Give us a brake

10:51am Thursday 26th June 2008

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DEVIZES' young car cruising community say residents and police should stop giving them a hard time.

The so-called boy racers - a term to which they object because some of their number are girls and they don't race each other - were reacting to a threat from police that their cars could be seized and possibly crushed if they indulge in anti-social behaviour.

A group of 25 met up with a reporter and photographer from the Gazette and Herald in Station Road car park on Monday to put their point of view.

Their spokesman was 24-year-old Ross Williamson. He said: "We invest every bit of what we earn in our cars. They are our pride and joy.

"We are not going to race around and risk damaging the vehicles we spend so much time and money making as good as we can.

"Our cars are all taxed, insured and MOT-ed and we never drink and drive. But if we meet up anywhere within five minutes the police are there and moving us on."

Car cruising has become increasingly popular as young people buy older cars and upgrade them with alloy wheels, chrome exhausts and sports seats.

But police throughout the region have come down hard on preventing mass cruising in places like Weston-super-Mare and it is becoming increasingly hard for young cruisers to find places to show off their vehicles.

All the cars that lined up at Station Road on Monday were impeccably turned out.

Residents in Station Road have complained that boy racers hurtle up and down the street late at night. There are also allegations of cars doing handbrake turns and doughnuts, where cars do tight spins, in the car park.

Mr Williamson said that this was highly unlikely. He said: "This would be physically impossible as you need to have a car with rear-wheel drive and I think there are only two rear-wheel drive cars in the group.

"We live in this town so we are not going to do anything to annoy people. But we have no power over drivers from other towns.

"The bloke involved in the crash in Long Street last week came from Melksham."

One of the many female members of the group, Beth Ireson, was incensed at the attitude of police and residents.

She said: "I used to have a Saxo VTS and the first time I drove it I got pulled over. The police officer wanted to do a random check for no apparent reason. Young people that drive nice cars have been given a bad name."

The group say they would value a meeting with town councillors to look into the possibility of creating an area where they can hang out and discuss their vehicles.