Jane Nees BOP Regional Councillor www.janenees.co.nz

Recently, I was contacted by a constituent concerned about the use of local rural roads by hoons as a race track, burnout pad or rally track. I know of at least three rural communities, including my own, where this is a problem.

In my own neighbourhood, during the last couple of months there have been two late night crashes, rubber laid at a local intersection from burnouts, and the grassy berms have been cut up by idiots doing wheelies.

This latter event was on a Sunday afternoon. Our roads are much used by walkers and cyclists, and a good mix of cars and business vehicles both day and night. It's just a matter of time before someone gets badly hurt, and we don't want this in our patch.

We have had neighbourhood discussions about it and have raised it with the Police. They have told us we should ring them when the hoons are in the neighbourhood and they will come up straight away.

We've been encouraged to take photos of them and record their number plates and pass this on to Police. They say not to engage with the louts directly, but to call the Police as soon as possible.

We are doing this – and I encourage everyone out there that suffers from this plague to do the same. From my point of view, a confiscated car would be a good result.

If you have any views on this or any other issue, please contact me on neesj@xtra.co.nz or ring me on 07 579 5150.