Law no deterrent for nighttime drag racers

The fatal accident in Maspeth on Sunday, April 16 has area residents, community leaders and a local politician calling on the New York Police Department (NYPD) to step up their efforts to curb drag racing.
“What a waste of a young life,” said Assemblywoman Margaret Markey, referring to the amateur mechanic, Edwin Fernandez, 23, who wrapped his car around a telephone pole at Page Place and Maspeth Avenue.
“Twenty-three years old, what a way to lose your life.”
Fernandez had been traveling 100 miles-per-hour at the time of the crash.
According to Vincent Arcuri, Chairman of Community Board 5, the high-speed thrill sport has been a problem in the area for years.
“It [drag racing] has always been a problem,” said Arcuri, who said he remembers drag racing occurring in the Maspeth area as far back as the 1950’s. “You try to get them to learn that they are going to kill themselves, but young people think they are invincible.”
Page Place between Maspeth and Grand Avenues is a draw for the racers, who, according to Roe Daraio, president of Communities of Maspeth and Elmhurst Together (COMET), send out spotters to look for cops.
“It’s like [a game of] cat and mouse,” she said. “They move from one location to another.”
“They were having drag racing on Maurice Avenue and the police were out there trying to get rid of them and what happened was they moved…,” said Markey. “Then they moved not with permission or anything down to Page Avenue, and they have been doing it and the police have been out there.”
Other drag racing hot spots include Review Avenue near Greenpoint Avenue (near Calvary Cemetery), Maurice Avenue, and various Woodside locations.
According to Department of Transportation spokesman Craig Chin, efforts to curtail the racing have been made.
“In 2002, with the COMET civic group, we tested speed bumps and rumble strips (grooves in the roadway),” said Chin. “They were found to be ineffective at reducing vehicle speeds and were removed because of noise complaints and the high volume of truck traffic.”
And in 2004, according to Daraio, a task force was deployed successfully by the 104th (Ridgewood) and 108th (Long Island City) Precincts.
“Last summer it was quiet - it was wonderful.”
In June 1999, Operation Hermes was launched to deter street racing.
A joint venture of the 107th Precinct (Flushing) and the office of District Attorney Richard A. Brown, Operation Hermes saw people arrested and cars seized.
Recent legislation also aimed to discourage drag racing by increasing penalties for racers and imposing fines on spectators.
Backed by Councilmen Peter Vallone Jr., James Gennaro, and John Liu, the law nearly doubled penalties for racing a vehicle from 30 days in jail and a fine of up to $525 to six months of jail time and fines upwards of $600.
Additionally, anyone arrested as a spectator under the law would face 15 days-in-jail and a fine of $250. In addition, the period for prosecution of a second offense was increased from 12 months to 10 years.
Yet despite these efforts, many say the dangerous sport is as popular as ever.
“The fact that we have nicer weather coming is going to encourage them to come out and drag race there,” Markey said. “I want to see [Police] Commissioner [Raymond] Kelly give additional support to the 104th Precinct so they can do more.”