Being the proud owner of a hot rod isn’t an experience that most people are lucky enough to have in their lifetime. It can be a lot of work to be a hot rod owner: countless hours spent tinkering, upgrading, and fixing little issues that come with having a 50+ year old vehicle. But for those of us who are owners, we know what a privilege and a great responsibility it is.
Responsibility is unfortunately something too many people forget about when they are driving fast cars or Hot Rods. You see, one thing that makes a Hot Rod “Hot” is its more than ample supply of unyielding horsepower. With this type of power at your right foot’s disposal it’s easy to get yourself or others into real trouble and or harm.
It’s not uncommon for a Hot Rod with a big block, upgraded fuel system, supercharger and possibly NOS to put down over 1,000 horsepower! To put that into perspective for the non-gearhead, that’s about four to five times the power of the normal family sedan. With that type of power you can cover a quarter mile from a standstill in under 9 seconds at 150 mph if not faster.
With great power comes great responsibility.
It may be tempting to get on the throttle on public roads and blow the doors off of a Corvette or a Porsche from time to time but this can come with costly mistakes to yourself or others. There are several reasons why it’s best to leave the “Hot-Rodding” to the drag strip and off of the streets. Here are a couple of things to consider:
Getting Caught
If you get caught street racing there is no doubt it, it’s going to be a costly affair for you. Many states now have laws which specifically target street racing and it comes with stiffer fines and penalties. Let’s say you can afford the thousands in legal fees and court fine, but don’t be surprised if your license gets suspended or worst of all, your car gets impounded. If you cause damage to someone else’s hot rod, car, or property, forget about it. Expect long legal woes and the bills that will follow for many years to come, and you can kiss your beloved Hot Rod goodbye.
The Cost
Losing money, damaging your vehicle, or even losing your license are all terrible things but pale in comparison to a severe injury or death that can result from illegal street racing. Plastic and metal can be replaced, money can be re-earned, but a life cannot.
Racing in the streets is unpredictable. You don’t know if the person next to you is an experienced driver, what the road’s condition may be in, if somebody else might pull out in front of you, or even wildlife that might run out. You just don’t know. At the types of speeds these incredible Hot Rods are capable of doing, it’s just too unpredictable.
Get yourself to a track, it’s worth it on so many levels!
No speed limits to worry about! Grip it and rip it!
Everyone signs waivers, clear rules are in place and everyone has to follow them.
Paying a little money to go to the track is infinitely cheaper than paying attorney and legal fees.
Racing at the track typically means more experienced drivers and more fun.
Going to the track can be a family affair that everyone can enjoy in a safe environment. You can’t exactly show the kids what a 150 mph is on the streets but you sure can in the quarter mile.
It may be tempting next time you’re at a red light and you find some knucklehead revving his engine at you, but don’t take the bait like Beverly did in Hot Rod Bunny. She got lucky. But for the rest of us, it’s not worth it. Instead put your local track on speed dial and get the 411 on the next track day.