1st of May, 2021 Where are all the informal, car race tracks?

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Saturday 1st May. 47F, bright but cloudy again. Dull, misty and solid cloud by the time I had my walk. Traffic quite busy and increasing. Trying an elastic bandage on my knee. Didn't seem to make things worse. 

The recent law on "insane driving" and automatic vehicle confiscation has raised an interesting point: Why aren't there publicly available informal "race tracks" where car enthusiasts can "play" and compete against each other without using the public roads? 

"Proper" race tracks are usually expensive to use and have strict safety rules and often scrutineering inspections. They have a very exclusive clientele with very exclusive expenditures on vehicles and their narrowly defined sport. As far as I know most race tracks have very limited opening times. Noise being an issue with limited public acceptance.

Many "ordinary" car fans like to drag race against each other. Often at night in quiet spots where "ordinary" traffic is unlikely. Industrial estates spring to mind here. Doing so on "ordinary" pubic roads is unsafe for the innocent road user, cyclist or pedestrian. Not to mention the drag racers themselves meeting unexpected, oncoming traffic! How many others visit industrial estates at night except to use them as dog toilets or to steal?

How difficult can it be to set up "no man's land" drag strips for amateurs to enjoy informally and safely at night? Without the very real risk of losing their only vehicle over which they have usually lavished considerable time and money? And, without the risk of losing the precious driving license which allows them to use their cars for vital, everyday transport. Without which their employment is very likely to be at serious risk. 

There would have to be agreement with the police, insurance companies and local authorities. That specific sites, well away from built up areas, can be used for drag racing without formality or risk of prosecution. The loss of a vehicle to an accident is very much lower in a straight line of limited length. Always with a safe length of run out in which to slow down.

How the insurance companies will view these competitive activities is another matter. The car enthusiast is going to compete with others anyway. Usually doing so on public roads. With the far greater risk to other road users. Is pretending to not knowing about their clients competitive habits an excuse for not allowing more organised but still informal, drag racing?

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