Latest news with #boyracers
RNZ News
3 days ago
- General
- RNZ News
Sirens, choppers, burnouts reported in Levin, one year on from violent boy racer conflict
Events a year ago this weekend turned violent, with confrontations between a large crowd and police in Levin. Photo: NZ Police / Supplied Levin residents say police and hoons are already out in force on the anniversary of earlier conflict. Last year, a gathering of more than 200 people and cars in Levin turned violent on Saturday 1 June, with a crowd blocking the town's main street, and officers reporting projectiles thrown at them. A year later, on Friday night, "riot police" had closed State Highway 1 through central Levin, the administrator of popular Facebook page Traffic Fox said. Video showed police standing in formation with shields and body armour, across the highway at the central Queen Street and Oxford Street shops, with multiple sirens heard and many thick dark tyre skid marks seen in circles on the intersection in front of them. "At around 10pm, hundreds of car enthusiasts, or "boy racers" converged on Levin and tried to close off the main highway doing burnouts and skids, police were prepared and stopped a lot of it," the Traffic Fox administrator said. "Yet bottles were smashed, rubber was laid, a couple of people were arrested for carrying weapons, riot police were out in force, cars were rammed etc. Even the Police Eagle helicopter was brought down from Auckland!" Much of the group had left the town by about 11pm, and were heading north toward Palmerston North, she said. More than 100 comments on Levin social media groups showed locals were following the progress of the police helicopter across the town, with many reporting the helicopters were tracking boy racers. "Sounds are going hard now, from police sirens to choppers, to burn outs, to police chases ... quite uneasy for Levin locals," one person said on a local forum, shortly before 11pm, Friday. "[We] will see if this current government puts its 2025 boy racer legislation where it's mouth is," another commenter said. Stuff reported a large gathering of boy racers were expected in the town for King's Birthday Weekend, but were not wanted. Horowhenua District Mayor Bernie Wanden told Stuff the town has "had a gutsful", and did not want hoons coming back and causing "mayhem". Police were aware of the event and had plans and resources to respond, he said. Police did not respond to RNZ's request for comment. Earlier this month, the government announced stiffer punishments for those convicted of offences related to boy-racing, and for drivers who fail to stop for police. Those caught doing burnouts or taking part in unauthorised street racing or intimidating convoys faced vehicle destruction as a presumptive sentence, while fines for making excess noise from a vehicle were also raised. At the time of the announcement, Transport Minister Chris Bishop said New Zealanders were sick and tired of seeing "idiot drivers" put the community at risk. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
3 days ago
- General
- RNZ News
Police out in force in Levin, one year on from boy racer conflict
Events a year ago this weekend turned violent, with confrontations between a large crowd and police in Levin. Photo: NZ Police / Supplied Levin residents say police and hoons are already out in force on the anniversary of earlier conflict. Last year, a gathering of more than 200 people and cars in Levin turned violent on Saturday 1 June, with a crowd blocking the town's main street, and officers reporting projectiles thrown at them. On Friday night, posts on Levin social media groups said at least one police helicopter was circling the town, with commenters reporting the helicopters were tracking boy racers. "Sounds are going hard now, from police sirens to choppers, to burn outs, to police chases ... quite uneasy for Levin locals," one person said on a local forum, shortly before 11pm, Friday. "[We] will see if this current government puts its 2025 boy racer legislation where it's mouth is," another commenter said. Stuff reported a large gathering of boy racers were expected in the town for King's Birthday Weekend, but were not wanted. Horowhenua District Mayor Bernie Wanden told Stuff the town has "had a gutsful", and did not want hoons coming back and causing "mayhem". Police were aware of the event and had plans and resources to respond, he said. Police did not immediately respond to RNZ's requests for comment. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
10-05-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Government announces harsher penalties for boy racers, fleeing drivers
Transport Minister Chris Bishop. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone The Government has announced harsher penalties for boy racers and fleeing drivers, as it tries to clamp down on anti-social road behaviour. New legislation is proposed to target drivers who don't stop for police, while speeding or driving dangerously, those taking part in unauthorised street racing or doing burnouts, intimidating convoys and unlawful dirt bike gatherings, or those who cause excessive noise by having siren battles. A presumptive sentence of vehicle destruction or forfeiture for street racers, those fleeing police, convoys and vehicle owners who fail to identify offending drivers is expected to be set. Vehicle owners who fail to immediately provide information on a driver who has used their vehicle to flee police will also face a court-ordered fine of up to $10,000. Infringements for making excessive noise from a vehicle will also increase from $50 to $300. The court-ordered fine will increase from $1000 to $3000. New legislation will target street racing and other unlawful gatherings. Photo: Police/Supplied The new penalties give police more ability to manage illegal vehicle gatherings by closing off areas and issuing infringements. Transport Minister Chris Bishop said New Zealanders were sick of seeing "idiot drivers" putting the community at risk. "At present, the penalties for anti-social or intimidating driving behaviour aren't strong enough to deter this appalling behaviour," he said. "Police reporting shows some types of anti-social road events are actually increasing in frequency. We're saying enough is enough." Bishop said the changes would be introduced in new legislation, expected mid-2025. "The legislation will establish a presumptive court-ordered sentence of vehicle forfeiture or destruction," he said. "This means, if someone is convicted of these offences, courts must order that vehicle be destroyed or forfeited to the Crown to be sold." Police Minister Mark Mitchell said anti-social behaviour on the roads and illegal street racing had no place in the country. "People have had enough of boy racers and their dangerous, obnoxious behaviour," he said. "These people drive without regard for the danger and disruption it causes to our communities. "They have no consideration for anyone other than themselves. Our message is clear - if you want drive dangerously, face the consequences." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
