Barricades and bylaws – how will police handle ‘knuckle-dragger’ racers?

A proposed curfew on cars to curb illegal street racing in Waipā has been praised by harried locals, but a big question mark remains over how it will be enforced.

Class Harvest Center in Rukuhia placed concrete blocks outside their gates a year ago to deter street racers.

Acting branch manager Vess Geldenhuys said thick black marks on the road, shredded tires, glass bottles and beer cans were many mornings.

One specific incident where someone broke into the yard after hours and urinated on one of the machines called for action, hence the barricade blocks.

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Usually at least 40 to 50 people and the same number of cars gather on weekends, says Geldenhuys.

The Waipā District Council is propose to ban non-exempt cars on specific rural roads at night, between 9pm and 4am.

If local residents agree — and they have yet to be consulted — the ban would give police greater powers to issue warnings and seize violators’ cars.

While the ordinance “might” give the police more power, Geldenhuys said it would only be helpful if the police took a physical approach.

“It’s not going to scare people off. Obviously it’s not an isolated location for them to do it, and there are different groups across the country, so policing is likely to be an issue as well.

“If they want to lock everyone up and take their cars away, you need an army of police.”

The company also installed cameras to help identify license plates, but Geldenhuys said that for most of the cars, the license plates either didn’t exist or were stolen.

“We also found out that they get cheap and used tires from somewhere, put their cars on trailers, drop them off here, do what they have to do until the tire pops, put them back on the trailer and off they go.

“They still come here, even with the blocks, but it’s a bit inconvenient for them, so they’ve moved to the main road.”

Road Policing Superintendent Tim Anderson said the Waikato Police Department had a strategy for policing the road network, including “how we respond to complaints about illegal street racing.

“Should the ordinance proposed by the Waipā District Councils come into effect, it will provide police with another tool in our enforcement toolbox in our efforts to reduce illegal street racing and keep our roads safe for all road users.”

Anderson told Stuff that the response varied depending on the situation at any given event, and may include prevention patrols and response to incidents as they occur.

Rukuhia’s owner of Hamilton Caravan Hire, Cam Bates, worked late most evenings and said the street races lined up every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night from “11pm until anytime”.

“I’m not a spoilsport, and I understand kids are kids and kids have fun, but they’re destructive.

“They caused thousands of dollars of damage at the intersection. They dump all their trash and me and my kids, and everyone else picks it up on Saturday.

Bates said the proposed statutes were perfect.

However, he considered it pointless because the “police wouldn’t show up anyway”.

“The street racers are just knuckleheads, idiots. They’ve been doing this for two years.

“Before Class put up the bollards, they just destroyed the area.”

The Rukuhia area is one of the roads or areas listed as the hot spot for boy racers.

Sue Richards from Te Awamutu, who lives on Parklands Rd – also eligible for the ban, said there were a few cars that burnt out on Puahue Road and passed her home and the end of Parklands Rd.

“Sometimes they do it in the afternoon, and sometimes they scream past at night.”

Appleby Road – also on the list – Cambridge resident Pat Crowe said the racers were a bit of a nuisance.

“The man who lived here and still owns some property, placed waratahs and stones on the side of the road to prevent tearing of the grass.”

His wife found racers intimidating, saying, “They either did or traded drugs in their cars, usually at night.”

Crowe said he would be happy if police could move them after the proposed ordinance comes into effect.

Residents and property owners will now be consulted for feedback and if approved, the ban will likely be in effect by May.