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Yellow_Fly_Red
05-15-2002, 08:41 PM
Check this article out...!!

http://www.autonet.ca/AutonetStories/stories.cfm?storyID=5622

Street racing may cost BC drivers their cars
By Canadian Press May 15, 2002

VICTORIA (CP) – Police in British Columbia will be given new power to impound the vehicles of suspected road racers after a spate of deaths among young people thought to be racing.

Solicitor General Rich Coleman announced Tuesday that changes to the Motor Vehicle Act would give police the authority to impound vehicles involved in racing for 48 hours on a first incident. Drivers caught racing again within two years can lose their wheels for 30 days.

The new penalty is in addition to the police’s ability to seek immediate driving prohibitions from the superintendent of motor vehicles for anyone they suspect of racing.

Coleman acted after a recent series of spectacular accidents in the Vancouver area involving suspected street racers resulted in the deaths of several young people.

Coincidentally, the RCMP said earlier Tuesday it had charged two young men after a suspected street race in the Vancouver suburb of Richmond resulted in the death of a third racer and his passenger.

Herbert Chung Ho Chaum 22, and Michael La-Doug Chiu, 24, both of Richmond, were charged with criminal negligence causing death in the Feb. 14 incident where one car went out of control and ploughed into two traffic light standards.

Under the new changes, vehicle seizure could only take place when police intend to charge the driver with a specified offence under the Motor Vehicle Act or Criminal Code, Coleman said.

Police would submit a report to the superintendent of motor vehicles, which may also result in a driving prohibition.

People who have had their vehicles impounded for 30 days can apply to the superintendent to have the decision reviewed.

The instant roadside driving suspensions have already come under fire from some critics who’ve questioned the constitutionality of imposing a penalty on someone suspected but not convicted of an offence.

Coleman said legal experts are confident the new seizure policy is constitutional.

"We think because of the timeframe of 48 hours and the fact it’s involving a serious offence tied to street racing that we think it will withstand a Charter challenge," he said.

"I make no apologies for the fact we would remove a vehicle for 48 hours from the streets of this province to try and save a life."

Coleman said the changes are aimed at helping reduce the number of preventable crashes.

"Unsafe speed and driving without due care and attention are the top two contributing factors in fatal and other serious crashes attended by police.

"Impounding vehicles is an immediate action that removes the threat from the road," Coleman said.

Changes to the law now identify different forms of racing to include organized street races, spontaneous racing and so-called hat races, where drivers try to arrive first at a pre-determined destination.

Besides losing their vehicles and having demerit points added to their licences, street racers face up to $2,000 in fines and potential Criminal Code charges.

The racing often involves souped-up imported cars but police also point to aggressive or inexperienced drivers who drive at unsafe speeds.

For example, 18-year-old Whitney Nghiem was apparently racing a Honda Accord on a Vancouver street at estimated speeds of 130 kilometres an hour when she crossed a concrete median and hit a pole, slicing the family sedan in two.

Nghiem was killed but her five female passengers survived.

Soren
05-15-2002, 09:52 PM
same way i feel benny

i went out only once, and thats exactly what i saw. a bunch of punks with weed n booze. this topic has been discussed many times but everytime i hear it again it make me a lil more frustrated every time. they are ruining it for the rest of us!

maybe the city's could build drag strips that are open everyday, and run late(yea right). but it would keep most racing off the street and give the city more money right? maybe we could get a petition goin :):):)

rage2
05-15-2002, 10:12 PM
If I can be a real rich kid instead of a Wannabe Rich Kid, I'll build a dragstrip/roadcourse open 24/7!

kenny
05-15-2002, 10:15 PM
a 24/7 race track would be nice :)

RiceCake
05-15-2002, 10:20 PM
i agree... race track would be more fun... let ppl have fun in both the straight line and in auto cross! :thumbsup: :clap:

rage2
05-15-2002, 10:22 PM
I like the track cause I can actually push harder than on the street. Really nice.

kenny
05-15-2002, 10:28 PM
I like the track cuz there isn't a cop waiting to pull me over :)

flycivic
05-16-2002, 02:34 AM
You don't have to tell me dude!!! I've gotten so many 30-day insepection notices and now this!! :madred: :madred:

kenny
05-16-2002, 12:17 PM
Originally posted by flycivic
You don't have to tell me dude!!! I've gotten so many 30-day insepection notices and now this!! :madred: :madred:

Time to slow down and not race so much on the streets mmmmkay? :rofl:

rage2
05-16-2002, 12:21 PM
30 day inspection? What's that?

