Las Vegas: It’s a gamble for your car

Millions of people are drawn to our fair city every year to try their hand with “lady luck”. However, it is the gamble they are taking unknowingly that may be the biggest of all.

In this game, the stakes are your vehicle- and in Las Vegas the odds are heavily in the favor of the “house”.

In this case the “house” is the would be car thieves that seem to prowl Sin City with the tenacity and speed of a large, angry cat.

Indeed, Las Vegas took over as number one on the list of “Hot Spots” of car theft last year with 22,415 thefts, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau. Las Vegas replaced repeat offender Modesto, CA as first on the list.

This gives Las Vegas a theft rate of 1,310.4- a high number considering this is per 100,000 people. For some comparison, the national theft rate in 2006 was 398.4, something many residents and visitors alike may find shocking.

This means that Las Vegas has a theft rate nearly three times the national average- an issue which clearly demands increased attention- from civilians and government alike.

The distinction as being “Number One” in this category is something that is especially troubling for a city like Las Vegas, which is so heavily dependent on a consistent flow of tourism economically.

One has to wonder whether all of these visitors who are traveling to Sin City by car would be at all dissuaded by hearing these troubling statistics. However, there are things someone can do in order to protect their vehicle from those that would want to make it their own.

The NCIB recommends what they refer to as a “layered approach” to vehicle theft deterrence. (From NCIB.com)

• The first layer is a common sense approach, which includes removing your keys from your vehicle, locking your doors at all times, and parking in well-lit areas.

• The second is a visible or audible theft-prevention device, such as steering wheel locks, car alarms and VIN etching.

• The third is a device that immobilizes the vehicle and prevents “hot wiring,” such as smart keys or kill switches.

• The fourth is a tracking device that allows police officers to find your vehicle quickly after it has been stolen.

It is important for citizens to take these steps to try and do all we can do make life difficult for car thieves. The simple things are often those that make the most difference, as thieves generally look for the easiest available target to strike.

Law enforcement is aware of these increased risks to motorists as well,

“People can take any number of precautions to protect themselves from
vehicle theft and, in most cases, those are sufficient to prevent a theft,”
said NCIB President and Chief Executive Officer Robert M. Bryant. “But a
determined thief, a serial vehicle thief, is someone for whom there is no
absolute deterrent-except prison.”

Laws like California’s controversial “three strike” law are making the realities of prison more tangible for career thieves, with three felonies carrying a term of life in prison- a harsh penalty to pay for a car.

There are no plans in the works for bringing such a law to Clark County.

One thing is for sure- this is one type of “Hot Spot” that Las Vegas does not was the classification as. (Numbers Story)

Escalation Station

Upon receiving my drivers license the average price for a gallon of gas in my home state of Massachusetts was $1.24, and nationally was $1.27, according to the Consumer Energy Council of America.

This was in the year 2000.

The idea of driving around all night on five dollars worth of petroleum wasn’t laughable; and so we did.

It is sad that the youths of today will probably never be able to experience the same freedom with their driving habits, but such is life.

Sadly, MSN Money is reporting that gas prices will continue to climb well into the summer- as we all know the most appealing time for “cruising”.

The national average price of fuel has already soared to $3.22 per gallon, according to AAA. This is over previous record of $3.07, which occurred in 2005 after the Hurricane Katrina disaster.

Fuel prices have continued to strain budgets nationwide, and with no sign of letting up one has to wonder how consumers will deal with this increased financial pressure.

Experts still predict Memorial Day Weekend to be a popular time for car travel, which will surely cause another unwelcome spike in fuel prices. 

According to AAA, more than 38 million people nationwide travel (over 50 miles) in their cars over the holiday. One has to wonder whether this number will stay as large with fuel prices showing no sign of letting up, at least in the near future.

One thing is for sure, the “good old days” are long gone- and the drivers of today have far bigger costs to account for than even 10 years ago. (Click here for the link to the MSN story) (Rep. Toolbox Story)

2009 Chevrolet Camaro- First Look

I frequent many automotive websites on-line, and I recently had the pleasure of viewing the first video of the 2009 Chevy Camaro interior, while the car is driving.

Editor of CamaroZ28.com (where I am a member) got a chance to actually get behind the wheel of the 2009 Camaro Concept car, that of course is now officially in production. You may have seen the Camaro Concept in the movie Transformers- where it was prominently featured. 

I have been watching the development of this Concept since General Motors first announced it was bringing the Camaro back in late 2005, and the results of these past three years of development are astounding. 

Aesthetically, the car evokes memories of the 1968-69 model year (considered by many car enthusiasts to be the best looking year) but still maintains it defiantly modern look. Check out the similarities of the two cars:

Mechanically the car is going to be powered by a updated version of the Corvette’s LS6 Small Block engine, producing over 400 hp.

