THE EDITOR, Sir:
IT IS no secret to John Public nor to the police, that drag racing is practised regularly on two main artery roads, Old Hope Road and Hope Road, initiated mainly at a particular gas station.
On a few of my late night visits there, I've witnessed youngsters gloating over their flashy, 'souped-up' hot rods, many of whom are obviously under the legal age to drink alcoholic beverages and get this - they're smoking cigarettes. Does nobody else see the seriousness of smoking in a gas station?
Secondly, if the gas station has an off-trade spirits licence to sell alcohol, surely it can't be legal to consume the beverages openly on the property? The million-dollar question is why the proprietors are facilitating an environment conducive to reckless endangerment? Sure, they reap the benefits of the many purchases of bottles of rum, cups, ice, cigarettes, etc., but they should be penalised for condoning this blatant lawlessness on their premises.
There is the intermittent patrol by a police vehicle in the early hours of the morning but their pit stops rarely dissuade a bid or two on the next race. The police know that the races are organised there and receive complaints regularly from residents alongside the 'race courses'.
With the deaths of two aspiring professionals still fresh in our minds, I did a little homework of my own and interviewed a wrecker truck operator and learned that approximately ten to fifteen inoperable vehicles are lifted from Hope Road on a weekly basis. The ages of the drivers range from 18 to 28. The vehicles are modified to enhance speed and aesthetics. Most of the accidents happen on weekends and public holidays and racing is the prime reason.
I am, etc.,
FC
gleanerreader@yahoo.com
