Notice that they're all ricers?

**Fastcar** · 06-21-2007, 09:37 PM

From Yahoo! News: Cars crushed in street racing crackdown By GREG RISLING, Associated Press Writer Wed Jun 20, 6:52 PM ET RIALTO, Calif. - Charles Hoang winced when the whoosh went out of the tires. Daniel Maldonado took pictures with a digital camera as glass exploded and rained down to the ground. The cars the teens had so meticulously souped up and tricked out were crushed Wednesday as part of a crackdown on illegal street racing in Southern California.

"That's my heart, my dream," said Hoang, 18, of Chino, who was surrounded by friends as his 1998 Acura Integra was put into a compactor. "That's my girlfriend, the love of my life. The cops can crush my car, but they can't crush my memories."

Authorities destroyed six vehicles Wednesday at an auto graveyard, hoping would-be racers think again after looking at the mashed machines. Illegal street racing is responsible for or suspected in 13 deaths in Southern California since March. The thrill-seeking, adrenaline-pumping activity is rampant in Riverside and San Bernardino counties east of Los Angeles where rows of tract homes line wide streets that attract racers. Nearly 1,000 people — drivers and spectators — have been arrested for investigation of street racing activities over the past two years in San Bernardino County alone.

Police need a court order to destroy the cars. They must prove that the serial or identification numbers on a vehicle or its parts are removed, altered or destroyed. Police said they have managed to reduce illegal racing and related fatal collisions, but know the underground hobby still thrives. "We are making a dent," said Ontario police Cpl. Jeff Higbee. "But it's summertime and ... we expect to see more activity." Hoang said he was caught late last year racing his prized car, on which he spent at least $10,000 to get into top shape. The 350-horsepower engine topped out at 160 mph, Hoang said, swearing it could beat a Corvette or even a Ferrari.

When police popped open the hood, Hoang said, they found a stolen transmission. Hoang flashed a receipt for the transmission he bought from his father who runs an auto shop and doubted the item was hot. "Everything on that car was practically brand new," Hoang said as he watched his car get moved to auto death row. "They should take out the stuff that matters, auction it off, and give the money to charity." Because racers put heavy stress on their vehicles, they often burn out or blow up parts. Higbee said the need for the expensive parts has created a "theft mill" where additional cars — usually Hondas or Acuras — are stolen and stripped of the necessary replacements.

Most of the cars police examine are illegally modified. Sergio Zavala, 18, was pulled over in his 1993 yellow Honda Civic for a broken tail light in December. He had purchased a B-20 Vtech engine with a double-overhead cam a couple months before, and after a police investigation, was told it was stolen. Zavala, who admits he's been involved in street racing, estimates he and his mother spent about $10,000 on improvements to his car. (What a waste of his mommy's money!)

After watching his Civic demolished, Zavala is left without a car as he plans to attend a fire academy in the fall. "It's heartbreaking to see this," said Zavala, who graduated from high school last week. "This is where all my time and money went." Maldonado also said he put plenty of time and effort working on his 1992 black Honda Civic. He was stopped in November by police in what Higbee described as an area where racers gather. The 18-year-old mechanic said a vehicle identification sticker apparently fell off (Yeah, right??? Can I sell you some prime real estate too, Officer?) and without it, police suspected some of the parts were stolen. Maldonado stood several feet away from his car as it was pounded into a heap of metal. Maldonado said he has taken the advice of police by racing legally on one of several race courses around Southern California.

For the money spent in fines and other penalties — on average about $5,000 for illegally modified cars — Higbee said street racers could compete about 250 times a year at a legitimate track. "If you have to race, take it to a legal venue," Higbee said. "But as long as they keep racing illegally, we keep crushing their cars." All three men who saw their vehicles destroyed said they believe illegal street racing will continue to prosper across the region. "It will never go away," Maldonado said. "If it's in your heart, you will continue to do it until you can't anymore."

Shades of not so fast nor furious anymore......

