<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR>Illegal racers ambushed
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><!-- Author --><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Kimberly Spykerman
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Traffic Police slammed the brakes on drivers racing each other along Orchard Road last weekend. -- PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->A POLICE crackdown on speed racers along Orchard Road over the weekend ended with 33 summonses being issued.
Of the 33 traffic infringements issued, 21 were for the illegal modification of vehicles and 12 were for speeding and other offences.
It is believed that illegal racers often head to what they call 'Orchard Gudang', a local take on Johor Baru's famous racing circuit Pasir Gudang. But police ambushed some of them in two six-hour stakeouts from 11pm last Friday and Saturday.
'Orchard Gudang' is well- known among illegal racers. Groups of at least 10 cars take off from various points along Orchard Road, including the open- air carparks near Wheelock Place and Orchard Cineleisure.
The cars are usually jazzed-up sports models like the Subaru Impreza and Mitsubishi Evolution.
The Straits Times understands that races usually take place after midnight daily, and can swell to as many as 50 cars on weekends.
Drivers, ranging in age from their late teens to late 30s, know the 'circuit' by heart.
Starting from Orchard Road, they speed down to Marina Square. There they make a right turn towards the Esplanade before making another right and heading at breakneck pace down Stamford Road and through the Fort Canning Tunnel, before heading to Orchard Boulevard, back to the point where they started.
Drivers can drop out at any point along the 'circuit', estimated to be slightly longer than Pasir Gudang's 3.8km.
The Traffic Police are aware of motorists speeding and driving recklessly around the Orchard Road area. They added that the situation is being monitored and enforcement action taken.
Some drivers are determined to flout the law despite police enforcement. Instead, they have lookouts to warn of police in the area.
One driver, who wanted to be known only as Sean, began illegal racing about a year ago, after his curiosity was piqued when a large convoy of cars drew up alongside him at a traffic stop.
He joined them the next night, and raced illegally until he was busted by police. He was fined more than $700 last September for illegally modifying his car.
He said: 'We know it's dangerous, but we do it for the thrill.' Those caught speeding can be fined $2,000 or jailed six months. They may also lose their driving licence. For illegally modifying a vehicle, those caught can be fined $1,000 or jailed three months.
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><!-- Author --><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Kimberly Spykerman
</TD></TR><!-- show image if available --><TR vAlign=bottom><TD width=330>
</TD><TD width=10>
Traffic Police slammed the brakes on drivers racing each other along Orchard Road last weekend. -- PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->A POLICE crackdown on speed racers along Orchard Road over the weekend ended with 33 summonses being issued.
Of the 33 traffic infringements issued, 21 were for the illegal modification of vehicles and 12 were for speeding and other offences.
It is believed that illegal racers often head to what they call 'Orchard Gudang', a local take on Johor Baru's famous racing circuit Pasir Gudang. But police ambushed some of them in two six-hour stakeouts from 11pm last Friday and Saturday.
'Orchard Gudang' is well- known among illegal racers. Groups of at least 10 cars take off from various points along Orchard Road, including the open- air carparks near Wheelock Place and Orchard Cineleisure.
The cars are usually jazzed-up sports models like the Subaru Impreza and Mitsubishi Evolution.
The Straits Times understands that races usually take place after midnight daily, and can swell to as many as 50 cars on weekends.
Drivers, ranging in age from their late teens to late 30s, know the 'circuit' by heart.
Starting from Orchard Road, they speed down to Marina Square. There they make a right turn towards the Esplanade before making another right and heading at breakneck pace down Stamford Road and through the Fort Canning Tunnel, before heading to Orchard Boulevard, back to the point where they started.
Drivers can drop out at any point along the 'circuit', estimated to be slightly longer than Pasir Gudang's 3.8km.
The Traffic Police are aware of motorists speeding and driving recklessly around the Orchard Road area. They added that the situation is being monitored and enforcement action taken.
Some drivers are determined to flout the law despite police enforcement. Instead, they have lookouts to warn of police in the area.
One driver, who wanted to be known only as Sean, began illegal racing about a year ago, after his curiosity was piqued when a large convoy of cars drew up alongside him at a traffic stop.
He joined them the next night, and raced illegally until he was busted by police. He was fined more than $700 last September for illegally modifying his car.
He said: 'We know it's dangerous, but we do it for the thrill.' Those caught speeding can be fined $2,000 or jailed six months. They may also lose their driving licence. For illegally modifying a vehicle, those caught can be fined $1,000 or jailed three months.
