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Growth in "Piques" Prime Concern
for Tránsito
"Piques" is the name for street
racing that has grown in
considerably over the last
couple of years and the Policía
de Tránsito are determined to
stop it. Not only is it illegal
and dangerous, it has proven
fatal on a number of occasions.
However, the game is lucrative,
as it represents a good business
in betting, drugs and alcohol.
Huanelge Gutiérrez, subdirector
of tránsito, said that they have
been intensifying their
operations to stop the game and
have been confiscating on
average 18 vehicles per month.
Gutiérrez said the game is not
just a weekend activity, it is
now all week long. During Monday
to Thursday stretches of road
like the Hacienda Vieja (Curridabat)
and the Plaza de Toros de Zapote
are favourite spots for the
races. The Florencio de Castillo
and the Lima de Cartago roads
are also hot racing spots in the
east end of San José.
To the west, the highway in
front of the Mall Internacional
Alajuela and the road to the La
Guacima autodrome are popular
sports for the nightly events.
Participants in the race,
according to Gutiérrez, face
fines of up to ¢50.000 colones
(us$100), losing their license
and having the vehicle
confiscated.
The Organismo de Investigación
Judicial (OIJ) is also keeping
an eye on the illegal racing.
OIJ officials say they are
following about 40 different
vehicles that continually
participate in the illegal
street racing in the San José
area, and especially focusing on
the leaders that promote the
activity.
The OIJ is involved to control
the sale and consumption of
drugs and to pick up the bodies
and investigate when accidents
turn fatal.
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