Cruising returns to Van Nuys Blvd

Groucho:

What started as joking around with Steve, was made a point of contention by some.

Do you care what the "nay-sayers" think? Are you likely to change their minds? Are they likely to change yours?

The truth is the truth, hiding from it or trying to bury it, doesn't alter it.

Is street racing illegal?
Is street racing dangerious?
Does it have the potential to put others at risk?

Everyone knows that the answers to those questions are YES!

BUT on balance, about 43,000 a year are killed in car accidents, 3,800 people drown every year, 34 people die skiing, there have even been sports deaths - football, hockey, baseball.
So should we outlaw cars? Should people fill in their swimming pools to prevent the potential for killing someone? Should skiing be made illegal? Should sports be abolished? Should we all just stay in our houses and never leave or have fun?
Life is uncertain, and unfortunately some of the most fun things to do are the most risky.

 

There are always those who have to either put others in danger, or who simply don't care about anyone but themselves.

A few years back some people move in kitty-corner from me. They have had loud drunken parties with dozens of out of control teenagers racing up & down the street at all hours until some of the neighbors did a little rough justice. First, and know one knows who, someone slashed all the tires of party goers. About 25 cars I believe. Several cars were toed for parking in front of driveways. The one in front of my place was mysteriously backed into first.

Needless-to-say, the cops were called every time there was so much as a hiccup coming from that house. Not detoured, the son in this family continued to find one thing after another to annoy everyone, including a street race that killed one of his friends. He and his car disappeared for a while, but after the cops stopped looking for him he returned only this time with an uncorked motorcycle.

After racing it up and down the neighborhood sidewalk at 60 or 70 miles per hour to show off to his Mom and friends, a neighbor further down the street who just happen to be building something in his driveway grabbed a 2 by 4 and on the next pass by his house nailed him with it knocking him out as the bike fell in front of an SUV rounding the corner.

The kid never knew what hit him, but, the cops arrested him a short time later after receiving dozens of complains. I'm surprised all this crap lasted so long without someone just shooting him. It would have been well deserved.

 

Bash:

Not looking to start World War III here, just voicing alternate perspectives, but all that rowdy behavior you mentioned has about zero to do with the kind of money street racing that Groucho was talking about. It was done in various non-populated areas like industrial parks in the early hours of the morning.

Part of the trouble here is that the media likes to sensationalize everything, that's what sells papers and increases TV ratings. So they label any two vehicles going over the speed limit on the freeway as an act of civil disobedience by those dreaded "Street Racers".

But from your own story about your neighbors it seems you are condoning & promoting property damage, assault, and all around vigilanteism even to the extent that homicide would be a "well deserved" action.

And that goes for the genius that suggested that a racer be INSIDE the car when it was crushed. Sheesh!

Do you think this "taking the law into your own hands" type of vigilanteism you spoke of, is anything even remotely LEGAL?

Two wrongs don't make a right.

So which is worse; intentionally smashing someone else's car and knocking people off motorcycles with 2 by 4's - OR a couple of cars racing on some desolate road in the early morning, eh?

This is essentially a contentious and unresolvable (by any logical means), type of discussion, since there is just too much emotion tied up in people's points of view on this

 

I dunno. How's that working out for YOU?

 

Good to see you posting again, Bob....

 

i think the problem is that the street racer isn't the one that always gets hurt its usually the innocent family driving home late from a family gathering

 

I think the problem is, when someone gets hurt, it's NOT a true street racer that's involved. Not by the standards which we raced by in the 70's. I was around it for MANY yrs, and no-one was ever in jeaopardy. Hell, there were no people around for miles to be in harms way. The shit that goes on today, that you hear about in the news is vehicular stupidity. PLEASE not to be confused with organized street racing. I'm not saying street racing is right. But, it's NOT what's portrayed of it in the news, that's for sure

 

I'm not really condoning anything, but, rather pointing out the kinda times we live in. One might think any number of things, but, jumping in and becoming part of the uncontrollable mob is quite another.

 

back to the street vnb.ok..lets not get this closed .im gonna bring out one of my vans this time........old plumbing truck....a freind gave it to me when the motor blew......

 

Good point.

 

So, who mysteriously backed into the car blocking your driveway? Or, did I read that one wrong?

 

No, you read it correctly. The car blocked not only my driveway but the neighbors as well. The first time I noticed the car it had been pushed into the middle of the street from the side.

The whole neighborhood had been driven nuts by these people, the cops couldn't do enough to stop it so the neighborhood did.

Part of the reason I don't like neighborhoods or having neighbors.

 

Quote:
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=6 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=alt2 style="BORDER-RIGHT: 1px inset; BORDER-TOP: 1px inset; BORDER-LEFT: 1px inset; BORDER-BOTTOM: 1px inset">Originally Posted by MIGUEL ZARATE
i think the problem is that the street racer isn't the one that always gets hurt its usually the innocent family driving home late from a family gathering



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Miguel & Bash:

Actually, it's NOT a good point. It's a bogus cliché trotted out when someone wants to make an appeal to emotion.


Street racers back in the day didn't race when there were oncoming lights, and either didn't race or stopped traffic from the rear.


But like Flynstone suggested, this subject should probably be curtailed as it may impact negatively on the cruising on Van Nuys thread. The moderators don't seem to have much tolerance for this sort of thing.


