Street racing poses a real threat to the everyday people within the city. And despite the best efforts of the city council, it is abundantly clear that much more needs to be done.

America is known all around the world as the land of the free and the home of the brave. Arguably, one of the greatest things about this nation is the liberty and freedom with which every citizen can go about their daily activities without fear of persecution or harassment. As long as what you're doing isn't unlawful, you are well within your rights to carry about your business and affairs however you please. This principle is applicable even where fun activities are concerned.

Then there is street racing.

For the few who may not be aware of the fact, street racing is essentially any unsanctioned auto racing competition activity that takes place on public roads. These street races are taking place in locations not designated for that kind of activity, including the streets of Dallas. As a typical example, imagine you're going home from work after a typical day at the office. You're doing the recommended speed limit when a group of racers blast past you at more than 100mph per hour!

Even veteran drivers have been known to lose their cool in such situations. With less skilled drivers, major road accidents will inevitably occur. In the past, the Dallas City Council has tried to take action through the Police Force. Whenever the authorities caught wind of a street racing session, they would swing into action immediately and give chase. Regrettably, this particular line of action had to be rested.

After going through this report carefully, you will be able to see why. The entire purpose of chasing these drivers was to reduce risk to life and damage to property. Sadly, this approach seemed to fail and ended up producing the opposite result. Ultimately, a "No Chance" policy was implemented in Dallas. In essence, police officers were forbidden from giving chase when they encountered street racing rings, unless the racer(s) are considered a clear and present threat to others’ lives. 

Dallas Police Department has a specially designated Speeding and Racing Task Force to respond to these situations. In present day Dallas, up to 1,500 street racers hit public roads every other day. It's true that you have a right to choose your own actions, as long as they are within reason. But it is also true that this right ends the moment it infringes on the rights of others.

Revoking the No Chase policy might initially seem counterproductive, but when it is used in tandem with existing security measures, it is capable of completely eliminating the dangerous practice of street racing.

The No Chase policy effectively gives street racers the backing of the law to do as they please, and it takes away police officers’ ability to stop them. The simple act of lifting the ban might even be enough to deter some racers from hitting the streets. Further enforcing it is guaranteed to make driving and living in Dallas safe again.

If the City Council wants the street racing problem to go away, then it's high time to reevaluate their approach to the problem. We need to make the streets safe again and give the police the power to ensure that safety.