Confiscate your car because it "looks" like a street racer??!?!

I was listening to a Toronto news station this afternoon and apparently the police want to impose a new law that will allow them to confiscate and DESTROY any car they feel could have been modifed for street racing even if charges are not laid. Currently they do that if someone is caught doing so and found guilty, but now they want to take it to this level! How does a police officer determine if a car has been modified for street racing? Talk about a gray area! So...if I put a split manifold on my lowly 54 Chevy 235, does make me a potential street racer? Would a guy in his brand new Dodge Charger SRT lose his ride? This is unbelievable! I can't see how a bill like this could ever pass. Anyone have any more details on this?
Todd

 

Just like you say, it's a grey area. There's no way that'll pass. First of all, that law outlines opinion. Just who's opinion will they use to destroy these cars. What about all the pro-street cars built to look like their drag strip counterparts, and NEVER raced? What about the guy that likes the look and sound of those cars, is a law abiding citizen, and has no interest in going faster? But a cop says, hey, your car looks a might sporty, LET'S CRUSH IT? I think a lot of stuff gets brought up. Then gets shot down before it ever comes to life. I wouldn't worry about it. Unless the cheif of police's kid likes your ride. haha

 

I would leave the country!

Dave

 

Wow..That sucks..and is a very ambiguous (sp) statement..Canada has a way of doing what they want dont they?..We have that here too..if some frog kisser or tree hugger thinks its bad for the environment or some soon to be extinct life form they rule it out too..this takes the cake

 

It's getting like that here too

I saw on the news some city wants to give people tickets for wearing baggy pants!?!

I'm thinking Hitler won.

If the fuckingovernment "steals" my property on a non-reason like that I might just revert back to my childhood pass-time of blowing up stuff.

 

They already can in most states...

Police routinely seize vehicles under suspicion of drug crimes, without actual crimes having to be proven in a court of law or even charges filed. Popular revenue booster for the police, and tiny departments are known to use it to acquire vehicles for their fleet. Hope you guys don't lay down your property ownership rights as easily as the US public does.

 

Our respective countries are getting waaay outta line....
with property forfeitures(not to mention the birage of other laws they continue to try to inact)....They have no right...This is no more then legalized stealing for the government...and in turn
just asking to to have some owners,"lose it" and ultimatly to refuse such a "theft" with deadly consequences...be it the officer or the owner...Because, I'll tell ya what.....they'd have to kill me!

 

My wife saw something on TV reporting that in Australia cars caught street racing are crushed. The same should have happened in Selmer,Tn.

 

You're damn right, me too!! If anybody thought they could just come here and take my ride that I've spent thousands on and worked on for almost 2 years over some bullshit law, they better bring em loaded cuz I know mine will be. This shit is gettin outta hand

 

More Information Please! I think all of us should write our M.P's and voice our concern. These people are supposed to work for us, not against us.

 

It's starting to feel that way.

 

Here in Queensland cars caught 'hooning', (which is a pretty open term used to describe anything from all-out drag racing to simply spinning the tyres a little on wet roads or gravel), can have their vehicles impounded for 24 hours on the first offence. From there it goes to a week for a second offence, and I think 3 months for a third. I'm not aware of any crushing laws, but I suspect they're being suggested.

Cheers, Glen.

 

Did you see the movie - "Minority Report". People arrested and locked up for thinking about commiting crimes. They called it Pre-Crime.

You know that little Metropolitan could be cool setup Gasser style with a BBC in it with a - - -- Wait.. I was only thinkin' about it...

Powerband

 

Damn...and I just put the cheater slicks on the Zamboni!

 

As if nobody ever street raced an unmodified late model.

 

i had that happen to me back in the late 80's. i had a 70 nova that appeard pretty much stock, except for a 3" cowl hood scoop, and slapper bars (it was an 11 second car, but it was my daily driver).
a cop pulled me over and issued several tickets to me. one for modified suspension, one for obstructed vision, one for loud exhaust (it had full 2" exhaust, with flow masters on it), one for un safe tires (they were dot legal m&h racemaster cheater slicks with lots of tread), one for modified passenger compartment (it had a 4 point roll bar, and no back seat). i got out of all of the tickets, because the judge deemed them "harassment" tickets, and the cop didn't show up to court. but it cost me a days work, and all the hassle.

 

BINGO!!!!!

A DVD player in a minivan is a modification. They may be watching "Fast and Furious"

I was in a new BMW M5 last weekend... Ya think that thing can't f'n fly?

It's an election year this year.... bye bye Norman Bates McGuinty

 

This law will not pass because it violates the charter of rights and freedoms Sections 7,8,9,10 and 11. Its just being put out there as a media sound bite.

A similar attempt that was much more in line with the Charter(Bill 40, or 240, I can't remember) was killed a few years ago because it wanted to make "modifications for streetracing" illegal but didn't spell out what they were in the law. They wanted to make an appendix where they could add stuff whenever they felt like it. It didn't pass the test of Fundamental Justice and was voted down.

7. Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of the person and the right not to be deprived thereof except in accordance with the principles of fundamental justice.

(Fundamental justice kills laws that are vague. Void for Vagueness it is called. The "Principles of Fundamental Justice" require laws to have a clear and understandable interpretation so as to properly define the rule or offence.)

