Boy racers ask council for burnout pad
BY EVAN HARDING
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Invercargill's boy racers want the city council to provide them with places to do burnouts and skids, drink alcohol and hang out with their mates.
City councillors will discuss the request at Monday's community services committee meeting.
The report to Monday's meeting says almost 30 young people involved with boy racers in the city recently met with parents, police, city councillors and Invercargill MP Eric Roy.
The youngsters told authorities they believed problems associated with boy racers would be reduced if the council provided them with a place they could meet on Friday and Saturday nights, the report says.
They want a central location to be able to drink and catch up with their mates, while they also want another site out of town for burnouts and skids.
An initial meeting was instigated by Invercargill man John Langeveld, the father of 19-year-old Jesse Langeveld, who drove a modified car that slammed into a wall in Invercargill in July, killing himself and two mates. Mr Langeveld yesterday said the council had suggested the youngsters meet police, with Invercargill Mayor Tim Shadbolt helping to make the meeting happen.
The youngsters felt that police were picking on them, such as ticketing them for having beer in their vehicles while driving through town, when adults weren't ticketed, Mr Langeveld said.
If the youngsters, who were too young to go to the pub, were given a designated spot in the city to park up, show off their cars and have a good time, they would be happy and the police would be able to keep an eye on them, he said. "I am just trying to help these kids get a break. Just give them somewhere to park up and do their thing, rather than race around the back streets."
Everyone was saying what they couldn't do. It was time authorities helped them and found things they could do, he said.
Cr Lindsay Thomas, the Safer Invercargill chairman who was also at the meeting, said yesterday the youngsters, who included boys and girls, had quite high expectations.
"What they are really looking for is somewhere to take their cars and drive around and drink alcohol, and that's something we don't condone too much," Mr Thomas said.
However, options would be considered, including looking into finding an area for them out of town, Cr Thomas said. "They could join the sports car club."
He didn't want to be a part of giving young people a place to drink in town, only for one of them to drink-drive and kill themselves, he said. "We aren't stopping them from doing laps in town, so long as they haven't got the alcohol in their cars and aren't breaking the rules."
Acting Senior Sergeant Wing Ng, of Invercargill, said yesterday he was unable to comment because he had not been privy to discussions at the meeting.
Mr Shadbolt could not be reached for comment last night.
- © Fairfax NZ News
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Let me get this straight... they want to be provided with a place so they can all hang out and drink and drive really fast? WTF?
Has nobody learnt about mixing cars and booze? Do they really think their parents are going to let them go there?
If you ask for "a place to drink and drive" do you really think your request is going to be taken seriously?
You'd have more luck if you just asked for a place where you could show off your cars. Alcohol and drug free of course.
Idiots. Act like morons - be treated like morons.
And yes, I'm a young person too. I'm just not dumbarse enough to ask for a place to drink and drive.
"Invercargill's boy racers want the city council to provide them with places to do burnouts and skids, drink alcohol and hang out with their mates."
They make it sound as hanging out with your mates and drink alcohol is such a sin now. What a Nana country we are turning into. I know racing in the streets is bad and so on, But this has been noticed by everyone and I think this is a good way to deal with it. Either way people are going to enjoy their hobbies, We have Chess clubs, knitting groups bowls even and these people have places to enjoy their interest. But as soon as a young person wants to do their thing its deemed as bad and incorrect. How is this fair?? We all live on this earth with different interest so why is this judged and controlled so much? They will drag their cars and hang out either way so get it done in an environment that wont be annoying and is safer. Gee more people die in horse jumping than drag racing so its not as bad as people think.
Providing a place for them is definitely the lessor of several evils. Would people prefer they continue on the streets?
Our memorys are the same as Craigs. centre plots included. Its all about respect, we have the respect for police these kids have lost all respect now days they think it is their right to be given and give nothing in return, What they are doing it is against the law do the crime pay the time/fine. Race days at Tereatonga don't involve alcohol and idiots. The council has rocks in their heads if they give into these proposals of a hang out place. Mr Langeved sorry for your loss, but is it ok for jessys m8's to drink then drive. Your boy done wrong dragging, the sad thing is he took two friends aswell.
#3 I'm assuming you've done a survey lol and I guess by that measure Harley Riders have the smallest ..... around
Who will be responsible for safety on this skid pad? This suggestion is totally impractical, if car lovers want to behave like this then they are going to have to buy and build there own 'circuit' and assume all liability themselves through an approved organisation. Best of luck doing that.
The real problem is stopping their anti-social actions from taking place on public roads, and that needs policing. There should be no tolerance for the noise levels or dangerous driving. Most of their vehicles shouldnt be allowed on the roads.
Couldn't agree with #1 Deckland more.
Hmmm, don't know if it is a good idea for a city council, for ANY city council, to openly condone drinking and reckless driving(possibly all at once!).Sorry, I just don't get why in one instance the govt talks about confiscating these cars, and in the next a city's ratepayers might have to fork out for an area for these anti social elements to have their p%ssing competitions.
I think Nigel #5 summed it up well: "they don't care that you don't care. They are telling the council what it will take for the problem to go away." The way Nigel has put it says a lot about SOME of the youth of today. Do as I say or I'll cause you grief. Isn't that blackmail/intimidation wrapped up in a different guise?
How have we all gone for respecting one another, our neighbours and strangers, to the selfish "it's all about me" society of loud cars, loud stereo's and "I don't care about you as long as I am happy" one? And if we aren't happy about this then how are we going to change it? Surely not by bowing to the demands of a select few who feel that their rights and demands are more important than the majority who just want to live in peace and quiet.
Do any of these 'model citizens' actually contribute as rate payers?
When I was a lad quite a few years back, we used to cruise around Invercargill streets, having a few beers, playing loud music, at a top speed of between 30 and 50 ks an hour. We had the best time and no one got hurt. I am 35 years old and only lost one friend to a car accident. You young people these days are writing yourselves off left right and centre, driving deathtraps as fast as possible. You cant obey the rules that are laid before you now, why should we reward your foolhardy, idiotic and deadly behaviour by giving you a place to behave like criminals. If the council give you this hangout, they are as responsable for the lives of these young people as the drivers themselves. 200ks an hour belongs on a race track, learn to enjoy yourselves a little slower, and keep yourselves away from eastern cemetary, or for that matter, my family, they might be the ones you hit!!!
I am a 60 year old I don't think anything has changed much over the years for teens except a bit of common sense, we used to have a beer hang out with our mates , but didn't go racing through town. Go to any cemetery in Southland specially Mataura look at the names and ages of the kids that are buried in there. Hang out for goodness sake but booze and cars don't mix..
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Im one of these boyracers. I have a loud looking and semi loud sounding car. I also own my own home and have a professional job so you gimps who think we all tick our cars up and are jobless goons need to get an idea. All my mates own their own cars and are in full time employment. The car sees track action and drag strips all over the south island. I dont drive round town and act like a goon. In fact the ones that do dont have a brain and are not the majority of us. None of the many guys i hang out with drink and drive or race through town. Yes we do laps but who cares. We dont chuck litter or bottles we just want somewhere to go out of peoples hair. Its obviously a problem so whats wrong with asking for a place? You small minded people wouldnt mind if someone built you a knitting stadium or granny mobility rink i bet. We are a group in society who have rights too. And yes, i dont care what you think as you dont care what i think. Swings and roundabouts.