Its 2 Am, and in a corner of Hartford the traffic laws don't exist. A four way intersection choked with people serves as a starting line. Two cars inch forward on either side of the double yellow lines. A flagman flutters his fingers, instructs the cars forward in controlled lurches until their noses are even. The engines sigh, then whine as he hoists his arms. When the drop, the cars squeal through the spectators, so close that cloths ripple. Heads whip and people spill into the street to watch for flashing hazard lights that will signal a win. An instant passes, shouts go up as headlights appear ahead of the racers. There's a blur of red and blue, and a cop whips around behind them. Spectators scatter, jumping curbs, colliding, sprinting. Engines gun and hundreds of cars pour into the streets as another cop arrives with his siren chirping. within minutes, only skidmarks and the smell of burned rubber remain. You have just attended an average friday or Saturday night of street racing. To me and my friends this just my normal weekend ritual. to others its a swarming vehicular free for all that's as dangerous as it is chaotic. Basically this essay will take you inside the life of an illegal street racer (me) and also some background information on its history, and dangers. This is an opportunity to educate those uneducated on illegal street racing.
For me weekends begin on a long strip of road in down town Hartford. Rather than browsing the mall or going to the movies like others my age, I join a group of my friends and spectators to witness a spectacular show of speed. Street racing isn't only found on the fast moving streets of down town Hartford, its all over the country. Washington D.C, Boston and New York City is a big streetracing scene. Penalties for racing vary from state to state and offense to offense, but can range from a slap on the wrist ticket to arrest and impounding of the vehicle.
