- Joined
- 17 August 2010
- Messages
- 559
But this would go too far to try to seize the five cars, especially since there can be no criminal charge.
Drunk drivers get away with far less fines / penalties, and they're equally if not more dangerous.
Way to go Canadastan.
The problem is these kids were NOT caught racing. They were reported by other civilians to be racing, a HUGE difference.These children were driving very expensive cars that their parents had bought for them. Some only had novice licences, not a full licence, and I doubt any had any more driving skills than the average teenage old gamer. They were driving two abreast holding up all southbound traffic on a freeway south of Vancouver so their buddies in front could drag race. And they did this in the middle of a weekday afternoon.
Were they stupid? Yes, beyond comprehension.
Would losing their cars be a harsh penalty? Not really. If they lose their cars it will be only a blip on their financial radar.
If you are caught street racing in British Columbia or Ontario you can lose your car. There might be some US states that have similar laws.
If you think losing your car is a tough penalty, maybe you should ask the families of the innocent victims of street racers who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
No, I am not a cop. Yes, I do exceed the speed limit. But I only go balls out on a race track, where the risks can be managed and are assumed by everyone. These kids deserve what they got.
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These children were driving very expensive cars that their parents had bought for them. Some only had novice licences, not a full licence, and I doubt any had any more driving skills than the average teenage old gamer. They were driving two abreast holding up all southbound traffic on a freeway south of Vancouver so their buddies in front could drag race. And they did this in the middle of a weekday afternoon.
Were they stupid? Yes, beyond comprehension.
Would losing their cars be a harsh penalty? Not really. If they lose their cars it will be only a blip on their financial radar.
If you are caught street racing in British Columbia or Ontario you can lose your car. There might be some US states that have similar laws.
If you think losing your car is a tough penalty, maybe you should ask the families of the innocent victims of street racers who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
No, I am not a cop. Yes, I do exceed the speed limit. But I only go balls out on a race track, where the risks can be managed and are assumed by everyone. These kids deserve what they got.
You're kidding right? Even in Canada the penalties for drunk driving are harsh. I shudder to think what they might be in the USA.
Ouch, Skippy, that hurts. Americans need to get along with their Canadian neighbours. We have most of the oil and good hockey players in North America and I bet the US needs at least one of those things! :tongue:
Speaking of totalitarian states.......I just read an article about 'school ticketing' in Texas and other states. Amazingly, children can be ticketed and fined in school for swearing, being late, running in the hall and all the stuff you and I did as kids. But if they don't pay up they can be jailed after they graduate. And suprisingly the poor and coloured seem to get the most fines and potential jail sentences.
Now THAT is harsh.:biggrin:
.......Drunk drivers get away with far less fines / penalties, and they're equally if not more dangerous.
The problem is these kids were NOT caught racing. They were reported by other civilians to be racing, a HUGE difference.
It doesn't matter if they were driving $150 civics or $150k Ferarri's.
The law is the law, and people need to adhere to the law, on both sides.
What if someone who hated you followed you to work, and called 911 and reported you to be racing? Would that be a good case to have your car taken away from you?
It's pretty black & white in this case - the cops didn't catch the kids racing, so there should be no penalty for taking the cars away. To do otherwise would be a violation of law and order.
The problem is these kids were NOT caught racing. They were reported by other civilians to be racing, a HUGE difference.
It doesn't matter if they were driving $150 civics or $150k Ferarri's. The law is the law, and people need to adhere to the law, on both sides.
What if someone who hated you followed you to work, and called 911 and reported you to be racing? Would that be a good case to have your car taken away from you?
It's pretty black & white in this case - the cops didn't catch the kids racing, so there should be no penalty for taking the cars away. To do otherwise would be a violation of law and order.
I just called the police to let them know that everybody here in this thread was racing illegally and at extremely dangerous speeds. Based on precedence, I'm hoping now they will seize all your NSX's where I can buy them back really cheap at a police auction.
Just because the police don't catch someone in the act doesn't mean that the person cannot be convicted of the crime. If that is how the law worked, there would be a lot of murderers let go.
All the police need to do is to prove that these kids were racing. Would the testimony of one person (using your hypothetical example, say that one person who didn't like the racers) be sufficient? No, it wouldn't. But if the police can come up with enough reliable testimony and evidence, these kids could be convicted. Just the same way most murderers are put behind bars. Is that likely to happen and will they lose their cars? I suspect the odds are against it, but the police are pissed off enough that they are interviewing witnesses and seeing what evidence they can muster. I say good for them.
Back you go to law school, a telephone call is not a precedent (a court decision constitutes a precedent) and you also flunked Evidence 100. :biggrin:
I think it has already been well enough publicized that in fact the police in this case DO NOT have enough evidence and the witness testimony is "sketchy" at best - NO law enforcement witnessed it and video and camera footage recovered showed the group "driving normally".
The key here is (quoted from an interview with BC Civil Liberties Association): "the criminal justice system does allow for seizures of property connected to crime -- as long as the accused person has been found guilty."
They were not FOUND GUILTY of any crime and yet the police are attempting to side-step the law in order to seize the cars.
Doh, facepalm smack. Not the precedent of my phone call. The precedent set by the police. After all, if all it took was the testimony from some people to allege that cars were used in street racing to be able to seize cars, then why couldn't my testimony of me alleging all your NSX's were used in street racing also be enough to have all your cars impounded? After all the more NSX's I can take off the street the more exclusive and valuable mine becomes! Muahahaha! :biggrin::tongue:
Sorry if I was blunt but that is how trials work. Evidence is given by witnesses and, if the evidentiary burden is met (in other words, the evidence proves the charge and the accused does not refute the evidence or create a reasonable doubt) then the accused is convicted.
It would be extemely unlikely that the evidence from one citizen would be sufficient. Corroboration is required.
As for your plan to corner the NSX market, you're an evil genius! :biggrin:
Ok, so if I call, and get 6 of my friends and co-workers to call and make the exact same claims, then corroboration is met and then I can buy up all your cars?
Ok, so if I call, and get 6 of my friends and co-workers to call and make the exact same claims, then corroboration is met and then I can buy up all your cars?