Ohio street racing law

[jeryst]

I still say the only way to end it is to vote out all incumbents for the next 20 years of election cycles.

Show them that career politicians who think only about themselves is not what we want.

[NGC414]

Stated in the bill:
"The bill expands the definition of "street racing" to also include "any exhibition of speed or acceleration that is inconsistent with the normal operation of a vehicle on a public road, street, or highway."

So basically they can sieze your car for any moving violation according to this bill?

PLEASE TELL ME WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE CURRENT DEFINITION!?:
Current law
Current law prohibits any person from participating in "street racing" upon any public road, street, or highway in this state.  "Street racing" means (1) the operation of two or more vehicles from a point side by side at accelerating speeds in a competitive attempt to out-distance each other, or (2) the operation of one or more vehicles over a common selected course, from the same point to the same point, wherein timing is made of the participating vehicles involving competitive accelerations or speeds.  Persons rendering assistance in any manner to such competitive use of vehicles must be equally charged as the participants.  The operation of two or more vehicles side by side either at speeds in excess of prima-facie lawful speeds or rapidly accelerating from a common starting point to a speed in excess of such prima-facie lawful speeds is prima-facie evidence of street racing.

[aussiemuscle]

What happens if you pull out fast to get into traffic, or the road is a little wet, or maybe there is some gravel on the road that causes your ties to spin?

Then you're obviously a murderous drug dealer and should be shot on sight. 

we have the same 'issues' in australia, a lot of states are introducing 'hoon' laws... what the hell is a hoon? (never defined term afaik). There was a case in WA of a Lamborghini Galardo being impounded for driving too fast. it didn't belong to the driver, he was the mechanic and was 'testing' it. the doctor that owned it had his car impounded and he wasn't even driving.

[NGC414]

I searched the internet and found alot of biased Media coverage on this bill. The coverage I found states that ohio is getting tougher on street racers and that it was inspired by a tragic accident in Columbus which killed two people.
They fail to mention that a Jury determined that street racing was not a factor in that accident. They also covienently leave out any mention of the clause which changes the definiton of street racing to any just about moving violation. The problem is that this bill will have a lot of supporters beacuse they simply read the headlines and do not actually read the bill. Or do the research to see that we already have very strict street racing laws. Seems to be a trend nowadays.

[NGC414]

I got ahold of Ted Celeste Today, He is the man that came up with the bill. He advised me that they are actually amending the bill now and removing the clause about expanding the definition of street racing. It sounds like everything else is going to stick, but at least you wont get a "street racing" offence for speeding if it passes.

[jeryst]

I got ahold of Ted Celeste Today, He is the man that came up with the bill. He advised me that they are actually amending the bill now and removing the clause about expanding the definition of street racing. It sounds like everything else is going to stick, but at least you wont get a "street racing" offence for speeding if it passes.

If they are removing that, then why do they need another bill?

Also, I'm sorry that someone was in an accident, but people get killed in accidents every day. I am so tired of this knee-jerk reaction every time someone gets killed, where the "Doo-Gooders" feel that they need to pursue a single minded, one-track purpose to eliminate whatever they believe was the reason, and in turn, punish millions of other people in the process. God, if it keeps going at this rate, you will not be able to come out of your house!

[stripedelete]

I got ahold of Ted Celeste Today, He is the man that came up with the bill. He advised me that they are actually amending the bill now and removing the clause about expanding the definition of street racing. It sounds like everything else is going to stick, but at least you wont get a "street racing" offence for speeding if it passes.

If they are removing that, then why do they need another bill?

Also, I'm sorry that someone was in an accident, but people get killed in accidents every day. I am so tired of this knee-jerk reaction every time someone gets killed, where the "Doo-Gooders" feel that they need to pursue a single minded, one-track purpose to eliminate whatever they believe was the reason, and in turn, punish millions of other people in the process. God, if it keeps going at this rate, you will not be able to come out of your house!

Votes

[NGC414]

Bills like these are popping up everywhere. I believe some of it is to do with the movement against the car hobby by many politicians pushing alternative fuels. SEMA has a great site dedicated to fighting these bills and keeping us posted as they come up. I was amazed by some of the stuff they are purposing.

[Bobs69]

I had something else to add but I'm so angry when I think about it I must have blacked out.


But, am I to understand that politicians are trying to eliminate the car hobby?

[chargergirl]

When a law is subjective...it's a VERY bad thing. In the officer's opinion you meant to speed. There is no argument...it is the officials opinion...you are the bad guy from go.

[Ghoste]

Exactly, and watering down a single clause that relates to defining street racing doesn't do a thing to address the use of police officers in that way.

[NGC414]

I had something else to add but I'm so angry when I think about it I must have blacked out.


But, am I to understand that politicians are trying to eliminate the car hobby?

