By Annabelle Tukia
Christchurch police were kept busy overnight with dozens of call outs relating to anti-social road users.
Hundreds of car enthusiasts had descended upon the city for a charity cruise, but police say some of their behaviour was dangerous, not only to themselves but other road users.
It started off as a cruise in aid of the earthquake-damaged Christchurch Cathedral.
But it soon turned into something less charitable and at times illegal.
“We’re here to run amok and create chaos!” shouts one boy racer.
Hundreds of car enthusiasts descended upon the central city, clogging streets, hanging from their cars and burning rubber.
“There’s going to be a big, fat meet up,” says a boy racer. “Look at all these cars and people, mate. There’s going to be a lot of action with the tyres and stuff.”
It was that type of action that police were trying to avoid. The group had applied for a permit from the council to hold their cruise, but the police declined it.
“Police had concerns about road safety,” says Sergeant Kelly Larsen of the Papnui police. “That’s our primary concern both for the boy racer drivers themselves as well as members of the public. We don't want any major incidents where safety is compromised.”
Police were kept busy checking cars for warrants, registrations and illegal modifications.
They were also left to pick up the broken bottles and rubbish that was strewn across this supermarket carpark.
“The calls that we got were concerning speeding, burnouts or sustained loss of traction and also driving or riding vehicles in an unsafe manner,” says Sgt Larsen.
But some were keen to confront police, yelling obscenities.
“The cops are just out for the revenue anyway so we don't worry about that,” said car enthusiast Nathan Bloomfield. “It’s the last thing we think about when we're doing that shit. You know, put it on the tab."
But with Police ordering several cars off the road rather than putting it on the tab, the boy racers run the risk of having their precious cars crushed instead.
3 News