(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to operate any vehicle upon any highway, or any other place open to the general public, including any area designated for the parking of motor vehicles, within this City, in a speed or acceleration contest or for the purpose of making a speed record, whether from a standing start or otherwise over a measured or unmeasured distance, or in a drag race as herein defined.
(b) DRAG RACING means the operation of two or more vehicles from a point side by side at accelerating speeds in a competitive attempt to out-distance each other over a common selected course or where timing is involved or where timing devices are used in a competitive acceleration of speeds by participating vehicles. Persons rendering assistance in any manner to such competitive use of vehicles shall be equally charged as participants. The operation of two or more vehicles either at speeds in excess of prima facie lawfully established speeds or rapidly accelerating from a common standing point to a speed in excess of such prima facie lawful speed is prima facie evidence of drag racing and is unlawful.
(c) As provided by law, the Police Department may provide for the immediate removal of a vehicle from public or private property to a place of safekeeping at the expense of the registered owner of the vehicle when there is reasonable cause to believe that the vehicle was used in the commission of a crime including, but not limited to, a violation of this section.
(d) Violation of this section shall be a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of not less than two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00) nor more than five hundred dollars ($500.00) or by imprisonment not to exceed ninety (90) days or by both such fine and imprisonment in the discretion of the Court, for each such offense.
(Ord. 1805, passed 9-30-1964; Ord. 3016, passed 11-10-1986; Ord. 3795, passed 6-27-2011)
Statutory reference:
Similar State law, see MCLA 257.626