EDITORIAL SETTING AN EXAMPLE CITY'S RACE-SPECTATOR LAW BETTER WORK FAST.LET Lawrence Beason serve as an example to anyone contributing to the scourge of drag racing drag racing Form of motor racing in which two contestants race side by side from a standing start over a straight quarter-mile strip of pavement. Winners go on to compete against others in their class until only one is left undefeated. in the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. . Beason, a 22-year-old Encino resident, is the first street-race spectator successfully prosecuted under the city's Spectator Racing Law. He was arrested in Chatsworth this March while watching one of the road races that routinely endanger residents' lives, pollute our streets and waste precious police time. For that crime, a judge has sentenced him to 18 months' summary probation and 10 days in jail or on a Caltrans road crew. Beason is also now prohibited from hanging out at known race sites. Time will tell whether the conviction helps dissuade other would-be thrill-seekers from seeking their thrills so irresponsibly. The Spectator Racing Law comes in response to long-standing community complaints. City Councilwoman Wendy Greuel Wendy Greuel is President Pro Tempore of the Los Angeles City Council representing the 2nd District. Greuel was elected in 2002 to fill the remainder of the term of Councilman Joel Wachs. She was elected in her own right in 2003 and reelected in 2007. and City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo Rockard John "Rocky" Delgadillo (born July 15 1960) is the current City Attorney of Los Angeles, California. Career
n. One who is actively concerned with the protection of the fundamental rights guaranteed to the individual by law: "Civil libertarians tend to assume such tests must be an illegal invasion of privacy" concerns. The law's purpose is to make it a crime to watch a drag race drag race n. A race between two cars to determine which can accelerate faster from a standstill. [From drag, an automobile (slang). as well as to participate in one. The idea is that the races are spurred by the demand of people wanting to watch them. Go after the demand and the supply will dry up. We hope it works, and fast. As necessary and important as it is to crack down on drag-racing in the Valley, the action will likely face much scrutiny in the legal system. Despite good intentions and critical purposes, the law quite possibly will someday be struck down by a judge, so city leaders need to begin work now on other strategies to crack down on drag racing in the future. For the moment, we can all hope nabbing spectators will have a chilling effect on street racing. The momentary thrill of watching or participating in a street race isn't worth the lifelong taint taint an unpleasant odor and flavor in a human foodstuff of animal origin. Caused by the ingestion of the substance, commonly a plant such as Hexham scent, or while in storage, e.g. milk stored with pineapples, or as a result of animal metabolism, e.g. boar taint. of a criminal record. Just ask Lawrence Beason. |
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