Stop Reckless Driving, Drifting & Speed Racing in Windermere, Winter Garden & Horizon West
Stop Reckless Driving, Drifting & Speed Racing in Windermere, Winter Garden & Horizon West
The Issue
Residents Against Reckless Driving (R.A.R.D.)
No More Excuses. There Are Solutions! We Demand Action!!
Communities across central Florida have been enduring years of reckless, erratic, dangerous, and highly-illegal activity on the streets on a regular basis, especially at night. It has become an epidemic that needs addressing. It’s a problem that will simply don’t go away on its own and law enforcement has not done enough to combat this issue. It is a huge problem here in the Windermere, Winter Garden, and the Horizon West area, outside Orlando, specifically on Reams Road, route 535, and Ficquette Road. Citizens, civilians, and residents are FED UP! We hear the tires squealing and engines revving all night, multiples nights a week. We see the tires tracks the next night form the donuts, drifting and burnouts. We view the destruction when out-of-control drivers smash into trees, parked cars, moving cars, houses, poles, fire hydrants, trees etc. We fear for our lives when we are crossing the street, hoping a speeding challenger or mustang won’t come whipping down the street before we have the chance to cross four lanes of traffic. We fear for our safety when we’re driving and trying to navigate around drivers who are only out for a joy ride as they speed and drift through roundabouts. These drivers treat their cars like toys and the streets like their playground. But cars are weapons and they can be deadly. And if the town, the government, the city officials, elected representatives and law enforcement agencies do not work harder to stop the reckless driving and street racing it will lead to more accidents and the loss of innocent lives. This is preventable and something needs to be done.
No More Excuses. There Are Solutions! We Demand Action!!
The majority of the teens I have witnessed—and even photographed, spoken to and yelled at— in areas like Windermere, Winter Garden, and Horizon West are teenagers or are in their early 20’s. Many are still in high school. They are new drivers—inexperienced drivers who are young and think they are invincible and immortal. Monday May 8th, I heard the familiar sounds of someone screeching their tires outside my window as they sped around the roundabout attempting to drift. It was followed by the impactful, loud sound of a car hitting a tree. I ran outside to find two bloody, shaken-up teenage girls who had fled the car. The driver was nowhere in sight. She fled the scene but came back a few minutes later after an ambulance and fire truck showed up, likely realizing that she was participating in a hit-and-run, which would only make matters worse for her. The girl was 16 and did not have a driver’s license, only a permit. Sadly, the very next night, more of her cohorts were out racing down the same streets. They did not learn a lesson. What will it take for these teenage drivers to learn a lesson? Do they need to kill someone else? Kill themselves? Be arrested? Have their cars impounded? What will evoke a change in them or get them to feel remorse for their actions or empathy for the countless residents whose lives they negatively impact daily. Anytime someone calls then out on their bad behavior, they immediately call them a “Karen.” When does the concept of “Karen” end and the concept of being rightfully concerned and understandably frustrated begin? It begins here, with this petition. “Kids can be kids” when they are not continually risking the lives and property of an entire community on a regular basis—not when their perpetual actions are negatively affecting whole neighborhoods day-in and day-out. This is not an isolated incident. This has been going on for years and is increasingly getting worse. These speed racers feel emboldened because no one is stopping them.
Enough is enough!
The biggest problem is that the parents don’t seem to be doing anything about it. I personally have been on five different news programs discussing this matter, both locally and nationally. NBC Nightly News featured a piece on this, to no avail. These teens are driving supped-up muscle cars that they are working on in their driveways to enhance their performance. Neighbors see it happening, so do their parents, yet somehow they do NOTHING to stop it or control their offspring. In my neighborhood of Windermere, I call the police weekly because of the amount of reckless activity that occurs right outside my window. Drivers speed, rev their engines, race each other, hang out of the car windows, do donuts, and drift. I live on a main street, next to a roundabout and I hear and see it all. They break into my complex, jump the fence and party at our pool all night long, leaving behind broken glass and empty beer cans. Teens have vandalized my neighbor’s car, slicing all four of his tries. Because there is no consequence for their actions, they continue acting out and they have escalated their antics. For these teens, anything goes. Why would they stop when they are never held accountable? I call the police, but often times the police don’t even bother to respond. Sometimes it takes them an hour or more to respond. I watched a police officer pull a reckless, speeding driver over but the officer let the driver off with a warning. I was shocked and appalled. I’ve been calling the police for ages in the hopes that they will finally be able to catch one of these drivers. That day finally came and the officer just let the driver off. I spoke with the officer a few hours later at 2:30 in the morning when the officer finally came back around, after I had called the police twice already. I said to the cop, “You are now part of the problem. You are enabling this behavior because you finally had a chance to make these teens learn that there are consequences for their actions, but instead you gave them permission to keep doing what they’re doing because they now know that even when the police show up, they will do NOTHING!” The cops came to the scene of a crime and willingly allowed it to continue. As soon as the cop drove away, the teenager pulled into my complex to cheer and celebrate with his friends that they had gotten away with it. They resumed speeding, racing, doing donuts and drifting all night and I blame the police officer for knowingly allowing it. Then when the police are interviewed by the media they feign concern and say that they are going to crack down on racers, but their actions say otherwise. When a driver is caught in the act, there needs to be swift and imminent repercussions. That is the law and the police need to enforce it.
