Hoons put on notice

By Melissa Meehan
HOONS in Upper Beaconsfield have been put on notice.
Follow the road rules, or face the consequences.
Cardinia Highway Patrol Sergeant Nigel Atkins said police were targeting Salisbury Road after a number of complaints of hooning in the area.
Upper Beaconsfield resident Robyn Hale said there were ongoing problems in Salisbury Road, so much so that residents breathed a sigh of relief when part of the road was closed thanks to a landslip following the recent floods.
“This gave us a reprieve from high-speed traffic for a couple of days,” she said.
“Our problem is that it is used as a race track for any would-be race drivers with a passion for speed.”
She said the worse times seemed to be early in the morning and late in the afternoon when “tradies are coming and going”, and when children were being driven to school at Beaconhills.
“You can hear the cars belting along miles before they pass your property and we cringe just waiting for an accident to happen,” she said.
She said the volume of traffic using the road was high and without a doubt much of that traffic was not travelling within the speed limit.
“We have spoken with Pakenham Police and Sergeant Nigel Atkins about this issue a number of times,” she said.
“But it doesn’t seem like the police are out during the peak times.
“On the other hand we see them at the front of the Upper Beaconsfield Primary School on a regular basis and traffic speed at that location has improved considerably – we just want it to stop on Salisbury Road.”
Ms Hale said a group of residents had contacted the Cardinia Shire and police numerous times regarding their concerns. Sgt Atkins said police had labelled the area a hot spot and were regularly tasking units there.
He described hooning as a “mindless epidemic by stupid people” that were too afraid to do it in their own streets – “in fear of parents finding out.”
“These fools who engage in this sort of poor, anti-social behaviour only seem to conduct the activity away from their own homes – obviously afraid of their parents catching them, or their neighbours. That clearly shows their strengths.”
He said if they got caught, they would face tough consequences.
“They had best get acclimatised to a new set of Reebok runners, roller skates or a smart looking bicycle to get about the streets, after their licence is taken for their misconduct.”