View Full Version : Street Racing Bill In Texas
Fist, I am not an authority on legal issues so please take this as a disclaimer. Having said that, this is what I have been able to find out regarding the Street Racing Bill here in Texas. There is much more to the bill but I just hit the highlights here. I would recommend anyone all the ins and outs research it further on your own.
The bill is section 545.420 of the transportation code or you might know it as House Bill 1326.
Highlights:
1. It becomes effective on 9/1/03 (look to 3rd last sentence of the code)
2. Appears you automatically get your license suspended for a year
3. This is state wide
4. There are five types of sanctions from what I can see:
Appears a first time offense is a class B misdemeanor - a fine not to exceed $2k, jail not to exceed 180 days in jail, or both. For a second offense the fines and possible jail time gets pretty steep.
I don't do much street racing anymore but did my share when I was young. Given the above, anyone in Texas needs to think twice before dropping the hammer on the WS6 or SS Camaro sitting next to you at the stop light.
codymach
08-19-2003, 12:20 PM
Don't mess with Texas!
Jim H.
08-19-2003, 02:44 PM
As fast as these high school kids are killing themselves around here I think the laws are going to get really bad soon. I think a couple of weeks ago 4 killed and one seriously injured in one car............ what the heck are they thinking????
Soon I believe cars will be confiscated.
lope 2000
08-19-2003, 04:24 PM
Of course anytime a teenager gets killed in an accident they say it was street racing. Example the four kids that died over in Fort Worth, they advertised the story for two days that the kids were dead because of street racing. Later they had a 2 second blip about how it was not because of street racing, but that the kid was 15, didn't have a license, and was just speeding alone on the road. It's never because a kid didn't know how to drive or being stupid, it's STREET RACING.
I'm not a huge street racing supporter, but with all the negative image around racing it could become a problem just driving these cars. Just wait till you rev a little to loud and a cop says you were street racing, try to fight it, you'll get no sympathy from anyone.
Jesse
Fort Worth
Excellent point Jesse!! I am sure the criteria for "street racing" will be interpreted by the various police departments, and even individual police officers, differently. As a result, I am sure there will be some who interpret taking off from a stop light at anything above an idle as competition for speed, AKA...street racing. And God help you if you are next to anything resembling a performance car.
I am not against taking racing off the streets....we all have seen the unfortunate results of accidents related to street racing. I am however, against a law that is wide open to interpretation and will not be applied evenly.
When all is said and done, the type of car you drive will be a major factor. I can see it now....you have a Mach 1 so you must be guilty of street racing.
jbrad88
08-19-2003, 05:48 PM
The wrong place at the wrong time principle will most likely be prevelant for the first few months. If you are going to be hanging out with crowds of street racers, then you should expect undue attention. If you are not around the street racing crowd, then you should be fine.
Some officers have cleaned up a lot of bad accident scenes including those that have been the result of street racing. Some are going to be more sensitive to it than others. They are only human...
If we are all driving responsibly, and keeping our racing to the tracks, this should not be a problem. I would recommend just being a littile more aware of your surroundings, and situations in the next several months.
In all honesty, I had friends cuffed and stuffed for street racing in the past. The price has just gotten a little stiffer...
rocketmach
08-19-2003, 06:04 PM
Here the City of Reno just passed a law not just for the racers but even the spectators of street racing can be arrested. They are really coming down hard.
FL Mach 1
08-19-2003, 07:46 PM
Orange County, FL and the Orlando area will confiscate cars involved in the actual race and arrest drivers. Spectators get a $75 fine for being there. This is geared mostly towards organized street racing but I am sure that it will trickle down.
:OFFTOPIC:
My brother, a state trooper, has already told me that he would love to pull me over for speeding. So much for brotherly love.:??:
03AV8R
08-19-2003, 10:21 PM
Your Cop Brother just wants to see the Mach up close while not in fast motion! :p
03AV8R
08-19-2003, 10:24 PM
Wow Beware in TX... Your gonna get nailed by Sherriff Beufard T. Justice of Texas!! "Remind me when we get home, im gonna slap your momma right in the mouth" Best Quote of movie in my opinion.. :D
mufftang66
08-19-2003, 11:03 PM
Originally posted by 03AV8R
Sherriff Beufard T. Justice of Texas!! "Remind me when we get home, im gonna slap your momma right in the mouth" Best Quote of movie in my opinion.. :D
in response to "sir, that is not germaine to the situation"...
Sherriff Beuford T. Justice, "what the h&## do the g*d d@#n Germans have to do with any of this?"
:LAUGH:
Im really not a big cop fan but it is kind of bad out there. You have some guy's racing down westhimer 100+mph!! :eek:
What if your wife mom or son went out to the store cuz you were out of milk or ?? and some punk *** guy ran into the car @ 100+mph.I don't know why guy's race down there find a spot away from town there are some good spot's down here in houston area.Just keep your door's locked! :D
KCSailor
08-25-2003, 06:49 PM
So why exactly do they need this law??? I mean isn't speeding already illegal, and if your really getting after it there is reckless driving and public endangerment.. why do we need yet another law? Sounds to me like this isn't designed to stop street racing, but more of a political feel good law
musicalmerlin
08-25-2003, 07:55 PM
It must be a voting year.
That being said, we had a high profile 4 kids getting their butts waxed "street racing" accident last week. I think a lot of this would be nixed if parents took some initiative/interest in their kids before they die in some accident 'cause they aren't paying attention, gauged their kids' friends driving, and kept kids out of certain people's cars. Worked for me.
It's certainly going to make it much tougher to talk your way down the ladder of offenses. I think I'm going to keep my speeding to the road courses. :ANGEL:
Chaucer
08-25-2003, 08:04 PM
all young kids should start out with shitty vehicles and work their way up the vehicle chain to something nice. Worked on me anyways.
musicalmerlin
08-26-2003, 01:06 PM
I agree, happened same here. Having a car that shakes uncontrollably at 65MPH is a good deterrent to racing. Like, for instance, say a 1978 LTD Wagon. It's big, it's bulky, it scares the crap out of you. Would also give the kid a *much* better sense of where the cars are relative to others. Helped my parallel parking the smaller cars considerably.
I didn't dare do any **** in that car like we did with my friend's beat-up Hyndai Excel.
Speedman
08-26-2003, 02:12 PM
Maybe they should make street racing in reverse only. More skill driving the strip, lower speed, and give the lesser cars a chance against our Mach's :p
Billybong
08-31-2003, 03:26 AM
Originally posted by KCSailor
So why exactly do they need this law??? I mean isn't speeding already illegal, and if your really getting after it there is reckless driving and public endangerment.. why do we need yet another law? Sounds to me like this isn't designed to stop street racing, but more of a political feel good law
It's a bullsheet law...that's for sure. Just more empowerment for the police...don't get me started...:soapbox:
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