The " nutcracker " solution !

Illegal street racing is in the news following the death of two elderly people hit by a pair of Holden Commodores racing side by side in western Sydney. It now appears that street racing is a rising problem that is reaching cult status with car hoons.
The police commissioner has suggested a strategy to stamp it out. He advocates following the example of some American cities where cars used in street races are seized - and the driver is forced to watch them crushed in a car compacter. The resulting cube of metal is then dumped on the offenders front lawn.
The state government seems to be wavering on this idea, preferring that after seizure the cars be auctioned and the proceeds used in other crime prevention schemes.
The police commissioner has got it right. Simply auctioning confiscated vehicles lacks the psychological aspect. The most likely outcome in many cases would be the original offender buying it back by way of a proxy.
To see a car crushed before your eyes is the ultimate message that it is gone forever.
What the police commissioner accurately recognises is the bond between the car and the street racer. These are not clapped out bombs of little value. They are state of the art cars and the owners pride and joy. Huge amounts of money have been spent on them - lowering suspension - fitting racing tyres - adding the plethora of improvements that will coax out that extra bit of speed - to help the cultist achieve superiority over the competition.
The surest way to stamp out car racing on suburban streets is to institute a reign of terror in which the punishment is too awful to contemplate. Taking away driving licenses does not achieve that objective. They simply ignore the restriction and drive anyway.
Once the evening TV news shows a few instances of such cars going through the crusher the message will get through. Parents will have second thoughts about allowing an irresponsible younger family member to have the use of the family car if there is even the slightest chance that it may be involved in a street race.
The car hoons who own their own cars will decide that the risk is too great - and turn to the facilities at Eastern Creek - where they can legally do exactly what they have been doing on the streets of Sydney - with no risk of confiscation.
Unfortunately the politicians will most likely consign the police commissioner's practical idea to the " too hard basket " !