I think it falls under reckless driving
this post was submitted on 24 Mar 2025
54 points (89.7% liked)
Asklemmy
46885 readers
1002 users here now
A loosely moderated place to ask open-ended questions
Search asklemmy π
If your post meets the following criteria, it's welcome here!
- Open-ended question
- Not offensive: at this point, we do not have the bandwidth to moderate overtly political discussions. Assume best intent and be excellent to each other.
- Not regarding using or support for Lemmy: context, see the list of support communities and tools for finding communities below
- Not ad nauseam inducing: please make sure it is a question that would be new to most members
- An actual topic of discussion
Looking for support?
Looking for a community?
- Lemmyverse: community search
- sub.rehab: maps old subreddits to fediverse options, marks official as such
- !lemmy411@lemmy.ca: a community for finding communities
~Icon~ ~by~ ~@Double_A@discuss.tchncs.de~
founded 6 years ago
MODERATORS
As others have said, it depends on the city but probably yes.
For example, in San Mateo, California, it would be an offense under title 11 of the Municipal Code:
11.12.050 EXCESSIVE ACCELERATION OF MOTOR VEHICLES.
It is unlawful for any person operating a motor vehicle within the City to so accelerate the same as to cause audible noise by tire friction on pavement or to cause the tires of said vehicle to leave skid marks upon the pavement, except when such acceleration is reasonably necessary to avoid a collision. Any person violating this section shall be guilty of a public offense.
White? 50/50 you get away with it.
Latino? Black? Vietnamese? Ticket at minimum.
Why are vietnamese singled out?
I live in a town with a lot of Vietnamese people, cops learn to make do and be racist with what they have available.
Theyβre talking about cops in Cambodia, obviously.
If he runs he's a VC
If it's raining, there's snow on the ground, or many other low traction scenarios, the cop would have to really want to pull you over. Chances are they won't.
On a clear, dry day, depending on where you are, barking your tires is a violation of nuisance laws. Again, most likely not getting pulled over unless you consistently did it.
Now, if you stomped on it and your tires broke loose, you are looking at reckless operation of a motor vehicle. Expect to be stopped.
It mostly comes down to conditions and level of egregiousness... and how bad of a day the cop is having / wanting you to have.
Oh, I definitely meant broke tires.
It's an "exhibition of speed" and is some form of illegal in nearly all regions.
It's actually more interesting to figure out where it ISN'T illegal.
Yes, "excessive acceleration"
As others have said it can fall under a variety of offenses. Another offense that refers to this is "Stunting".
In New Zealand it would be classed as 'Sustained Loss of Traction' and would be illegal.
Around here they refer to it as 'unreasonable acceleration'.
What? That's illegal?
It's to help prevent people from racing from stoplight to stoplight.
I'm sure there's something at the state level, found a local ref here. Seems to be one of those laws where it's illegal if they already wanted a reason to mess with the driver.
https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/aitkin/latest/aitkin_mn/0-0-0-802
Prima facie evidence of unnecessary exhibition of speed shall be squealing or screeching sounds emitted by the tires, or the throwing of dirt by the tires of the vehicle, or both
EVs can accelerate quickly while not making much noise... I guess it's okay to quickly accelerate with an EV then?
Yeah, loss of control basically
It should be, if not. Pedestrians need to cross roads. Other cars need to enter roads, change lanes, etc. Cars accelerating at unreasonable rates will cause an accident.
I agree about pedestrians, but cars changing lanes should to be aware of their surroundings, including cars that are approaching them.
Cars accelerating at unreasonable rates
How do you define "unreasonable" though, especially with EVs that can accelerate quickly?
Unreasonable gives cops and judges a lot of leeway. Words like that should be illegal. If you can't pin it down, it can't be a law.
Unreasonable is any rate of acceleration that other cars can't safely navigate around and amongst.
Yes.
Source: a cop who used this exact scenario as an example of βletter/spiritβ of the law, saying if it was raining and the tires chirped on the crosswalk surface, that wasnβt the same as laying it down on dry pavement.
Same question but instead you only use launch control, so no loss of reaction, and don't go over speed limit.... Although the cop would hear the brup, brup, brup, brup.... Braap... Brrraaaap, and you slow down the rpms to not exceed speed limit....
If you make your car fart on purpose, hopefully yes.
Canβt remember where it happened, but Iβve read about someone being pulled over for pulling away from the traffic lights too quick.
I heard that itβs called βexhibitionβ.
'exhibition of speed' is what ive heard.
Improper Start is a term used around here by the cops.
Unsafe start is the term in my area
I wouldn't recommend it. I did this once (didn't see the cop). He just pulled up next to me at the next red light and shook his head in disapproval, but I fully expected to be pulled over. Tbf I'm white and was presenting female at the time, so I imagine it would have gone differently if I was any other demographic.
Depends on where you live and how much of a dick the cop is, ultimately
That just calculates into whether you get pulled over or get a ticket. He specifically asked if it was breaking a law which has little to do with where the cop is a dick or not. Doesn't technically even depend on the judge.
If a broken law is not enforced does it functionally exist?
Technically yes, especially since this was a technical question, he wasnt asking if he would get pulled over, he was asking if there was a law being broken. You probably wouldn't get arrested for hooking your donkey to a post on main Street on a Sunday in Colorado springs, but if you asked if there was a law against it, the answer would be in the codified law, not in is likelihood of a cop knowing it.
And yet with lack of enforcement it functionally does not exist even if it is written on some piece of paper
That is true but pretty irrelevant. Is a law enforced is a completely different question from is it a law, and it's not an insignificant degree of difference.
That's like someone asking if chocolate ice cream exists and you saying it's possible no one likes it. Technically true but irrelevant to the question.
It is going to vary from state to state exactly what laws apply, but yes I cop can at minimum pull you over and ticket you for reckless driving. Also, some states have "Display of Speed" laws that include breaking traction. In CA there is a recently passed "Sideshow" law that includes shows of speed, which a police officer might also decide to try to cite you for.
Is this a serious question?
It feels like you are presenting me with an unspoken option. Either,
- This question is a joke, or
- I'm really ??????
Yes, it's a real question. I wondered it in real life, and asked it here.
Please don't be rude and unkind to people who don't know as much as you.
Actually, let's just try not to be rude and unkind. There's no reason to take some time to make someone feel bad.
