Posted on Apr 3, 2021
Street racing: They're fast, Atlanta's furious
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Screeching tyres, revving engines and the gunshot "pop" of modified exhausts: these are the sounds of the Covid-19 pandemic in Atlanta, Georgia.
Illegal street racing has been roaring through the US for decades, and while it's most associated with California and the hugely successful Fast and the Furious film franchise, head-to-head drag races are a fixture in many cities.
Atlanta's scene has skyrocketed in the past year. As Covid keeps people indoors and traffic low, street racers - deprived of bars, clubs and company - have claimed the roads as their high-speed playground.
Residents in the most affected neighbourhoods, from East Atlanta up to affluent Buckhead on the city's north side, are at their wits' end. Atlanta Police Department says the number of 911 calls mentioning "drag," "racing" or "doughnuts" rose from about 36 in February 2020, to 568 in October.
Video shared on Facebook after the 4 July weekend captured a large crowd of onlookers blocking the Peachtree Street overpass, on a major street in Midtown Atlanta, as a car performed 360-degree spins.
Illegal street racing has been roaring through the US for decades, and while it's most associated with California and the hugely successful Fast and the Furious film franchise, head-to-head drag races are a fixture in many cities.
Atlanta's scene has skyrocketed in the past year. As Covid keeps people indoors and traffic low, street racers - deprived of bars, clubs and company - have claimed the roads as their high-speed playground.
Residents in the most affected neighbourhoods, from East Atlanta up to affluent Buckhead on the city's north side, are at their wits' end. Atlanta Police Department says the number of 911 calls mentioning "drag," "racing" or "doughnuts" rose from about 36 in February 2020, to 568 in October.
Video shared on Facebook after the 4 July weekend captured a large crowd of onlookers blocking the Peachtree Street overpass, on a major street in Midtown Atlanta, as a car performed 360-degree spins.
Street racing: They're fast, Atlanta's furious
Posted from bbc.com
Atlanta
Racing
Auto Racing
Drag Racing
Cars
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 2
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I remember this in NYC back in the late 60’s and early 70’s. “Connecting Highway” and “Rockaway Blvd” were two spots. Not a fan of blocking public roads for racing; then or now.
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I am going to pose an interesting perspective to this. I am born and raised in the north Georgia area which includes Atlanta. My area is completely Republican because they are not able to not able to rap there heads around librarian/anarchist. But, this is what they are. The general public is pro blue, as these are the guys that come to your cook outs and make great apple brandy. People don't even look at most cops as policemen until they dawn their uniforms, then they are the enemy oppressor. Georgian's by nature do not like rules. Their are a lot of transplant "yuppies" that are all into being safe, but the locals are more (outside of church) fuck you, fuck the law and get off my lawn before I shoot you kind of people. Not to say when out, they wouldn't give you the shirt off their back. They just don't like rules and if there are rules ;they will be cool with them as long as it sets up a game of getting around the rules. Street racing, cruising, and tailgate gatherings are a tradition as long as their has been cars. It has been mostly for the young but even the old guys get into the street racing. No one likes it in their neighborhood if they are not participating. Doesn't mean the person filing the complaint isn't out there terrorizing someone else's space. Base line of it is Georgians as a whole don't like to follow rules so this activity, though shamed by the media, will not stop because even the authorities take off that badge and do what they do, just somewhere else. For the very few that don't, they would be lying to say that non of them do. I mean back in my younger days, I was an inductee to the APD's LADD's fun time group, that is Lets All Drink & Drive rolling partiers. Admittedly irresponsible yes, did it happen anyway, ya it did. Don't expect this to go away, they will just move it around or start using "hoopties" so when they get confiscated, they will not care.
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