Street racing is a form of unsanctioned and illegal motor racing which takes place on public roads. Street racing can either be spontaneous or well-planned and coordinated. Well coordinated races, in comparison, are planned in advance and often have people communicating via 2-way radio/citizens' band radio and using police scanners and GPS units to mark locations of local police hot spots. Street racing is reported to have originated prior to the 1930s due to alcohol prohibition in some parts of the United States. Opponents of street racing cite a lack of safety relative to sanctioned racing events, as well as legal repercussions arising from incidents, among street racing's drawbacks.
Motivations:
There are various motivations for street racing, but typically cited reasons include:unreliable source?
Generally, street racing is not sanctioned and thus leads to a less rigorously controlled environment than sanctioned racing, to the enjoyment of some participants.
Street racing is cited as an activity which is available to people who are otherwise under-age for entertainment at traditional venues such as bars.
A community generally springs up around the street racing "scene", providing social interaction among the participants and cliques therein.
The opportunity to show off one's vehicle
The simple and uncomplicated excitement of racing without the entry fees, rules and politics, typical of the sport.
The excitement of racing when law enforcement is certain to give chase.
A lack of proper, sanctioned racing venues in the locale.
Street races are sometimes wagered on, either by the participants or observers. This is the origin of the term "racing for pink slips" (which means that the winner keeps the opponent's car), which inspired the 2005 Speed Channel series Pinks. This, in real life, seldom happens; most wagers involve cash (as in Pinks: All Out).
To settle a bet, dispute, etc between fellow racers (ex. one believes that they are the better racer, etc).
Dangers:
The Kent, Washington police department lists the following consequences of street racing:
Traffic collisions, including fatalities
:-Trespassing on private property
:-Property loss from theft and vandalism
:-Auto theft rates, carjackings
:-Increased gang activity
:-Evo Street Racers list additional consequences associated with illegal street racing as cruising violations, curfew violations, insurance fraud, warranty fraud, noise complaints, drugs, and vandalism.
Because vehicles used in street racing competitions generally lack professional racing safety equipment such as roll cages and racing fuel cell and drivers seldom wear fire suits and are not usually trained in high-performance driving, injuries and fatalities are common results from accidents. Furthermore, illegal street racers put ordinary drivers at risk because they race on public roads rather than closed-course, purpose-built facilities, such as Pacific Raceways in many cities.
Because racing occurs in areas where it is not sanctioned, extensive wear can occur to the roads (from high-powered vehicles damaging the asphalt) and damage to the fences/gates closing the area off (in the case of industrial parks, etc). Further, as the street racing culture places a very high social value on a fast vehicle, people who might not otherwise be able to afford blazingly fast but very expensive vehicles may attempt to steal them, violently or otherwise. Additionally, street racers tend to form teams which participate in racing together, the implication above is that these teams may be a form of organized crime or gang activity.
Worth noting is that the astronomical theft rate of the Acura Integra and other popular street racing cars is associated with street racing, in addition to the usual claims of chop shops.
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