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Man killed in alleged racing crash in Atascadero

January 31, 2021

A man was killed during an alleged race between drivers of two Ford Mustangs on Highway 41 in southwest Atascadero Saturday night.

At about 8:15 p.m., people reported two Mustangs, one blue and one black, racing on Highway 41. Atascadero officers arrived to find a blue Mustang crashed into a utility pole near Cholare Road, according to scanner traffic.

Officers found the body of a man in the blue Mustang.

Highway 41 was closed in both directions as investigators processed the crash site. The investigation is ongoing.


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Plenty of good souls have died this way. The survivors should put these lyrics from Jackson Browne, Glenn Frey, Don Henley and J.D. Souther on the fellow’s tombstone:


James Dean, James Dean

So hungry and so lean

James Dean, you said it all so clean

And I know my life would look all right

If I could see it on the silver screen


-9

In the 60’s, we were not required to wear seat belts. Back then, street racing cars crash deaths were more prevent per capita. Today we have drug deaths, COVID deaths and oh yes gang deaths. I prefer a safer, although illegal, version of the 60’s.


0

And civil rights activists getting skulls crushed by cops, Chavez, Oil spills in SB in the 60s, Project Mystiq, Agent Orange,Vietnam. Yup, no seat belts or black rights or social security. GOOD OL DAYS. Nnnnnnno thanks, I’ll take the seatbelts and a reality check. RIP


-7

In reference to loud vehicles / motorcycles .Yes loud Harleys can shock the heck out of you when they lane split and/or pass a motorist .As a avid motorcycle rider for the last half century ” Loud Pipes do Save Lives ” .Loud pipes alert deer and other road crossers of pending vehicle in route and a rev from a loud Harley at a stop sign or signal crossing does alert distracted drivers .Most factory performance vehicles manufactured in last decade have selectable exhaust sound the driver can adjust as they drive , on the main drag the driver can select very loud exhaust when driver enters a residential area they can select whisper quiet … In my opinion loud exhaust does have its vote for safety reasons


-15

I appreciate your comment, but don’t you think some consideration should be paid to the noise pollution (defined here as any sound that is unwanted) created all around the source of that noise which serves only the occasional beneficial purpose of the rider being noticed? I’m all for safety. I’ve been riding motorcycles for 50 years. These days, I regularly observe many vehicle drivers in “distracted” mode. I’m not sure a loud exhaust would even register with most of them. I don’t ride on the street much anymore, but if I did, I’d have an extremely loud horn and use it to alert distracted drivers as necessary. There’s a certain peace to traveling through space without the characteristic noise of a loud ICE.


2

“loud pipes save lives.” By that absurd logic we should all just drive around with sirens blaring on every vehicle. Just because someone chooses to drive an inherently dangerous form of transportation (motorcycles), it doesn’t give them the right to inflict deafening noise on other motorists.

And actually, very few vehicles have “selectable exhaust sound” abilities, or even variable path exhausts. Even those that do must stay in DOT noise level limits.


6

Part of the problem of actual ENCOURAGEMENT of extreme driving off-track on public streets is the clear disinterest of Atascadero PD, council and new chief to enforce against obnoxious removed-muffler drivers and bikers. It an everyday thing.


It takes enforcement and caring; Tickets work, if they’d only write a few. Some of us dinosaurs were just as guilty when it was our turn to be young, stupid and irresponsible. Back then, in my Jurassic youth, you got a pricey citation for display of speed or obnoxious loud noise.


Drive El Camino Real most any late hour and you’ll see what the Atascadero cops do NOTHNG about. Bikers waking babies, orange Dodge Challengers, etc. without a working exhaust. Annoying.


-3

I agree that enforcement of noise laws seems non-existent and is tacit approval of that behavior. This probably encourages more vehicle modifications and the urge to try them out.

I have never heard more loud cars, trucks and motorcycles than I have in the last past few years. Totally selfish, anti-social behavior that really impacts quality of life. At least one study revealed that a single loud motor cycle can wake up 200,000 people in one night.

Maybe the police are too busy dealing with homeless issues.

http://www.digital-recordings.com/publ/pubnoise.html


19

If waking up babies is your only threat and burden in life, God Bless. Glad to hear Atown Police aren’t screwing poor drivers as much with BS traffic tickets like Fascists. I dislike Ricer Mufflers and its demographic of drivers, Trailor park glasspacks on Chevy 4 cylinder cars with no turbo of blower, but hey, it could be worse. What’s even worse, living by the fair and hearing that crap and smelling it, Cop Cameras, crime, or on 24th in paso, with meth, gun violence, disgruntled underserved domestic violence. #visitpaso, We have Jon Hammon too, sad! Ever had to suffer through music like Ariana Grande and Gerth Brooks, I sure as hell have, slightly dumber now too, not to mention Pollution from the Crap plant and freeway, open crap sittingo ut wafting into my house. Pasostrong.


-11

Very sad and tragic, yet if the story is true, absolutely avoidable. Senseless lose of a life. I pray for all involved, along with those who responded to help. May God comfort them.


25

Good thing the driver didn’t take out any innocents after running out of Talent.


34

This had nothing to do with running out of “talent.” More like “running out of good sense.” Good sense which would have dissuaded him from illegally/dangerously street racing to begin with.


23