Crush street racers' cars

[digitalpunk]

I saw this on Sunrise this morning and cannot believe it is being considered, I think it will get to the stage where cars caught racing or speeding will be crushed. But, what annoys me is what will define street racing? What will define a hoon? If a $1 million supercar is caught speeding will that be crushed?

To me this is just a knee jerk reaction to put a big band-aid over the real issue.

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599...-29277,00.html

Crush street racers' cars - top cop
August 05, 2007 03:17pm

ANOTHER street race just a kilometre from the site of a crash in which a couple were killed has prompted a call by NSW's top cop for tougher action against hoons.

Commissioner Ken Moroney was incredulous after police charged a disqualified driver and a P-plater over an alleged street race in St Marys early this morning.

A 17-year-old boy from Kingswood and a 21-year-old man from Busby, were arrested after police observed them allegedly racing side-by-side on the Great Western Highway at 3.40am (AEST).

Mr Moroney said the message of responsible driving campaigns did not seem to be getting through to car hoons, who needed to take greater personal responsibility for their "moronic'' behaviour.

He said more extreme measures might be needed to stamp out illegal street racing.

"You have to question whether, as in the case of the United States, the solution to this problem is in part the compacting of vehicles into a cube dropped on the front lawn of their homes,'' Mr Moroney told reporters today.

"Maybe that's the message that they've got to understand.''

In today's incident, the 17-year-old was driving a Toyota Camry with two 16-year-old passengers while the 21-year-old, already disqualified from driving until 2010, was driving a Daihatsu Charade, police said.

Their cars were confiscated once they were questioned at Penrith Police Station.

The 21-year-old was charged with taking part in a vehicle race, driving while disqualified and providing false details.

He was refused bail and will appear in Parramatta Bail Court this afternoon.

The 17-year-old youth was charged with taking part in a vehicle race, and not complying with vehicle passenger restrictions.

He was granted bail to appear at Penrith Local Court on 27 August.

The incident occurred just a kilometre from the site of the crash in which Alan and Judith Howle were killed when their car was hit as two Holden Commodores allegedly raced side-by-side down the Great Western Highway at St Marys on July 29.

Mr Howle, 71, was killed instantly while Mrs Howle, 70, died before she could be rescued from the wreck.

One of the men allegedly responsible for the deaths, Robert James Borkowski, 37, of Claremont Meadows, has been refused bail on charges relating to the smash.

Police have yet to charge a second man allegedly involved in the incident.