Photo by Jason Luong | The Signal
If passed, HB 707 would deem on-street racing worthy of at least a year in prison — five years at the most — a fine of between $1,000 and $5,000, or both.
Kevin Ha, a Georgia State junior who has been caught unleashing his inner speed demon once or twice, said Waites’ new legislation is all too reasonable.
“I support the bill,” he told The Signal. “People who [street] race are as selfish as those who drive under the influence. It’s not fair to put other motorists and bystanders at risk for the simple pleasure the racers get from the adrenaline rush.”
Georgia state code defines street racing as “the use of one or more vehicles in an attempt to outgain, outdistance, or prevent another vehicle from passing, to arrive at a given destination ahead of another vehicle or vehicles, or to test the physical stamina or endurance of drivers over long-distance driving routes.”
But Ha has a more condemning idea of the sport.
“I define racing as two or more ignorant individuals who battle over whose car is faster on public roads,” he said.
Ha whips around a souped-up Nissan 350z, which he admits he’s used to test the limits of the road rules.
“That car has gotten me in trouble with the law twice,” he said. “Two super speeders, actually.”
So Ha is no rookie to the long arm of the law, when it comes to getting caught burning rubber. The super speeder charges — he was going at least 20-mph over — he tacked onto his record earned him a decent timeout.
“My first super speeder resulted in a $550 ticket, as well as a court mandated defensive driving course which cost me $150,” he said. “Then, 40 hours of community service on top of that. You would think that I learned my lesson the first time.”
But despite “informal” praise from other members of the Assembly, Waites said getting HB 707 ratified “won’t be a shoo-in at all.”
“Pushback has been coming from the rural communities in Georgia with the feeling that [street racing] is a right of passage,” she said. “On the elevator I hear, ‘You have good intentions, but we’re not going to be able to support you based on what we’re hearing in our back yard.’”
But even if her bill falters in the House, Waites said she thinks this legislation will broaden the conversation about the dangers of street racing — maybe as far as those blessed with back roads.
“The Dukes of Hazard is based on this [drag racing] phenomena,” she said. “It was one of my favorite shows as a child. [But] this bill is all about public safety, and drag racing here in the metro Atlanta area is certainly not safe.”
