I'm curious to see if it's as prevalent there as here in the U.S. :)

YEP
Theres been illegal "street racing" in Birmingham for several years now.
Every Saturday night several hundred wanna be boy racers decend on a couple of areas in the city centre. Cars range from "kevved" up Nova`s to Impreza`s, Mitsubishi Lancers, BMW M3`s etc.
The racing is not organised and sometimes dangerous, plenty of young guys with not much driving ability.

The police can do little to control it due to the numbers that turn up. The races always take place on public roads and attract hundreds of spectators.

Used to have a go myself, but prefer to just watch now,

Cheers
SCOOP

Do they drag race in a straight line? That's the type of racing you find everywhere in the street here.

The police have been cracking down big time though. If you get busted, it's a HUGE fine.

No it`s not really straight line or drag racing, more like circuit racing but on public roads. Tis extremely dangerous due to the fact that 1. these are public roads, 2. many of the cars are not suitable, 3. too many inexperienced drivers, 4. cars are sometimes stolen to take part, on several occasions I have seen "knock offs" crashed and then torched.
It`s a miracle that nobody has been killed yet, although there have obviously been injuries.

The police do attempt to control it but when they arrive (maybe 2 or 3 patrols and the police helicopter) everybody including spectators just scatter and then re-group at another location.
The racing usually starts at about 11.00pm and continues till 1.00/2.00 am.

SCOOP

Used to be a fair bit of it in Glasgow, late at night. All types of cars involved, but not so prevailant now.

Police have quite rightly spent a lot of time and money stamping it out because its extremely dangerous and completely illegal.

Scoop, don't know if its the cleverest thing in the world to admit taking part yourself.

Glad to see a lack of "yeah, me and Kev do it every friday night, its a blast" posts :)

Scoop, are you talking about the "Esses" ? I've always wanted to have a look there but its soooooo far away. :(
BTW, I heard thatr someone was killed there while back. a metro was doing a turn in the road when some knob in a Nitrous Xr4x4 came tanking round the corner and smashed into it. The Xr driver was switched off a few days later IIRC. :(
astraboy.

Astraboy hi m8, yeah it is the "Esses" that I`m talking about.

Carlton Television made a short fictional film entitled "S BENDS" last year, based on Birminghams illegal road racing.

I was employed by the TV company as the Stunt Driver, driving a Scooby of course. (Appeared in the credits as Action Driver ha-ha)

Cheers
SCOOP

MiXer welcome,

In Sydney, illegal street racing does take place on Sunday nights. Used to attend myself with my police scanner, to be one up on the cops. It was only straight line drag racing there. Lots of Ford Clevo's and windsor 302s and 351s and Chevies and Chryslers too. And more recently the quick fours with their turbo's started getting in to it too. I had a Ford with a 351 clevo and now own a scoob. Here in Greece there is also illegal street racing but it is more of a circuit type of racing

Cheers,

Wrexy.

Illegal circuit racing? Are you kiddin' me? Jeez... that's insane. It's only a mtter of time before you die. :D

I must admit as stupid and dangerous as it is I'm still interested in going and seing it.... Would never dream of having a go tho can't drive well enough....

LG, as I understand, lack of driver ability aint much of a problem :D
astraboy.

It used to be quite common in Northampton about a year or so ago. A little kid got brain damaged severely by an out of control Escort though and it's calmed down a bit now. Used to see a lot of decent cars (and of course the novas etc). I remember a bright green old Rover V8 absoutley pasting a modified Evo VI down the straight past the brewery one night.

Used to be very common in North London 10 years ago. Groups would meet in a pub carpark in Southgate and proceed onto the North Circ and fly around at crazy speeds. This has stopped since camera went in and the police cottoned on .


AllanB

HI, i live in manchester and every wednesday night we meet at Mcdonalds in Ashton at 8:00pm then race through denton and reddish to Mcdonalds at Stockport about 10:00pm, well i used to anyway, then i grew up ;)