**Raoul-Duke** · 06-22-2007, 01:25 PM

ive been backed into a wall with tickets but i still do it, vvvverrry carefully though....i would prob have a charge on an assault and battery on an officer and evasion if they tried to crush my cars, but they'd have to catch me first,lol...

**predator** · 06-23-2007, 09:20 AM

this is complete bs... I would run till i killed someone b4 i just handed my keys over to a cop that is gonna crush it...

i know that sounds stupid, but thats the mindset of alot of ppl... you know when a dui is like $600 and they are talking aobut crushing $20k cars from street racing someone has some serious priority problems...

-me

**SnakeEatr** · 06-23-2007, 09:31 AM

Originally Posted by predator

this is complete bs... I would run till i killed someone b4 i just handed my keys over to a cop that is gonna crush it...

i know that sounds stupid, but thats the mindset of alot of ppl... you know when a dui is like $600 and they are talking aobut crushing $20k cars from street racing someone has some serious priority problems...

-me

easy man, dont get banned.

**SnakeEatr** · 06-23-2007, 09:37 AM

Thats why I wont live in California. They are too big of dicks there. Yep, ricers, but you cant tell me your heart doesnt hurt to see them lose what they loved so much! It made me sick. And pissed. I would move outta state and never gone back! I am pissed now.

**jbb6811** · 06-24-2007, 12:43 PM

i don't see where this is gonna do sh!t but cause problems like running.
and in the story above i don't see where a broken light gives them the right to look under the hood. a broken light isn't probable cause to search the car.

and as for racing. i do it don't get me wrong. but give these guys more places to run. in my town you cant have a track so the closest one to me is an hour away and the next is 2.5hr away. the town is over ran with teens and ricers racing on main street. i say sell the cars and use the money to open more tracks!

**tyxpx** · 06-25-2007, 02:35 PM

Once that really gets out, I think it is only going to cause more people to just run from the cops, maybe even cause me deaths and injuries in the process. And as for crushing the cars!!!...Makes no sense to me, that is doing nothing to be proactive to resolve the "problem" of street racing! I totally agree with rather than just crushing the cars...auction them off to build more tracks in the areas that have none! Instead of all the money from the tickets related to street racing going into someones pockets a percentage of it should be going to a real solution to this. Part of the street racing rush is from the chance of being caught! If all they do is put more officers on partol and make harsher penalities that will only add to the rush of getting caught. And even though they were all ricers, I do feel for them. I could imagine what it'd feel like to stand there and watch my car getting crushed!

-end of rant

**RJWZ28** · 06-27-2007, 07:13 PM

same opinion here. if that integra goes 160, i'd bury the throttle, Crown Vics cant break 130 and Hemi Charger cruisers cant break 150.

**jrc1122** · 07-01-2007, 04:10 PM

Originally Posted by RJWZ28

same opinion here. if that integra goes 160, i'd bury the throttle, Crown Vics cant break 130 and Hemi Charger cruisers cant break 150.

only problem with that is the power of radio, and helicopters.

they can radio ahead, and throw spike out, they can call in air support.

I don't condone street racing , especially mass groupings. But I am guilty of running a race every now and again.

I think it is 100% wrong to crush someones car, because they raced.

You don't taking a wrecking ball to someones house for a domestic dispute.

**RJWZ28** · 07-02-2007, 12:16 AM

I wouldn't take off and go WOT down the highway for miles and miles but accelerating away for 3-5 miles then hiding is way more appealing than watching your ride getting demolished! You're right, that is the way I feel about it too. Its the land of the free until you leave your garage, you have your rights unless you're talking about your car, and everyone is too scared to fight to get fair treatment on the roads that we ALL pay taxes on. I mean, gimme a break, traffic cameras aren't even operated by law enforcement, they are contracted out to independent corporations. It pisses me off to know that the speed camera and red light camera is a multi-million (possibly -billion) dollar industry! What is our country coming to?!?