Treasure Roberts from New 6 Orlando spoke with the Florida Highway Patrol and their message to speeders was “You are not invincible. We will find you.” I call bullshit. FHP, you know where they are. You know exactly where this is happening. You even know the make, model, and color of specific vehicles because neighbors have reported it. I have even shared license plate numbers with officers. There are hundreds, HUNDREDS of residents in the Windermere, Winter Garden, and Horizon West area calling the police regularly. We tell you where these drivers are and when. You just need to listen and actually care! I have told the news specifically what roads this is happening on and in what hours of the day, between 10:00 p.m. – 3:00 a.m., with increased activity when school is not in session like on Christmas break, spring break and all summer. The police have been informed about where and when this reckless driving is happening. They choose to do NOTHING. The FHP said that it’s hard because when the cops get to the areas, the driver are gone. I call bullshit. They are not gone. They are waiting for you to leave. An officer shows up, does a loop and the takes off to respond to another call. My area shared the police with Pine Hills which has high-priority activity happening on a regular basis. An officer told me that they often can’t get here quickly and they cant stay long when they do. So they cherry pick which crimes they choose to handle and decided that the crime happening in Windermere isn’t important enough for them to address. Well, it’s important to me and all the neighbors I have spoken to about it. I’m sure its important to the impending victims that will undoubtedly come at the hands of these street racers.
If police officers parked a car in the area and actually stayed for a while, it wouldn’t keep happening. If the police patrolled our area more in between other calls, the speeders wouldn’t know when the police will round the corner and they will get caught. A heightened police presence acts as a deterrent for bad behavior. If the Orange County Sheriff’s Office parked a police vehicle with no officer in it (like the one that is often parked on the 535 median near the Zen complex during the day), but that had a dash cam to catch the perpetrators, they would be able to catch the perpetrators on video. If law enforcement used unmarked cars, they would catch these reckless drivers in a heartbeat. If these street racers don’t know it’s a police vehicle, they will act out like they always do and the police will bear witness to it and be able to arrest or ticket them. This is policing 101. Law enforcement knows this. Why do they need a civilian to tell them how to do their job?
No More Excuses. There Are Solutions! We Demand Action!!
I have spoken with hundreds of my neighbors, both in person and through Facebook pages and community apps like Nextdoor, who have all called the police on multiple occasions. Yet, this behavior continues because the police have done NOTHING to correct it. I have seen no action taken in my area. They know that this behavior is occurring and they willfully, willingly, knowingly allow it to happen. They offer excuses like, they don’t have the manpower, they are stretched thin, they take calls in order or priority, they can’t chase speeders, they haven’t seen it, etc. All I hear are excuses. What I haven’t heard from one single member from law enforcement is a solution. I have offered several solutions: Put in speed bumps. Put it traffic lights. Install red light cameras. Set up traffic stops. Hire more police officers. Hire traffic officers. Patrol more often. Utilize unmarked cars. There are solutions, but law enforcement chooses not to make use of them. And that is why the community needs to unify and make it known that we will not accept this any longer!
No More Excuses. There Are Solutions! We Demand Action!!
