Street racing -- stupid,
moronic, criminal

As long as teenagers have owned cars, there have been speed matches and, occasionally, death. As a veteran enthusiast has noted, the older generation drove heavier cars and stayed on the straightaways. While that didn't make it right, it made it less likely for someone to stray beyond the guardrails.

Today's drivers push the limits to seek the adrenaline rush of carving a turn at high speed.

Some have argued that there aren't enough tracks to satisfy the need for speed. Perhaps, but neither are there enough firing ranges to satisfy the need for target shooting. That doesn't allow gun owners to turn their backyards into rifle ranges. Stray bullets could indiscriminately maim or kill, just like a car skidding out of control.

Converting H-1 into a race track and ripping through turns in excess of 100 miles per hour is stupid. Thinking you can do it in a modified car with impaired reflexes at 4 a.m. is purely moronic. Ten days ago, two innocent people were injured and one died just because someone decided that going really fast would be way cool. Forget calling it moronic. It was just plain criminal.

--Dean Sensui

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