FTOs make street-racing history

[colm_mcm]

2 FTOs involved in a street race in Oz are the first cars to fall foul of new clamping laws:

NSW police have “wheel clamped” two vehicles seized for alleged street racing in Sydney at the weekend.

It is the first time police have enacted the clamping provisions of the state government’s Road Transport Legislation Amendment (Car Hoons) Act 2008.

The new wheel clamping powers are being trialled in the Liverpool and Wollongong Local Area Commands.

Under the act, police have the power to confiscate vehicles allegedly involved in street racing or “burn out” offences.

The second phase of the amendment allows police to clamp vehicles and impound them at the owner’s premises at the driver’s expense.

Offenders will be required to pay for the initial restraint of their vehicle and the release of the clamp at the end of the mandatory three month period.

Police warn any attempt to tamper with the wheel locks would incur a $2,200 fine per offence.

Two Mitsubishi FTO vehicles were seized two days ago after an alleged street race at Liverpool.

Around 12.30am on Sunday (11 January), it’s alleged the sports cars sped off from an intersection on Orange Grove Road and attempted to overtake each other at high speed on the Hume Highway.

Their alleged actions were witnessed by police in two unmarked cars, which had stopped behind them at a set of lights.

A 17-year-old P-2 provisional driver from Blair Athol, near Campbelltown, and a 19-year-old P-1 provisional driver from Figtree, in Wollongong, were stopped and charged with street racing offences.

Their confiscated cars were returned this morning, clamped and deposited at their homes.

The pair has been ordered to appear before the Liverpool Local Court on 26 February.

NSW Police Force Traffic Services Commander, John Hartley, said, “The presence of their clamped vehicles at their homes provides offenders with a daily reminder of what they’ve done wrong.

“While a first offence would see your car confiscated for three months, if you re-offend you run the risk of police removing your pride and joy for good,” Chief Superintendent Hartley said.

“Street racing endangers the lives of not only the drivers involved, but often innocent motorists and pedestrians,” he said.

“The process has the bonus of freeing up operational police and getting them back on the streets to protect the community.”

The clamping trials began at both commands on 26 September 2008 and will continue until further notice.

If successful, the program will be adopted state-wide.

[d_dan]

if your stipid enough to race in public youll get whats comming to you

[fatboyfat7]

17 and 19 year olds... shows you the ease on insuring the fto elsewhere.

[Mustang]

if your stipid enough to race in public youll get whats comming to you

Maybe so however, in a civilised society one is deemed innocent until proven guilty. The word alleged is used very often in the article

seized for alleged street racing

police have the power to confiscate vehicles allegedly involved in street racing

it’s alleged the sports cars sped off

Their cars are going to be out of action for ~6 weeks while waiting on the verdict of alleged offences, seems excessive to me. What if they are deemed innocent by the court? Will they be compensated for the inconvenience?

[d_dan]

£30 a trip to and from work for the next6 weeks makes.

5 X 30 = 520 million pounds nice

[colm_mcm]

Maybe so however, in a civilised society one is deemed innocent until proven guilty. The word alleged is used very often in the article

I'm pretty sure this is just the authors covering themselves while reporting on a pending case?