Welcome to a controversial post designed to get some reaction via the newly moderated Comments! As a former Jag owner, I realise I am not exempt from driving criticism.
There's nothing new about young people driving cars irresponsibly. It is and always has been the single biggest cause of death for young males. Over the last decade or slightly longer, here's what *is* new:
The problem's no longer confined to the town's road network. They also stop for long periods or, more precisely, they stay a while, go and come back. And this of major concern.
In Rhuthun/Ruthin, the problem started in Crispin Yard car park. Here was the focal point for the area's blinged up car set, the centre of what can only be described as a boy racer *culture*. Nowadays, such people no longer need to be racing around town to cause a problem. They can do so while still, idling & blipping their exhausts. In Crispin Yard, they would:
Boy racers no longer seem to value people who live in their own community or appreciate the effect they are having upon others. It's an alarming change of outlook. It can go so far as to threaten people's quality of life. "Ordinary" anti-social behaviour is magnified a hundredfold when it comes with the blip of an accelerator linked to an overblown or deliberately doctored exhaust.
The first response was the fitting of a barrier at Crispin Yard. This closed off the area of the car park by Cae Ddol. This was successful in halting the creeping insidiousness of such offences. But it forced boy racers elsewhere, notably on to Park Road car park.
Then, the police recognised a problem & sought two dispersal orders that allowed them to break up groups of more than two people. This worked, too. But it sent the boy racers from Crispin Yard & Park Road to the Llanfwrog community centre or Troed y Rhiw opposite the station yard roundabout (the so-called Briec roundabout).
For a six month period, starting now, all four car parks have a new dispersal order. Locals will be relieved to hear this. But what of the youth? It's inevitable that they'll simply jump in their bangers and go elsewhere. They have the mobility. A new micro-community will suffer. There's evidence to suggest that after-hours Tesco and the craft centre are new venues.
Anti-social behaviour and dangerous driving between them continually account for about half of all concerns as voted for by the public under the "Balance your Bobbies" initiative. Yet, it would seem that unless the police can secure a blanket dispersal order for all open spaces, the problem will only pop up like in the squeezing of a balloon. If finally driven out of Rhuthun, it'll only reappear in a neighbouring village.
When you talk to people affected by boy racers—on the roads or by the car parks—there's only one response they give. It's one of zero tolerance by removing the one element that causes the problem: seize and crush the car. And do it again if they buy another or till they get the message.
Rhuthun welcomes sensible drivers, young & old
There's nothing new about young people driving cars irresponsibly. It is and always has been the single biggest cause of death for young males. Over the last decade or slightly longer, here's what *is* new:- A change of attitude
- The scale of the problem
- Younger drivers no longer *driving* to cause a nuisance.
The problem's no longer confined to the town's road network. They also stop for long periods or, more precisely, they stay a while, go and come back. And this of major concern.In Rhuthun/Ruthin, the problem started in Crispin Yard car park. Here was the focal point for the area's blinged up car set, the centre of what can only be described as a boy racer *culture*. Nowadays, such people no longer need to be racing around town to cause a problem. They can do so while still, idling & blipping their exhausts. In Crispin Yard, they would:
- Spin a few doughnuts
- Blast a few horns
- Accelerate & decelerate as if they were no better than Jeremy Clarkson
- Drive to ensure their cars screeched
- Congregate till who knows when in the morning
- Generally behave badly & noisily, with engines on or off.
Boy racers no longer seem to value people who live in their own community or appreciate the effect they are having upon others. It's an alarming change of outlook. It can go so far as to threaten people's quality of life. "Ordinary" anti-social behaviour is magnified a hundredfold when it comes with the blip of an accelerator linked to an overblown or deliberately doctored exhaust.
The first response was the fitting of a barrier at Crispin Yard. This closed off the area of the car park by Cae Ddol. This was successful in halting the creeping insidiousness of such offences. But it forced boy racers elsewhere, notably on to Park Road car park.
Then, the police recognised a problem & sought two dispersal orders that allowed them to break up groups of more than two people. This worked, too. But it sent the boy racers from Crispin Yard & Park Road to the Llanfwrog community centre or Troed y Rhiw opposite the station yard roundabout (the so-called Briec roundabout).
For a six month period, starting now, all four car parks have a new dispersal order. Locals will be relieved to hear this. But what of the youth? It's inevitable that they'll simply jump in their bangers and go elsewhere. They have the mobility. A new micro-community will suffer. There's evidence to suggest that after-hours Tesco and the craft centre are new venues.
Anti-social behaviour and dangerous driving between them continually account for about half of all concerns as voted for by the public under the "Balance your Bobbies" initiative. Yet, it would seem that unless the police can secure a blanket dispersal order for all open spaces, the problem will only pop up like in the squeezing of a balloon. If finally driven out of Rhuthun, it'll only reappear in a neighbouring village.
When you talk to people affected by boy racers—on the roads or by the car parks—there's only one response they give. It's one of zero tolerance by removing the one element that causes the problem: seize and crush the car. And do it again if they buy another or till they get the message.
Rhuthun welcomes sensible drivers, young & old
Tags:
Boy racers/bikers