KEY POINTS:
Jazz ( Hamilton)
In response to the boy racer,, if he wants to take risks and make life exciting by using what really amounts to deadly weapons, then I say send him to the Middle East. Let's see how long he lasts after all the fun and excitement there.
Neil (Auckland)
They should just stay at home and play their video games. They have no right to use public roads as their playgrounds and take innocent lives.
Travis B
I am a boy racer and I have been going to the drags in auckland for nearly 5 years and I have seen plenty of crashes. What pisses me off is that when you go to the drags your there at your own risk and when the odd person gets hit, tuff. I have nearly been hit a few times and I am sure many others have had the same experience but I still go. Give us something to do with some risk, leave us alone, its just gonna make us go more and more underground and thats when things will get worse.
James
Kids who race cars are not evil; they just don't see the rules as worth following. We have dragstrips at Pukekohe and Meremere: use them or don't do it at all. The way to fix the problem is to make the risk too great by upping either the punishment or the enforcement of the rules. Since police already seem to be stretched to wafer thinness, make the punishment permanent confiscation, regardless of who owns it, and a year's worth of community service. Too harsh? You bet. How many do you think will have to be punished before people start getting the message?
Bruce
I think that the "I am bored argument" is a cop out for people that cant have an original thought. There are plenty of car clubs and tracks for a fee that these cars can be raced on. I have a friend that drives to Meremere to race his car. Complusory insurance in New Zealand has to be a must if you can afford the thousands of dollars in modifications surely insurance would be no problem.
Chris (Takapuna)
The solution is simple.Make car insurance compulsory for all drivers, this would hike up the cost for owning a car, and maybe even bring the cost down for those of us that already pay insurance. Also anyone under the age of 21 should be restricted to engines below 1.0 Litre. Plus when these idiots get caught, ban them from driving for a year and take their car off them. The government needs to take action!
Lottie
I'm not a big fan of boy racers/car enthusiasts myself - all that noise and screeching of tyres seems a bit unnecessary to me, however, lets be realistic and face facts that they are here to stay. Sure you can put laws in place to make life more difficult - for instance banning certain modifications, not allowing parents to insure their child's car as theirs but with the child as a listed driver then require everyone to have insurance (the ability to gain insurance for the car could be shown either at point of sale or registration/change of ownership) and hope that the insurance companies price their policies for modified speed machines out of the reach of your average low-income earner. But you know what making things illegal and expensive isn't going to stop them either (just like prohibition didn't stop people enjoying a drink or P users doing whatever it is they do) it is just going to drive them underground and probably increase the death toll. Instead why don't we just embrace it as part of our youth culture and do something about helping them enjoy their past time in a safe environment. And yes it will take up police and ambulance time but heck they would probably end up where they race anyway so might as well be there from the start.
Boyd Broughton
A waste of lives! A waste of all the beautiful things these young people all had to offer their families! Now one is dead and two others have had their lives torn apart from stupidity! A waste of lives!
Isaac (Onehunga)
The NZ Government needs to introduce compulsory insurance for car owners, as is the case in the UK. This will reduce the number of idiots on the road and restrict the size engines that youths can drive.
Richard
If the idiots were just killing themselves I wouldn't really care. Most of them are stupid, overweight and unemployable and we can do without them in our society.It's when innocent bystanders get killed that I get annoyed.What does it take for the lawmakers to get annoyed?
Mat (Auckland)
While it is always sad to lose a loved one,why do people stand on the road? The road is for cars! If you stand on the road you deserve to get run over,period.
Louise (Hamilton but lives on the Gold Coast)
Why can't they make a controlled environment for the boy racers to go and race and that way they would be off the streets and out of harms way. Personally I dont think its that hard to do. You will never get rid of them, if they're not in Tauranga they will be somewhere else, the same problem is everywhere. You need to make a place for them where they can go and stay out of trouble and they can do their racing and burnouts etc.
