Yet another local "high speed" drama

From the Vancouver Sun, February 8 2003
SPEEDING TEEN: `I DON`T CARE`
Driver, 18, caught going 167 km/h, boasts about police encounter by Amy O`Brian
An 18-year-old West Vancouver student clocked racing his parents` Mercedes at 167 km/h on the Upper Levels Highway Thursday said he doesn`t care he was caught by police.
"Here, check this out," Aidin Ashkieh said when The Vancouver Sun found him Friday outside Sentinel secondary school in West Vancouver.
Pulling the green violation slip from his black jacket, Ashkieh smiled as he showed it to a Sun reporter and his friends, who had their arms around him as he boasted he was the one police caught Thursday.
"I just got it yesterday."
He shrugged when asked if he realized the consequences.
"I don`t feel anything right now. I don`t care," Ashkieh said.
Ashkieh was pulled over after West Vancouver Police clocked two 18-year-olds driving 167 km/h with three car lengths between them just west of Taylor Way.
"They were actually in traffic, changing lanes at 167 km/h," said Sergeant Bob Fontaine. "They were speed racing."
Each car was carrying the driver and three passengers, Fontaine said.
Both drivers were given 15-day driving suspensions and their cars - a 2001 BMW and a 2002 Mercedes - were impounded, but have since been returned to their parents, who own the cars. [Evidently the twosome were accused of racing, not just simple speeding - Ed.]
Fontaine said the case has been forwarded to the superintendent of motor vehicles, where circumstances will be reviewed and longer driving suspensions will be considered.
"They can get up to three years` suspension," Fontaine said. [I believe that strictly, the law stipulates two years` *prohibition* as opposed to a suspension, but that`s semantics - Ed.]
"We don`t have the evidence here to make it into a criminal code offence," he said. [You don`t say - Ed.] "It isn`t a dangerous driving offence, although it could be construed as dangerous." ["Mommy, speed kills!"]
None of the seven or eight teens in the crowd admitted to being a passenger in either car.
Although Ashkieh denied participating in any sort of street race before Thursday, a girl in the crowd laughed, told him not to lie and said she had seen him racing with "her own two eyes."
Ashkieh`s parents said their son is extremely responsible and would never put anyone`s life in danger.
His mother Pouran said she never worried about her son before, but is anxious about his court appearance, scheduled for provincial court March 3. [My advice, which cannot be construed as legal advice, to the defendant is get the best legal representation you can possibly afford and plead innocent! You have nothing to lose. "Muggins" might be interested in sitting in on the trial, if he has the time and feels up to it. That does not mean he condones street racing in any way, but he still thinks that the defendant should give himself the best possible chance of avoiding a long driving prohibition, which is practically tantamount to jail time in the sorry-but-we-don`t-got-no-public-transit-service "great white North".]
"I am afraid and depressed," his mother said, crying over the phone. "I am afraid for my son`s problem."
With a bad knee and limited mobility, Pouran said she depends on her son to drive her to appointments and the grocery store.
"He helps his father. He helps me," she said.
The family immigrated from Iran in November 2000. None of the three family members is a Canadian citizen.
Gholamreza Ashkieh, the Grade 12 student`s father, owns a dollar store in West Vancouver where he said his son work almost every day.
Aidin never drives fast when his parents are in the car, his father said.
"He never drives fast. I don`t know why he drives fast. I don`t know. I don`t believe it." Gholamreza said.
"I told him. `If you`re late for classes, it doesn`t matter. You never drive fast.`"
Father and son had a three-hour discussion Thursday night about the dangers of speed (sic), Gholamreza said.
"He promised never to do it again. He talked with me, crying. He said, `Dad, please.`"
Apologetic and angry at his son, Gholamreza said he is very thankful the police stopped his son before he was hurt.
"I am very, very happy because [the officer] pulled over that one. I don`t know [the officer`s] name, but if I know his name, I call him and say `Thank you so much,`" Gholamreza said.
In a speed-related crash in Abbotsford earlier in the week, the driver of a Miata that left 100-metre skid marks before crashing into another car said the elderly couple in the other vehicle was responsible for the accident.
"They should look after themselves when they turn left," 19-year-old Zheng "Peter" Li said after his court appearance.
A traffic reconstruction expert said a car would have to be travelling at about 138 km/h in normal conditions to take 100 metres to stop after the brakes were locked.

Thanks for the post.

to the affirmative in that domain without knowing in great detail the entire and exact circumstances of the alleged incident. And a driving prohibition over here is effectively a far, far more severe penalty than the same where I come from, because where I come from, there are at least decent alternatives to the automobile. limit of 31mph. Back in EUrope, I reached 56mph during my test (on the freeway in a densely trafficked 56mph zone), and 75mph during prior supervised instruction (all fully legal speeds). the police and media likely sensationalized many aspects of the case. It is the job of a good defense attorney to bring reality into the picture.

I don`t think there`s anything unsafe about going 100 MPH on a highway suitable for it. I`ve done 115 down the AC Expressway to the shore a couple times in the middle of the night with no one else around. Never had any trouble controlling the car or spontaneously exploding from an `unsafe speed`.
I do feel if they were street racing in the typical ricer fashion (weaving through traffic at high speed) they both ought to have their licenses suspended for several years at the very least. Even if they weren`t racing and were weaving through traffic, the same should apply. The only reason weaving through traffic shouldn`t result in an immediate and automatic several year suspension is if there is a legitimate excuse like "my pregnant wife is going into labor and I have to get her to the hospital" or "my friend was just shot and he needs medical attention". Even then, there is a difference between weaving through traffic (not so bad in and of itself), and the people who weave through traffic in the tightest spaces and can wreak havoc on other drivers.

should lose their license forever.

