After a barrage of complaints about hoons on the Echuca-Moama Community Facebook page, former NSW police officer Susan Coleman and car enthusiast Chris White got talking about finding a large area of flat pavement locally where drivers can do burnouts away from the public.
‘‘We want to work with them instead of working against them,’’ Susan said.
‘‘Because it’s only a matter of time before a member of the public is involved in an accident or one of these young boys loses their life.
‘‘Organising a skid pan maybe once a fortnight or once a month where they’re doing it in a safe environment and possibly having St John’s and the SES there could work.
‘‘This is their sport. It’s like what football is to a football player. They’re driving their vehicles and putting money into their vehicles because that’s their passion, so if we can give them that safe environment to do it, we might be able to reduce the death toll on the roads.’’
Susan, who moved to town just over a year ago, and Chris said giving young men an outlet for their ‘‘passion’’ was a start in finding a solution to the problem.
‘‘Young men think they're invincible,’’ Susan said.
The pair met with state Member for Murray Plains Peter Walsh on Friday, April 30, to discuss a potential location for a skid pan.
‘‘DECA, which is a driver education centre in Shepparton, used to do it. Every now and then they’d open it up and let cars skid around,’’ Chris said.
‘‘That’s where the inspiration for something here came about because, realistically, if you can’t beat them, join them. Get them off the public roads and give them somewhere out of the way where they’re no danger to others and they can do what they enjoy.’’
Susan, who worked as a police officer for 15 years around country NSW, said the criticism towards the police was extremely negative.
‘‘I have no doubt in my mind they’re doing everything in their power and it's not easy to catch someone in the act,’’ she said.
‘‘Unless they are there when it happens, the police’s hands are tied.’’
Chris said he would be interested in listening to the views of the wider public about a potential skid pan.
‘‘I think the people should speak and the people should be the ones to make the decision,’’ he said.
Mr Walsh said the idea had merit.
‘‘The issue will be finding a piece of land far enough away from residential houses that you’re not creating a problem for someone else,’’ he said.
Susan said something needed to be done, as the anger from the community was escalating.
‘‘I don’t think the community targeting them is going to get us anywhere,’’ she said.
‘‘It’s got to take someone willing to stand up and work with them.’’
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