The Premium Debate: Subscribers weigh in on the illegal street racing problem

Subscribers react to the debate over illegal street racing.

Letters to the Editor

OPINION

It was hoped the threat of having a car crushed would be a deterrent to illegal street racing.

But the law came into effect in 2009, and the first car to be destroyed under the new legislation happened in 2012. In 2017, only three cars had been crushed.

It doesn’t appear to me this has been effective. I doubt this generation of street racers is even aware of this law, and if they are, they thumb their noses to it, safe in the knowledge it’s unlikely their car will be destroyed, Jo Raphael writes..

Read the full article: Jo Raphael: Street racing law blows a lot of smoke, but no real consequences

Have your say by going to bayofplentytimes.co.nz or dailypost.co.nz and becoming a Premium subscriber.

If only it were only boy racing. It’s dangerous driving, careless misuse of a motor vehicle, excessive loss of control, rioting, assault, threatening behaviour etc.

Yes - crush the car. Remove from them the ability to own, operate, be in charge of any motor vehicle at any time other than in the execution of their obligations of work with their employer for up to four years.

Deny them the ability to transport or have anyone else in any motor vehicle for two years after their initial sentence ends. Curfew them - say 2200 to 0500 every day - to their place of residence or such place appointed by the courts. Curfew checks any time.

Then the really hard part: any other criminal offence and the whole thing starts all over again. If you’re serious about resolving this problem you have to be more serious about deterring them than they are about doing it in the first place.

But a sweetener: after 10 years of no further offences - expunge the conviction - unless it happens again.

- Thomas M

NZ is very weak on traffic issues, unlike Australia.

- Derek B

Frankly, until some poor child loses their life nothing will be done. Only Labour/Greens could allow this type of carry-on to keep on going with no consequence.

- Richard Y

In reply to Richard Y: They have a plan, look at the cycle tracks they are promoting. Out of cars, onto bikes.

- Len H

In NZ there in my view are no consequences for any misbehaviour or anti-social behaviour. Not just street racing.

- Pim V

“Innovative ideas” are partly to blame for lots of the problems we have in society today.

I think crushing some cars is exactly the type of deterrent needed.

I’m sick of the disrespectful hoons doing burnouts in our street at 1am on weekdays. You can’t confront them either, you could end up gang-bashed or stabbed. No point calling the police either, unfortunately.

- Richard F

Tauranga, street/intersection blocked off for an illegal street meet.

Approximately 300 cars, so by association, about 600 people. How many arrests? One.

In my view, therein lies the problem. The next challenge if the police finally get the resources to do their job efficiently is to get meaningful penalties for street racers’ actions, not the slap-on-the-wrist-with-a-wet-bus-ticket penalties being handed down at present.

- Ross H

While I agree that the law must be enforced, I also strongly believe the young car enthusiasts need a place to do those things safely and legally... just outlawing it drives it underground. We used old airfields for that in our youth...

Anything remotely dangerous or not politically and socially correct is pushed underground and leads to the polarisation of society, not the inclusion we talk about but don’t practice.

- Ivo S

- Republished comments may be edited at the editor’s discretion.

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