If the buffoons who have a puerile fixation with erasing rubber on asphalt want to do so on distant country lanes then at least they disturb few. When something goes wrong, as it invariably does, they will hopefully kill none but the culpable. Those who have their sleep regularly disturbed by the midnight squeal will not lose any more sleep over it, no matter how many online posts lament “a beautiful life cut short”. But as Ms Thomas’s incident proves the damage done is never solely their own and they cravenly flee the moment there is any hint of answering for their “fun”.  

To be realistic, it is simply impractical to consider police can preempt this kind of behavior and simply impossible that they will be patrolling every street at every hour. The need for residents to have factual evidence including number plates is also problematic when getting details like this late at night with cars spinning about is no simple task. Ten years on from the introduction of tough legislation on hoons we do know that it has not eradicated the behavior. The initial delight of authority in impounding and even crushing hoons cars caught in the act loses its sting when the cars are so worthless that the drivers care little if they lose them.  Even when these youths are caught they rarely have the means to make restitution and despite the dreary excuses of underpaid lawyers their remorse is paper thin and their bovine proclivity is to simple do it all again.

But residents need to reclaim their own streets. Detection and punishment must play a part in deterring individuals so a combined and coordinated response from the community, crime stoppers and police is vital. Perhaps equally important for every parent who rears these dopes is a cultural change; countering the sense of entitlement which through boredom and misplaced machismo leads to this abuse and carelessness.  Stemming the “fun” may prevent a tragedy.