Lee (Auckland)
No disrespect, but I have to smile when I see over-privileged spoiled brats in expensive cars having their stupidity excused because they are 'angry and confused.' Like the age old joke which asks "Why does a dog lick it's balls? Answer "Because it can!" Of course you will have juvenile lawbreakers when they can use text, high-powered cars, an unworkable licencing system and break the law with practical impunity. Give the cops the resources they need to police the roads, and, as well, provide facilities to allow enthusiasts to enjoy their pastime legally. In the UK there is no 'Boy Racer' culture, because there is compulsory third-party insurance on all motor vehicles and if you modify your vehicle, your premiums go up. If you break the law, you get points and guess what, your premiums go up. I would suggest this is brought in here in NZ. Also stop calling these idiots 'Boy Racers'. A boy is a youth of sixteen, maybe. Many of them are adults and should be regarded as such, especially when they are prosecuted.
Shelly
Being a young girl living in the lovely suburb of West Auckland, I sometimes wonder if I will survive on my way home. We have major issues - Swanson/Crows Road area where these idiots come flying around on the wrong side of the road. Also, every Friday they put something on their tyres which burns the rubber and they spin up the road in a loud mad rampage.Cars will always be hot property! However, this dangerous behaviour can be delayed if they increase the age to drive. 15 year olds are completely immature, and cannot drive safely. 21/22 should be the age to drive, drink and zero tolerance to alcohol and driving = problem solved.
L (Auckland)
Without a doubt this is a tragedy that should not have occurred. Unfortunately incidents like this always seem to draw kneejerk reactions from politicians rather than the creation of a genuine solution to this problem. The love of cars - and speed - is nothing new to New Zealand; it certainly did not start with this generation of "boy racers". How successful would banning boy racers be? The answer is obvious; it would be a waste of time, money, and would serve to further stretch police resources.Any solution to this problem needs to address the fact that "boy racers", in some shape or form, will always be a part of our culture. I suggest that areas that have trouble with street racing / boy racers give these drivers another option. Provide somewhere legal and safe for them to race - whether it be a proper drag strip or a closed road - that can be monitored and controlled. I believe that many car clubs and businesses would strongly support such a development. I challenge any city councils concerned by this issue to look into this as a solution. Motorsport will never be risk free, however I believe this solution would be a big step towards minimizing this issue.
Auckland
Not the greatest fan of England but something they have right is car insurance. Obligatory insurance and powerful cars have much higher premiums. If you just wanted third party fire and theft, are still in your teens and wanted to drive anything 2.0l plus, GTI etc. then you have to pay $5,000 plus in insurance. Might start pricing a few more out of the hobby.
Philip
Cars in NZ are seen as a right and not earned. Driver training is inadequate. Faster, chapers cars readily avaiable. "Old" people are struggling to understand why the existing "rules" don't apply instead of changing the rules to catch up with the newer technologies and available products. As an example texting whilst driving - new technology old rules apply (ie there are no rules). I would advocate better more stringent driving examinations, compulsory insurance (as in many other countries) and a more responsible financing of cars loans to begin to change things and not blame "boy racer" per se for the problem.
Tracy (Auckland)
Instead of changing laws, why doesn't the government start thinking out the box. Why don't you build locations where the kids can race safely? These locations can ensure that certain safety regulations are followed, charge a low entrance fee, if need be. Most teenagers are bored as hell, but have no place to go and nothing to do. Have some locations where there are skateparks, gokart racing, clubs with basketball courts, soccer fields, tennis courts where they can go to for free. Maybe even a gym where they can learn kick boxing, or some sport. There is a surplus of the taxpayers money, start using it instead of changing laws to hang the kids to dry and turn them into criminals. Instead start finding and looking for more permanent solutions.
Tigger
Boyracers - leave them alone! No matter what any person or government do or pass there will always be boyracers. It has become a 'The' in a sentence, without the 'the' people will not make sense. People should be lucky that their teenagers are not running around the streets with acts of violence, or killing little babies. Yes some people will say that a car is a deadly weapon which will harm or maim innocent people - but look at everything people use in everyday life. Anything that a hand can hold is a potentially deadly weapon and it depends on how it is used. It can save and it can kill.Instead of trying to disband them - get to talk to them and find out the reason why, don't assume for one minute that because a person has a PhD or Law Degree or even the Prime Minister and all her political ministers know why 'boyracers' exist. Todays world everything is like a new toy that is opened for the first time - people have the adrenalin rush of excitement before and after opening things. Politicians are the same - they all hope that they're going to make it to that big shining chair with Prime Minister' tag stuck to it. Some will cheat and discredit their opponents, and some my even resort to killing.
