L.A. Adds Rumble Strip to Street in Hopes of Eliminating Street Racing

This could work…or go horribly wrong.

byMax Goldberg|
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Illegal street racing is a big issue in many places across the country—especially in California's Los Angeles County. Canoga Avenue in Chatsworth has been plagued by such street racing for years; indeed, in 2015, an accident even killed two spectators. Unlike professional street racing, illegal street racing does not involved prepared tracks, safety regulations, or any governing body. As a result, the public and participants of illegal street racing are at risk of serious injury and in some cases death. 

To fight this, Los Angeles is now installing rumble strips on Canoga Avenue to combat illegal racing. That said...we at The Drive don't know if that is the best solution. Rumble strips also reduce tire traction at higher speeds, increasing the chance a racer will lose control and crash, as the only thing the strips truly do to deter racing is create a vibration (and instability) in the car. In addition, another annoying issue created by street racing is the noise associated with it—and rumble strips just add to the problem.

 It may just be us, but it seems like L.A. is throwing a banana peel in front of a speeding car and saying it will make things safer.

Better alternatives we can think up off the top of our heads: speed cameras, a roundabout to break up the direct line, or even an old lady yelling "slow down."

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