Boy Racers

[The Stranger:Me]

Appologies if it is already covered here, but did anyone see the piece on the front page of the herald where it appears that 2 cars were having a race and one crashed killing 2 passengers.

Both drivers were charged with manslaughter and sent to prison.

Now, surely there must be more to this than meets the eye.
Does anyone know why the driver of the other vehicle was charged with manslaughter?

I didn't notice anywhere in the article where they suggested that the accident was caused by the other vehicle.

If it wasn't then man this open up some huge issues.

[imdying]

It wasn't caused by the 'other' vehicle, it was caused by both. They were racing each other. This isn't the first time people have been charged under this law.

[bobsmith]

Right.......

So If someone on a bike decides to take off from the lights fast to get away from stupid boyracer cages, and the stupid boyracer decides that it's a race and "races" the bike and kills everyone on board... The biker could be charged with manslaughter???? WTF?

[imdying]

Yes, that's right, there won't be any investigation, the police won't make any enquiries, and the courts won't insist on evidence that it was a race, you know, seeing as that's why they're both getting charged. Use your brain woman.

[The Stranger:Me]

It wasn't caused by the 'other' vehicle, it was caused by both. They were racing each other. This isn't the first time people have been charged under this law.

So it is a law is it?
Are you referring to the boy racer laws or is there some other law/s which cover this charge of manslaughter that you are referring to?

[madboy]

It's been done a few times where the "other" car in the "race" has been charged with manslaughter or something similar when it was not their car that actually did the damage. The theory is that since both were racing then both are culpable.

I agree that it's a bit of worry for bikes. Jeez, I pounded a couple of Rexs at the lights today without really trying, and they both pounded the other cars, but who was racing who? I was just getting off the lights in my normal manner. They might have been racing each other. Why would a car race a bike?

What frightens me isn't the bike v car type race, it's that people have been having impromtu drag races for years. It's hardly unheard of. When you're driving a wanked up little rice rocket, how many middle aged V8 drivers with their kids in the car want a go? And how many Ford drivers wanna go against the Holden drivers at the lights? Rex v Evo? Rota v everyone else. They make it sound like it's a new thing that only today's kids get up to.

[Brett]

It's been done a few times where the "other" car in the "race" has been charged with manslaughter or something similar when it was not their car that actually did the damage. The theory is that since both were racing then both are culpable.

I agree that it's a bit of worry for bikes. Jeez, I pounded a couple of Rexs at the lights today without really trying, and they both pounded the other cars, but who was racing who? I was just getting off the lights in my normal manner. They might have been racing each other. Why would a car race a bike?

What frightens me isn't the bike v car type race, it's that people have been having impromtu drag races for years. It's hardly unheard of. When you're driving a wanked up little rice rocket, how many middle aged V8 drivers with their kids in the car want a go? And how many Ford drivers wanna go against the Holden drivers at the lights? Rex v Evo? Rota v everyone else. They make it sound like it's a new thing that only today's kids get up to.

I especially agree with your last part. When I am out in the cage, it is normally the dads in their V8's that want to show their muscles.

But you must admit, the type of boyracer racing around now is different. I know that only 3/4 years ago when I was HEAVILY into the whole performance car scene that most of the people I know where nothing like the hoons out and about nowadays. 150kph in a 50kph is NEVER cool. and i have had a few guys try and tell me how cool they were taking their car off the clock down such and such a road.

I will also bet they have never been taught how to control under or oversteer, have never heard of anything called pulse braking, or looking any further than the bonnet of their own car etc. Point being, they are far to inexperienced for the power of the cars that they drive or the way that they drive.

At least motorbikes tend to sort the dreamers/wannabes from the ones who are keen to learn and adjust their riding as they gain more experience.

[imdying]

So it is a law is it?
Are you referring to the boy racer laws or is there some other law/s which cover this charge of manslaughter that you are referring to?

Sorry, I'm ignorant of the exact piece of legislation, but there's been cases which have set a precedent (Moorehouse Ave here in Chch comes to mind).

Yeah people have been doing it for years, but kids can get a 200hp car for no money down, and the roads are considerably more crowded

[madboy]

At least motorbikes tend to sort the dreamers/wannabes from the ones who are keen to learn and adjust their riding as they gain more experience.

Damn right. Darwin. And Darwin can usually do his thing on motorcyclists without taking any innocent parties with him.

I too did the boyracer thing (prob 5 years ago for me). I started getting out of it when the cops started getting into it. That and the fact that I just couldn't communicate with 16yos. You and imdying are right about the scene now. A credit rating (either yours or your parents) doesn't bear any relationship to your driving ability. I'd been fortunate to have a) done my time in slow cars, b) done a bit of real motorsport - the shit with braking AND corners, and even gravel, and c) survived! And you'd see some little 16yo with a rex or evo or whatever think he had a hope. And what was more, they'd try! And sometimes crash doing it. Which I kinda enjoyed in a sick twisted sorta way. Expensive ego lesson for them though. Luckily no one was ever seriously hurt.

Yep, you're right though, it's a lot more dangerous these days. I still don't agree that the "other" driver should be made to pay, unless there is an explicit role they played in the crash - i.e. "innocent" swerved to avoid them and got clobbered by the other racer. If it's just a straight drag race and one guy loses it into innocent party, I don't see how that's the other "racers" fault. Sure, argument is that a race takes two or more, therefore if he/she wasn't racing then other car might not have been racing either... but it doesn't spin my wheels that argument.

[The Stranger:Me]

Sorry, I'm ignorant of the exact piece of legislation, but there's been cases which have set a precedent (Moorehouse Ave here in Chch comes to mind).

Yeah people have been doing it for years, but kids can get a 200hp car for no money down, and the roads are considerably more crowded

Not arguing the toss on the 200hp car, but it would appear to be a radical departure from what has been accepted in the past.

What the hell has the other racer got to do with it. He didn't cause the death, and what of the people whom died. Were they screaming to get out or egging the retard who screwed up on?

My concern is the principal of blaming others.
Where does it stop?
No one forced spanner to race.

It is more of the, look lets blame someone, anyone for the deaths. Fuck sake, it is just natural selection, we shouldn't be interfering in it.

So how long before a family uses the precedent to charge a cop for manslaughter (and wins) when another cop chase ends in a fatality?

[onearmedbandit]

I think it is fair, both were encouraging each other to break the law, and by doing so they both are guilty of the consequences.

In Japan if you are caught in a vehicle with a drunk driver, you are also seriously fined. Which is a brilliant idea, stupid enough to get in a car with a drunk driver, you pay.

[Pixie]

Right.......

So If someone on a bike decides to take off from the lights fast to get away from stupid boyracer cages, and the stupid boyracer decides that it's a race and "races" the bike and kills everyone on board... The biker could be charged with manslaughter???? WTF?

Easy solution ; don't

[Pixie]

On the subject of boy racers
There is an ad on tv for some tyre shop that has a tall cop babe getting into the car with some spotty,pubescent,bum fluffed,beanied oik...is that some kind of tui ad?

[Pixie]

Stick 'em all in prison
and send them in with their own personal can of WD40
when they get out they'll have arse'oles the size of the terrace tunnel

[The Pastor]

I think some people are being a bit hip-o-crit-i-cal (hehe sp) how many of you get upwards of 200k?

But yeah I dont like the car mod sece as it destroys some cool cars , nothing wrong with going fast - just as long as its miles away from other people, and they take into consideration blind corners, crests and dips and tracktors etc etc, theres not to many placeses where it is safe to go fast, but at the lights onto a motorway onramp etc are fine in my books.