Letter to Editor- Opinions Please?

[Serial_Fool]

Hello,

I've written a letter to the local paper regaurding this article....

http://www.borderwatch.com.au/archives/2334#more-2334

If you could read through it and leave some feedback I would be greatful.

Sir,
In relation to the lead article “Hoon Terror” for the 12th of February’s Border Watch

I am a self-confessed car nut, I love performance vehicles, travelling at high speeds and I also love the smell of tire smoke. But in my self-confession there is a catch, I like it all legally, at the limited auto racing events throughout the South East of South Australia.

You may be wondering why would someone school aged might be writing to you admitting they are a car nut (or in many eyes, a “hoon”), practically putting themselves up for crucifixion by the community at large? Because even though I love going fast and wasting money on fuel, I only like doing it in a safe legal environment. At all other times I just like to drive my car. I like driving to the Mc Donald’s drive through and buying some cheese burgers, or the service station to put some overpriced fuel in, or cruising along a country road. Most of all I like chatting to people who all share the same interest, love for cars.

As I see in the article many residents are upset about the level of “hoon” activity within their communities, commenting on the many “close shaves” they have observed and the speeding/drag racing that has been happening in the streets of Mount Gambier. I share their concerns for their community and the people committing these acts should be punished. The use of a motor vehicle on the road in my view is a privilege and not a right. But on the other hand, I have witnessed ignorance of police forces and the community regarding car enthusiasts. I’m not saying if Joe Blow rips a burnout in his hectic VL Commodore at the intersection of the main street let him go, but by that same token going all out to impound his vehicle, fine him 2 weeks of pay, and take his license away seems very steep, particularly if he or she requires that vehicle to earn a living. He’s not a car enthusiast he’s a hoon, but being a hoon doesn’t make him a murderer, it rather just makes him ignorant. Ignorant on how having fun in a car should be, that is, in a controlled environment.

How have car enthusiasts been pressured as a result on the crackdown on “hooning”? How about the senseless defection of a motor car over trivial things that have no bearing on safety of the vehicle or police officers randomly pulling people over to “have a look” even when no crime has even been committed. It is kind of ironic that other road users not fitting the "hoon” or “car enthusiast” profile get by with unsuspecting cars with major defects. Why have these things been done to innocent people and their possessions while others get away scot free? It’s a simple answer even highlighted in the article by Sandra Morello. As described by Ms Barton “On one evening this month in just 20 minutes I counted dozens of hoon cars on our street”, the labelling of a “hoon car”. What could be described as a “hoon car” Ms Barton? Big wheels and a high powered V8 engine? Blinding multi coloured lights? For those who couldn’t have foreseen, I have just described many cars used by the police in this very state. The point I am trying to put across is never judge a book by its cover so to speak. People driving around in modified cars cannot be automatically labelled a hoon and they should not automatically hammered by police for driving around. Many would have cars better maintained and are less defectable than the police force. Like many people have said in history car enthusiasts should be innocent until proven otherwise.

Statistics provided by Senior Sergeant Hill indicated 344 cars have been impounded or clamped in the South East. How he could be taking up such devastating statistics defies logic. Having the second highest level of hoon activity in the state isn’t something to be proud of. In contrast- it shows that the existing methods of curbing hooning aren’t working. Simply taking away somebody’s vehicle will not make them a better driver. Actually it makes them become bitter regarding our authorities. Only training in the use of a motor vehicle WILL make them a better driver. While the current process to obtain a license is adequate only the Provisional one test requires actual in-the-car driving, all else is purely theory on basic road rules.

A more direct approach could be used. Many analysts argue that inexperienced drivers are over represented in the national death toll on our road. The key word here is “inexperienced”. How is it that we bring down the numbers of inexperienced drivers in the road toll? Government sponsored (whether it be local or state) training days for learner drivers by auto clubs would be a great answer. Increased funding could be introduced to many of the car clubs throughout the South East to stage mandatory events for learner/ provisional drivers. This approach would have two very positive outcomes. The first, it would curb the need for honing around suburban streets as all the honing would be done on a race track. The second, it would allow inexperienced drivers to develop practical driving skills in a safe place. A legal way to drain the boy-racer out of a “hoon” in a constructive environment would befit many people in the community while reducing the risk of Mount Gambier/ South Eastern streets to be used as a racetrack. Teaching people how to actually drive instead of the basics of road rules and driving positions is the way to go. Not harsher penalties.

