Recession helps curb boyracers

High petrol costs and job losses have taken hoons off the road. Photo / Herald on Sunday

The recession has had an unlikely silver lining - forcing boyracers off the roads.

Police around the country are reporting a decrease in the number of hoons racing around in souped-up cars, and say money worries have helped halt their antics.

Counties Manukau road policing manager Inspector Heather Wells said high petrol prices and unemployment had "definitely" discouraged Auckland boyracers, although police operations were also helping.

"We don't have boyracers out there like we used to, and the recession will definitely be affecting them," she said.

"You used to see them in their own cars, and now they're four to a car, or not at all because they can't afford the petrol. If they don't have jobs any more that will affect them being able to afford things."

She said the decrease started last year and her team had targeted them by trespassing them from certain properties and organising stings on the weekends.

"We're out there every weekend stopping them, which has made a huge difference. You used to see drag trains of 300 cars but this has now stopped."

National road policing manager Paula Rose said what was happening in Auckland was being mirrored across New Zealand.

"Anecdotal reports I've had from around the country suggest the economic condition is affecting street racing, as it is for all road users," she said.

"Illegal street racers are changing their minds about going out as much and might just do it one night a week, or they carpool.

"I wouldn't say it has gone completely, or that it ever will, but it has quietened down in some areas."

Western Bay of Plenty road policing officer Senior Sergeant Ian Campion said the recession had deterred boyracers from driving between Hamilton, Rotorua, Taupo and Tauranga for meetings.

Winter weather and strong enforcement had also contributed to the downturn.

"They're less likely to drive long distances and cause mayhem if petrol is going to cost them more," he said.

Bay of Plenty road policing Inspector Kevin Taylor agreed winter was keeping car enthusiasts at bay. "There's no point cruising around if there's no one to look at them."

But Christchurch boyracers appear to be immune to the economic downturn, and police haven't noticed any fall off.

"Even when petrol prices were going through the roof last year we didn't notice a drop," said Canterbury acting road policing manager Senior Sergeant Trevor Pullen.