The Sun
10-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Sun
We live in UK's ‘boy racer capital' – wannabe Vin Diesels in souped up cars tear up streets in illegal races EVERY night
A TINY UK town has been dubbed Britain's 'boy racer capital' where wannabe Vin Diesels in souped up cars hold late-night races on quiet country roads. The noise from roaring engines is so loud that it's keeping children up at night - and making locals want to move away. 10 10 10 10 Boy racers can be heard constantly revving as late as 2am, performing wheelies and flying past homes around the streets of Southampton. They hold nightly meet-ups involving both motorcycles and cars, and spend hours doing loops of the neighbourhood late at night. Southampton resident, Roger French, has lived in Woolston for over 20 years. But as the disruption from boy racers and their anti-social behaviour has escalated recently, his family has decided to pack up their lives in Southampton and relocate. For Roger, Southampton had always been a quaint little city perfect for raising his son. In the last few years though, noise from the revving of motorcycles and cars zooming through the streets has become constant. Roger said: 'They just run them around, race them into the ground and burn them out in the local woodlands.' 'This road is supposed to be 20 mile an hour and I can guarantee they are doing about 60, if not sometimes faster.' Living on a prime street for the boy racers that is straight, but narrow and reaches the peak of a hill, Roger has seen several accidents occur. Just months ago, a car was flipped upside down after it hit a corner too fast, and another motorcycle that rammed into the side of a van. "When they're going that fast and driving that recklessly, you will have a fatality, and I think that will happen sooner rather than later," Roger said. He linked the issues to the new housing development around Centenary Quay which came in 2022. Roger added: "Before that it was never a problem, we never even noticed crime in Woolston." Located on the same road is Poulten's Garage, a highly regarded vehicle repair service in Southampton, who often get complaints regarding the motor racket. One staff member said: "It's nasty for us, because obviously we work here, they go past and some people think it's us, but we're inside. "They're popping so loud using illegal exhausts, and yes, we have some cars here that are quite sporty but we don't need to do that." 10 10 10 Local resident, Shaun Wyeth, who lives in a completely different area of town is also kept up at night from the noise of the racers. He said: "I can hear they do one hour at a time, they'll stop and then go round and do another hour, it's quite loud. "Police in a car can't catch them, when they're going too fast up those little tiny roads." "Those 20 miles an hour signs need to be bigger," Shaun added, as some can even be spray painted over. But Shaun has almost gotten used to the sound of it every night. Other residents are not so tolerant of the noise. Several petitions have been set up by locals calling for immediate action from police and Southampton City Council to address the "dangerously loud and illegal motorcycle during the quiet hours of the night." One which has now accumulated nearly 200 signatures says: "It's deeply affecting the well-being of our community. "Children are waking up in fear, some even becoming paranoid and anxious. "Vulnerable people, including the elderly and those with mental health conditions, are being pushed to the brink. "The stress and sleep disruption are constant and unbearable." Over 100 sign petition to stop illegal motorbike racing SOUTHAMPTON locals have set up a petition to tackle "illegal" motorcyclists terrorising their streets The petition is calling for action from police and Southampton City Council. It claims that despite multiple reports over the last year, no real action has been taken to mitigate the risks. Sam, starter of the petition, writes: "We demand a solution. "Whether that's regular police patrols, noise cameras, road-calming measures, or community safety intervention – we can't go on like this. "Our community deserves peace. We deserve sleep. We deserve to feel safe in our own homes." Another one primarily focused on the Weston Shore area writes: "Night after night, I find my children being startled awake by the incessant roar of biker engines along Weston Shore in Southampton. "This situation has become unbearable not just for my family, but for countless others who are tormented by the noise pollution created by bikers riding irresponsibly along our streets." Megan Rudkin, who started the petition, wants Southampton City Council to implement greater measures like increased police patrols during nighttime hours, as well as more clear signage indicating noise regulations and potential fines for violations. Chicanes have been installed around the city with speed road signage, but these have actually made the occurrence of incidents even more frequent as drivers disregard them. Southampton City Councillor, Christie Lamber, said: "It was deeply disappointing to hear about the recent issues involving dangerous motor racing in our city, and we are actively working with all our partners to address these issues head-on. "To this end, we have implemented traffic calming measures across the city as part of our broader strategy to combat reckless driving, and we are collaborating closely with the police to identify and take action against individuals responsible for these selfish and senseless driving offences, and we intend to enforce the law to the fullest extent to safeguard our community. "Our Youth Justice Service also works hard to prevent youth crime and antisocial behaviour by providing support, intervention, and rehabilitation for young offenders to help these young offenders make positive choices and reintegrate them into the community." Mike, who has run his burger truck situated on the Weston Shore carpark where the motorbike meets happen, says racing on the roads along the water been going on for over 40 years. But the racers that come nowadays are different. "We used to get 300 bikes down here for a meet on Friday nights, and they were good as gold, never had any trouble with all those bikes together. "This lot, little groups of maybe a dozen, are just trying to impress one another seeing how high they can get their front wheel up. "Little kids and their toys I'm afraid." 10
