Think...

[COramprat]

Drag-racing wreck kills 4 in Lafayette

By ASSOCIATED PRESS

Published: Oct 2, 2006



LAFAYETTE — Four people were killed when a Ford Mustang drag racing along Ambassador Caffery Parkway slammed into their vehicle, Lafayette police said.

The victims’ names were not released. A man and a woman in the Mustang were in stable condition at an area hospital, and the driver likely will face criminal charges, said Cpl. Mark Francis, a spokesman for the Lafayette Police Department.

Two cars were drag racing north on the parkway — a common place for racers because of its long straightway — just before 10 p.m. Saturday, Francis said.

“We get a lot of reports of speeding along this road, and a lot of times it’s just irresponsible young people,” he said.

At 11 p.m., both lanes of traffic on the parkway were closed as emergency crews worked to remove the bodies and gather evidence.

Francis said that as the Mustang raced across the bridge over the Vermilion River, the car went out of control and crossed into the southbound lanes, hitting a white Honda Accord uninvolved in the race. The impact pushed the back wheels of the Accord over the bridge’s concrete railing.

All four people inside the car died at the scene, Francis said.

The other car involved in the race with the Mustang drove away, and police have no further information on it, Francis said.

The driver of the Mustang will be arrested, but the charges will depend on whether alcohol was involved in the crash, he said.

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Not advocating or discouraging any individuals actions concerning this topic but maybe think it through beforehand and maybe something like this wouldn't happen.

 

[Saleen4971]

in all honesty, i see nothign wrong wtih streetracing if it is done correctly and safely. if there is a possibility of you crossing into oncoming traffic, then dont race!!! people with no common sense piss me off. if he messed himself up and was int eh hospital, then he deserves that. but nobody deserves to die, especially innocent bystanders. it makes me sick to think that people can be that wreckless and stupid.if your going to race someone on teh street, make sure it is safe for you and others beforehand. have spotters down teh road, etc. etc.

 

[DropTopPony]

if one of you idiots crashes into me and kills me while you are street racing i will be mad.
Playing stop light racer when no traffic is around is ok i guess but i don't do full speed blasts up to 150mph anymore. I'll shut down at 80mph or so. If i want to race someone bad enough i'll go to the track and settle it.

 

[Ernad]

in all honesty, i see nothign wrong wtih streetracing if it is done correctly and safely. if there is a possibility of you crossing into oncoming traffic...

the thing is, those circumstances are very difficult to create on a public road. if it's a public road there is always a chance that you'll run into someone who was at the wrong place at the wrong time. so it's best to be avoided all together.

 

[nwapache]

take it to the track. If you want to be stupid and give the hormones a boost, join the Natl Guard and go pop some Iraqis....why kill innocent American civilians? Its just plain stupid

 

[DocG]

Yeah, I gotta say I can't imagine a street racing scenario that would be considered safe and not hazardous to someone else or their property. If you came racing down my street and crashed into my car, my house, or my business....you wouldn't have to worry about the crash killing you cuz I'd fuggin do it. Its not always just about lives...its also about property and other damage too.

But...maybe I'm just an ol' bitter man.

 

[Shiroelex]

Street racing is ignorant, plain and simple. I'm no angel, mind you, but I haven't ever done 80+ on anything less than the freeway at night. I've not done anything close to what I see on these street racing videos online. There are no 'safe street racing conditions'. You have no idea when a kid could just walk out into the street, no matter where you are.

 

[Saleen4971]

well obviously you shouldnt even consider racing in a residential area, or where there are houses, businesses, etc.

near me there is a road ( i wont name it or anything) that has plenty of straight sections, with fences and guardrails on each side, and a big median. i have seen (and participated) in racing on taht road, and every time i ahve seen it done, there are spotters on teh side of the road, and at the finish line. of course we are racing 1/4 mile, not doing 130, 140, 150+

there is of course always the chance that somethign might happen to you, yoru car, the other person, etc. and its unfortunate, BUT if you are racing it is something you have to accept. if your not willing to accept that responsibility, and the consequences that may come, dont race.

in teh past year i havent raced much if at all, because there are few if any
"safe" places to do so. on the street i try not to because of the danger that is always present not only to myself, but especially others

 

[urban96]

if one of you idiots crashes into me and kills me while you are street racing i will be mad.
Playing stop light racer when no traffic is around is ok i guess but i don't do full speed blasts up to 150mph anymore. I'll shut down at 80mph or so. If i want to race someone bad enough i'll go to the track and settle it.

 

[hotmustang331]

Too many of these threads popping up....like what one a week? I feel for the people though, but why just street racing deaths? SOOOO many people die in other wrecks and ways, why just the street racing crashes?

