“I want to crush it, I want you to watch it, and I want everyone else to see it so they’ll stop putting our people in danger,” said the Kentucky representative behind the bill
November 4, 2024 at 16:44
- Lawmakers in Kentucky appear primed to file and pass a new anti-street racing law.
- If they get their way, those convicted of street racing could have their cars crushed.
- The proposed bill has support from both major political parties in Kentucky.
Louisville, Kentucky, could soon earn a new kind of reputation among street racers. If one determined lawmaker has his way, the city will gain the legal right to crush the cars of convicted racers—and he seems intent on making the owners watch as their prized machines are destroyed. The bill is still in the planning stages, but it appears to have support from both political parties.
Republican state representative Jason Nemes is the driving force behind this proposed crackdown in Kentucky. As things currently stand, those convicted of racing can end up with a $1,000 fine and lose their car to the impound lot for six months. That sounds bad, but this newly pitched legislation is a lot more extreme.
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In an interview with WHAS11, Nemes made his intentions crystal clear: “A lot of people who are doing this, they think of their car as their baby. They’ll think twice about racing their cars on our public streets and endangering our people. I want to crush it, I want you to watch it, and I want everyone else to see it so they’ll stop putting our people in danger.”
Nemes also noted that he’s working on writing the bill now. It hasn’t been properly introduced and can’t be passed until January. When that time does come, though, it looks like Nemes has all the support he needs.
Mayor Craig Greenberg is a Democrat but he’s also throwing his support behind the plan, in a rare show of bipartisan enthusiasm for a controversial measure. “I strongly support legislation that when we seize vehicles that are partaking in this extremely dangerous behavior, that those cars get crushed,” he said. Even the local law enforcement says it’ll back the plan and it’s already envisioning the scene.
Louisville Metro Police Department Chief Paul Humphrey said that “We could do a press conference and pull out all of those cars out here and get like a steam roller and roll over a Corvette or something, that would be pretty neat.”
There’s no doubt that street racing and takeovers are escalating problems across the country, and Louisville’s leaders seem ready to send a dramatic message. But is this the right solution, or just a headline-grabbing gimmick? We’d love to hear your thoughts—let us know in the comments below.