Street racing is rearing its ugly head all over the media, and police are cracking down on dangerous behavior behind the wheel to send a clear message to those who might race: no more. Thing is, the line between the custom compact scene and the street racing scene is a blurry one. The perception is that young adults from about 18 to 25 years old modify their compacts and go around challenging one another to feats of speed and acceleration on public roads. It almost seemed for a while that street
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| (Photo: Justin Pritchard) |
racing was being portrayed as one in a long line of undesirable public enemies, like smoking or drunk driving. It was as though street racing was the hot-topic of the summer- fitting with the slew of video games and movies surfacing on the subject.But does everyone who modifies their car join in illegal racing? No, of course not. For the majority, including myself actually, tuning and modifying cars is a hobby and a passion. There are far worse. But because of an over-hyped media frenzy on the topic, and since a few bad apples have ruined it for the bunch, a perception exists that low riding coupes with rims and stickers are really part of an underground community
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| (Photo: Justin Pritchard) |
of danger loving racers. If you drive a racy looking compact, you're going to be watched. Police forces can't watch everyone at once, but they can aggressively crack down on cars that look the part. How do I know all of this? I fit the description of a street racer myself: a twenty-something male with a modified imported compact. For a relatively small amount of money, a practical and economical car can become a performance machine with attention to ones individual style. Modified parts are plentiful for just about every make and model of compact, the most common being Honda products, GM Cavalier / Sunfire and the Dodge Neon. Not all parts are allowed, and further, not all parts actually increase performance but can hinder it. Aside from understanding the law, it's also beneficial to understand the possible negative effects of any modifications you plan to make.Some common modifications are listed below. If you plan to modify your car or truck, or are wondering whether you should worry about being ticketed, it might just pay to read on. This information is adapted from Ontario's Highway Traffic Act- similar acts probably exist in your province.
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| (Photo: Justin Pritchard) |
This information is intended as a guideline only, and by no means should it be taken as an exhaustive list. When in doubt, check with your local police department or available legal documents.Exhaust: We've all seen and heard cars wearing chrome-clad mufflers with outlets large enough to stick your arm into. Most people install large diameter plumbing and a muffler with as little restriction as possible. Aside from being potentially damaging to performance, a free flowing setup is louder, so if you have a straight exhaust or inappropriate muffler, you'll be ticketed. Bigger and louder isn't always better, and nobody wants to be rattled out of bed by your exhaust note at 2 a.m. anyways.