Latest news with #boyracers
RNZ News
20-07-2025
- RNZ News
Boy racer crackdown reveals concerning number of cars that aren't road worthy
Police set up checkpoints at known meeting points across Tāmaki Makaurau on Saturday night. Photo: Supplied / Police Police say a crackdown on boy racers in Auckland has revealed a concerning number of cars aren't fit to be driven. The operation targeting the so-called 'Auckland invasion' street racing event resulted in dozens of fines, impounded vehicles, and thousands of drivers breath-tested on Saturday night, police said. Acting Counties Manukau District Commander, Acting Superintendent Alison Brand told Morning Report police were backed by the Eagle helicopter and used tips from the public and social media to target drivers in convoy across the city. She said 40 cars were taken off the road by inspectors stationed at checkpoints. "That's quite concerning when you think we had approximately 200 cars at this meet and 20 percent of these vehicles were not up to road worthy driving standard - they were either unsafe or defective." Brand said police were now trawling CCTV footage and social media to track down more drivers at the meet. More than 2500 drivers were breath-tested, with at least 15 found to be over the limit, and five vehicles were impounded. Inspector Regan James said despite the size of the convoy and dangerous driving behaviour and burnouts, there was little disruption to the wider public. He said officers were reviewing footage and other evidence to identify additional offenders. The crackdown comes ahead of proposed new legislation that would see tougher penalties for street racers and fleeing drivers. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
24-06-2025
- RNZ News
Levin invasion organisers say boy racers need somewhere to go
About 30 police were deployed after a gathering of more than 200 cars saw antisocial behaviour on the streets of Levin. Photo: NZ Police / Supplied They're been labelled cowardly tryhard idiots, menaces and morons. And it's talk like that, as well as a promised crackdown on boy racers, that spurred two of the organisers of this year's King's Birthday so-called invasion of Levin . A crowd of 1000 people and 200 cars filled the Horowhenua town just over three weeks ago, doing burnouts and other anti-social activity that caused a public outcry and large police response. The mother of a woman killed during illegal street racing has a simple plea for those involved in such activities: Stop, now. But two of the 'Levin invasion' organisers have their backs up at the government's promise to pass harsher boy racer laws. "This year was trying to prove a point that the new laws are not really up to what they're made to be, really. We've got a lot of car enthusiasts who aren't really into drags, but they're still going to get pinged for doing convoys," said one, from Horowhenua. The other, from Kāpiti, said the government tied different types of car enthusiasts together under the boy racer banner. "Convoys - they're just car enthusiasts out to see each other's cars. They're not intimidating the public. "Us, we have more or less loud cars, not road-legal cars. Those are two completely different scenes. We go to a spot where we go and do skids. They go to a spot where they go and take photos." The men, who RNZ agreed not to name, said they were frustrated authorities sought to crack down on them, but gave them nowhere affordable to go. "They're not going to see it as a sport. Pads are quite expensive. One day at Manfeild is probably just underneath a grand. It's not cheap or accessible for those of us who like to do it on the daily, or at weekends," said the Horowhenua-based organiser. "Why do skaters have skate parks? Why do footballers have football fields? Why do rugby players have rugby fields? "Those are all publicly funded. Those are free. There's obviously a big trend coming through New Zealand right now where skidders are getting out there on the streets. You're going to need somewhere to put them," said the Kāpiti-based organiser. But the Levin invasion wasn't a quiet demonstration. A flick through court documents shows multiple charges of dangerous driving, wheel spinning, possessing weapons and unlawful assembly stemming from the night. Transport Minister Chris Bishop says he will introduce harsher boy racer legislation in the coming months. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone Police officers were attacked with fireworks, something the two organisers said they didn't condone, and four bystanders were injured by the cars. The Horowhenua-based organiser said he didn't like to see people hurt at his events. "We endorse for people to stay off the road, stay clear of our skidders. But, they still like to get close to get that 10-second video." Hawke's Bay woman Coreen Schafer was angry when saw images of the Levin event on TV. "It pisses me off. My stomach churned. I just think, 'Who's going to get killed? Is it going to be a driver or a passenger? Is it somebody stupid taking a video, egging them on?' "I really hate it." Twelve years ago Schafer's 18-year-old daughter Maree was killed when three cars were racing near Napier. The car Maree was in reached 180kmh before crashing. "If I could go back and tell Maree [something] that night, I would have told her not to get into that car. Don't, just don't. My daughter trusted the driver and it didn't work for her. "Drivers, get your s*** together. You don't have to waste all your money. Get a job. Show off by buying a house. Buy a nice car. Don't take somebody's