There have been countless posts with pictures and videos about this ongoing issue on sites like Facebook and Next Door. The evidence is there. Our videos and photographs prove it. Accident reports prove it. The call logs to police both on the nonemergency number and 911 prove it. The tire tracks prove it. The smashed fire hydrant and tree on Reams Road this year alone prove it. The woman who had a speeding driver crash through her house in downtown Orlando proves it. The neighbors are upset. Yet NOTHING is ever done. Police and the government are allowing teenagers to run the streets, and it’s unacceptable. Our local representatives are failing us by not getting behind their community and supporting our efforts. City officials and elected representatives are as much to blame because they are not stepping in and stepping up to affect change and remedy a treacherous situation that they are all well aware of. They also do NOTHING! So, it’s time for us to do SOMETHING! It’s time to force the hand of everyone and anyone who has the ability to affect positive, important change. Enough of us being prisoners to these thugs in the streets at night. Enough of us waking up all night long to the sounds of screeching tires and revved engines. Enough of fearing for our safety and the safety of everyone who dares to walk their dog, ride a bike, roller blade or stroll across intersections that have been commandeered by unruly drivers. Enough is enough.
No More Excuses. There Are Solutions! We Demand Action!!
Here is a list of our requests, although I prefer to refer to them as demands because we will not tolerate being ignored any longer:
1. A larger police presence in effected areas with regular patrols.
2. The use of unmarked police cars to catch perpetrators in the act.
3. Parked Police vehicles with dash cams.
4. Accountability when the drivers are caught. Tickets being issued, arrests being made, licenses being taken away, cars being impounded. No more warnings).
5. More stop signs.
6. More speed bumps.
7. More traffic lights.
8. Red Light cameras.
9. Security cameras at roundabouts.
10. Traffic stops.
11. Speed traps.
12. Parents to be held accountable for their underage children’s actions (Negligence. Reckless endangerment)
Only one of these things would bring about an improvement if they were implemented. Some of these requests are very simple, cost-effective solutions that can be put into effect immediately. Others may take more time, money and effort, but there is no reason why we can’t begin with some of the simple solutions. The first time one of these drivers loses their license or their parent’s $85,000 car, their friends will think twice before going down the same road. But because there has been no consequence for their actions, their actions continue, and they escalate. We demand justice. Something needs to be done, and it starts with us, the outraged and organized community that is making our collective voice heard. Our concerns will not be ignored any longer. Please join me by signing this petition.
No More Excuses. There Are Solutions! We Demand Action!!
658
The Issue
Residents Against Reckless Driving (R.A.R.D.)
No More Excuses. There Are Solutions! We Demand Action!!
Communities across central Florida have been enduring years of reckless, erratic, dangerous, and highly-illegal activity on the streets on a regular basis, especially at night. It has become an epidemic that needs addressing. It’s a problem that will simply don’t go away on its own and law enforcement has not done enough to combat this issue. It is a huge problem here in the Windermere, Winter Garden, and the Horizon West area, outside Orlando, specifically on Reams Road, route 535, and Ficquette Road. Citizens, civilians, and residents are FED UP! We hear the tires squealing and engines revving all night, multiples nights a week. We see the tires tracks the next night form the donuts, drifting and burnouts. We view the destruction when out-of-control drivers smash into trees, parked cars, moving cars, houses, poles, fire hydrants, trees etc. We fear for our lives when we are crossing the street, hoping a speeding challenger or mustang won’t come whipping down the street before we have the chance to cross four lanes of traffic. We fear for our safety when we’re driving and trying to navigate around drivers who are only out for a joy ride as they speed and drift through roundabouts. These drivers treat their cars like toys and the streets like their playground. But cars are weapons and they can be deadly. And if the town, the government, the city officials, elected representatives and law enforcement agencies do not work harder to stop the reckless driving and street racing it will lead to more accidents and the loss of innocent lives. This is preventable and something needs to be done.
No More Excuses. There Are Solutions! We Demand Action!!