RiceCake
05-16-2002, 12:52 PM
Originally posted by rage2
30 day inspection? What's that?

possibly suspension??? (we really need a confused smiley kenny!)

buh_buh
05-16-2002, 02:24 PM
Originally posted by rage2
30 day inspection? What's that?
Well he lives in BC, so we don't have that here. Its a notice saying you have to have your (insert your illegal part here) replaced back to stock within 30 days, and your ticket will not have to be paid, or will be reduced to a certain price.

kenny
05-16-2002, 05:09 PM
Yep... otherwise known as a "FIX IT" ticket.

2000impreza
05-16-2002, 07:04 PM
its going to suck so much if calgary becomes like vancover :thumbsdow

lagin
05-16-2002, 08:24 PM
Just wait till you get the graduated licensing program in Calgary / or Alberta. Granted you've all got your full class five licenses'. Even though I've been driving for three years, I've got my novice class still - too lazy to take the hour long road test to get my full class five. With my 'probationary' period, it takes a lot less than a little street racing to lose your liecnce. I've got Six points to work with. Chock up one ticket for exceeding limit on the #1 heading to Hope. Now I've got one more strike. I've now got 3 points to work with. Bol mentioned he had 15 points to work with during his probationary period.

Street racing is a problem. Kids who just got their licence, and who's parents have probably bought them a brand new 200+ horsepower car. Too much power for someone who has yet to learn the 'real' rules of the road. When you watch the news and see a 2001 330Ci vs. a stock CRX and DelSole, you just have to shake your head. If the kid in the 330 had any common sense, he'd know the race was won before it ended. Instead, he plants the new bimmer right into a pole.. Can't say I've seen a BMW that smashed up before. Suffice to say the lack of common sense cost him his life, and the life of his passenger.

Just seems to me that if you know your going to win the race, why bother. Somehow I don't see the kid in the 330 thinking the guy in the CRX had NOS or noticed any other evidence of mod's which could actaully be motivation to race. Unfortunatly it seems they're not thinking. Now we've got even tougher restrictions.

I'm lucky I got my ticket before the media hype. Otherwise, I'm sure the sow would have pulled my licence on the spot. Seems to be a near 0 tolerance with all of this now.

The tracks we have out here, and there arent many, cost money to use. The Mission track for example is just a straightway. Perfect for dragging and finding your 1/4 mile or 0-60. If you actaully had a performance car and wanted a euro style track, looks like your going to have to leave the province - perhaps the country. The 24/7 free euro style track is rather attractive at this point.

Could go on, but we're probably all on the same note here.

My little rant -

:madred:

kenny
05-16-2002, 08:29 PM
Originally posted by lagin
Just wait till you get the graduated licensing program in Calgary / or Alberta. Granted you've all got your full class five licenses'. Even though I've been driving for three years, I've got my novice class still - too lazy to take the hour long road test to get my full class five. With my 'probationary' period, it takes a lot less than a little street racing to lose your liecnce. I've got Six points to work with. Chock up one ticket for exceeding limit on the #1 heading to Hope. Now I've got one more strike. I've now got 3 points to work with. Bol mentioned he had 15 points to work with during his probationary period.


You only get 7 points here in Alberta if you are on a probationary licence, not the full 15 that a full class 5 license gets. I believe Alberta also adopted the graduated licensing system as of last year (or was it two years ago).