8. Everyone has the right to be secure against unreasonable search or seizure.

(Kinda self explanitory)

9. Everyone has the right not to be arbitrarily detained or imprisoned.

(This law would give the police carte blanche to pull anyone over, any time to look for "street racing" modifications - arbitrarily detaining you)

10. Everyone has the right on arrest or detention

<DL><DT><DD>a) to be informed promptly of the reasons therefor; <DT><DD>b) to retain and instruct counsel without delay and to be informed of that right; and <DT><DD>c) to have the validity of the detention determined by way of habeas corpus and to be released if the detention is not lawful.</DD></DL>(Since the modifications are legal and you are not actually breaking the law... you can invoke habeas corpus to question the validity of the charges. Since its an officers opinion that you "might" do a crime at some time - its unlawful detention because there is no evidence of an actual crime committed! Without a crime there can be no charges!)

11. Any person charged with an offence has the right

<DL><DT><DD>a) to be informed without unreasonable delay of the specific offence; <DT><DD>b) to be tried within a reasonable time; <DT><DD>c) not to be compelled to be a witness in proceedings against that person in respect of the offence; <DT><DD>d) to be presumed innocent until proven guilty according to law in a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal; <DT><DD>e) not to be denied reasonable bail without just cause; <DT><DD>f) except in the case of an offence under military law tried before a military tribunal, to the benefit of trial by jury where the maximum punishment for the offence is imprisonment for five years or a more severe punishment; <DT><DD>g) not to be found guilty on account of any act or omission unless, at the time of the act or omission, it constituted an offence under Canadian or international law or was criminal according to the general principles of law recognized by the community of nations; <DT><DD>h) if finally acquitted of the offence, not to be tried for it again and, if finally found guilty and punished for the offence, not to be tried or punished for it again; and <DT><DD>i) if found guilty of the offence and if the punishment for the offence has been varied between the time of commission and the time of sentencing, to the benefit of the lesser punishment</DD></DL>(Section D is the one that applies here - because of a police officers opinion, you are percieved guilty and have to prove yourself innocent! You are punished (they taking your car) and have to fight to get it back. This would have to be Criminal Code of Canada writ since the Highway traffic act wouldn't cover this. And NOTHING in the CCC is reverse onus because it contravenes the Charter of Rights and Freedoms)

 

Cops can do whatever they want they don't need a law to hassle you about anything.

 

You sir are exactually right.

 

We don't have property law in Canada. Ask any Canadian gun owner about that. It stems from being "subjects of the crown" as opposed to being "citizens", we don't have any true rights to property ownership.
I wouldn't worry about that law being passed though, the government moves so slowly up here, it'd die before second reading

Flatman

 

If there sticking the law up our ass, the only way to fight back is to change the law.

The Minnesota Street Rod Assn. has a Legislation committee to work with the state and catch this shit before it happen or try to do something.

There's other club & organizations fighting this kind of stuff, around the country and other parts of the world. There sucking our gas away from us, they start screwing with our Iron that's going to far. You got to do what You got to do, stay on top of it !

 

If only they would arrest a gang member and/or car thief, and crush 'em for looking like a gm. That's a pretty arbitration proposal but you better do something about it or quit yer bitchin.

 

They crushed six cars in Rialto, California today. They were rice grinder street racers which I am not into , I am a street rodder. This is BULLSHIT. What next? I am open minded and there is always two sides to a story. One car had 350 horsepower.OOOOH, I just let a beer fart that had 375 horse. The story is on msnbc . If one of you guy's would be so kind to bring the link up go ahead. My ass is dragging and I am going to bed.

 

Not for street racing...just 'cause it's UGLY!!!

Dave

 

With organizations around like S.E.M.A. this shit would never pass and if it does shits goin' down. But luckily i live in nebraska where nothing happens and cops pull you over to tell you how cool your "street racing modifications" are.

 

Nighty night.....

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19339955/

Read the whole thing. The six cars that were crushed all had stolen parts. All were crushed under a court order from a judge.

 

See, one of the problems with learning about government allows you to see some things for what they are - campaign ploys for attention.

As an example - anyone ever watch the CNBC or MSNBC or whatever those higher numbered cable channels are that show the US House of Representatives conducting their daily business? Okay, assuming you have watched before, ever notice that every once in awhile, someone will walk up to the huge ass desk in the front center of the room and deposit a paper into what appears to be an 'in box'?

Well, what this individual just did was introduce legislation into the session! He just proposed a new law! This is all these clowns have to do in order to get a law started. Most don't make it much farther than that, but some are added as 'add ons' to a bill that will gain more support later on, but that isn't where I want to take this.

See, down here in the US, any idiot who's running for office can say "I'm going to introduce legislation that will outlaw X______________X (fill in the blank) during my term of office! Say Joe D. Mamma is running for State Representative, and he says that he's going to introduce legislation to raise Oklahoma's speed limits to 100 mph everywhere except within 10 miles of the city limits of a city over 200,000 residents. He writes up the bill proposal, and walks it down to the desk and drops it into the 'in box.' Mission complete! He's lived up to his campaign promises, but it wasn't his fault the bill died - he introduced it, but no one else agreed.

Anyway, I guess I'm done with my rant... for now.

 

Wanna Race???LOL

 

i personally feel that such a law would never pass due to the, like many others said, lack of specs... hopefully it won't and is demolished......however, if the authorities(cops, prosecution, judge, etc...) want what you have is doesn't take much for them to find a way to get it....ex: i was in an accident (hit and run) and was charged with felonious assault (i had never seen the person before) i payed the man for the damages done to his car and he dropped the charges...... the state and prosecution kept the charges until i signed my ($90,000) ride over to them in a plea agreement for a lessor charge......i could have beat the case the first go around, but facing prison time over a simple hit and run when all they wanted was my ride wouldn't cut it for me so i took the easy way out........ it sucks but its life