boys… need for speed
Nowdays we’ve all heard stories about guys (ok, "people"… whatever) racing on the street and totaling cars… killing people, etc. A week or so ago there was even a whole show in Dr. Phil about it and this woman in a wheelchair was hit and killed. Maybe we have personal stories too.
But what really shocked me was on Saturday my BF and I were in his car driving to a grandma’s birthday party an hour away… on I-5 and highway 16 (over the Narrows Bridge) and this kid in an old, old civic wanted to race us. It’s such a weird thing to me how one guy "asks" the other and the other "declines" or whatever. I so don’t know the lingo but it’s just WEIRD! Anyway, my BF declined and when I finally caught on what was going on we just really ignored the guy. He challenged about a good 5 or 6 times before coming up on the other side and doing a thumbs down sign, etc. etc. to piss my BF off enough to do it.
This is so incredibly odd to me.
- it’s pouring down rain
- we are getting onto a BRIDGE!!!!!!!! (you can’t change lanes on the bridge either)
- there is a ton of traffic - a ‘race’ wouldn’t work anyway ??
- the cars were no match for one another (his was really old and not even fixed up)
- my bf doesn’t race and is in law enforcement
But the part that bothers me the most is that I am a GIRL! and the kid/guy couldn’t have cared less. I was not smiling, not laughing, not egging him on. I just think it’s such a weird state of society that he would even try so many times to race us and that I would be okay with that.
If a guy raced someone with me in the car I would completely flip out. Is this what happens on dates? Is this the norm? WHO DOES THIS?!?!?!
I am completely baffled by this. And I’m sure immature racers don’t care if a woman OR CHILDREN are in the car.
It would be a safer world if people that want to do this would (a) spend the money and go to a track and/or (b) take that testosterone or adrenaline to the GYM.
I also know really good motorcycle racers that compete in the state and Laguna Seca and they have 2-3 very nice bikes apiece and are sponsored, etc. and they do not race on the streets.
December 17, 2007 at 12:36 pm
I know what are you talking about Nicole. I drive a tuner I build myself and had numerous situations like that. Even racing on the streets. Like you said you have to be immature to do it carelessly and regardlessly of others.
I never had a big accident and never hurt anyone, but I saw many who did. I learned my school and now I race only on the track.
The feeling real racers get in the car is the same like the feeling in any other extreme sport but most of the people, including that civic kid are in just for the power/control trip. You get in the car and it does anything you want. You press the pedal it accelerates, you press the pedal it stops, you see where I’m getting with this. For most people this is the only moment of control in their entire life…
When you start thinking about it there is only one conclusion: It is pointless and proves nothing. Real drivers understand that and they test skills on the track, not the street.
People with no life are everywhere, and you just have to ignore them and try not to pay attention. the worst is the situation when these people get children and continue acting like a$$holles, and I see to much of that on the strrets of my city.
December 17, 2007 at 4:04 pm
I’d probably have given him another finger to match his thumb. Those people should just by an Xbox. It would be cheaper than the tickets and so far no one has died from an Xbox.
December 28, 2007 at 6:42 am
depends entirely on the conditions and intent, a friendly "race" up to my own determined speed (which is less than the ton I’ll tell ya) can be fun and a little exhilirating, just a couple boys playing with their toys together. again, if conditions are right, open interstate or street in front of a redlight, the guy seems friendly in his race intentions (rev-crooked smile-nod-rev-rev*there is usually plenty of revving*) I dont have the kids in the car, its dry…. then sure… I’ll play. I also have a tuner car and get people who want to play often, I turn down more old civic’s (mines newer) than anything, but beware, those old civic’s can be designed to LOOK old and crappy but have unreal power and handling. anyways, I have only done this once on my bike though I turn down a lot, some people just wanna see how fast your toy goes to measure how much they are impressed, sometime you show them, mostly you dont.