Map of the Week: Street racing (part one)

AARON LYNETT/TORONTO STAR

Licence suspensions for street racing, September 30, 2007 to September 12, 2008, per 1,000 by postal area.

In the Greater Toronto Area, street racing (map) seems to be centred in the area of Peel between Orangeville and Brampton, spilling over into nearby areas of York Region around Kleinburg and Woodbridge.

The one standout exception to the general pattern is M5J, the postal area that takes in the waterfront condos downtown. This is, I hope coincidentally, the neighbourhood across Yonge St. from the Toronto Star. M5J has the third-highest rate in the GTA, and (not to give away next week's map) the fifth-highest rate in the province.

Other than M5J, there is no clear concentration in the 416 area code, other than M2L, in the Bayview and York Mills area.

One interesting thing is that this map doesn't have very much in common with the GTA impaired driving map. Accused street racers seem concentrated in one area, mostly, while impaired drivers are spread all over the GTA with higher numbers in more car-dependent areas.

Low-population L0L, along the 404 in Whitchurch-Stouffville, had only three suspensions during the period but is included on the map out of consistency.

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Information was obtained from the Ministry of Transportation under access-to-information legislation.

Comments

[Jay]

Your right to exceed the speed limit by more than 15 KPH ends where my family and their safety begin. Feel free to split all the hairs you like kids, but rationalizing won't justify idiot's treating our roads as runaway takeoffs.

[Cortina]

It looks like the new "street racing" law has come back to bite the police. Giving the police the power to break due process was a bad idea and throws all the above charges into question. Look at Sgt. Dennis Mahoney-Bruer case! Since the government has removed the checks and balances to insure that police are ticketing and collecting evidence properly, it casts all these charges on the map with doubt.

[Rob]

I know of a 85year old man, WWII vet, that was charged with racing and left at the side of the road with is wife begging the officer to call them a cab. They were stoped out side of Peterbouro. Poor man is terrified to go any where now. Good Job OPP good job

[PBoire]

An OPP officer some years ago told me that the best drivers on the road averaged about 135kph, never blocked the lanes, kept to the right and caused no grief. It is against the law (completely ignored and unenforced) to not move to the right hand lane when being overtaken. I have seen the odd truly wreckless speeder, but most people who get tickets are usually just driving well at a reasonable speed. Tickets should only be issued when an authentically dangerous situation is at hand. Many strethes of road are good for over 140kph allowing for safe stopping times, while some are as low as 110, again as defined by stoppong within 400 ft of a person or obstacle. Fanticism is not what we need in traffic policies.

[BobK]

Do not confuse street racing with the street racing charge.

Street racing is an organized activity in which participants rarely get caught. Street racers posts lookouts on the perimeter of their race, carry scanners to monitor police frequencies, etc. The races are over in a matter of seconds. The police hassle street racers, but the charges are usually for equipment infractions rather than speed.

The street racing charge is a misnomer. It would more appropriately be called "excessive speed". But calling it street racing is "sexy". It makes it look like the province is doing something to stop the street racers.

As for the higher rate of charges in the rural areas, it is partly because the roads are less congested and it is actually possible to go more than 50km/h above the speed limit. And in Caledon in particular, it is a group of highly dedicated OPP officers who make enforcing street racing laws a priority.

[Randolph]

Canada has some great efforts to stop street racing but they need to follow a group in the states that is truly making progress in stopping the problem. They are called evo street racers and they do one hell of a job to reduce the problem yet keep everyone happy in the solutions. Its truly amazing what they pull off. Should we implement there strategies and plans I think we'd be much better off. the site is Http://www.EvoStreetRacers.com for anyone interested in learning.

[Adam]

Hi,

I drive a heavily modified car hand built by myself, and I'm actually all for tougher fines when driving recklessly on our city streets. It sickens me as a car enthusiast that people would risk not only their lives but their passengers lives and the general public who may just happen to get involved unexpectedly.
Take it to the track people! Its not ''cool'' to speed on our streets, and you simply look like a jackoff for doing so. If I see you on the streets racing, or if you attempt to race me, I'm phoning your plate in like I always do. You give people like me a bad image, and all I want to do is enjoy my car AT SAFE SPEEDS.

[Chris]

It seems that everyone here is complaining about "street racing" and its connection with the "50 over the limit" penalties, and well, they're just plain wrong (as is this map). The part of the Highway Traffic Act that deals with this is "ONTARIO REGULATION 455/07" and it defines 2 offences: "Street Racing" and "Stunt Driving". While "Street Racing" has become the catch all term for all charges laid using this regulation, in actuallity most of the charges (50 over the limit) are "Stunt Driving". It's a simple distinction that I think people need to make.

Having said that, I frankly think the law doesn't go far enough. It shouldn't have been an arbitrary speed... 50 over the limit. But a percentage of the speed limit - 50%. That means people driving 90 on a 60 should be charged with stunt driving too... But ahh well.

[Brian]

Anyone happen to know what happened to good old Dennis? His court appearance was scheduled for July 13 but there has been no follow up that I have seen?
Also, what is happening with all of the charges he laid? Have they been withdrawn, overturned?
Any idea how this case has affected other cases? Less charges now? More charges now?

[Joe]

I wonder if politicians ever read online? If they did they may actually understand the public's outrage over the intentional police mis-interpretation of HTA172. Even lawmakers contend they never meant for non-racing drivers to be charged under the law, yet the cops (under Fantino's direction) decided to use it to basically punish a public they are supposed to be protecting. Old men getting fined $10,000 and losing their license and car for losing track of their speed while passing? Shame on the police for this. That was NEVER the intention of the law. 50 over used to need to be explained in court and may have carried a hefty fine, THAT was fair. Calling normal drivers trying to pass a car in a short passing zone, or driving down a hill street racers or stunt drivers is ridiculous.

There is a reason that historically Canadians don't fear or hate their police force while other countries do. Canadian police had always had public interest in mind, and in general had fairly applied laws in a respectful manner. My how that has changed under Fantino.

Someone needs to drop Fantino and his policies before an entire generation learns to hate and fear our protectors in blue. That sort of damage isn't so easy to fix.

[gtaplayground]

Third Concession:

Driving 10km under the limit in clear dry bright conditions is usually passive-aggressive controlling behaviour.

If you're so concerned about expressing your individuality and resisting the push of the crowd, paint your car fuschia.

If you're driving slowly to save fuel, buy a more efficient car.

If you're looking at the view, pull over.

Stop wasting everyone's time.