Saturday, September 10, 2011

Fast and furious 13

This happened about 10 days ago.  I watched the RCMP issuing tickets in downtown White Rock. All 13 perps were under 21 years old, half with restricted (novice) licences. Their high-end speed machines were impounded, initially for 7 days and now indefinitely pending consideration of full civil forfeiture.

Something I find odd is that despite 11 of the drivers being 18 or older, the police and media have been very careful NOT to identify the drivers - no names, nothing beyond that they are from Richmond and Vancouver.

4 comments:

JR said...

The ones I saw appeared to be of the **ian persuasion. Could have been sun tans though.

maryT said...

Anybody get the licence numbers and do a check to see who owns them. If these under 21s own those cars, where did the money come from to buy them. And if owned by parents there has to be neighbors etc who have noticed them missing.

Jim Pook said...

Not to say that these guys don't deserve punishment for their wreckless speeding through traffic, but I have an even bigger problem with the state siezing private property in this manner.

Rewarding the state agencies with the spoils of "crime" - especially before it goes before a judge is a slippery slope in a free society.

It's all well and good to say that these guys got what they deserved for their alledged crimes, but how will you feel when the jackboots are on your doorstep because you opposed say C-68, the firearms act and demonstrated against it on the hill?

Anyone here remember Bruce Montague and his family?

For the crime of opposing a bad law, he and his family will likely lose their family home as "proceeds of crime".

So much for property rights in Canada!

JR said...

Part of the outrage/interest in this case seems to be that "rich" kids with exotic cars appeared to be getting away with a serious offence (racing). A mere $196 fine seems insignificant for perps driving cars worth a quarter mil each. Still, the police admit they
didn't have enough evidence to charge them.

I'm guessing that if it had been ordinary punks from another side of the tracks the cars involved would have been relative clunkers (Camaros and Mustangs) and the outrage muted, except maybe for wondering how come there were no traffic cops in a busy 30 km stretch of highway at rush hour.

I have to agree with Jim Pook on state seizure of property - it's open to serious abuse. Though somehow I suspect they'll not actually be able to do it in this case. The grounds are weak. So if they can't seize the cars they'll have accomplished an enhancement of the punishment - ie. the threat of forfeiture and an extension of the impoundment beyond 7 days.