Although some law-enforcement officials had expressed concern about The Fast and the Furious inspiring copycat street racing, no reports of any such races materialized over the weekend. According to the British entertainment site Ananova, police in the United Kingdom and Ireland have already begun to prepare strategies to deal with hot-rodders when the film opens there later this year. It said that, among other things, police would patrol parking lots near theaters to keep an eye on drivers who might want to mimic the movie. A message is posted on the film’s Web site saying, “All of the racing stunts in The Fast and the Furious were performed in a staged environment by professionals with years of training and experience. Please do not try any of these yourself. Be smart. Drive safe. Be legal.”