Thank you for the time you took to read my letter Mr Editor, and for all of the community: please keep safe on the roads.
Mr. ***** ****

[Peuty]

Good letter. Too long for a paper to publish though.

[eyes87]

100% aggree

[Rodp]

Condense it to 50 words or less if you want it published. You'll also have to dumb it down a bit.

[BadMac]

Don't bother with the paper, send it to the police chief, the automobile association and the Pollies, god send it to Rudd (his staff will pass it to the right person who's staff will respond with a form letter, but you may be on of the lucky few who actually get picked up and used as an example of "not all car lovers are hoons" and you never know somebody might even listen to the message you are conveying!!) . Copy it to a few news channels and maybe somebody will bite and do a story about the points you make (very well I might add).

The paper will just slice it up (edit it) and lose the message to fit their format/bias, then it will only be read by 60+ years olds (who else actually reads letter to the paper, mags, yes, AMC YES, but the paper ha).

[Pedro]

Originally Posted by BadMac

Don't bother with the paper, send it to the police chief, the automobile association and the Pollies, god send it to Rudd (his staff will pass it to the right person who's staff will respond with a form letter, but you may be on of the lucky few who actually get picked up and used as an example of "not all car lovers are hoons" and you never know somebody might even listen to the message you are conveying!!) . Copy it to a few news channels and maybe somebody will bite and do a story about the points you make (very well I might add).

The paper will just slice it up (edit it) and lose the message to fit their format/bias, then it will only be read by 60+ years olds (who else actually reads letter to the paper, mags, yes, AMC YES, but the paper ha).

Good advice BadMac. I send e-mails to Qld Pollies (never get an answer) about their hypocrisy (road toll/speed cameras) and I used to write letters to newspapers, but as you correctly state, they censor them to fit their bias.

By the way I fit your criteria for reading newspaper letters, but avoid them like the plague as they all seem to written by young people who are pushing their own agenda and don't have a clue what's really going on, unlike Serial_Fool, who's letter is a gem.

[Keepleft]

Originally Posted by Rodp

Condense it to 50 words or less if you want it published. You'll also have to dumb it down a bit.

Indeed. And - "dumb it down a bit", = quite right.


NB - Someone said 'send it to Rudd', don't; its a VIC question, not federal.

[Peuty]

Originally Posted by Keepleft

NB - Someone said 'send it to Rudd', don't; its a VIC question, not federal.

SA actually.

[Auslandau]

Some good points in your reply. I would send it as a whole and see if you get a response from them. They may think it news worthy and could want another point of view.

In the article you linked I liked this comment ... :(

He praised the public for reporting hoon behaviour, which had led to a high number of clampings and impoundments.

“The public are so sick of it and they have been fantastic in reporting incidents,” Snr Sgt Hill said.

Like the old bloke at the end of my street who, as I went past on Saturday, shook his head and fist at me as I went past ...... doing no more than fifty, in the Landau which I admit is fairly loud! I expected a visit from the police from his reaction. His word against mine.

Good luck in getting a say!



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[Serial_Fool]

Just makes me sick that people lump in car enthusiasts with hoons or automatically think "hoon" when they hear a thundering exhaust or big wheels. Only my 2 bob but it seems alot of people agree.

:eclipsee_

[LTDHO]

Great letter, bit long though

[OLDFORDNUT]

" Many would have cars better maintained and are less defectable than the police force. Like many people have said in history car enthusiasts should be innocent until proven otherwise. "
This sentance, in one of your paragraphs makes no sence ,
but i think its a good letter to send once you remove a few mistakes and shorten it up a bit.
cheers Nick

[Cabbage]

