Car Enthusiasts vs. Street Racers

When I first saw this on the news and then later on a news website, I felt that I had to defend my hobby.

First of all, I'm not one to spend loads of money on my car; 1) I don't have that kind of money and 2) If I did have the money, I'd spend it on other things like on my mortgage or on a night out with hubby/friends.

Secondly, I belong to a car club that is based locally and will often meet throughout the year to talk about car modifications and other stuff, not always car-related. Either before or after, we would go for a drive together as a group (always within a reasonable speed limit) and sometimes, we'll end up eating at a restaurant together and just talk more car stuff. Not being very savvy with car mods, I joined this club to make new friends and learn. Through this club, I learned what angel eyes are, how to install hood dampers, and purchased my own little aesthetic mods. Had I not married (ahem, I love my hubby, but...), I may have spent a lot on new rims, catback magnaflow exhaust, struts, and springs. But, for now, I am content with just learning from "the guys."

What riles me is the third photo in the article. My thought: SO WHAT? We meet all the time to talk car stuff, never to race, unless of course the purpose of the meet was to go to the Mission Raceway to race on the track. I love it when the media puts in something irrelevant (or as another fellow blogger who feel[s] that we often place too much weight on just getting some different opinion – even when it doesn’t make a lot of sense) just to get things heated. I like being with the club because the type of car we drive is usually driven by older, more mature people. Actually, I'm probably one of the older folks on the forum. But, we do not condone street racing. That's not to say the younger version of our club (the 3's) do, but some of them are younger and have an "I'm young and invincible" attitude still, as demonstrated by both of the drivers in the video.

Indeed, I brought this article forward to my students who will be eligible to drive within three years. The gist that I told them, in addition to what I said above, is that if they choose to drive recklessly and no one else is in the car, then that is their choice. But, keep in mind that my sister, his parents, her niece, their friends, etc. are out on the same road and if "you" take them out while driving stupid, then I really hope you will face harsh judgment. I knew a kid several years ago, who tried to make it to the ferry terminal in time with three passengers in his car, including his then-girlfriend, by driving over 200km on the streets and highway. He still ended up missing the ferry. As soon as he landed and got to the campsite, and I found out what he did, I took him aside and with steam coming out of my ears, I calmly told him that a ferry ride is not worth four lives, let alone the lives of other people that he put in danger by driving like a maniac. Then, later I found out that he got angry with his girlfriend for telling me how he had driven.

So -- to set the record straight: not all car enthusiasts, and in fact I will go as far as to say most, are street racers. If I got the feeling that someone was trying to goad me into racing at the light, I purposely start extra-slow to give the hint that I'm simply not interested.