The SEMA web site has alot of info on the topic. There are alot of politicians pushing bills which will devistate the car hobbie. Not all of them though,  infact some are fighting to preserve the hobbie and are car guys themselves. If you get a chance grab the most recent mopar muscle magazine. A large article is dedicated to this topic. On the cover it says "BANNED is your car an outlaw" I think if people want to keep the hobbie alive, everyone needs to get involved.

[68blue]

 A while back the local city council floated a measure to outlaw ice cream trucks, reasoning was that it tempted children into the street. Each time I see stuff like this I wonder how I have survived all these years.

[Ghoste]

Actually it makes me wonder how a group of animals as stupid as humans have survived all these millennia.

[Black Charger]

Something to consider about a law like this is that some people will do whatever it takes to flee the police if/when they're busted for street racing or testing the limits of their speedometer. Some people will try to run before they lose their prized vehicle. We've all watched TV shows of police chases that went horribly wrong. I'm afraid this will happen a lot more often in Ohio and other states with similar laws.

[Bobs69]

I've read in the papers here in Ontario Canada how a judge rules it unconstitutional and lets the lady off or whoever, but the cops are still writing the tickets and taking the vehicles.

What I want to know is, who the fu****!!!KKKKK is in charge.  The judges or the cops! 

[Ghoste]

When moron legislators write this kind of crap into law the police are obligated to act upon it no matter what the courts do after the fact.

[Mike DC]

              
The legislative branch, 1/3rd of the ENTIRE govt, is devoted to creating new laws.  Nobody is charged with re-evaluating and dismantling them.  


Anyone else see a long-term problem brewing here?  

[NGC414]

This bill was created by Ted Celeste, it was inspired by a wreck in Columbus Ohio in which a motorist (Monica Dublin) was hit by a car that lost control and went through the median. Monica has since recovered. The driver of the other car was killed. It was dubbed "the Monica Dublin Law" House bill 191

The ironic twist to this particular bill is that when the case went to court a jury detrermined that street racing was NOT the cause of the accident. The driver that hit Monica Dublin was a Drunk Driver.
Yet all the media coverage of the event says it was caused by street racing. Ted Celeste is a friend of the Dublin family and still used this case as a platform to push his bill.

Here is a quote from an article I read:
Monica Durban said she will be as involved in supporting the bill as she can be.

"I love the impounding of their cars," she said. " ... All they care about is their cars."

[jeryst]

This bill was created by Ted Celeste, it was inspired by a wreck in Columbus Ohio in which a motorist (Monica Dublin) was hit by a car that lost control and went through the median. Monica has since recovered. The driver of the other car was killed. It was dubbed "the Monica Dublin Law" House bill 191

The ironic twist to this particular bill is that when the case went to court a jury detrermined that street racing was NOT the cause of the accident. The driver that hit Monica Dublin was a Drunk Driver.
Yet all the media coverage of the event says it was caused by street racing. Ted Celeste is a friend of the Dublin family and still used this case as a platform to push his bill.

Here is a quote from an article I read:
Monica Durban said she will be as involved in supporting the bill as she can be.

"I love the impounding of their cars," she said. " ... All they care about is their cars."

That's exactly what I'm talking about. One person gets hurt or killed, and some crusading politician feels that every car enthusiast in the country needs to be punished.
I think we all should start suing politicians every time they bring up a stupid bill like this.

"I love the impounding of their cars," she said. " ... All they care about is their cars."

Probably spoken by a fat ugly chick that drives a Yugo.

[Ghoste]

The sad irony is that she likely doesn't recognize the selfishness in her own statement.

[NGC414]

Someone on another forum this was posted on said it best:
"I was told that legislators do not care whether the laws they past are valid or constitutional they will tell you that it is up to the court to figure that out. Legislator pass laws to get re-elected and make people feel like they are doing something,when the courts say the law is bad they turn around and say see I did my part but the courts threw out the law, it is their fault."

[Mike DC]

                               
IMHO car confiscations over traffic violations are wrong, period.   I don't care if it's a hit-and-run drunk driver who killed someone.  

IMHO the legal system should not be (in the "business" of) confiscating private property to deal with criminal offenses.  Not unless it's something a whole lot bigger and farther-reaching.  Large scale property seizure makes sense for things like organized crime or white collar stuff.  

[Vainglory, Esq.]

             
The legislative branch, 1/3rd of the ENTIRE govt, is devoted to creating new laws.  Nobody is charged with re-evaluating and dismantling them.  


Anyone else see a long-term problem brewing here?  

Yes. 

I think it's an interesting intellectual exercise to consider how things would be different if we required a supermajority to pass a law and a bare majority to repeal it.

There are possible upsides and downsides, and I've not spent any considerable amount of time deducing the ultimate consequences, but at first blush it sounds like a better system than the one we have now.

[Ghoste]

Interesting, really interesting.