Police having trouble cracking down on street racing

CALGARY (660 NEWS) — As an increase in the number of street racing incidents cause loads of complaints from Calgarians, police are doing everything they can to try and fight back.

Notably, the racing is centring around the northeast communities of Redstone and Skyview Ranch, where racers are showing off their luxury or souped-up cars and using the roads as a race track.

“They’re getting fairly sophisticated,” said Sgt. Colin Foster with the Calgary police collision reconstruction unit. “The public roads are not the place for these guys to be practicing their skills.”

Fortunately there have not been any serious crashes relating to these crashes recently, but the police would like to crack down on it first before anything like that does happen.

Unfortunately, the racers are able to get away from police before they arrive due to their methods of communication.

“You can do a quick text channel, you can do a quick voice channel,” said Foster. “The social media networks are very, very sophisticated right now and that communication system is just as good, if not better, than our own police radios.”

Foster stressed that street racing can result in Criminal Code charges even if there aren’t any crashes or injuries, and witnesses are encouraged to try and take video or get the license plates of the offending vehicles so police can track them down.

It would be ideal if there was a safer option, but since Race City closed down in 2011 there’s nowhere else for racers to try and show off.

“A safe environment like a race track is the best place for it, and the city could make money off this by charging an entrance fee or whatever it may be. But at least it takes this type of behaviour away from the roadways.”

There’s also a challenge if police do encounter a street racer, as it could result in a high-speed pursuit and cause more public safety issues. Foster said that police do have proper protocols in place to reduce the risk, and HAWCS could also be called in to surveil the situation from the air.

In addition, Foster felt that the problem is a little more pronounced this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since there are fewer people on the roads, it opens up more space for racers and is similar to the increase of loud vehicles cruising down 17th Avenue.

Foster stressed to racers that while this may seem fun, it comes with a major downside.

“Be mindful that it’s not only yourself that you’re putting at risk. It’s other road users, it’s people who are walking on the sidewalk. When you lose control of your car, you don’t know what you’re going to hit,” he said. “One crash is too many.”

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