Hoons defy Police in Melbourne

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25497744-2862,00.html

MELBOURNE'S worst car hoons have vowed to continue illegal street races as police admit they are battling to control a huge spike in the madness.

The Herald Sun was given a back seat with police as they made an unprecedented blitz on hoons at the weekend.

More than 100 officers from three regions focused on drivers in the worst-affected suburbs including Campbellfield, Somerton, Thomastown and Tullamarine.


The most extreme cases police have seen included:

MORE than 600 people watching burnouts and stunts;

CULPRITS pouring 20 litres of oil on a road for a display;

HOON clubs with members who wear identical hoodies with emblems; and

AN L-plate driver doing burnouts with his father in the passenger seat.

It takes just one text message and about 10 minutes to set up an illegal street race.

The crackdown follows the death of a 22-year-old driver in Adelaide last Thursday, when his car was hit by two alleged drag-racing drivers.

Police warn it is only a matter of time before it happens in Melbourne.

Videos on the internet in the past month show street races are more frequent and more popular than ever.

A video shows a crowd of hundreds, some on a make-shift stand, watching a modified car spin out of control.

"It's never been this bad," Senior Constable Simon Mayger said. "And I don't know it's a battle we can win.

"'They are doing everything they can to make it difficult for us at the moment."

But enthusiasts are defiant, saying the dangerous races will continue.

In Melbourne's northwest, hoon clubs have been formed in a snub to police authority.

The Thomastown and Craigieburn Hoon Club members sport their own uniforms and a complete disregard for authority.

Within an hour of the operation starting last week, a teenage driver in Campbellfield scoffed as police impounded his car.

"I love my car and I'm no hoon," he said. "I was just driving and my front tyres slipped 'cause they were low on traction."

Victor Roumbos, 18, was defiant after getting his fourth defect notice in as many days.

He said that after he had spent $17,000 on his car, the efforts of police weren't going to stop him.

"I'll just rip it off and be on the road again," he said.

One insider, a 27-year-old who works in the car modification industry in Melbourne, said police were unlikely to ever stop illegal meets.

"This sort of thing has been happening for many many years and it won't stop.

"Recently the meets have been very frequent, sometimes even three to four times a week with a turnout in the hundreds, moving to new spots once the police turn up.

"The issue is, there is nowhere convenient (or) legal for them to go. Some people like to go watch an opera singer belt out a tune; others (like) the scream of a hotted-up car in action."

FCUKING LOL

those kids are dedicated!

*tear*

Dickheads. But in saying that, the police now have too much power with the new hoon laws. They dont need to prove anything and I know of a number of cases down south where some friends have had there cars confiscated for driving to work. They were'nt even driving together or doing any "Hooning", they just had nice cars.

These people ruin the fun for us enthusiasts.

I won't comment on this. Might upset some hardcore street racers.... hahah!!!

enthusiest = hoon in the eyes of the law.

There is no longer any such thing as an enthusiest due to too many street racers trying to hide behind the term "Enthusiest"

Exactly Bob.

im an enthusiastic hoon

Thats it, the lines have been blurred thanks to the outlandish media attention. The general public believes what today tonight tells them for some strange reason. the amount of negative press and propaganda against our kind is rediculous. The sad part is, these idiots dont do anything to help the cause

Thomastown and Campberfield are so common, you hear people ripping it up from the hume hwy.

whilst i love my cars, and i love a great burnout, its dissapointing when you hear of people being stupid.

then again, Vic police will fine you if you go 3kms over the limit, and you lose 1 demerit point as well. so no wonder there are so many illegal meets.

plus on top to race it at calder your up for a min $65, then only to get stopped as you leave the raceway gates by the police with defect notices.

i never street race, as i take pleasure in cruising, i love the Great ocean road, as its got tight corners that are slow but enjoyable.

My 2 cents

Scott

Like Mick says there is a time and place.

Yet another case of government prohibition not working. When will the government learn that creating laws prohibiting life experiences doesn't work?!? It's not about the cars, breaking laws, the girls jumping up and down with bouncing titties... or whatever, it's about the rush of racing! Sure, people die and it's unfortunate, but unless every person who has ever street raced knows someone personally that has died, it's not going to stop.

I see this along the same lines as the big time FAILED drug war in the U.S. The governments are spending BILLIONS of our tax payers money to stop something that CAN'T be stopped, rather than creating a safe and legal environment for those that choose to do it.

I heard a physician say this on a doco once and thought it was funny. "Prohibition doesn't work. Just take Adam and Eve for example. They were told not to touch the apple on the tree yet they still did.... and that was just 2 people!"

hahahahaha such a true statement. Its human nature to go against the things we're told not to do. Its the thrill, the rush, the excitement

Even the family wagon driver pushes their cars past the limits. Anyone who says they haven't sped, not indicated, crossed double lines is a liar

Well I know some people who have never sped, not indicated and never crossed double lines. But they have never had a licence or driven a car...