A friend I used to work with lives in Southern Maryland. He said that there is a road just like that a few miles from his house and when they are running it is loud, even at his house. At 9 pm it’s livable I guess but not at midnight. Calling the police is an option but by the time the police arrive the cars are all gone. The cops can’t do anything to drivers doing the speed limit in their hot rods no matter how sticky the tires are.
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One of the many reasons I bought a dashcam. Hard to dispute video evidence…
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Actually, that’s not what the article said. I think you’re confusing the impounding of the cars with the drivers receiving citations. These are separate issues. They issued citations to the drivers because, according to the article: “Investigators determined the drivers of these three cars were the main offenders.”
The cars were impounded because they have evidence they were used in a crime. That should not be surprising. Many states allow police to impound a car if it is involved in reckless driving. Heck, police can impound your car if you park in an unsafe area.
That’s an interesting side note but, in this case, they appear to have evidence of crimes being committed repeatedly with the vehicles. I’m certainly not saying that police are infallible. It looks to me like they’re using this as an opportunity to show the community what their newly-revised Vehicle Public Nuisance Ordinance empowers them to do.
It may be in this case. But so what? This type of law has been abused over and over again in this country. It should be eliminated.
Which for many people is equivalent to many months in jail. It has become a penalty for a criminal act without due process. No trial, no judge, no jury and a near felony level penalty.
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Those “street takeover” events can be planned in a matter of minutes via social media, a few cars gather at a location to perform stunts while a hundred spectators block traffic. By the time police are dispatched to the scene, people are dispersing. It is difficult for law enforcement to identify the guilty without investigating. If caught and charged with reckless driving, they go back out and repeat those events to make more videos and profit from YouTube.
I am in favor of vehicle seizure to stop those criminals.
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I respect your opinion. I guess I’m more tolerant of police having the authority to impound vehicles when they have video evidence and cause. IMO, just because police have abused their power in the past, doesn’t mean the law should be eliminated. If we use police abuse as a justification for eliminating laws, well, that’s a slippery slope, but I get your point.
No one said eliminating laws. What I’m against is the punishment for breaking these laws. HUGE difference.
You folks can argue this all you want but you have to be (pick your own) not to realize they just want the cars. The ordinance is just the way to get them.
Minnesota rolled back these confiscation laws slightly a few years ago to the roars of local law enforcement citing doom and gloom. Even our local honest and esteemed sheriff admitted they want the money for extra training and equipment.
It’s not about public safety and law enforcement. I’m sure if a dozen police rousted the vehicle owner out of bed at four am, they could determine who was driving. Especially after being held for a month or two without charge or bail. These kinds of laws were quietly put in place 50 years ago for conservation officers and became popular. Ya think it will stop at cars? Houses, bank accounts? You can plea guilty or you can go bankrupt fighting us.
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The residents want the street racing events to stop, they block traffic and create a lot of noise. When police try to apprehend the suspects, they flee and, in many cases, the high-speed pursuit is terminated in the interest of public safety.
How can law enforcement stop the reckless driving without seizing the vehicles? Writing citations doesn’t work, they simply continue to drive with no drivers license or insurance.
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Like I said, if you can find the car, you can find the owner. When you sweat then owner, you can find the driver and charge them. Cars are registered, even if the pull the plates off, you can determine the owner. They just want the cars. The rest is window dressing.
That is not working. They follow the vehicle(s) by helicopter, arrest the driver and charge them with reckless driving and eluding the police. The next day they are released on O.R. or a small bail amount. They only catch one out of the group and it usually takes several occurrences before they are caught.
Allowing the criminals to return to their cars is like returning a handgun to a bank robber.
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Now you are on to the real issue with bought and paid for judges and prosecutors. Follow the money as we said in the 70s.
Nonsense. The courts can’t hold a person for an extended period of time on a reckless driving charge preceding an arraignment.
You don’t read the papers then. Quite a few are being held in dc without charge hearings or bail currently. Just depends on the motivation.
I think seizure laws are OK as long as there are enough strings attached. In this case, the offenders showed themselves on social media. But those laws should be restrictive enough that caps are not allowed to use their own judgement. It checks ALL the boxes or you don’t seize.
But what about stolen vehicles that have been reported? The owner should get those back.
I had a “suggested for you” video on my facebook feed of a guy driving a Subaru STi outrunning the cops, and bragging about it.
Also there was a similar street scene as the one in @Nevada_545’s post in Memphis where not only did they stop traffic in major intersection doing doughnuts, but there was a gang member sitting in the rear window of each vehicle (three vehicles in this case) with an AR style rifle waving it at the crowds. No shooting this time though, just threatening anyone who would try to stop them.
Just to be clear, this type of activity needs to be stopped but I think as in Minneapolis, the police are overwhelmed and outgunned. They identify the perps which is a small number and even if arrested are out on the street the same day. If the prosecutors and courts were on board, they could be charged with a dozen offenses including attempted homicide and held without bail for months. Over charging is how the game is played.
I’m not so sure of confiscation laws. For sure a person should be charged with a crime and not just carrying cash. It’s just a mockery. No crime, no charge, and the money is never returned without a costly legal battle.
Same thing goes for conservation officers. I believe in following all of the game and fish laws, but I tend to question when a game warden can confiscate guns, equipment, and vehicles. Fines sure, but I fail to see the confiscation as being appropriate.
So fines, jail, etc. but confiscation is a game.
Pretty sure I read that somewhere. Oh yeah, here it is:
Unless you were referring to the confiscation. If so, that wasn’t clear.
If you want to make it crystal clear that it’s not about getting the cars . . .
The seized vehicles should be crushed
And the guys who were caught driving recklessly should be forced to watch
And there should be absolutely NO opportunity for law enforcement or anybody else to scavenge rims, tires, powertrains, etc. from the vehicles before they’re crushed
Well then there is the takings clause that forbids government from seizing assets without proper compensation. Then there is the issue of penalties fitting the crime, etc,
So lots of constitutional issues with the whole thing. Understanding the desire to punish and get these guys off the street, but you could just shoot them. That would take care of the problem. Just saying we are either bound by laws or we are a banana republic. Not at banana democracy.