The majority of the teens I have witnessed—and even photographed, spoken to and yelled at— in areas like Windermere, Winter Garden, and Horizon West are teenagers or are in their early 20’s. Many are still in high school. They are new drivers—inexperienced drivers who are young and think they are invincible and immortal. Monday May 8th, I heard the familiar sounds of someone screeching their tires outside my window as they sped around the roundabout attempting to drift. It was followed by the impactful, loud sound of a car hitting a tree. I ran outside to find two bloody, shaken-up teenage girls who had fled the car. The driver was nowhere in sight. She fled the scene but came back a few minutes later after an ambulance and fire truck showed up, likely realizing that she was participating in a hit-and-run, which would only make matters worse for her. The girl was 16 and did not have a driver’s license, only a permit. Sadly, the very next night, more of her cohorts were out racing down the same streets. They did not learn a lesson. What will it take for these teenage drivers to learn a lesson? Do they need to kill someone else? Kill themselves? Be arrested? Have their cars impounded? What will evoke a change in them or get them to feel remorse for their actions or empathy for the countless residents whose lives they negatively impact daily. Anytime someone calls then out on their bad behavior, they immediately call them a “Karen.” When does the concept of “Karen” end and the concept of being rightfully concerned and understandably frustrated begin? It begins here, with this petition. “Kids can be kids” when they are not continually risking the lives and property of an entire community on a regular basis—not when their perpetual actions are negatively affecting whole neighborhoods day-in and day-out. This is not an isolated incident. This has been going on for years and is increasingly getting worse. These speed racers feel emboldened because no one is stopping them.
Enough is enough!
The biggest problem is that the parents don’t seem to be doing anything about it. I personally have been on five different news programs discussing this matter, both locally and nationally. NBC Nightly News featured a piece on this, to no avail. These teens are driving supped-up muscle cars that they are working on in their driveways to enhance their performance. Neighbors see it happening, so do their parents, yet somehow they do NOTHING to stop it or control their offspring. In my neighborhood of Windermere, I call the police weekly because of the amount of reckless activity that occurs right outside my window. Drivers speed, rev their engines, race each other, hang out of the car windows, do donuts, and drift. I live on a main street, next to a roundabout and I hear and see it all. They break into my complex, jump the fence and party at our pool all night long, leaving behind broken glass and empty beer cans. Teens have vandalized my neighbor’s car, slicing all four of his tries. Because there is no consequence for their actions, they continue acting out and they have escalated their antics. For these teens, anything goes. Why would they stop when they are never held accountable? I call the police, but often times the police don’t even bother to respond. Sometimes it takes them an hour or more to respond. I watched a police officer pull a reckless, speeding driver over but the officer let the driver off with a warning. I was shocked and appalled. I’ve been calling the police for ages in the hopes that they will finally be able to catch one of these drivers. That day finally came and the officer just let the driver off. I spoke with the officer a few hours later at 2:30 in the morning when the officer finally came back around, after I had called the police twice already. I said to the cop, “You are now part of the problem. You are enabling this behavior because you finally had a chance to make these teens learn that there are consequences for their actions, but instead you gave them permission to keep doing what they’re doing because they now know that even when the police show up, they will do NOTHING!” The cops came to the scene of a crime and willingly allowed it to continue. As soon as the cop drove away, the teenager pulled into my complex to cheer and celebrate with his friends that they had gotten away with it. They resumed speeding, racing, doing donuts and drifting all night and I blame the police officer for knowingly allowing it. Then when the police are interviewed by the media they feign concern and say that they are going to crack down on racers, but their actions say otherwise. When a driver is caught in the act, there needs to be swift and imminent repercussions. That is the law and the police need to enforce it.
Treasure Roberts from New 6 Orlando spoke with the Florida Highway Patrol and their message to speeders was “You are not invincible. We will find you.” I call bullshit. FHP, you know where they are. You know exactly where this is happening. You even know the make, model, and color of specific vehicles because neighbors have reported it. I have even shared license plate numbers with officers. There are hundreds, HUNDREDS of residents in the Windermere, Winter Garden, and Horizon West area calling the police regularly. We tell you where these drivers are and when. You just need to listen and actually care! I have told the news specifically what roads this is happening on and in what hours of the day, between 10:00 p.m. – 3:00 a.m., with increased activity when school is not in session like on Christmas break, spring break and all summer. The police have been informed about where and when this reckless driving is happening. They choose to do NOTHING. The FHP said that it’s hard because when the cops get to the areas, the driver are gone. I call bullshit. They are not gone. They are waiting for you to leave. An officer shows up, does a loop and the takes off to respond to another call. My area shared the police with Pine Hills which has high-priority activity happening on a regular basis. An officer told me that they often can’t get here quickly and they cant stay long when they do. So they cherry pick which crimes they choose to handle and decided that the crime happening in Windermere isn’t important enough for them to address. Well, it’s important to me and all the neighbors I have spoken to about it. I’m sure its important to the impending victims that will undoubtedly come at the hands of these street racers.
