like your parents nagging at each and every one of you - but seriously, we should learn from this, and try our best to take racing off of our streets in order to avoid future tragedies like this.

My condolenses go out to the families of the two teens that tragically passed away this Saturday - may God be with you.

More info: http://www.pulse24.com/News/Top_Stor...7-003/page.asp

SIINSI

A sad way to go. I feel for their families.

Miguel

10seconds

man post that somewhere else, we all know the risk we take when we race on the street, we dont need to see stuff like that.

steve

97hb

Was going to post something but this subject sucks

Mista Bone

This is the EXACT reason I requested ALL driving portions of the CRX Niagra meets be stopped.

I requested this for the N7 meet even though I failed to attend.
At N5 we had about 40 cars and yes I did open up the Civic. Matter of fact, me and Wes in his 1g CRX walked away from about 4-5 B16 swaps. This was before they figured out a way around the 112 mph limiter. at N6 when I had open road on the QEW, I engaged the juice at 125 mph and pulled to 145+ mph.

No one had gotten hurt and I was part of the faster groups. I wanted this to continue, no one getting hurt that is. I was just as guilty as the rest. But we needed to stop BEFORE someone got hurt, and we did.

I have not been into the triple digit on public roads since the N6 meet 2 years ago.
Doesn't mean I don't want to, I just wanna be here next week, month, year, etc.

turbo Si

What's wrong with you guys? A post like this could set an example. Maybe not for you, but for someone who might begin to get caught up in acting stupid on the roads, which we all have one time or another, and have a reality check! There are alot of young drivers, especially in Houston, which is the main reason why I stopped going out to the night scene's here who think they have un-human powers which allows them to swirve all over the roads and act crazy. So not trying to degrade anyone, I just think this is worth posting!

Incognito

I saw the video clip from that news channel. Feel so bad for the families.
The Integra was pretty badly ripped up.

laughinxxx

Damn, that sucks for their families. I'm trying to feel bad for them, but it just isn't happening. Maybe the fact that they put other people's lives at danger by racing on an occupied street is numbing my heart a bit.
There are ways to race that are nearly as safe as the track. I know the admins don't want street racing stuff in here, so send me a PM if anyone needs any ideas on how to not end up like these two idiots.

hybridreams

That's life

Hracer

You know the risk and yet you *still* do it on the street. That's just great... and yes you especially need to see stuff like that. I very rarely single out people in replies, but I couldn't pass this one up.


Also, we all heard this before and as someone else already posted, "Every time you race against someone else you not only put your life on the line, but you put the lives of other drivers and innocent by-standers on the line as well". But I think it should be the other way around. "Every time you race on the street you are putting the lives of the *other drivers* and *the passengers* you are selfishly carrying on the line, and yes yours also." I have very little regard for those who selfishly street race, so their own lives are at the bottom of my list.

Yet we have others that just paid for their lesson with the ultimate price, their lives. It is sad indeed.

2000GSR

these ppl are idiots for racing on burnamthorpe, its there own stupidity that caused their deaths and risking other ppl's lives. I race on the street but i try to use just a little common sense! plus these loser's cars were probably not even equiped to handle the speed properly. Street racing late night in industrial areas is your best bet, i haven't seen any incidents in that scene for the past couple of years. these clowns who were racing were probably not part of the street racing world but the ppl who race late at night will get heat put on them!!! Since another crash/death in mississauga happens i will soon get another ticket for having clear lights or having an aftermarket exhaust!!!

10seconds

HRACER im guessing you dont drag race you probably road race. most of the people who are against drag racing on the streets are road racers, and most road racers dont like drag racing. ofcourse someone who doesnt like drag racing or doesnt drag race is going to have nothing but negative thoughts about people who do drag race on the streets. it was there choice and pretty much any other person who does drag race would have probably made the same choice. its really comes down to where you are street racing. i admit i do it on a vary populated street but thats the choice i make, and most drag racing people can agree with me i think. but im sorry to here what hapeend to those gusy who died weather tehy were doing something stupid or not i still feel sorry for them.

