Boy Racers

The term "Boy Racer" refers to a phenomenon that has spread through out New Zealand in the past few years. Boy Racers are teenage or twenty-something boys who modify their cars and drive irresponsibly, illegally, and generally disturb the local community through noise and vandalism.

The cars driven by Boy Racers are extremely modified and extremely ugly. Typical modifications for a boy racer include:

• Hideous paint jobs, often including patterns, words or images
• Ridiculously large spoilers
• Huge, earth-shattering exhaust pipes
• Engine modifications
• Neon lights underneath the car (this is my favorite)
  
• Lowering
  
• Wide race tires
  
• Loud sound systems

In fact, Boy Racers have become such a problem in New Zealand that 5 % of road deaths are caused by Boy Racers. In 2003 the Land Transport (Unauthorised Street and Drag Racing) Amendment Act, also known as the "Boy Racer Act," was signed into law. The Act is aimed at street racing and burnouts in public places.

Under the law, illegal activities include driving a car in an illegal street race or accelerating in an unnecessary way. Other infractions include wheel spins, "donuts" or driving a car in a way that causes the car to lose traction. There are heavy penalties for breaking the law, such as jail time, car impoundment, and fines.

Apparently, the law has helped police collect and impound many cars, but the Boy Racers continue to be a problem. A hospital in Christchurch has to move their patients on the weekends because the noise caused by Boy Racers on the street below is so bad. In January, a Christchurch policeman was ambushed by 300 Boy Racers who threw bottles at his car and shot at him with air rifles. The policeman just drove away, leaving the Boy Racers to their own destructive devises.

After the incident city officials and the public called for more aggressive laws to deal with the Boy Racer problem, including crushing their seized cars to get them off the road. The Boy Racers responded by threatening the Christchurch Mayor for his tough stance against them. They parked their cars outside his home, yelling and revving their engines.

Hmmm, so much for law enforcement.

Dunedin definitely has its share of Boy Racers. A walk down George St (the main street downtown) is not complete without engines revving, tires screeching, and music blasting from tinted windows. Grassy areas and parking lots often have tire marks from a cars doing donuts. The other night, I laid in bed listening to Boy Racers driving all over Dunedin until the wee morning hours. Every time I see these cars I have to shake my head and laugh. The cars are so ridiculous looking! And then I sprint across the street to avoid getting run over.