If police officers parked a car in the area and actually stayed for a while, it wouldn’t keep happening. If the police patrolled our area more in between other calls, the speeders wouldn’t know when the police will round the corner and they will get caught. A heightened police presence acts as a deterrent for bad behavior. If the Orange County Sheriff’s Office parked a police vehicle with no officer in it (like the one that is often parked on the 535 median near the Zen complex during the day), but that had a dash cam to catch the perpetrators, they would be able to catch the perpetrators on video. If law enforcement used unmarked cars, they would catch these reckless drivers in a heartbeat. If these street racers don’t know it’s a police vehicle, they will act out like they always do and the police will bear witness to it and be able to arrest or ticket them. This is policing 101. Law enforcement knows this. Why do they need a civilian to tell them how to do their job?
No More Excuses. There Are Solutions! We Demand Action!!
I have spoken with hundreds of my neighbors, both in person and through Facebook pages and community apps like Nextdoor, who have all called the police on multiple occasions. Yet, this behavior continues because the police have done NOTHING to correct it. I have seen no action taken in my area. They know that this behavior is occurring and they willfully, willingly, knowingly allow it to happen. They offer excuses like, they don’t have the manpower, they are stretched thin, they take calls in order or priority, they can’t chase speeders, they haven’t seen it, etc. All I hear are excuses. What I haven’t heard from one single member from law enforcement is a solution. I have offered several solutions: Put in speed bumps. Put it traffic lights. Install red light cameras. Set up traffic stops. Hire more police officers. Hire traffic officers. Patrol more often. Utilize unmarked cars. There are solutions, but law enforcement chooses not to make use of them. And that is why the community needs to unify and make it known that we will not accept this any longer!
No More Excuses. There Are Solutions! We Demand Action!!
There have been countless posts with pictures and videos about this ongoing issue on sites like Facebook and Next Door. The evidence is there. Our videos and photographs prove it. Accident reports prove it. The call logs to police both on the nonemergency number and 911 prove it. The tire tracks prove it. The smashed fire hydrant and tree on Reams Road this year alone prove it. The woman who had a speeding driver crash through her house in downtown Orlando proves it. The neighbors are upset. Yet NOTHING is ever done. Police and the government are allowing teenagers to run the streets, and it’s unacceptable. Our local representatives are failing us by not getting behind their community and supporting our efforts. City officials and elected representatives are as much to blame because they are not stepping in and stepping up to affect change and remedy a treacherous situation that they are all well aware of. They also do NOTHING! So, it’s time for us to do SOMETHING! It’s time to force the hand of everyone and anyone who has the ability to affect positive, important change. Enough of us being prisoners to these thugs in the streets at night. Enough of us waking up all night long to the sounds of screeching tires and revved engines. Enough of fearing for our safety and the safety of everyone who dares to walk their dog, ride a bike, roller blade or stroll across intersections that have been commandeered by unruly drivers. Enough is enough.
No More Excuses. There Are Solutions! We Demand Action!!
Here is a list of our requests, although I prefer to refer to them as demands because we will not tolerate being ignored any longer:
1. A larger police presence in effected areas with regular patrols.
2. The use of unmarked police cars to catch perpetrators in the act.
3. Parked Police vehicles with dash cams.
4. Accountability when the drivers are caught. Tickets being issued, arrests being made, licenses being taken away, cars being impounded. No more warnings).
5. More stop signs.
6. More speed bumps.
7. More traffic lights.
8. Red Light cameras.
9. Security cameras at roundabouts.
10. Traffic stops.
11. Speed traps.
12. Parents to be held accountable for their underage children’s actions (Negligence. Reckless endangerment)
Only one of these things would bring about an improvement if they were implemented. Some of these requests are very simple, cost-effective solutions that can be put into effect immediately. Others may take more time, money and effort, but there is no reason why we can’t begin with some of the simple solutions. The first time one of these drivers loses their license or their parent’s $85,000 car, their friends will think twice before going down the same road. But because there has been no consequence for their actions, their actions continue, and they escalate. We demand justice. Something needs to be done, and it starts with us, the outraged and organized community that is making our collective voice heard. Our concerns will not be ignored any longer. Please join me by signing this petition.
No More Excuses. There Are Solutions! We Demand Action!!
658
Petition created on May 12, 2023