Police & RMS bosses; I think you did the wrong thing last night.
Dear Assistant Commissioner John Hartley, Commander of Traffic & Highway Patrol Command & Peter Duncan AM, Chief Executive Roads and Maritime Services.
There was a “defect station” set up at 611 Great Western Hwy, Eastern Creek last night. This is the main exit point from the $23 million dollar Western Sydney International Dragway. A facility that was purpose built to encourage safe & legal car events.
Peter Duncan AM, as Chief Executive of Roads and Maritime Services You made an error of judgement allowing the “defect station” to be set up . Your vision, as stated in your annual report, is to;
be the leader in the management and delivery of safe, efficient and high quality services and infrastructure to the community and businesses of NSW.
It does not appear your vision is to encourage reckless risk taking. Your actions last night have disconnected role models & community leaders from an already disenfranchised counter culture. You have positioned the RMS as “the enemy” of young modified car enthusiasts. This is a group of youth that are extremely likely to hurt themselves or others in a motor vehicle.
EOMM (End Of Month Meet) was a friendly and relaxed meet where car enthusiasts could come together and enjoy their shared love of cars. The event was attended by the modified car scene’s influential “leaders”.
Did you consult with the event organiser about setting up a defect station? No. I think he would have told you DO NOT set up a defect station. I think he would have told you that it would discourage people from attending next month. It will not discourage people from modifying their car or meeting up. They will just meet in industrial areas late at night.
A “pod filter” isn’t causing these cars to crash. Reckless & risk taking behaviour is.
It is impossible to encourage safe & legal car modification if the car scene’s role models are disconnected from those most likely to wrap themselves around a pole street racing.
Assistant Commissioner John Hartley, you have let down your staff in the Traffic & Highway Patrol command. These officers, if you asked them candidly, are deeply affected by attending fatal car crashes & witnessing the grief ripple through the community. There have been several fatal crashes involving youth where street racing or risk taking behaviour was implicated.
If your goal by ordering your officers to team up with the RMS was to tell every car enthusiast in Sydney to “take it back to the streets”; well done. You have achieved your goal.
There is already an epidemic of PTSD within the NSWPF. I can guarantee you will loose plenty more officers to the debilitating affects of PTSD after they witness one too many needless deaths or have to explain to the family how their son or daughter has been killed by taking unnecessary risks.
Next time you attend a fatal car accident, Look at the faces of YOUR officers. Ask them if they would prefer you score “cheap points” or play the long game of positive interaction & encouraging young car enthusiasts to go the safe & legal route.
EOMM is now an “avoid at all costs” car meet.
So how do we fix this?
Easy. Next month guarantee NO DEFECT STATION. Bring a couple of HWP cars down to the meet. Let your officers chat & show these young men & women you aren’t the enemy. Hell; why don’t you bring down a promotional vehicle like that $450,000 McLaren 650S used as a promotional tool to help raise money for the families of fallen police. (Just a reminder that more Police fall to PTSD & Suicide after witnessing horrific things!)
Regards
Modified Car Enthusiast
p.s. Sydney’s JDM Scene; You aren’t “blameless” in this whole thing. (imo) A few people doing the wrong thing has caused this unwanted attention.
