Car owners with overdue traffic fines will be caught up in the crackdown on boy racers, with the Government announcing legislation that would allow their cars to be seized and sold.
Transport Minister Steven Joyce and Police Minister Judith Collins announced the move today and said it would send a strong message to illegal street racers that dangerous, disruptive and "antisocial use of vehicles" will no longer be tolerated.
But it will also allow authorities to seize the car of anyone with an overdue fine and sell it off to meet the costs.
Under the legislation:
* A new penalty for illegal street racing would allow vehicles to be seized and destroyed.
* Vehicles used by people with overdue traffic fines can be seized and sold to pay those fines.
* Local authorities will be able to create bylaws prevent vehicles repeatedly "cruising" city streets.
* Vehicles involved in illegal street racing will be impounded
* Demerit points will be given for noise offences, licence breaches and registration plate offences. Repeat offenders will lose their licences rather than just accrue fines.
What do we think? It's a darned good start. Of course, the proof of the pudding will be in the eating, but surely these proposed law changes send a message to the anti-social element within the boy-racer community (and we freely acknowledge that not all boy-or-girl-racers fit that description) that the powers of the state are extensive, and that the consequences will be punitive. To hear of young drivers racking up tens of thousands of dollars of traffic fines without any consequences is alarming, and hopefully, the threat of a prized vehicle being seized or crushed will get their attention. As will the bill from the finance company!
Well done Crusher Collins!
UPDATE: The Herald is now covering the story, leading with this classic quote from Judith "Crusher" Collins:
Police Minister Judith Collins says boy racers should fear legislation being introduced to Parliament today because "every new offence will bring them closer to the crusher".
6 comments:
Much potential. Fly in oink-ment is getting the cops to use the new law. Which could be difficult. If not impossible.
Much potential indeed. I would expect there will be even more potential when Judith Collins calls Howard, Lyn Provost and Rob Pope down to her office for a "wee chat" about their futures ....
In some cases with these hoons, I'm tempted to suggest we strap in the driver before the car is put through the crusher.
A fine suggestion Alf, and doubtless one that will be widely supported by your sensible constituents.
Perhaps that could happen on a second crushing. For the first crush, I would rather see the boy-racers in questions strapped tightly into a full-containment racecar seat opposite the crusher, from which they are compelled to watch the destruction of their pride and joy. If the vehicle is on HP, a representative from the finance company should be present to give the offending boy racer an invoice for the outstanding finance bill, less of course the scrap meatl value of the aforementioned pride and joy. I venture to suggest that there would be few, if any repeat offenders.
strapped tightly into a full-containment racecar seat opposite the crusher with their balls in a vise that slowly tightens in time with the car crushing.
I like the way you think mawm!
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