Could Owning a C6 Z06 Be Criminal Liability in Street Racing?
I copied this Post from a C6Z06 Thread started by “Exterminator” as I thought you may find value in it. In addition, I thought I would share some of what I was able to take from viewing the various video clips and testimonies:
#1 – I really need to keep my need for “speed thrills” on a race track. Honestly, it’s not always an easy thing to do when you have a fast car and thrive on the thrill of its speed and performance. As a teenager, I too enjoyed the environment of street racing (i.e. the Great Highway in SF, Canada Road, and the ECR to name a few). I thank God that I never hurt anyone, or even myself for that matter.
#2 – Stay clear from anyone trying to entice me into displaying the performance of my car.
#3 – Having four children myself, I can’t imagine the pain of losing one of my own.
Again, I hope you too are able to find something of value.
GB,
Chuck
This morning Court TV is televising the highlights of a street racing trial involving the drivers of a Viper and a Mustang in Tennessee. C6 Z06 owners take notice.
I am posting this because the C6 Z06 is a highly visible, clearly high-performance vehicle similar to the Viper - both cars have in the neighborhood of 500+ HP. In this case the Viper didn't go more than 500 ft, if in fact it was drag racing and by witness accounts it slowed immediately. The Viper didn't go very far or very fast. Then the Mustang (modded up to 500 HP) took off at a high rate of speed. This after the Viper turned into a Walgreen's parking lot.
One half mile down the road the Mustang rear ended a Honda CRV which burst into flames killing the local homecoming queen and severely injuring the driver. The Mustang was traveling at approximately 130 MPH when it struck the Honda. Both drivers were convicted of reckless homicide.
So in the eyes of the law the accident would not have happened but for the alleged "goading" caused by the Viper driver. In spite of the fact that the Viper driver, after leaving Walgreen's, came upon the scene of the accident and stopped and told investigating officers what he had seen.
The conclusion I'm drawing from this is that, on the street, I have to be hyper responsible driving my Z06. If a Mustang or any other car comes along, wants to engage in any kind of speed contest, even up to the legal limit, and then the other driver goes down the road and kills himself/herself or anyone else, I could be liable if I participate to any degree.
The subject of engine revving even came up in this trial. So engine revving could even be construed as goading. Just being in my C6 Z06 has apparently incited numerous youngsters who have seen my car on the freeway then come alongside, revving and ricing and then speeding off. Could just owning a C6 Z06 or a Viper constitute criminal liability? What if they do this and then zoom off and cause an accident?
Here's a quote from Court TV's Website:
Quote:
A Washington County, Tenn., jury deliberated for seven and half hours before finding Bradley Mullins, 19 and David Phillips, 39, guilty of the lesser and included charge of reckless homicide Tuesday for killing 17-year-old homecoming queen Cortney Hensley during a drag race on a busy Johnson City, Tenn., street on Sept. 24, 2005.
Video highlights can be seen here: http://www.courttv.com/video/player.html?videoSrc=
* Click on the “trials on demand” tab (drag race murder trial) to see various parts of the trial and testimony.
__________________
Do the math, count your blessings...
I really think that the Mustang in this case is the sole responsible party. He didn't have to go that fast, and the Viper wasn't even around to see him get to that speed. That was someone who was insecure and compensating with speed. The Viper at least knew when to call it quits and bowed out right away, it's not his responsibility that the Mustang didn't know when to quit.
I really think that the Mustang in this case is the sole responsible party. He didn't have to go that fast, and the Viper wasn't even around to see him get to that speed. That was someone who was insecure and compensating with speed. The Viper at least knew when to call it quits and bowed out right away, it's not his responsibility that the Mustang didn't know when to quit.
I don't disagree. It's actually worse than that. If you view through the some of the video court clips, there is a key eyewitness that was directly behind the Viper that clearly stated that the Viper guy did "not" engage in any exhibition. Perhaps it's a small town thing but I'd hate to be held accountable for the ill advised actions of another.
It's a concerning time to say the least. We live in a day of high powered attorneys and insurance companies needing to pin the blame on someone.
My point of sharing this post was simply to get people thinking about what "could" happen, let alone what could happen to the unsuspecting and the lives of their families. View the clips with the passenger and her new reality, burned body and all. View the clip of the officer, holding back tears, describing pulling her from the burning car and how her skin came off in his hands...real life tragedy to say the least.
PS - I'm not saying I live in a glass house either, this was a good wake-up call for me.
All the Viper owner needs is a good lawyer to have that thrown out of court on his behalf. Ive been to court for a few street racing incidents and Ive never lost one yet. They even tried pulling the BS that public bystanders watching street racing get arrested or cited as well. After a few lawyers went to court defending on that it didn't last long and they stopped doing it.
So if I buy my buddy a beer at the bar and he wrecks on the way home I can see in the future I would be arrested for that as well. When is it going to stop.
Cops are going to extreme measures to try and curb certain things going on out there. Hello....ITS NOT WORKING LEO'S.
Corvette Store
Could Owning a C6 Z06 Be Criminal Liability in Street Racing?