Johann
Yup, I agree, impound the lot of them. There are other ways to feel adrenaline rushes which might be more controlled, try skiing or go karting or something like that. To the person who says that the government should concentrate on stopping smokers if they are so concerned about us killing ourselves I have this to say : I don't think the government needs to be overly concerned with the safety of the boy racers, start by worrying about the rest of us on the road and you can take it a step later afterwards.
Mark (Auckland)
Get Real; boy racers are not confused about life. They know that they can buy a relatively cheap Jap import and modify it to easily chew up tyres and drift around inner city streets. Sure they have an interest in cars, as about 80 per cent of the male population in NZ does...thats just the way we are brought up by our car enthused fathers. The only reason people get heavily into anything is because there is nothing else interesting to do, or that they can afford to do. Most of these kids come from middle class families where the parents dont teach them social responsibility and accountability, so hence they dont have any respect for the police or the public around them. Here's an idea! The only way to teach these kids not to behave like idiots is to just take their cars off them, and sell them to pay for our new roads! Surely that is a better way to pay for NZ's roading upgrades than taxing us more! Nuff said!
Dan (Auckland)
Reading the other comments, all these "boy racers" are claiming it's a pass time, just like rugby, surfing, skateboarding each with there own risks. Yes, there are risks with these sports and people do take these risks in partisipating, street racing is different, in street racing inncocent bystanders, not involved in the racing are often the one hurt or killed! If boy racer warps himself around a tree, so be it, it's their risk! But why should they endanger me or my family by not following the simple rules of the road? Can anyone tell me the last time a spectator got killed watching a game of rugby?
Ian (Auckland)
Society has allowed this to happen. What do you expect from teenagers?
There is no restriction on the power of a car they can drive.They can drink now at a younger age; restrictions on getting a driving licence are pathetic; parents don't know where their teenagers are; parents are not responsible for their children; we sell car racing computer games where you never loose and there are no consequences. The solutions are to make obtaining a drivers licence more difficult; no driving without an adult ( 21years and over ) until you are 18; no vehicles of greater power than 1500cc until 18; parents responsible for their children until 18; make driving a privilege rather than a right; make penalties for breaking the rules really hurt, into Army for 12 months.Be bold and responsible and deal with the cause of the problem ; wake up parents and society - we let this happen. Parents are just as liable in my books as the teenagers - both should face the music for breaking the law Confiscate cars for 12 months of all under the age of 18 who speed, modify their cars, organise racing etc.
Zpete (Mt Wellington)
The solution is simple, banning of persons with restricted licences and those under a certain age, of owning or driving a vehicle of 1000cc or more. Increase the motor size in age and licence related steps. Workplace exemptions should not apply. Learner drivers of motorbikes are restricted, why not the same with cars etc. Logical. It will not be a total solution, but a start, and save many young lives.
Dave
From speaking with many boy and girl racers, it is obvious only one thing stops the activity - removal of the means to race - the car. Tears often do flow when the pride and joy is impounded - but this is just for a month. The Courts have the power under the Sentencing Act to confiscate the car involved for the first offence and it is supposed to mandatory for a second offence. In fact, confiscation is a rarity. The law and penalties are there already. They just need to be used. Offenders and bystanders may then have a chance to grow and live into adulthood.
Paul (Palmy)
What do you all expect?! Boys can't play rough at school, they can't play bullrush, if they have a bit of a punch up in the rugby game or on the playground the do gooders call a family conference and make them 'get in touch with their feelings'; they can't hang from trees or ride a bike without a helmet....basically we have legislated out every bit of outlet for male testosterone that there is, and then you all wonder why they take to the cars and burn out. Basically because there is nothing else left for them to do to burn out their (positive) male energy.
Stubbs
Chasing boy racers from town to town is not doing them or the public any good. They will never run out of places to go, despite the crackdown. If the parents want to continue to support their children in this highly dangerous sport. then why don't the parents band together and fund a stable venue for their children to go? The rest of us can only sit back and condone boy/girl racers but its not going to solve the problem. I mean surely if the parent can afford their childrens' expensive and yet deadly habit. surely they can afford this and stop asking the rest of the country to use our tax money to fix the damage their kids are doing.