 

[CobraRed_96_GT]

the only place id consider is down in oakland at the harbor there are these very straight flat 2 lane roads that connect to the next container crane. Once everyone goes home or on the weekend there isnt a sole out there cuz its only industrial roads, nice and thick too cuz there meant for trucks. but thats like 50 mins from here...still the only place id do it...with spotters.

 

[CobraRed_96_GT]

Too many of these threads popping up....like what one a week? I feel for the people though, but why just street racing deaths? SOOOO many people die in other wrecks and ways, why just the street racing crashes?

maybe because it's preventable, unlike normal oopsie i rear ended you driving. OH yeah! and cuz at 100+ fatalities are the default outcome how many parts are left to cremate is the question

 

[hotmustang331]

maybe because it's preventable, unlike normal oopsie i rear ended you driving. OH yeah! and cuz at 100+ fatalities are the default outcome how many parts are left to cremate is the question

Yea there is....GET OFF THE FREEGIN CELL PHONE! You know how many times iv almost been hit? ALOT From best i recal EVERY time the retard was on the phone and I had to adjust/honk to avoid the accident. You know how many times iv almost been hit by street racers...or even stupid rice burners while I was just driving around. ZERO.

Iv only seen one street race ever that just happened....2 ricers blew past us in the fast lane @ 120+ on I-10. Scared the crap out of me, but im not sure if they were collectivly speeding or racing.....my cousin has ran 90-130 down I 10 for about 100 miles just collecivily speeding with a little racing in between, so its not uncommon. I wouldnt even think of doing that, but to each his own I guess.

Point being that "dont drive will talking on the phone...5 people killed because moron was chit chatting" threads would be just as preventive as the anti street racing threads.

 

[DocG]

There are many preventable reasons for fatal accidents.....street racing threads are probably so common on here because of the number of threads that pop up about "who would win" or "I just beat a v-tec." Now if everyone started posting threads about "I was driving down the freeway at 145 talking to my baby's momma," then maybe we'd see stories about those accidents too.

 

[jstreet0204]

Point being that "dont drive will talking on the phone...5 people killed because moron was chit chatting" threads would be just as preventive as the anti street racing threads.

I completely agree, and I'll be the first one to join in the fight to stop idiots on the phone while driving, BUT nobody comes on this board and brags about talking on the phone while driving, which is why you don't see the threads about it.

 

[merc123]

Hey guys, did you know that SPEEDING accounts for 1/3 of all traffic fatalities? What I suggest is that you maintain speed limits if not under. Remember those little DOT yellow signs on turns and stuff that drop the speed limit to 25? Follow those too. If the turn says 10 MPH you better be going 10 MPH around that turn.


Com'on. This street racing crap is getting on my nerves. I don't see any threads on drunk driving, cell phones, speeding, drugs, tire blow outs, synthetic blinker fluid on the wheel well, hydroplaning, etc. Give it a rest...

 

[stangGT97]

I completely agree, and I'll be the first one to join in the fight to stop idiots on the phone while driving, BUT nobody comes on this board and brags about talking on the phone while driving, which is why you don't see the threads about it.

+1 to that bro. My cell phone remains clipped on the passenger sun visor the whole time I am driving my car. If it rings, so what? If it is important enough the person will leave me a message and I will call then when I get to point B. I can't count how many times I have been driving on the highway and some behemoth SUV just drifts over into my lane... sure enough, the idiot is gabbing away on the cell phone. They need to have a universal hands-free law, I know NY has that law and I wish others would follow. However, this law will not do anything to help out people that just cannot drive to save their lives... which accounts for the other half of the ulcer I am developing from driving in Ohio...

 

[myponyrocks]

Remember those little DOT yellow signs on turns and stuff that drop the speed limit to 25? Follow those too. If the turn says 10 MPH you better be going 10 MPH around that turn.

The yellow signs are SUGGESTED speed limits for the turn... at least in all 4 states I've lived in.

 

[DocG]

Just because there are multiple reasons for car accidents does mean they are all on the same level in terms of irresponsibility and stupidity. Yeah, I speed...am I more likely to get in a wreck on the interstate at 80 vs. 70....maybe.....is the wreck more likely to kill someone....maybe....but I'd still contend that doing 125 on a street is MORE dangerous than doing 80 on the interstate. More people may die as a result of speeding, but did the statistics happen to have a method of determining if speeding wasn't a factor in the accident, that all the occupants would have survived? Doubt it.

 

[timeless2]

Defending the concept of street racing is the mindset of a prime candidate for natural selection. This part I can accept and remain silent upon, as what someone deems "right" or "wrong" is often based upon egocentric views.

The issue I have is that those individuals endanger other people on the roadway, not just themselves. It is as selfish, dangerous, and stupid as driving while intoxicated because it ignores the wellbeing of unsuspecting individuals.

I welcome this discussion, but please do not let this get out of hand, as it has in times past. Thank you for your maturity.