BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — Tuesday’s exhibition driving town hall crowd was small but empowered. A handful of community members taking the chance to voice their opinions on this year’s proposed exhibition driving legislation to Jefferson County Sheriff Mark Pettway, state Representative Juandalynn Givan and Jefferson County Commissioner Shelia Tyson.
Some people at the town hall say the two proposed bills are a good first step towards solving the problem but that if the punishments and fines are too lax, it won’t stop many people.
“Our society does like speed. That’s it,” says Michael Miller, one of the people in attendance. “Women, men, we like speed.”
Miller took the chance to show up and speak about exhibition driving while also hearing the latest about the proposed laws. Miller thinks after a certain number of offenses the drivers should have to buy devices for their cars that keep it from going above a certain speed, just like how some drunk drivers are made to buy breathalyzers to start their car.
“It makes it more of an inconvenience for them just like they’re inconveniencing the people who they do the drag racing in the neighborhoods,” says Miller. “It needs to be an inconvenience for the person that’s doing it.”
Givan recapped both house bills concerning exhibition driving, the statewide criminal House Bill 29 written by state Representative Allen Treadaway and the Jefferson County specific House Bill 107 written by Givan.
“Local legislation could move faster than statewide and that’s what we’re hoping but we know we’ll get one of them out,” says Givan.
The overarching message from Givan, Pettway and Tyson the same. When law enforcement tells you to stop, stop.
“We have seen the destruction that it brings. Tears up the streets, wakes up the community and it has hurt innocent people,” says Pettway. “We want to see them bring it to an end.”
Despite the low turnout, Givan says it doesn’t diminish the severity of the issue.
“We’re here to support them. We hear the calls of the people and that we will not back down and we will be deliberate in our processes,” says Givan.
Tuesday’s panel says two more exhibition driving town hall meetings will be scheduled and heavily advertised to give more people a chance to speak their mind.