Female Car Enthusiast
Lets be honest, because it has to do with cars the automatic reaction is to recommend "confiscating the cars". Yeah, that will solve the issue - not! Both young and old like cars. The older probably spend less time at meetings because of work/family commitments. Younger ones need somewhere to go because saying 'you are banned' will not get the desire out of their system. Another thing - what is a boy racer? Is the plan to ban a sort of person? Exactly how do you ban a "boy-racer". I like nice/fast cars, have raced legally at a dragstrip just out of Auckland & am female. I'm certainly not a boy racer though. But will I be banned as well? Any changes/decisions need to be more thought out & have better wording.
Hyphen (Christchurch)
Why are youths in fast cars egos boosted by the term 'boy racer' when if fact they are just 'gormless goons'?
Lower Hutt
I think that cars should not be modified to enhance the power and speed. When applying for their license there should be tougher requirements. There should be a CC rating also, like 1300cc.If parents are responsible for purchasing them vehicles, they should be held solely responsible for any outcomes. Compulsory 3rd party insurance, especially for damages and compensation to injured persons. That should help to this mayhem that has been created.
Car Enthusiest
I am a 24 year old male from Tauranga who enjoys cars, some people would put me in the boy racer category. I enjoy my car and enjoy others cars, is this a crime? I make a parallel to skaters, I remember a few years back the distaste at people skating in the main streets of towns. There were cries for banning skate boarding, confiscation, fines, etc etc. As a result skate parks were built, this is now were the skaters go to skate and enjoy their hobby. Were can I go to enjoy mine? Young guys and cars have always gone together and always will. banning cars from certain roads or impounding cars is not the answer, it will just mean the guys will go else were in there cars. What is so wrong with providing them somewhere to go to enjoy their hobby, it worked for skaters. Didn't it? Something as simple as a burnout pad in Tauranga, the guys who are there to enjoy it will use the provided facilities, then there will be no excuse for misbehaving on public roads. Just saying you are not allowed to go down this or that road or you are in a group we will take your car, is not the answer. Why punish those of us who are there to enjoy ourselves and not make any trouble?
Jason
I grew up a petrol head, a boy racer! I am now 36 years old. Nothing at all has changed other than the population increase and faster cars. The population makes these things happen more often, there is simply more people on the roads, thus statistics in regards to how it was 20 years ago compared to now, is simply warped ideas desk jockeys writing these silly reports and saying how bad things are now. The kiwi dream is over, the house, car, kids, "security" etc. The finances of most people are stuffed - they have brought themselves into a corner "for life" before they are 25. Its simply a habit pattern passed down. The kids of today have nothing to look forward to; they get into debt so quickly that they have to act and have responsibilities that I never had as a boyracer. Then comes the cops - oh my! In they step to put more rules and restrictions on people who are already living with their backs to the walls. As soon as a couple of deaths happen, in step over weight desk jockeys to make some laws to further stimulate the youth to look for even more ways to create havoc - everyone needs a place to let loose. You wait and see the havoc more rules will create.
Adrian (Auckland)
A young man dies doing what young men have been doing for as long as young men exist - risk taking for an adrenaline rush. That cars were used is a sign of our times. It used to be called, "horsing around", for the breakneck speeds that young wranglers used to get up to trying to impress each other, and the ladies. Should our forefathers have banned horses? The reality is legislation serves to protect people from themselves, yet we are unable to save smokers from their "reckless" behaviour - a habit that kills more New Zealanders in a year than all the boyracers and spectators killed in the past 10 years.
Ex-suicidal
I was a rebellious teenager - tried to find satisfaction in alcohol, cannabis, sex, meditations and struggled with depression, suicidal thought, self-mutilation and hatred. My Dad abused Mom and they divorced when I was 15. I would be totally drunk and drive/race - could have killed myself and others I now regret. By 23 I felt desperately depressed. One friend invited me to charismatic church and I thought I'll give God a chance to show up if He existed. Then I young lady sang in a so called foreign tongue (Acts2:4) and I told God, " How can this so called foreign tongue help me -- I don't understand it and You know that I feel like cutting my throat with a bread knife." At that moment she sang the following interpretation of the song (given by the Holy Spirit), "I love you, I am your Father and I wait for you with open arms. I know all the sins that you have committed but I still love you. Come to me and I will put a cloak around you and you will never feel alone again." I felt God's tangible presence and since then was set free from addictions, inferiority, depression, self- mutilation, hatred etc.
