Topic: New Street Racing Law a Cash Cow...

[rrocket]

Running lights is different. The lights and siren are supposed to be on all the time. However, the rules sometimes get broken. If I'm a block away from a break and enter in progress in the middle of the night and there's no one around I'm sure not going to turn my siren on and let the bad guy know I'm around the corner. Speed and stealthiness are important in that situation.

Yes, we break rules. But 99 times out of 100 ( to use your odds) we're doing it for a good reason and not because the fresh donuts are out like some people like to beleive. If it was your mother or girlfriend on the other end of the 911 call wouldn't you want us getting there as fast as possible?? ??

Well of course I want you there as quick as possible.  But you can't try and say a police was stopped at a red....waited for the light to turn green...sneak thru ahead of oncoming traffic illegally...then say "I was on a call".....

If you were truly on a call, I'd guess you'd turn on your lights and proceed safely through the red prior to the green, no?

FWIW...it seems like the police in TO are much "cooler" than here in Essex County.  I don't know if it's from the general lack of crime or lack of dangerous work.  Are they just bored?  Who knows..but they sure are .  Much fun is made of them around here since many of them moonlight as uniformed bouncers at bars...hence the "glorified bouncer" views we have here of them.  I think in TO they have real to worry about, so they are more likely to let insignificant things slide.  Not here though....

[The Fuzz]

Depends. You have to weigh safety vs. speed. If a female is getting the beaten out of her in a domestic or a baby is not breathing you'd run every light. If it's a break and enter then I'd cut as much time as possible (15 seconds at one light, 10 seconds at another, it all adds up) without getting myself killed by running a red. Not every call gets the same type or response. Most just get a 'I'll get there when I get there' response...Very rarely is it a full-out lights and siren response.

[HeliDriver]

I did a poll at work.  Approx. 60 people.  Asked if they did this on a regular basis (once a week).  100% said yes.

So my shop is populated by 100% street racers.....cool place to work, eh?? 

Funny, but in my 18 years of driving I've never done this. Can't ever remember being frustrated by someone on the other side of the intersection dozing, either. 

EDIT: Oops... my math is bad. Not that it matters, but I've been driving for 22 years. Must be early-onset Alzheimers...   

[The Fuzz]

It irritates the out of me when I see someone do that (when the other person isn't dozing). To me it's saying "Fack you, I'm more important than you". Just like when people fly through a plaza/gas station/fast food restaurant parking lot to avoid waiting 30 seconds at the red light to turn right. The safety of other people is not their concern as long as they are a bit quicker.

[rrocket]

^^It's possible for sure.  There are only perhaps 2-3 intersections I frequent here where it can be done leisurely and safely......

[AVToller]

I did a poll at work.  Approx. 60 people.  Asked if they did this on a regular basis (once a week).  100% said yes.

So my shop is populated by 100% street racers.....cool place to work, eh?? 

Funny, but in my 18 years of driving I've never done this. Can't ever remember being frustrated by someone on the other side of the intersection dozing, either. 

  except in my case it has been 44 years of driving. Maybe I've been driving in the wrong neighbourhoods, or perhaps I'm just not an aggressive enough ass. 

[rrocket]

So you are admitting you're an ass, just not an aggressive one?   

Yea........it's a regular free-for-all here...I mean with the blazing 10km/h turns through the green.  I'm lucky to make it in to work alive....

[Leviathan]

Seen it twice this month at the same intersection. Double left turn lanes and both times the light goes green and the Facker beside me boots it to beat the on coming traffic - except pedestrians are also crossing! Facker A kept going and narrowly missed them but Facker B managed to stop for the pedestrians which then blocked the intersection. Facker B was for sure on a cell phone too. Fackers 

[mdxtasy]

I did a poll at work.  Approx. 60 people.  Asked if they did this on a regular basis (once a week).  100% said yes.

So my shop is populated by 100% street racers.....cool place to work, eh?? 

Funny, but in my 18 years of driving I've never done this. Can't ever remember being frustrated by someone on the other side of the intersection dozing, either. 

  except in my case it has been 44 years of driving. Maybe I've been driving in the wrong neighbourhoods, or perhaps I'm just not an aggressive enough ass. 

Good stuff.  I often wonder why some ass out there has to do what they do....just to save 8 seconds. 

[initial_D]

Would be interesting in winter with icy intersectons and people driving on bald tyres.

[rrocket]

Good stuff.  I often wonder why some ass out there has to do what they do....just to save 8 seconds. 

I guess it's the same reason some people drive 5-10km/h over the limit.....

[1TSX]

I rarely see someone "boot it" right when the light turns green, for a left turn. I have seen it once or twice.

[prufrock]

If you get a ticket for this particular infraction, especially knowing that they will be looking to enforce it, you are a tool and deserve to pay a fine.

It's easy to accidentally end up a few clicks over the speed limit. You need to be pretty deliberate in your actions to cut in front of oncoming traffic from a dead stop.

I for one am all for stupidity taxes.

[rrocket]

It's easy to accidentally end up a few clicks over the speed limit.

Impossible....in my Echo....

[Craig]

Only if you are sitting at a red and the light turns green.  You cannot turn before the other side proceeds through (no racing them through).  I understand the idea in theory, sometimes yahoo's are just in a hurry, but sometimes the other side is completely asleep.

This is how I failed my first driving test.  Northbound on Centennial Parkway in East Hamilton, waiting to turn left on Barton St.  Two cars coming against me, and both fail to notice the green light.  Think they were talking to one-another.  Aced everything else, but waited a couple seconds then figured I better go for some stupid reason.

Passed the next time, but actually received a lower final score because I was nervous as hell.  Breaking the law only counts for a few points, but is an automatic fail.

Good to know I was street racing in my first driving test.

[rrocket]

Good to know I was street racing in my first driving test.

That-a boy!!!   

[johngenx]

I think we need to recognize the difference between bad laws and bad policing.  rrocket's campaign against the new street racing laws make sense to me, as it seems to have some idiotic sections, but videotaping the police and other nasty behaviour makes him seem less like a sensible guy looking for a sensible change to a jerk that likes to speed outrageously in his hot-rod and doesn't want to face the music.

[jcon]

I'm eagerly awaiting next years traffic fatalities stats.  That will pretty much prove the new law has done nothing...

Yes, because we wouldn't want to wait a few years to see if the program actually works. And you say the politicians use knee jerk reactions!

If they hadn't arrested anyone yet, you would be on here saying that the program was a failure as well.

[tortoise]

Only if you are sitting at a red and the light turns green.  You cannot turn before the other side proceeds through (no racing them through).  I understand the idea in theory, sometimes yahoo's are just in a hurry, but sometimes the other side is completely asleep.

I had no idea!  That's TOTALLY absurd..

I admit that I've only done it a handful of times, usually turning left onto a two-lane one-way street where you can turn into the nearest lane, giving you a head start on the on coming traffic.   What bothers me is that this seemingly non-racing act has been bundled in with a political gesture to stop street-racing.  Cash grab indeed.

[inco]

I rarely see someone "boot it" right when the light turns green, for a left turn. I have seen it once or twice.

I used to do that. USED to but thanks to our resident  I shall cease and desist. To me it was logical and safer, but alas illegal and so I'll wait my turn and pray the oncoming traffic stops and doesn't hit me as I turn. The other way there were stopped. Drat.