Death Race 2007!

It looks like the kids in Winnipeg, Manitoba have a new pastime. This one kind of reminds me of the movie Death Race 2000.

These kids are going out and stealing cars and then using them to terrorize joggers. It seems to be a growing trend among 13-16 year olds.

It all started about a week ago when several joggers called the police one morning to report that a car had intentionally swerved to hit them while they were jogging down the road. That same car ended up actually hitting 2 people! One suffered minor injuries and the other suffered serious head injuries. It turned out to be two 16 year olds and a 13 year old who had stolen 5 cars the previous night. One of them was a high-risk car thief who had been missing for weeks, in violation of a probation order.

In Canada we don't really do anything to young offenders. The most serious charge being laid against these punks is driving dangerously causing bodily harm. They'll likely walk away with a slap on the wrists. We know it, the kids know it and the police know it.

Last weekend it happened again! A 16 year old stole a car and tried to hit a woman who was walking down the street. That incident ended when the kid rammed into 2 police cars.

So now it seems the Winnipeg police are afraid to report these incidents because they figure it will likely encourage other kids to do the same thing. They say that the kids get a thrill out of seeing their deeds in the news. I guess it's like some kind of badge of honor for them. I'm not sure if keeping it under wraps is really in the best interest of the general walking/jogging community though.

I hate the fact that these little punks can getting away with this kind of shit. The worst part of it is that they know nothing major is going to happen to them. What is it going to take to get some legislation in place that will actually punish young offenders?

The police are now warning people to be aware of their surroundings while walking or jogging and to stay on the sidewalks instead of the road.

The sad part is, a dark side of me thinks this is a little bit funny. Joggers who run on the road when there is a perfectly good sidewalk right next to them, as if they are in some kind of joggers lane, has always been a bit of a pet peeve of mine. I guess this will encourage a few of them to get back on the sidewalk where they belong.

But seriously. Not Funny!