Louise (Auckland)
Confiscate their cars. Take away their licences and use shock tactics. As part of their punishment, make them have to participate in community service at rehabilitation centres for people who have been the victim of a road traffic accident. Expose them to graphic autopsy photos of those maimed by road traffic accidents. Take them on a trip to the morgue so they can see where they or some poor innocent will end up because of their selfish behaviour. Ban car modifications. Why does someone who is not a professional motor vehicle race driver need gauges, intercoolers, loud exhausts, performance tyres and the list goes on. They shouldn't be able to legally modify their vehicles to make them go faster or more aerodynamic!
Sebastian
We have a whole tribe of them down the end of my street, and they take great delight in noisily drifting around the corner outside my bedroom at 3am every night. Sugar in the petrol tank or stringing piano wire across the road would stop this lot, but we ultimately need a hardline law banning them from our streets completely.
Anon
By large boyracers are not thugs, they're not criminals and they're not delinquents. They're just interested in cars! Give them somewhere to go and they will stay out of your hair. Give them a legal place to race & do burnouts and they will stay off the public roads. Implementing new by-laws and enforcing police muscle will only frustrate them further and aggravate the situation. Don't misjudge the boyracers, you were young once too!
Sarah Holman
Boy racers should be treated like the scum that they are. Their cars should be confiscated, licences revoked and fined heavily. I can see no reason for their stupid wasteful way they spend their time. I have lost 2 cats to boy racers and was devastated at the time, I can't conceive how a parent feels to lose a child to these mindless idiots - even if the child killed was one of them - what a stupid waste of someone's life. It is time the driving age was increased and a maximum horsepower on the car for young drivers, don't think they would be quite so burnout material if they were little 1000cc vehicles. Where do they get the money to waste on these vehicles is something I have always wondered.
Westie
Perhaps we are now reaping what we sowed from reducing the drinking age to 18 years in 1998. Here we are almost 10 years on. We now have a culture of youth who think they are untouchable and invincible. The 10 years olds of 1998 are now able to drink themselves to oblivion and speed about in souped up cars(thanks to mum and dad) with little or no regard for who-ever else is on the road at the same time. What will happen in 10 years from now due to the Anti-Smacking bill is anyones' guess. I suggest the legal driving age and the drinking age be increased to 20 years of age. Either that or take the cars off the boy(girl) racers and heavily fine the kids to teach them a valuable lesson in life.
Kerri (Auckland)
Compulsory full car insurance would put a stop to this and other car related problems. A lot of these cars are not road save and if they had to a)pay insurance and b)make them road save, you would find that these restrictions would put a huge damper on this sport.
David Lynch
The Prime Minister has inadvertently chalked up another mark against the police by saying how difficult they find it to catch boy racers because the latter are able to assemble and disperse in huge groups by using cellphone texting. One would expect a switched-on police force to have a technological edge on teenagers, but one gets the impression they are relying on the good old police whistle.
Enforced Performance
As much as I don't support the acts of illegal street racing, and the event that has happened is very upsetting and should not have happened, I just don't see a bylaw being fair. I own a Performance Car Club in Auckland, we're car modifiers or 'boy racers' but we do not race on the streets, we hire out Pukekohe and Taupo Raceway. We're sensible about what we do, not idiots on the street. There are also a number of clubs who are out there, trying tog ive car modifiers a good rep. You need to give the other side of us a chance.
Nigel Wade
Having been a boy racer and grown out of it, I remember it being all about fun. Well it was for me, I loved cars (still do), learned huge amounts working on them and building them up. Meet alot of people and made some long lasting friendships. I raced illegally in south Auckland, never for money. I dont remember even on moment of danger, never hurt anyone, or put anyone at risk.
MDC (Auckland)
When children have their privileges taken away they soon come into line. Use the same tactic. Hit them in the pocket by confiscating the cars and putting them through the crusher.
Karen Orr
Boyracers: I think they need somewhere to go...somewhere to actively 'be' maybe controlled and even if they pay an entrance fee to watch I am sure that the majority of people, and believe it or not they are not all teenage boys,would be quite happy to do. Somewhere safe, that they are not always running from being caught. I am a parent of a young man this age and I feel for the parents of this beautiful boy accidentally taken before his time. Don't ban them it will just make it worse for everyone concerned.