life." Schafer agreed car enthusiasts needed somewhere off street to gather, and said she was disappointed nothing changed down the years despite lots of tough talk from officials. "I don't think it matters what I say. Nothing gets done. Judith Collins brought in the crushing law. That worked for how many cars and it deterred some maybe? "It's an issue that's going to keep going on and on. Something needs to be done before more lives are lost." Police minister Mark Mitchell called the Levin invaders "cowardly, tryhard idiots". Police Commissioner Richard Chambers labelled them "menaces and morons". Transport minister Chris Bishop said he would introduce harsher boy racer legislation in the coming months and he expected it to become law during this term of government. "The measures we are bringing in will in most cases see fleeing drivers, street racers and people participating in intimidating convoys have their vehicle forfeited or destroyed on conviction," he said. "If you commit an anti-social road use offence, such as street racing or burnouts, you will face significant penalties." Horowhenua mayor Bernie Wanden said the debris and rubbish was cleaned up from last month, but marks on the road remained. "Well, I wouldn't believe that it's because of government crackdowns and police activity that they're doing this. "They're seeking attention to create as much mayhem as they can and impact communities like ours." Levin now waits to see if they'll be back for a third year, after the first invasion in 2024. The two organisers this year said they would wait and see. "I'm thinking we'll see what the police have in store for every car enthusiast. Putting a target, say, not on the boy racers' backs but on everyone else is a bit unfair," said the Kāpiti-based organiser. "Pretty much what the bro says. I'm just going with the flow. There's no big meets planned in my head at the moment," said the Horowhenua-based organiser.
BBC News
23-06-2025
- BBC News
Boy racers putting lives at risk, Bury St Edmunds residents say
Residents said boy racers were forcing homeowners out of the area and putting lives at Police dispersed a group of 20 drivers who had congregated at the Sybil Andrews Academy car park in Bury St Edmunds last week after reports of anti-social behaviour. The force handed out fines, seized a car and called the operation a success, but local people said they remained concerned as it had been a serious problem for some West said there was a risk of a fatality: "Most definitely, people are walking with their children, their dogs. It is really, really dangerous." The 72-year-old said he regularly saw cars "drifting" around the nearby roundabouts and motorcyclists "speeding up and down doing wheelies".He likened the noise to fighter aircraft going by his house."These people need to be taken off the road and have their vehicles seized – if that was to happen more often it would stop this in its tracks," he said. Carl Hui, 52, said he regularly heard cars being revved and "doing doughnuts" near his home."They are very selfish and they are just rather deluded - they don't know how to behave like decent human beings."Adi Maddali, 38, who lives with his partner and two young children, has decided to leave the area after seven years."When we go on family walks, we are constantly having to look around and be careful, despite being on the pavement," he said."We are hoping to move out of here in the next month to a more quiet area - we've decided enough is enough and it's time to go." Jane Gunsman, 68, meanwhile, said troublemaking teenagers were proving just as problematic as the boy racers and she had also considered moving out."A neighbour recently had a big tub of cream cheese thrown across her door, so it's very upsetting because it used to be a really nice area," she said."It has been spoilt by children, teenagers and cars at night - there is someone who regularly comes past of a night blowing their horn." Police officers can disperse large groups of drivers using Public Space Protection Orders and have the powers to seize can also issue Traffic Offence Reports for more minor traffic violations and demand personal details if they reasonably believe someone has engaged in anti-social Police believes its latest action in Bury St Edmunds will show this type of behaviour is not chair of the Morton Hall Residents' Association Andy McGowan thinks there are wider issues that need looking said: "I think we lack things for teenagers to do and if young people haven't got places to go and things to do, then the risk of them making decisions they shouldn't increases." Suffolk Police said officers were working with the nearby school and gym to "not only look at disruption and enforcement, but prevention work".A spokesperson for Sybil Andrews Academy said: "We understand the concern of local residents about the anti-social activity in our school car park. "We welcome the recent actions of the police." Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Daily Mail
14-06-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
End of the road for noisy boy racers? Car makers are axing their beloved hot hatches to go electric