With a standard 6 speed Tremec transmission, this should certainly be a fun ride to open up.

The interior is distinctly retro, with many touches such as “Tuck and Roll” style seats, and chrome accents on the shifter, door handles, and gauges.

Standard staggered 18 and 19 inch wheels front and rear give the car the muscle car stance we associate with the Camaro’s of old. However, tires for this bad boy certainly wont come cheap- expect to pay well over $300 for just one of the rears.

Maybe the high cost of the standard rubber will discourage some from doing their obligatory burnout when they take delivery of their new muscle machine- I would certainly find that disappointing. 

The exhaust note certainly sounds impressive, and can be heard distinctly from inside the car (as you can see in the video below).

No details yet on the specifics of the exhaust, although it will certainly have to pass much stricter emissions standards than its younger brother did in 1968.

Take a look at this video and feel free to comment on your impressions of the car- it all looks pretty great to me thus far.

 Have a look:     
Click to see Video

Soldiers Cause Fatal Accident

It would seem the Military is not immune to tragedy even while on leave.

Two soldiers stationed at Fort Bliss (TX), are believed to be the cause of an accident involving fours cars, that left one person dead.

SGT. Trevor Fisher, 23, was arrested on charges involving racing on a highway causing death.

The driver of the other car (Spc. Travis Enloe, 27) was also charged with felony racing charges.

The soldiers had just returned from a 15-Month tour of Iraq, but now their fate with the military is uncertain.

It is certainly tragic that two veterans could stay safe for so long in Iraq, and it is the dangers of automobiles that is what gets them in trouble.

There is a healthy way for these individuals who feel the need to go fast to get this desire out of their system: it is the racetrack.

In fact, after doing a little hunting I have discovered that recently that both the 1/4 mile track and the Clay Oval in El Paso have both been shut down.

While there is obviously no direct connection that can be made between these two events, it could be more than coincidence.

It certainly couldn’t have helped the situation that there was no legal way for these soldiers to use there performance cars in the area.

We certainly can make no excuse for these two individuals behavior, as it was reckless and inexcusable. All we can do is just try to learn from all of these tragic events. Get all the facts HERE.

Aussie’s May Have the Answer

Police in Australia have begun taking the hard line against illegal street racing: any funny buisness and your car is now police property.

Well, not exactly police property, but you may have to watch your “baby” get bought for a pittance by its new owner at a government auction.

That is, of course, if you are lucky enough to have a T.V in your cell.

That’s right, down under they now have the right to impound any vehicle involved in street racing, and the owner stands subject to arrest on site.

It would seem the Aussies may have the right idea, as street racing deaths increase Stateside, maybe a nationwide “hard line” against street racing is the answer in America.

Click HERE to see the list of impounded vehicles and their related offences in “Operation Taipan”, as they are calling it.

Apparently, however, Australia currently offers zero public racetracks where one can go and safely indulge his “need for speed”.

There are no plans in the works for the construction of any at the moment, although there are a few proposals to open up Formula V-8 tracks (a popular series in Australia) to autocross enthusiasts for track days, in a limited number.

California Highway Patrol Says: “Racing is Here”

There have been a rash of street racing incidents across the nation, and today CHP took the time to comment on the current situation in Southern California. One thing that has been changing is the type of race seen.

Instead of the typical stoplight to stoplight “drag race”, police say they are seeing more races out on highways- races in which speeds regularly exceed 100 mph.

If anything goes wrong at these speeds, the results are usually disastrous- and police have been seeing the horrifying results of these high speed duels nationwide.

California Highway Patrol has been one of a few law enforcement agencies to take the issue of street racing head on. They have done this through harsher penalties, and also through heavily increased enforcement of these new, and existing, laws. 

In fact, CHP has been attracting attention nationwide through these actions, with the problem of street racing reaching communities in all corners of the map. Virgina State Police have been the latest to follow the example of the CHP, confiscating vehicles used in illegal street races.  

To read CHP’s response click HERE.

Cars Seized After Cop Sees Drag Race

It was clearly the wrong time for a race; and Virginia State Police officer was there to remind the participants.

We have more recently seen California Highway Patrol crack down in a similar fashion, and these increasingly harsh penalties in response to street racing seem to be gaining support nationwide (see previous post).

The increased attention from law enforcement is exactly what many communities have been calling for, and confiscating cars involved in racing is a good way to ensure getting these drivers to understand the danger of their actions.  

In addition to sending a message to the racing participants, these new laws ensure getting these souped up cars off the street- permanently.

While some are calling the new laws overly harsh, the rash of recent deaths from street racing has many unwilling to listen to such critics.

While the effect of these new, harsher laws has yet to be confirmed- the recognition of street racing as a national dillema is certainly a step in the right direction.

