stunt racing ontario

Toronto neighbourhood's had enough of obnoxious motorcycle street racing

The incessant sounds of motorcycle engines revving and mufflers popping have become too much for Toronto residents to bear. 

The most annoying of all Toronto drivers—street racers—have come out of hibernation with the arrival of good weather and hit the streets, mostly along the waterfront, with their bikes from hell. 

Those living near the city's streets-turned-race-tracks are being kept up by horrible sounds at all hours of the night, and apparently the brazen racers are even at it during the day. 

Residents of New Toronto are being hit hard by the raucous riders, but the Don Valley Parkway, the Gardiner Expressway and Spadina also seem to be favourite urban racetracks. 

People have taken to social media to complain about being woken up in the wee hours of the morning.

One person says they were jolted awake in their 21st-floor unit by what they described as hundreds of bikes racing along Lake Shore Blvd.

Another person who lives along the Queensway says that the decibel readings for the mufflers hit 90dB at 1 a.m. (The normal range for motorcycles in Toronto averages in the low 80s.) Hundreds of people living along the Gardiner have also been subject to the sounds.

Stunt driving has become a major problem in Toronto since the onset of the pandemic.

Last summer's relatively empty streets attracted more stunt drivers than ever, with cases nearly doubling since quarantine began. This summer is no different.

Drivers are also purportedly using tricks to hide their license plates, to avoid being captured on camera. 

Last week, Ontario announced tougher penalties for people who engage in street racing or stunt driving.

Evidently, that hasn't deterred the bikers from taking over Toronto with their illegal exhausts. Toronto residents will have to grin and bear it through the hellish sounds coming from the city's streets. 

Lead photo by

@driving_toronto


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