Is it illegal to lose traction?

[jgombos]

What is the name of your state? CA

I overheard a couple Californians arguing about whether it was illegal to "lose traction". They were discussing a kid who was cited for sqealing his tires, and the claim was that there was a specific prohibition on losing tire traction, which is supposedly worded vaguely enough to also apply to someone who accidentally loses traction (like on ice, for example).

Is that true? In googling, the closest infraction I could find was reckless driving, which I believe implies the loss of traction must be intentional to be enforceable.

[CdwJava]

CVC 23109(c) A person shall not engage in any motor vehicle exhibition of
speed on a highway, and no person shall aid or abet in a motor
vehicle exhibition of speed on any highway.

Squaling one's tires can be considered "exhibition of speed" in CA.

This offense includes excessive acceleration so as to cause the tires to scream loudly and lose traction. (Grier (1964) 226 Cal.App.2d 360; 38 Ops. Atty. Gen. 102.)

- Carl

[Zigner]

Just as a funny anecdote -
Many many years ago, I was driving a 1974 Pinto (stick). As I accelerated away from a light, I chirped the wheels shifting from first to second. I was stopped based on that "exhibition of speed" - not cited though.
I always get a laugh out of that one.

[Prof100]

Originally Posted by Zigner

Just as a funny anecdote -
Many many years ago, I was driving a 1974 Pinto (stick). As I accelerated away from a light, I chirped the wheels shifting from first to second. I was stopped based on that "exhibition of speed" - not cited though.
I always get a laugh out of that one.

The think with a Pinto they will need a new law for "ATTEMPTED exhibition of speed"

[The Occultist]

Or perhaps Conspiracy to Commit Exhibition of Speed?

[CdwJava]

Originally Posted by The Occultist

Or perhaps Conspiracy to Commit Exhibition of Speed?

Nah, they'd have to prove that someone at Ford actually conspired to make a Pinto CAPABLE of exhibiting speed.

- Carl

[efflandt]

I think WI has a law on the books about "excessive acceleration".

The funniest wishful thinking name I have seen on a car was a Ford "Aspire Sport".

[jgombos]

You guys are hilarious. Thanks for the feedback.

Originally Posted by efflandt

I think WI has a law on the books about "excessive acceleration".

Bummer! As a motorcycle rider, I often accellerate away from stop lights quickly, to get a nice buffer of space around me (for safety), and it doesn't necessarily require speeding. I hope I don't get cited for that.