Street Racing, A Deadly Activity
Street racing or "picques or picones" have become a nightmare for the transit police and the Organiso de Investigacion Judicial (OIJ) as they become more frequent in San José and surrounding areas.

Transit police have so far identified and are keeping a watchful eye on some 30 vehicles that continually participate in picones on a regular basis and 11 spots.

Huanelge Gutiérrez, a director at the Policía de Tránsito says that they have put into place counter measures to impede street racing and avoid deaths as a result of the activity.

Gutiérrez said "one of the more effective ways to combat the problem is to identify who is behind the street racing. One or more persons has to be organizing the activities and communication the location or locations. And those people of interest to us."

The transit police, in conjunction with the OIJ, has gone undercover with a secret investigation. So far they only have a group of suspects, license plates numbers really, that participate in street racing.

Transit officials realize that stopping street racing completely will be impossible, but identifying the organized group or groups will surely put a dent to the deadly activity.

According to transit police information, seven people have been killed in street racing during the last two years. In two cases, the drivers were killed while the rest of the fatal injuries were those attending the activities.

Police also add that liquor present at street racing makes the activity even more deadly. And their worry is not only the consumption of alcohol during the street racing events, but that there are persons dedicated to the sale of alcohol, including to minors.

The Policía de Tránsito say that they have so far identified eleven locations where "picones" are held, but they are many more.

One of those spots is the Florencio del Castillo - the highway that connects San José to Cartago - on the east side where there are at least three spots that are ideal for street racing.

The straight and open road in front of the Mall Internacional in Alajuela is another spot and the Próspero Fernández highway that leads to Santa Ana passing by Multiplaza offers three more locations for  "piques"

Transit police say that these and the other locations identified have more night patrols that normal, as a part of their efforts to curb street racing.

Authorities say that the activities are so well organized that they now go beyond just simply two drivers racing each other at the spur of the moment. The events now include motorcycles, "suped up" trucks and cars as in the case busted by police in front of the Forum business complex in Santa Ana.

So far this year transit police have confiscated 11 vehicles that were participating in Piques. In 2004, there were 23 vehicles confiscated.