Steve Croawell
The police need to do a concentrated undercover series of raids , e.g do not drive past in police cars .The police know the favourite places the boys go , so prior to the advent lay in wait , the arrest those that they catch. Once proven that they have been racing, take their car and crush it in front of them, then put them to work scrubbing all the rubber off the road they have been racing on .It will not take too long to get rid of the racers if they do not have cars. What i have just said would happen in a perfect world , not this Labour misgoverned country where we live.
JT
This is what should happen: 1st time caught - a fine, car confiscated and licence gone for 1 month. The car is not returned until a defensive driving course has been completed. 2nd time caught - car confiscated and sold with the money put into road safety and better roads. Boy racer cannot drive for 6-12 months and until a second defensive driving course completed. 3rd time caught - car confiscated and sold. Boy racer jailed for minimum of 6 months and cannot drive for at least 12 months. All these rules clearly communicated in the paper and on TV so they all know.By the way, it doesn't matter whose car it is, parents or friends it is sold. It's time to get tough.
A Davies
Why cant the government stop trying to ruin people's fun?? If you dont want boy racers on the streets then give them somewhere free to race! There are always going to be boy racers and their cars are just going to get faster and faster and all they will do is find somewhere else to race!
Sick of boy racers
Well done Herald, absolute genius posting the picture of the boy racer surrounded in his own smoke. Note the sarcasm. You have just given them another reason to keep up this stupidity - they are now most probably the local legend for having their "awesome" pic in the paper. Very responsible.
Cal
Unfortunately, banning racers and racing is likely to achieve precisely the opposite of its intention. Driving this type of behaviour underground and punishing those that indulge will further glamorise the pastime. The cult hero status obtained by racers will provide a definite negative roll model for up and coming kids to aspire to. Yes, it thoroughly idiotic. Yes, it really annoys everyone but its adherents. Of course, we all wish young men wouldn't die this way. But can we really stop it? The behaviour is a classic example of boys acting out against a society that seeks to dampen down their maleness and provides no tangible alternative outlets. Boys have always done stupid things and died as a result. You can't change nature but you can seek to provide more positive roll models and a controlled environment for them to race.
Peter Watkins
Get Sue Bradford to give these kids a big hug.
Paul H
Isn't street racing illegal? If it's a serious problem then get the cops to do some police work and target these events. Then change the law so that new drivers have restrictions on what cars they can drive (like motorcyclists have had for years), and if you're under 21 you get three strikes then you're car is destroyed and your banned from driving for three years.
Mike from Auckland. Fed up motorist
Most boy racers act like spoil kids 'thumbing their nose' at the law and the NZ public in general. So threat them like spoilt kids, take away their 'toys', not for 28 days but for good. If they are under 18 years age, and accumulated a lot of fines then get the money from their parents, after all they are still responsible for their children until they are 18. If they are over 18 sell the car to pay for the fines. Crush the cars that are confiscated so that irresponsible parents can't buy them back for their 'children' and someone else can't by the car and also become a 'racer'.
Andy Mack, Conscientious Petrol Head
This is without a doubt a tragedy. It is also a risk that many people are prepared to take to get some enjoyment out of life. Some of us play a sport such as rugby, others go surfing, and some of us climb mountains. All of these pursuits have risks of some description - varying from very little to very high risks. But all who participate in various activities do so with knowledge of those risks and are prepared to take those risks to achieve a level of satisfaction out of an activity. Unfortunately sometimes those risks are realised, as in this case. 'Banning'so called 'boy-racers' is a weak answer to the problem, if not a cop out. When will our society take this pastime seriously and invest time, money, and whatever else it takes to provide safer, more accessible environments to enjoy our pastime? Our society has put measures in place to make rugby, rock-climbing, surfing, and various other pastimes safe so that we can all enjoy ourselves with minimal risk to health and safety. The government supports rugby, cricket, and other sports. Where is your support for our sport? Show us your support for our pastime and in turn the majority of us will support your desire for us to play in a safer environment!
Albert
There is no one solution that will solve this issue 100 per cent, but this is the only way: 1) confiscate car and
