The line between "street racing" and "exhibition of speed" here in CA is a blurry one, at best. They seem to punish people the same way for both these days (suspended license, hefty fine, and 2 points on your record) yet I consider the two infractions very different.
To the lawmakers I'm sure that if you roast your tires or jet up to the speed limit in less than 3 seconds, you might as well be racing...I can understand why they see it that way, but to be so firm on it is stupid. I just know that I won't be doing much of either anymore to avoid any further trouble or getting my car crushed.
I actually got popped for exhibition of speed in April...it was a lapse in judgement on my part. I was about half a block away from my office at a red light. I was in my Lightning and I wanted to get a bit of a rush before going and sitting at my desk for the rest of the day so when the light turned green, I rolled into the gas, lit up the top of first gear and barked second really hard. All the while my blower's whining and my exhaust is rapping...I let of the gas and started to brake to enter my work's parking lot and I look to my left and see a cop waiting in the parking lot right across the street...I figure I'm finished, so I pull into our parking lot and he lights me up. Fortunately after a few choice words, he informs me that while he could basically take my license and my car right there, he was only going to write me for not using my turn signal when entering the parking lot (it wasn't the first thing on my mind...) and that I should slow the hell down...
Thank god the cop was forgiving, but I learned my lesson...I don't think I've seen 14psi on the street once since then.
Kris