Hopefully this direction will ultimately carry us to an era of far safer roadways, and the ability for racing enthusiasts and regular motorists to coexist without conflict.  

Click here to read the full story.

Police Crack Down On Street Racing

Police are now siezing cars they see being used in illegal street races. This is just one is a series of steps taken by police departments nationwide to ramp up enforcement on street racers.

One has to give credit to law enforcement for being vigilant and enforcing the laws that keep us safe. However,  it seems foolish to rely on the idea of law enforcement alone to deal with this problem, which has been growing with the speed of the automobiles.

While taking the cars away from these offenders is an idea getting support nationwide (and worldwide- Australia has adopted similar programs), one has to believe they will get out on the street again somehow.

When they do, they will probably still have that same desire to go fast. While enforcement is clearly part of the solution, and cannot be all of it, or we wouldn’t have so many tragic accidents.

Racing programs of all kinds are something gaining increased popularity in recent years. With these tragidies gaining increased media attention people are looking for solutions to the problem of young drivers wanting to go fast. 

These people include concerned parents, who are increasingly supportive of these new and in many cases unfamiliar programs.

The key will be spreading the popularity of this grassroots racing, as there are many car enthusiasts who have no idea that it is possible to go fast and be safe.

The appeal of being able to use these performance machines (which are only getting faster) in a controlled and safe environment is one that appeals to racers and safety nuts alike.

Spreading the word of the success of programs such as Midnight Mayhem at LVMS and others is the key in attacking this issue in a way that will make a difference. This is the only way to make out streets safer in a way that will be lasting and effective.  

 Click here for the full story from WJZ.com.

What can be done?

There have been a lot of street racing accidents in the news recently, with the most memorable, and most tragic, being in Maryland (see previous post). However, there are things that can be done in order to make a difference, and cut down on street racing fatalities. Most of these involve getting to the root of the problem, and simply eliminating street racing altogether. While simple enough in words, the reality is quite the opposite.

It is my belief that tougher penalties by the law are not the answer; but rather indulging this “need for speed” and channelling it in a productive direction.

There are are a handful of major cities in the U.S. that offer racing programs, and much of these are extremely limited in participation and variation.

Most of them are exclusive rather than inclusive, requiring exorbitant fees and stringent regulations in equipment that make racing all but impossible for the average person. This is even more true for those young people that want to go fast, as their budgets are even more limited.

There should be an increased effort toward making racing programs of varying types more widespread and exclusive, and I believe that this is the only real way to curb the problem of street racing. 

After declining in the first half of the decade, street-racing deaths are on the rise again, climbing roughly 35 percent from 112 in 2005 to 151 in 2006 (according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration).

We have seen increased attention from Law Enforcement, and this is certainly a piece of the puzzle, but it cant be the solution to the problem. After all, even a heinous crime such as murder still exists, even given the death penalty. 

Clearly more severe punishments alone are not enough to stop what I would classify as an epidemic. The NHTSA puts the toll at 804 people who were killed in racing-related crashes between 2001 and 2006.

California had 188 of those deaths, with Texas second at 128. Cars are only getting faster, and highways getting more crowded, it is important to give this issue the attention it deserves sooner, rather than later.  

The solution to this problem must be two pronged, with increased penalties from Law Enforcement, but also attacking the very impulse to go fast, not through discouraging it, but rather through encouraging it and channeling it into a positive and safe activity.

I compare it to a youngster that has trouble with fighting, it is only natural to get that person in the boxing ring to channel that energy in a positive direction.

The same logic applies with the activity of racing, but being able to provide the solution is up to the collective public, who will have to be supportive of these racing programs.

Currently Las Vegas is one of a few cities to be lucky enough to have such a facility, with just such a program. The Midnight Mayhem program is one that I feel should be a model to other cities\regions with a problem with street racing, and one has to only look at the huge success of the program to become a believer. (Check below for my interview with LVMS Track Inspector Eric Joyner).

I plan on attending one of these nights in the near future and reporting back on the participants, and how they feel street racing is affected by being able to race on a sanctioned track.

National Public Radio- Interview on street racing dangers

Host Alex Chadwick talks with Sergeant Spencer Boyce of the California Highway Patrol about the dangers of illegal racing and how law enforcement in his area hopes to stop it.

The law enforcement in California are at the forefront of the issue of street racing, and have some great ideas of how to curb this problem. CHP has been one of few agencies nationwide to recognize the problem of street racing with the seriousness it deserves. They have taken measures from increased patrols of known popular racing areas, to confiscating the cars of those involved in street racing.

Officer Boyce gives great insight into the effect that racing has on a community, and the effectiveness of these new measures being put in place by CHP. Hopefully more law enforcement agencies will take notice of these new programs, and will ramp up their enforcement in a similar manner.