Regarding the lack of a real race track... thats a shame there isn't even a drag strip in the Vancouver area. I am sure there is lots of demand for one, and it would at least move SOME of the people off the streets. At least here in Calgary we have a dragstrip, and a roadcourse. It may not be a world class road course, but it satisfies most people's need for speed in a safe controlled environment.

speedracer
05-16-2002, 09:44 PM
I wonder why the harleys never get pulled over?

This summer even I worry about my car when driving around town and just getting pulled over and labled "rice rocket"

bol
05-16-2002, 09:45 PM
It's gotta be 15 dude. I got a warning notice in the mail when I hit 12....

2000impreza
05-16-2002, 10:14 PM
i think our probationary licence is for 2 years before it is considered our real licence. i'm not sure how it works but it has to be more than 7 points. i have a friend that drives a 300zx TT that has 9 points on his licence. still on his probationary licence and no letter of warning or anything. you can imagine how much his insurance is :nut:

bol
05-16-2002, 10:21 PM
Yeah the probationary license is a two year period in which your license can be revoked for any reason and is watched by the drivers board.


I don't think that we've recived a graducated program yet either.

lagin
05-17-2002, 12:13 AM
Insurance. Now there's another big difference between BC and AB. I don't have to pay nearly as much for insurance as you poor guys do. Seeing as how we're government regulated here. Insurance companies are not private like AB. Just hearing how much bol had to shell out for insurance just made my jaw drop. And that was before his 'fun'.

Rough estimate, new driver in BC insuring bol's 330Ci - around 220 bucks cdn a month.
bol to insure his 330Ci in AB - somewhere in the neighborhood of 600 some odd dollars.

Just insane.

kenny
05-17-2002, 12:15 AM
But don't you guys have that no-fault insurance thing in BC? Where both parties have to shell out $ regardless of whos fault it was? I remember reading about that, but it wasn't anything factual.

bol
05-17-2002, 12:17 AM
Time to move to BC then!

LAGIN!!! *NUDGE* :banghead:

lagin
05-17-2002, 12:50 AM
It still completely depends on the incident. You'll always have to shell out your deductable if you make a claim. To fix your bumper if someone nailed you from behind. If he did nail you from behind, its 100 percent the other guys fault. 50/50's usually happen if its a parking lot situation, if whitnesses say otherwise, or its a mutual agreement between people who got in the accident.

Not an expert on the subject, but your always paying something to get your car fixed regardless. Pay for insurance to not have to pay for repairs, seems you end up paying for them anyway, and your premiums get hiked.

Eight years of accident free driving scores you a 40 percent discount in BC. You earn your roadstar after like 10 years of accident free driving. If you do have your roadstar, and you do get into an accident, you'll keep your 40 percent discount but lose roadstar status. Free rental car for up to 500 bucks or something if you have Roadstar. Theres an incentive! - there you go bol, 10 years of good driving, you get a free rental car to 'use.'

If you actually do write the car off in the accident, you now have to privately hire a claims adjuster to get better value for your ride. ICBC will not give you any more than the bare minimum no matter how much work you put in to your ride.

Bed time. :eek:

kenny
05-17-2002, 03:49 AM
When you quoted ~220/month for a BMW 330ci is that BEFORE the 40% discount? If so, thats pretty damn cheap. :thumbsup:

lagin
05-17-2002, 07:50 AM
"When you quoted ~220/month for a BMW 330ci is that BEFORE the 40% discount? If so, thats pretty damn cheap." -Kenny

That was after my 5 percent discount.

redline
05-17-2002, 09:12 AM
Originally posted by buh_buh
I know a lot of people who just "claim" they live in Saskatchewan, then get Saskatchewan plates and insurance. That way they're paying considerably less for insurance.

but if they find out you live here they will void the insurance. It has happened to a few people i know.

speedracer
05-17-2002, 10:17 AM
Then you might charged for fraud :( Not good

rage2
05-17-2002, 10:26 AM
Even when you get in an accident that's not your fault, the at fault party's insurance can deny the claim because you're insured illegally.

2000impreza
05-17-2002, 11:50 AM
i think BC insurance is more expensive for young drivers.