Couple of news items. Probably best keep it on the track guys.
(I got these from http://groups.yahoo.com/group/shanghaimotorcycle/ by the way)
Police clamp down on expressway drag races
Shanghai Daily 2006-04-27
SHANGHAI police fanned out along elevated roads around the city for
four hours last night in a surprise crackdown on drag racing, which
has become an increasing prevalent problem among young drivers.
Police say traffic cameras frequently capture images of motorcycles
and souped-up cars dragging along elevated roads. But most drivers
use fake license plates when racing so camera images rarely lead to
arrests.
Most of the racing takes place late at night or early in the morning
when there are few vehicles on the roads, police said. They added,
however, that some drivers prefer to race around noon, assuming
there will be few police on the streets as shifts are changing or
officers are having lunch.
"We must take timely actions to stop this illegal activity when it
has just begun to become popular," said Guo Ji, an officer with
local elevated road traffic police.
Some drag racers have even taken to the Internet to brag about their
adventures.
After CCTV broadcast a report recently about the prevalence of
racing in Beijing, some devoted underground racers in Shanghai
posted messages on the Web, calling on drivers to promote drag
racing in the city.
One poster stated: "In no way should Shanghai have weaker drag-
racing groups than Beijing does."
Guo said the races pose a huge risk to everyone on the road as cars
often hit speeds of 150 kilometers an hour, and motorcycles zip by
at 120 kph or faster.
Police said the activity tends to attract more motorcycle riders
than car owners. Motorcycles aren't allowed on elevated roads, but
that doesn't seem to deter the racers.
Police said the most of the racing vehicles were souped up with more
powerful engines and exhaust system.
"Nearly all the racers put on a fake license plate, leaving us
almost no clue from electronic cameras that could possibly capture
the vehicle plate number," said Guo.
On several occasions police have tried to stop racers only to watch
them speed off, paying no attention to the officers. Police
sometimes find themselves chasing both cars in a race, which often
split up to make capture more difficult.
"For a single patrolling officer, it's difficult to catch both the
racers in the chase. In a case last year, one of the motorists even
sped over three road blocks before he was finally seized." Guo said.
A traffic police officer, Ding Jianzhong, suffered injured knees
when trying to grab a racing motorist on Huqingping Overpass last
summer. The vehicle hit his knees when the motorist tried to escape.
Once caught, racers will generally lose their licenses and police
will detain their vehicles.
A refitted Sail drove more than 150 kilometers an hour and crashed
into a guard rail on the Middle Ring Road near Yixian Road last
July. Rescuers had to cut the injured driver and his female friend
out of the twisted wreckage.
Police suspected the car was engaged in a drag race, but the driver
denied that charge.
________________________________________________________
Motorcyclist bursts through blockade
Shanghai Daily Newspaper
2006-04-28
THE only vehicle owner spotted racing along an elevated road during
a large police campaign late Wednesday night and early yesterday
morning managed to escape capture by driving his motorcycle directly
at an officer, who was forced to jump out of the way to save his
life.
That didn't stop Shanghai police from calling the campaign a
success, however.
Police did seize three cars that had allegedly been illegally souped
up with larger engines and bigger exhaust systems among other
changes.
Just before midnight, police spotted a motorcycle flying along the
Humin Elevated Road near Liuzhou Road. Police didn't say how fast
the bike was going, but suggested it was zipping along at more than
120 kilometers an hour.
Five police cars rushed to the nearest exit ramp and set up a road
block. Instead of lining the cars up sideways, as police tend to do
in the movies, the officers parked their cars facing the exit and
opened their doors to cover more space.
The motorcyclist, who had a passenger with him, drove at one of the
officers standing between the cars, breaking through the road block
and fleeing the scene.
"There's nothing I could do, he just sped up towards me," said the
officer who was forced to jump for his life.
"If we come across a similar situation in the future, we would still
let the motorist pass through if he is roaring towards a police
officer and rely on backups to catch him. It's more important to
ensure the safety of police officers," said Guo Ji, a senior officer
with the elevated road traffic police.
"The campaign yesterday was successful. It was a good test of our
teamwork in catching drag racers," said Guo.
Nearly 50 police officers as well as some police assistants took
part in the four-hour campaign.
Police will make drag racing a focus of their work in the future,
and set up more overnight campaigns.
