Vandals defecating on doorsteps, hoons burning rubber, graffiti on walls: welcome to life on Sturt Street, according to one longtime resident.
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Brian Anstey, who lives on Ballarat’s famous thoroughfare, is speaking out in the hope something is done to stop reckless behaviour along the drag.
“I don’t just want to complain, I want to think about what we can do as a community to stop it,” he said.
“I wake up to the sounds and smells of burning rubber at midnight, and again at 1am, then again. Ballarat city is the centre of drag racing through the night.”
Indeed, it’s well known among residents that after nightfall Sturt Street attracts loud cars “cutting laps” and “doing mainies”.
And it’s not just Mr Anstey who is sick of this fast and furious mentality.
Earlier this year, The Courier asked readers to pinpoint hooning hotspots in an online survey that drew an overwhelming response.
More than 500 submissions in one day underlined the scourge of erratic driving across the city, including on Sturt Street.
“I think it stems from the fact that Sturt Street is two lanes, side by side, (the hoons) like to be seen,” Mr Anstey said. “We could have cameras to enforce the 40km/h limit.”
Senior police have repeatedly urged residents to report hoon drivers after the problem was thrust into headlines this year.
Acting Senior Sergeant Ben Young said officers would not tolerate reckless driving along Ballarat’s most well-known street.
“Sturt Street is a major roadway through Ballarat and, as such, is often used by hoon drivers,” he said.
“Hoon driving is an area that is continually targeted by police due to the risk it poses to the community and other road users in particular.
“Road safety is everyone’s responsibility.
“Police encourage any witnesses to this type of driving to obtain registration details if possible and safe to do so and to report the activity through the Crimestoppers hoon line on 1800 333 000.”
Anti-hoon laws were introduced in Victoria back in 2006, giving police the power to immediately confiscate and impound vehicles driven by people in a dangerous manner.