[ZTWsquared]

SVT ZX3,Jun 15 2006, 03:49 PM Wrote:but ZTWsquared keeps touting that only those guilty of the actual crime will be punished for it, [right][snapback]193300[/snapback][/right]

It could be just semantics, but when I read this it struck me that you don't get it.

Bill C-65 does not put a new crime called "street racing" on the books. There is no new crime to be charged with or convicted of. You will never be charged with "street racing" - nobody will.

The only people who will feel any wrath associated with Bill C-65 are those who have already been charged, tried and convicted of one of these four specific crimes:

1) criminal negligence causing death
2) criminal negligence causing bodily harm
3) dangerous driving causing death
4) dangerous driving causing bodily harm

Have you or any one else on this board been charged with any of these? Do you now anticipate that because a judge can impose a stiffer sentence if he thinks street racing was involved, that the cops will suddenly start charging all sorts of innocent people with these crimes?

Look at the crimes - "death" or "bodily harm." Can you imagine anyone being charged with one of these crimes if a collision wasn't involved? It's nonsense to suggest that you could be charged with something like that for 2 cars accelerating quickly up to the speed limit.

Do you really think some asshat cop who think's your exhaust is too loud will charge you with one of those four crimes just because he wants to teach someone with a modded car a lesson? The crown would never prosecute - he'd be laughed out of court, and rightly so.

I'm not saying profiling is right - all I'm saying is if you're not involved in a collision, the odds of you getting charged with one of those four crimes is awfully slim. And even if you are involved in a collision, and even if you are convicted ... it is still up to the judge to determine if street racing was involved.

To suggest that a new sentencing option for judges, on four specific serious crimes involving death or injury, equates to a new option on the street for cops, seriously fails the logic test IMO.

You guys talk about making sure the "guilty" party is the only one that pays -- well this legislation goes you one better -- it can only affect those who have killed or seriously hurt someone -- and it doesn't matter how old you are or what kind of car you're driving. That seems pretty fair to me.