If anyone has a real bug up their butt on this subject they can E-mail me at:
[email protected]







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Some years back a friend of mine's family was killed on the holidays by 2 guys street racing while coming to visit for the holidays, so I guess it really depends on which street racers you are talking about. Is that a bogus cliché appealing to emotion?

Not really interested in arguing the point, do what you will, but, it is one of the many things that brought cruising Van Nuys Boulevard to a close for everyone.

But, as Flintstone suggested lets get back to Van Nuys Boulevard.

 

Having FUN depends on WHO you stay HOME with! LOL!

BTW - Robert...DON'T CUT THE HAIR! Those guys are JEALOUS!

 

Hey BottleBob, are you going to be at the next Van Nuys cruise? I'll most likely have Greg Jacobsen with me. Look for us and we'll look for you.

 

Bottle Bob is a true modern era Benjamin Franklin, or, for the history illiterate, a modern day Yoda!!!


He is wise and does not lie.....

 

Bash:

Two points, and I'm about done with this issue.

One: I money street raced heavy for 20 years in the San Fernando Valley and surrounding areas (sometimes 2 or 3 days a week), and I personally have never seen anyone killed. let alone the stereotypical "Family Coming Home Late". I'm not saying it's not possible, or has never happened somewhere, I'm just saying *I've* never seen it.

Two: In my opinion true/organized street racing had very little to do with cruising being shut down on Van Nuys Blvd. The real street racers used to meet at Jack-In-The-Box, and if a race was set up they'd go to Woodman & Saticoy, Raymer, Woodley & Roscoe, or some other industrial streets AWAY from Van Nuys Blvd.

Now what you had on the Blvd. was some serious squirrels. And I DID personally see a pedestrian get killed in front of Jack-In-The-Box one Wednesday night when a car going about 40 mph hit him in the crosswalk. Hit him so hard that his shoes came off while he was flying through the air. He landed with a splat about 100-150 feet away.

Some of the things that led to cruising's demise, were trash, burglaries, fights, squirrelly driving, vandalism of property, & the necessity for heavy police presence.

Actually, I hope we can meet at the next cruise to continue this discussion in person, and I DO mean just talk. No 2 X 4's or slashing of tires please!

 

That would be great! Two by fours and tire slashing is not my way. I tend to resort to a more sedate approach, or at least a more imaginative one.

The street racing I'm more familiar with was in the late 50's & 1960s. Back then there were a number of places where guys might challenge each other to race. Often it was the street itself. Bob's Big Boy Drive-in was always in the mix as I recall.

The items you outlined as to the fall of cruising the boulevard are all true, but, racing was also. There was a Judge in the Van Nuys court who's son was killed in a street race. He was know as the Hangman Judge, and was know to pass down the most severe penalties for any kind of street shenanigans.

In-any-event, do you have any photos of the street racing from back then.
I'm working on a book about the boulevard and I think I'm going to need to write a chapter on the street racing angle. Looking at it from various viewpoints.

Anyway, short of rain, snow, or sub zero temps I should be there.
Varooooom Daddyo

 

Originally Posted by BottleBob
Actually, I hope we can meet at the next cruise to continue this discussion in person, and I DO mean just talk. No 2 X 4's or slashing of tires please!

Bash:

Pictures? You mean like evidence that could have been used against me in a court of law? Heh, no. I wasn't into taking pictures of other racers, and tended to avoid having my own picture taken.

John Goms may have some pictures (I believe he's been banned from posting here - the powers that be don't seem to appreciate strong opinions being expressed). I wouldn't want to post his E-mail address publicly, Groucho's got it, or E-mail me.

I don't think street racing, as relates to Wednesday night crusing, would make much of a chapter in your book. There was very little serious racing done on Wednesday nights. The street racers met on Saturday nights - then it WAS a big deal.

 

Robert:

You're bringing out the Greg "The Bear" Jacobsen? LOL

I won't know if I'd be going until a few hours before the event.

About the hair, I'm with Ms. Chevelle on that one. Don't cut it, it'll fall out of it's own accord soon enough. Just put it in a pony tail, and even Groucho would be happy.

 

Since you continue to "MISS" the point, let's move on, and resume cruising as the main theme of this thread. Jesus, are you thick

 

cruising, cruising, cruising. let's keep on topic. or I'll start flipping my hair again and Groucho will throw a fit.

 

This is a form where people share their experience and points of view. We don't all have the same experiences or point of view. Instead of trying to insult others perhaps sharing your experience and knowledge might be helpful in enlighten others to what they were not privileged to know.

 

Like cruising Van Nuys was killed by stupidity, this thread seems to be headed the same way. Too bad. I liked checking out the pics. Oh well.

 

I have, and so have others, but you didn't "get" it. So, that's why I again say you miss the point. I fold. Let's DROP the street racing bullshit on this thread already, OK?

 

Again? When have you ever stopped?

 

yikes ...................when is the next one the 11th? are we gonna cruze or hang out in the parking lot talking about street racing and slicing tires with two by fours..he he he anyone remember the bumper sticker ....nuke the gay whales.......oh shit i should spell everything wrong ( so the i have nothing better to do ) vocabulary police can tag in also

 

a week from tomorrow

 

Dennis McCarthy's column in the Daily News today was about Michael Mullen who is the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The highest ranking military officer in the United States. He is going to be the Grand Marshall of the Veterans Day parade next Wed in Pacoima...He grew up in North Hollywood, attended Notre Dame H.S. and says in 1964 he was hanging out at Bob's and cruising Van Nuys Blvd in his moms Merc!!
Another Van Nuys Blvd success story....