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/shanghaimotorcycle/
(I got these from http://groups.yahoo.com/group/shanghaimotorcycle/ by the way)
Police clamp down on expressway drag races
Shanghai Daily 2006-04-27
SHANGHAI police fanned out along elevated roads around the city for
four hours last night in a surprise crackdown on drag racing, which
has become an increasing prevalent problem among young drivers.
Police say traffic cameras frequently capture images of motorcycles
and souped-up cars dragging along elevated roads. But most drivers
use fake license plates when racing so camera images rarely lead to
arrests.
Most of the racing takes place late at night or early in the morning
when there are few vehicles on the roads, police said. They added,
however, that some drivers prefer to race around noon, assuming
there will be few police on the streets as shifts are changing or
officers are having lunch.
"We must take timely actions to stop this illegal activity when it
has just begun to become popular," said Guo Ji, an officer with
local elevated road traffic police.
Some drag racers have even taken to the Internet to brag about their
adventures.
After CCTV broadcast a report recently about the prevalence of
racing in Beijing, some devoted underground racers in Shanghai
posted messages on the Web, calling on drivers to promote drag
racing in the city.
One poster stated: "In no way should Shanghai have weaker drag-
racing groups than Beijing does."
Guo said the races pose a huge risk to everyone on the road as cars
often hit speeds of 150 kilometers an hour, and motorcycles zip by
at 120 kph or faster.
Police said the activity tends to attract more motorcycle riders
than car owners. Motorcycles aren't allowed on elevated roads, but
that doesn't seem to deter the racers.
Police said the most of the racing vehicles were souped up with more
powerful engines and exhaust system.
"Nearly all the racers put on a fake license plate, leaving us
almost no clue from electronic cameras that could possibly capture
the vehicle plate number," said Guo.
On several occasions police have tried to stop racers only to watch
them speed off, paying no attention to the officers. Police
sometimes find themselves chasing both cars in a race, which often
split up to make capture more difficult.
"For a single patrolling officer, it's difficult to catch both the
racers in the chase. In a case last year, one of the motorists even
sped over three road blocks before he was finally seized." Guo said.
A traffic police officer, Ding Jianzhong, suffered injured knees
when trying to grab a racing motorist on Huqingping Overpass last
summer. The vehicle hit his knees when the motorist tried to escape.
Once caught, racers will generally lose their licenses and police
will detain their vehicles.
A refitted Sail drove more than 150 kilometers an hour and crashed
into a guard rail on the Middle Ring Road near Yixian Road last
July. Rescuers had to cut the injured driver and his female friend
out of the twisted wreckage.
Police suspected the car was engaged in a drag race, but the driver
denied that charge.
________________________________________________________
Motorcyclist bursts through blockade
Shanghai Daily Newspaper
2006-04-28
THE only vehicle owner spotted racing along an elevated road during
a large police campaign late Wednesday night and early yesterday
morning managed to escape capture by driving his motorcycle directly
at an officer, who was forced to jump out of the way to save his
life.
That didn't stop Shanghai police from calling the campaign a
success, however.
Police did seize three cars that had allegedly been illegally souped
up with larger engines and bigger exhaust systems among other
changes.
Just before midnight, police spotted a motorcycle flying along the
Humin Elevated Road near Liuzhou Road. Police didn't say how fast
the bike was going, but suggested it was zipping along at more than
120 kilometers an hour.
Five police cars rushed to the nearest exit ramp and set up a road
block. Instead of lining the cars up sideways, as police tend to do
in the movies, the officers parked their cars facing the exit and
opened their doors to cover more space.
The motorcyclist, who had a passenger with him, drove at one of the
officers standing between the cars, breaking through the road block
and fleeing the scene.
"There's nothing I could do, he just sped up towards me," said the
officer who was forced to jump for his life.
"If we come across a similar situation in the future, we would still
let the motorist pass through if he is roaring towards a police
officer and rely on backups to catch him. It's more important to
ensure the safety of police officers," said Guo Ji, a senior officer
with the elevated road traffic police.
"The campaign yesterday was successful. It was a good test of our
teamwork in catching drag racers," said Guo.
Nearly 50 police officers as well as some police assistants took
part in the four-hour campaign.
Police will make drag racing a focus of their work in the future,
and set up more overnight campaigns.
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/shanghaimotorcycle/