[DrivesMeCrazy]

I think it's illegal in most places now, but people still do it. I haven't since I was a kid, but it was almost a rite of passage then. Do you think it still is?

[Dodge Doll]

Too many people die in street races today, it's almost as if the youth of today don't exercise the caution that generations of past did.

We never raced on a city street.... today, they do, and that's where the trouble starts.

[Crissy]

Oh I know it is. We have a major problem of this happening in San Diego (especially in Mira Mesa). I wish kids would just knock it off and quit doing that. They now have designated places for teens and others to do this (off the streets and at a stadium) that anyone can do with a small cost. I think that was the best idea the city came up with because the amount of street racing has dropped dramatically.

[jason]

I just read an article in NY about two kids racing, one hit a gas pump and just made it out before catching fire. The other hit a fence injuring the passenger. They will take your vehicle here if you are caught racing.

[66Notchback]

One of the Missuses friends used to be a nurse in a spinal trauma unit. She cared for so many young ones, paralyzed and messed up as the result of a street race 'gone bad'. She used to comment bitterly that most of the 'innocent' victims were the ones that didn't survive, too.

I did my share, but it was always 'strip' racing, and almost a rally for the number of people involved. Our girlfriends would keep an eye out for traffic at either end , never trusting that a car would not come down that road; our 'seconds' had the fire extinguishers in their trunks. No one could participate without agreeing to wear a seatbelt, either: a fellow in the neighboring county was launched through the windshield when he struck a tree, and died. Funny, we did not think anything of tipping 4 or 5 beer first: today, in hindsight, that horrifies.

[DNADriver]

I have never done this-and maybe that makes me a square or a geek but I never did see the attraction to taking so big a risk. I hate seeing it around town too.

[vroombaby]

Racing of any type belongs at the track or another form of being a "well designated area". Too much silliness going on by people who think they can do this compared to those who actually can (and safely).

[Dodge Doll]

I think 66notchback just dated himself. He's right, there was a time when such behavior wasn't uncommon, but my memory says that our generation was a little wiser about the when, where, and how of things....

Remember, too, that things weren't as crowded 35-40 years ago, there were fewer people and vehicles on the road, and ours was not a 24/7 society: NOTHING was open past 6 pm or on a Sunday, and the result was a lot less traffic.