LMAO!!!!

 

Any time you have laws that are unpopular you are going to have mixed reactions from the public. In this case, you have a law that says you can be prosecuted for the actions of another person, simply because you may have engaged in a traffic violation. You can rationalize it all you want, but if some fool decides he wants the lane you're in, and you race him up to the speed limit and quit; he continues and causes an accident. Guess what...you're guilty just like him. Equal culpabilty is just another form of everyone wanting to pass the buck instead of taking responsibility for their actions...the only difference is that it's institutionalized in many states now. The chances are much better that someone will stop and render aid if they know they won't be crucified on the 'street racing' cross of the DA. And don't think that if you do stop and help that you'll get a break...the only difference is that they can't charge you with leaving the scene.

That being said, here's where I stand.
1) The person driving the Mercedes should have stopped and tried to help, HOWEVER , I can understand why he might not do so.
2) Street racing is BAD ! However, we all want to blur the line and justify our own actions as different.
3) Those of you that are wishing bad things on other people need to do a reality check...that is evil, and you are hypocritical.
4) I carry a cell phone, jumper cables, and tools, and have helped many a stranded person to the extent of my abilities. My azz has literally been inches from being run over many times while helping others. My only wish is 'Pass it on."

 

Whether or not the other fool wrecks his vehicle morally has nothing to do with the driver's culpability.

"Manslaughter" is a legal conclusion, not a fact. To charge the kid with manslaughter is ludicrous.

Scenario 1: Some retired multimillionaire sits at a stoplight in his red L, smiling from ear to ear about his new full meal deal exhaust and NOS. He revs and looks over at you like "bring it." Driving mom's Merc, you pull him off the line. He passes you at about 40, laughing like a madman. You let up, yet he is still enjoying that 150 shot he just installed, zooming away with the blower at full song. You both come to a rest at the next light. You smile and give the old guy a big thumbs up for spanking you. You report the incident here. You get big props for even hanging with the old guy in his megabuck ride.

Should you go to jail for a minimum of 5 years now?

Scenario 2: Now, change the story. He passes you at about 40, laughing like a madman. You let up, yet he is still enjoying that 150 shot he just installed, zooming away with the blower at full song. All of the sudden, that old fool inexplicably darts to the right, hits the guard rail, and has a massive accident. Seeing that others are already running to assist him, you turn off and try to avoid being fingered as the other street racer/homocidal maniac.

Should you go to jail for a minimum of 5 years now?

Your culpability is the same in either scenario. The fact that the other guy dies does not in any way change what you did.

I would love to see someone post scenario 1, like happens here all the time. There will be no cries of minimum 5-year sentences, no frothing mob looking for the nearest rope. There will instead be 10 people giving big thumbs up for the "kill." And maybe one or two warning of the dangers of street racing and telling him he's lucky that he didn't get a ticket or kill some lady driving the kids home from soccer practice.

Then, after about 50 people have posted 's, the author adds: "Oh, by the way, the old guy wrecked and killed himself."

Is the act any different? No.

“If you wanna play . . .” cuts both ways. That fool killed himself.

I hate the stench of hypocrisy. As I stated previously, I held no grudge against the girl that I was racing when my stupid *ss wrecked my car. I did not finger her -- to the contrary, I gave her a pass. My injured passenger also gave her a pass. If the tables were turned, I would hope that she would have given me a pass.

I seriously hurt my passenger. Although that was 25 years ago, I will have to live with that forever. But he does not hold it against me either -- he was the one who egged me on to race. “If you wanna play . . .”

In a perfect world, we would all agree with the laws, we would all obey them, and we would all report any violators. But all of us here should get cold shivers at the notion that we would get locked up for a nickel because some idiot we are messing around with kills himself.

“charging a man with murder in this place was like handing out speeding tickets at the Indy 500.”

 

Hey anyone wanna come to my house to watch the pats game tommorrow? I'll get a thirty pack and some burgers....should be a good time!

 

Not Good ! sorry to hear this on street but, it happens all to much I've done it myself on highway but, for short distances but, still not good. Codolences to the families ! I'm sure the kid is scared and feeling bad about this. Also, their are only so, many black Mercedes registered in FLA. so the cops already have a lead and they will in time find their man.

 

Tim, if that is true, your original post was irrelevant to the situation. The kid wasn't “narced” for racing or speeding, he was “narced” for his possible involvement in a race related fatality. I find in highly unlikely that the kid didn't notice the guy getting wrapped around the pole. And even if he didn’t see it, that is for the cops to investigate and decide. Like it or not that is the way it works.

It is not the publics job to get more info and then decide if we should tip the cops. The cops and the courts will deiced what this guy is guilty of, if anything. Let the police do their jobs, your approach would prevent them from doing so and obstruct justice. All you are doing is taking the law into your hands by deciding if this guy is guilty of doing something you don't agree with, then turning him in.

 

WELL SAID!!!!!!!!!!


Rocks

 

You guys are awesome. I think the f150online rumor/argument mill is almost as good as my high schools, and that's sayin a lot.

 

...nuff said?

 

If you don't agree with the punishments for crimes where you live, you elected the people who made them, or at least had a voice in the election if the one you voted for didn't win. If you don't like the law, elect someone else, it is the only way to change it. It sucks that the man lost his life, but Mistergadget did what is right and humane. The cops will decide if the kid had any part in the others death. And to anyone who hates the cops, come play here in middle GA and think you can get away with anything, we'll prove you wrong quick. I am a cop, and I get paid to enforce the law. I may not agree with the law, but my job is my job and wouldn't do anything else for a living.

 

On the contrary, dont hate cops, hate laws that make no sense at times. Punishment should fit actual crime.

Yes street racing is bad and we as a society truly shouldn't like it. Too many chances for innocents getting killed. OK, fine. But.... the L driver was NOT an innocent person in all of this. If he was, as we assume, an active participant, should the other racer receive a big prison sentence just as if he killed a pedestian? I think NOT, but the law as it stands makes no dictinction.

I think aid should be given at all times, also. I have done so. THAT was a different side of things, and I personally wasn't addressing those issues. Just the law on these kinds of situations.

And yes I vote and NO you can't change a state law if your life depended on it and to think so is ludicrous.

 

You know, you guys are right. What have I been thinking?

I am not fit to decide which laws should get enforced. That is the job of the police and the courts.

So, I am from now on going to report every person I see breaking every traffic law -- and turn myself in to the authorities on Monday. This is going to present some difficulties here in SoCal, as even the grannys drive 10 over. But I know that it is my civic responsibility. I need to get extra batteries for my cellphone.

And I guess while I'm at it, I need to report all of my friends who smoke pot. I may not agree with the law, but the law is the law. Man, are they going to be mad at me.

What? I'm being ridiculous? I don't have to turn everyone in for every little offense? Huh?

But, wait a minute. . . Wouldn't that mean that I have to decide which offenses are serious enough to merit calling the cops? I thought you said that this was not my job?

This morality thing is confusing. I surely don't want to obstruct justice. But since you guys are so moral and logically consistent, I'm sure you can help me sort it out.

 

ok everyone, lets all meet at denny's monday morning at 8, have breakfast, and then go turn ourselves in to the local authorities...gotta do whats right you know!
p.s.-oral is still against the law in most states, so bring wifey too!

 

You really are having a problem coming up with the difference, aren't you?

The difference, is that a human life was lost in this situation. Your comparing the loss of human life to, "stealing bubble gum", is just way out there.

You can keep on doing it, but most normal folks see the difference, so you are not making a valid arguement.


Rocks

 

Obviously, after following your posts on this subject, there is nobody who can help you sort it out. Good luck!