I had my license for a long time. I think that was for my good. They wanted me to bash up my own car before I bashed up theirs.

how the othe people using the road feel about it is dangerous. Deciding that he has the right to simply disobey laws which he does not like makes him a person who is dangerous. hundreds and hundreds of follars of taxy money rather than be a man and admit his guilt.

because my vision isn`t that good.

*under* 110.

perfectly safe in the low 90s mph under perfect conditions (i.e. no heavy traffic and stuff; the road was actually empty when "Muggins" did 90+mph along there that one time). circumstances are what need to be considered, not what the police or media say. Bear in mind, that the two boys have only been accused of racing, not convicted.
If convicted, they will likely face a 2 year driving prohibition, the usual punishment for convicted racers these days. Essentially, this is equivalent to a license suspension EXCEPT that it is not formally recorded as such (aiui), so it does not therefore automatically preclude the possibility of shifting domicile to an alternative jurisdiction and obtaining a license there. It does, however, make driving in BC during the prohibition period a criminal offence (DWP), punishable by up to 6 months in jail the first time, and a year in jail for subsequent DWP convictions. considered quasi reasonable; the media in this case seems more concerned with the alleged numeric speed of the alleged violators, as opposed to their alleged dangerous behaviour. That is what actually concerns me. But equally, I believe in justice, and the circumstances need to be obtained accurately and subsequently considered impartially (fat chance of getting that from an ICBC "adjudicator", likely indoctrinated with "speed kills".
In no way do I condone reckless driving or street racing. However, 100+mph in and of itself != reckless driving or street racing.

job of the police, which they appear to have done in the incident in question. like. It is a crime to waterski at night: one may dislike that, but one can expect to be arrested if caught doing it. Same goes for high speed driving: under appropriate conditions (which the case in question appears not to be indicative of) it is perfectly ok in my humble moral opinion, but that doesn`t make it legal [here], and one can still expect to be ticketed if accused of doing it. a technicality, more powers to him. After all, the law is the law is the law, isn`t that your point? there is inadequate public transit, and that is the case in these parts, then the concept of driving being a privilege cannot be zealously enforced whilst retaining an aura of compassion and decency. I agree with the notion of driving being a privilege and not a right (in spite of some of the stupid laws on the books that are viciously enforced by the Revenue Collecting Motorized Patrol and municipal equivalents), but only subject to it being an effective non-necessity. absence of reasonable alternatives (as is the case here 90+% of the time)?

shag that a**hole judge who imposed (and continues to impose?) jail time on convicted 90+mph speeders on I81 and US220 (iirc).

Sorry... *ducks*

have this uncanny tendency not to go above 110 *kilometres* per hour, even if they`re f***in` NANOpassing the slowpoke beside `em! (Grrrr...)

For me, the issue just never cropped up, `cos I never drove any of my mom`s cars (due to lack of license). Now I have a proper license, my parents are stuck on the other side of the globe anyway. Will I drive when I next visit them? Perhaps, but an automatic right hand drive 105hp Octavia on thread narrow roads may take some serious getting used to... :/ (nice car though, even if a bit underpowered, `cos 105hp + torque feeble + slushbox doesn`t haul a 1.4t vehicle too quick)

Ricardo already said. I know that when I got my license, I was of the slightly irresponsible let`s-take-that-curve-at-high-gs-and-push-the-limits- of-traction disposition, but I grew out of it pretty quickly. I learned that responsible high speed driving under good conditions can be perfectly fine, and is indeed lots of fun, even if unlawful. However, testing the limits of traction and serious ass 9/10+ stuff is definitely for the track.
Taking boomerang shaped curves at 80mph or driving on a potholed farm road at 75mph do help bring reality into focus. I`ve been there, done that, bought the T shirt and lived to tell the tale. I`m still a high speed driver when conditions permit, but a much more responsible one for having learned lessons the "easy" way.

whatever else "you" would like... not to just do as one pleases. And let`s remember this kid is in high school - driving is not a necessity for him.

actions. If those consequences happen to be going to court and getting acquitted of an alleged offence on a technicality, so be it.
Street racing is unacceptable, I think most of us would agree on that. However, the two kids in question have only been accused of racing, and not been convicted of it. Depending on the circumstances and the police evidence, I could envisage a slight possibility of the racing and "excessive" speed charges being dismissed and the pair being convicted of minor speeding +40km/h, which is unlikely to carry a ban. Who knows, with proper representation and/or a bit of luck, the pair might well be able to pull it off. Then again, they might not. I am not sufficiently intimately familiar with the Provincial court system to be able to gauge their odds of "success". exceed them. This is a deliberate setup to maximize ticket revenue.
A law that is violated by the majority is a bad law, generally.

Sybil Fawlty = Basil`s wife (in the famed comedy "Fawlty Towers" Cibie Faulty = improperly functioning aux driving lights? (relevant to Dai`s complaints of poor visibility at night precluding 110mph highway cruising)
But then, you knew that anyway and yer just yankin` me crank.

pretty far at night, but at 110-115 (my cars max speed) things come up pretty fast. I figure if a deer jumps out in front of me I`m dead at 75 (no shoulder belts or collapsible steering column), so what the hell, may as well go a little faster if I`m comfortable with it.
I don`t cruise at those speeds though, just occasionally do short bursts for fun. My engine is turning ~5,000 RPM (maybe more, I got no tach) when I`m at those speeds, so it`s pushing it for a completely stock 289 with 200,000 miles. I usually cruise around 80-90 under those conditions. It`s more relaxing that way.

night on a good highway is the reflective assistance afforded by the presence of cats` eyes. Ambient light helps too. four banger an ear ringing experience to say the least! One night his ears were ringing so much that he dropped to a sloathlike 75mph even though the road was empty.