I think there are two separate issues here. Inexperienced drivers and how to improve their driving skills and prevent them part of the road toll and plain old "hoons" breaking the law and putting other peoples lives at risk.
If someone is caught "hooning", and by this I mean doing doey's, handbrakies, street racing etc I think we all know the sort of behaviour that constitutes hooning then I have no problem the police taking their cars off them. If they drive their cars in this way and puts peoples lives at risk, then they don't deserve to have a car. Tough luck. If they want to do this sort of thing, do as you do and do it legally in a controlled environment.
You can't entirely blame the police for being overzealous. Most hoons do their cars up/ modify them as a car enthuisiast would so unfortunately car enthusiasts get targetted as well. The minority ruin it for the majority.
It would be tough going to a motor vehicle accident caused by someone driving irresponsibly where people have died, having to tell their families and then a short time later seeing a "hoon" driving in the same way hard to be sympathetic. Might explain why Traffic Police have little empathy for people breaking road rules. All we car enthusiasts can do is make sure that we do the right thing, speak out against hoons and show the public we are a responsible part of the community.

[Dr_Hoon]

Hmmm, I wouldn't hang on to the 'experience' line too tight, at least not in the form you discuss it in terms of the capacities of a normal p-plater or whatever.

Police use automotive defects as a social control tool. Any car can be *suspected* of being unroadworthy, the point is that police are not expected to know whether it is or is not. You are given a defect inspection notice to get it inspected by technicians at the pits.

What we should be demanding is transparency in terms of road safety statistics. Too often stats organised around the demographic segment 'young drivers' are deployed in governmental discourse in such a way as to obfuscate the problem. Stats are only useful if they allow you to segment a given population in ways that offer effective solutions. Any proper road safety professional will tell you how/where/who p-platers are getting killed/injured. That is why in NSW we have p-plater restrictions, as they are targeted at the (suspected) actual causes of the accidents.

Hooning, on the other hand, in terms of what is identified by the anti-hoon legislation is not a road safety problem at all. It is bloody nonsense for any government or road safety professional to suggest otherwise. All this is demonstrated in the stats.

On a cultural level all these different issues get collapsed so young drivers and hoons all get rolled into one thing. Governments and police forces should educate themselves first and then identify the actual at risk demographic segments.

[Stattic]

wow i read that first article and it almost had me in stitches! to me it seems like a bunch of old codgers whinging because they have nothing better to do. i dont doubt that they have a problem but i think they are taking it too far.
like you, i had a real problem with the old codger counting hoon cars. i have a mate with a busted up xf, identical to the 80 year old lady's down the road. he is a real hoon, does that mean the old lady drives a hoon car? it should be impounded! she should lose her license and be fined serious money. -_-

i actually laughed at the comment about the tennis courts. in my head i have the vision of a car flying so high into the air that it actually makes it into the tennis court. also the fathers comment that a car might "squash" a kid like its some sort of giant or bigfoot or something.

"They claim at least one elderly resident is petrified a car will crash through her front wall into her lounge room"
yes, yes, the poor old lady sits there all day and night rocking back and forth with a nervous twitch just waiting for some hoon to fly through her front window. paranoia? noooo!
http://www.thedaily.com.au/news/2008...es-home-eudlo/
check out that hoon... perhaps this is the man she's afraid of? i bet hes a P plater!

now im not trying to defend hoons or anything but i think this article was criminally bias and very poorly written
you were so right to send in a letter to challenge it and your letter was of a high quality (albeit too long for its intended use, as others have stated)
the whole thing makes me wonder why dont the police set up a camera on that street... theyd make a killing and solve the speeding problem (if there is one), seems like a very easy fix to me.

[Peuty]

Hahaha have a go at the names of the "elderly" people in the article Pat, Colleen, Daryl etc. I wonder if they have the support of Ethyl, Beryl, Wilfred and Gertrude?

My apologies to people here who actually have these names.

[Stattic]

Originally Posted by Peuty

Hahaha have a go at the names of the "elderly" people in the article Pat, Colleen, Daryl etc. I wonder if they have the support of Ethyl, Beryl, Wilfred and Gertrude?

My apologies to people here who actually have these names.

lol ethyl?? is that a real name? also you forgot Daisy, Gaye, Betsy and Patsy (similar to Pat)

[ST]

That article is terrible hahaha. They must have had the rookie writing that one, it's hilariously ridiculous. A couple of my favourite quotes:

"...many children used the park to play or fly kites."

“These idiots could lose control and squash a child."

“These hoon drivers could also hit a pot hole, flip and crash into the tennis courts while people are playing tennis; someone could be killed,”

Sensationalized garbage.