steve

Hracer

Hey there. Yes I road race and autox, but that does not mean I am against drag racing. Do not generalize please, which I can see you didn't because of the key word "most" that you carefully threw in there. In fact I do go to the drag strip on occasion to check out the cars (because yes there are some really nice cars that show up) and to hang out with friends. I usually also go to the drag strip to run with my car ('95 Talon AWD) once a year on the last weekend before the strip here closes because that's when it is usually coldest, so that's when my car will be the fastest. I definitely plan to go again this year since I upgraded certain things on my car, so I'm curious how much faster it will be compared to last year. So you might have been wrong about me, not sure... And yes I do read this forum when I have time, even though I can't really contribute too much with my relatively limited drag racing experience compared to some of the folks on here. But I’d gladly try to help with any road race/autox stuff if interested.

My comments were certainly not intended at all as you perceived them. Any kind of racing on the street is stupid and selfish. Racing up and down mountain roads (a la road racing style) is just as dumb as drag racing on the street. My arguments had *nothing* to do with what type of racing you do. And I'll say it one more, it is of little importance to me what happens to you personally or to all those who street race if they get hurt themselves. Hey, they consciously did it to themselves. If you would have done it on the track, you might have been better off due to the many safety precautions and benefits that exist at the tracks. What bothers me a million times more is the injuries/deaths that happen to innocent people such as other drivers on the road, pedestrians, etc... who do not "choose" to be part of a very stupid (in my opinion) street race. The street racers who screw up and take down *others* with them is what pisses me off. If you can find an isolated place to do it, good for you, but when I hear people racing on busy streets, that just makes me sick. There is nothing "skillful", "brave", or "heroic" about racing on busy streets. It is plain stupid and VERY selfish to be in a scenario where *your* faults behind the wheel can take down other innocent people who had and want NO part in your activity. In one word: it is very *selfish*. I hope you see what I am saying. And you can take this to any level you wish: I have absolutely no problems with whatever it is that you do to yourself on your own time on our own turf, just as long as you don’t impose it or affect other people by your actions. Simple, no?

Then again, this is just my opinion and I am definitely sticking by it. Ciao!

edit: just wanted to add that the thing that made me post in the first place on this thread is that I lived in Mississauga for eight years before moving to Atlanta and been up and down those roads many times. It just struck closer to home I guess.


[Modified by Hracer, 2:52 PM 7/16/2002]

Civicdrgrcr

rasr

DSF

Uh, no

I'm a drag race fan, not an auto-crosser, not that it even matters. And no, it's not your choice to make. If I can prevent you from killing me, my friends, my family and innocent people, by helping create awarness in otherwise ignorant people, than I will do whatever it takes. Even if it's as little as posting about a tragic accident as a reminder that our lives are worth more than a few seconds of "glory". You're statement is no different than if I said it's my choice if I want to murder you. Both illegal acts.

I'm sorry if this comes off as a rant (which I guess it is). But I'm tired of people singling me out because of my modified cars, my 20-something age, and the stereotype being created that us "import enthusiasts" are nothing but street racers. There are legal drag strips for good reasons. Use them
...I do


[Modified by DSF, 9:01 AM 7/17/2002]

Muckman

iTrader: (2)

He was racing someone with 3 people in his Integra. N00b

neveronlines2k

I'm sorry for their families.

But this debate on street racing is kind of funny to me. I mean street racing has been going on since they built the second car. And street racing (wether it be going as fast as you can down a mountain or 0-100 from a stoplight is never going to end). Think about it and ask yourself did my parents street race (I know my dad did) they probably did unless you dont have cars where you come from. I am not trying to be a smart *** i'm only being realistic . People have been into racing cars forever and there will always be people racing each other on public streets at tracks and so forth. People will continue to die from racing and from simply driving from point a to point b it is a fact of life that isn't going to change and thats just my .02 cents.

To organizations like RASR and the like even if it is in vein.

D-Man

Right,and he gets a for being an inexperienced teenager at the wheel obviously showing off for his buddies against an BMW..i feel more for the person in the jeep

NegativeLift

i think a good rule if you do race is never w/ other people in the car...they shouldnt be responsible for your actions

EG6-SiR

Funny i thought this was the drag racing forum, not the street racing forum... how is this relevant?

Perhaps this might not have happened with a chromoly cage that any serious drag racer would have?