The days of noisy boy racers flying past in souped-up cars with offensively loud exhaust pipes look numbered. That's because their beloved 'hot hatches' are accelerating towards demise as car makers cull them from their ranges as part of their transitions to electric vehicles. Two of the nation's most popular have been confirmed for the chopping block by their respective manufacturers in recent weeks. Ford says production of its much-loved model is due to cease in November - and it is no longer taking new order. And Honda has said its big-spoilered offering will disappear for good next year, bowing out with a final edition version that's just been unveiled to culminate its near 30-year lifecycle. Riotous petrol-engined hot hatches are now being replaced by a new breed of silent electric performance cars that are likely to cause far less offence, though might not provide the excitement craved by boy racers congregating in McDonalds car parks. Hot hatchbacks are high performance variants of run-of-the-mill family cars. While they're fast and relatively easy to customise with bigger exhaust systems and whooshing dump valves that when passing your house in the evening will make you leap out of your armchair - they are also practical enough to cope with the rigours of day-to-day life, with lots of space in the back and traditionally big boots. But as manufacturers brace for an electric future, they are increasingly being motivated to kill off their combustion engine vehicles at alarming pace to avoid Government-imposed fines for failing to achieve adequate EV sales between now and 2030. And its hot hatches that have become prime candidates to kill off earliest. Stricter emissions regulations due to come into force have also rendered many of these unleaded-gulping motors unviable for sale. Ford has reacted to these mounting pressures, confirming last month that its Focus ST is no longer available to order in the UK - ahead of production climaxing at the end of this year. The blue-oval brand had still been taking deposits on the ST until April, but on 26 May culled it from its updated dealer price lists. It ends a 23-year run for the hot hatch that's spanned four generations of Focus family cars, much to the upset of petrolheads across the country. Ford UK said that while it is no longer taking new orders, there are 'around 170 built and unsold' STs currently available within the dealer network. Just a week after Ford ditched Focus ST availability, Japanese rival Honda confirmed its Civic Type R - an icon among boy racer ranks for almost three decades - will bow out in the next few months. The Civic Type R has epitomised the boy racer scene for decades, thanks to its scintilating performance, big exhausts and even larger spoilers Unveiling an 'Ultimate Edition' version at the start of June, it said the Civic Type R's 28-year lifespan is being ended in 2026 by more stringent emissions regulations. Honda said it's removing the Type R from its line-up next year because 'the industry is changing and our model range is having to evolve with it in accordance with European legislation' being introduced in the next 12 months. Only 40 Ultimate Edition Type Rs will be made - and just 10 are guaranteed for UK customers, with prices likely to exceed £50,000. The Focus ST and Civic Type R's expiries come in the tyre tracks of a series of hot hatches being axed in the UK. Last year, Hyundai called time on its i20N and i30N, while Ford terminated its Focus RS in 2018. The Fiesta, which Ford lowered the curtain on in the summer of 2023, took with it the ST variant, while Peugeot's 308 GTi was terminated in 2020, having only been available for around a year. It means that very few front-wheel-drive hot hatches now remain, with the VW Golf and Polo GTI, Mini Cooper S, and Ford Puma ST among the increasingly limited options. Those wanting a four-wheel-drive performance model can still get their hands on a Golf R, Mercedes A45 AMG S, or Toyota GR Yaris - though these hot hatches are seriously under threat from the tightening EU emissions regulations due shortly. In the last few days, Toyota confirmed that production of its GR Corolla hot hatch will move from Japan to its Derbyshire factory in the UK to appease huge demand from US customers. Though despite being in Britain, the GR Corolla isn't a car that's sold here. Instead, brands are focussing on a new wave of electric performance models. Car makers forced to kill off their hot hatches over emissions regulations and the EV transition running towards the end of the decade, we're seeing the arrival of electric performance models, like Abarth's 500 Alpine's new A290 is a hot hatch version of the recently-launched Renault 5 E-Tech. It promises to be one of the best electrified performance cars we've seen so far The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N is another electric hot hatch on sale currently. It's not cheap, though, starting from an eye-watering £65,000 The Abarth 500, Alpine A290 and Hyundai Ioniq 5 N are all zero-emission - and zero noise - cars already on sale to fill the void left by the traditional hot hatchback. Though they're not cheap. The Fiat 500-sized Abarth rings in at £30k, Alpine's tuned-up take on the Renault 5 E-Tech starts from £33,500, and Hyundai's souped-up electric SUV is an eye-watering £65,000. On Friday, Peugeot unveiled its e-208 GTi on the eve of the Le Man 24 Hour race. It is the battery-powered spiritual successor to its legendary 205 GTi from the 1980s and '90s.
RNZ News
05-06-2025
- General
- RNZ News
The Panel with Ed Amon and Madison Burgess-Smith Part 1
Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone Tonight on The Panel, Wallace Chapman is joined by panellists Ed Amon and Madison Burgess-Smith. They discuss the heated debate in Parliamemt about the proposed punishment for Te Pāti Māori MPs; the privacy issues highlighted by the Michael Forbes case and violent boy racer culture in Levin; coming to your town soon?
