Wanted - Queensland Hoons

[Scott]

Hoons wanted for uni research
July 31, 2007 - 9:01AM
Source: ABC
A researcher from the Queensland University of Technology is seeking hoons to help her make changes to the state's anti-hooning legislation.
Nerida Leal says the survey, conducted for QUT's Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety, will look at the impact of hooning on road safety and provide recommendations to police.
She says there have been no studies in Australia about hooning or why people decide to hoon.
"I'm going to have a particular look at the legislation so [will ask] whether they think it's been effective, [and] whether they've come into contact with a police officer as part of an anti-hooning operation.

Never too old to hoon!
Published 30 July 2007 16:03
Updated 31 July 2007 16:34
| By Mark Furler - The Daily

Age is no barrier to hooning, it seems.

Queensland University of Technology researcher Nerida Leal, who is doing a study of hoons on the Sunshine Coast, said while the majority of offenders were aged under 25, recent police records show quite a number of offenders in their 40s, some in their 50s and some as old as 71.

Ms Leal said a sample of 1000 offenders found 60% aged under 21, while 75% were aged under 25.

She said a combination of the ‘male influence’ of friends, and peer group pressure was partly to blame for hoons destroying the peace and quiet of areas like Mooloolaba and Alexandra Headland. “The social influence seems to be quite important,’’ she said.

Ms Leal said there was very much a “car culture’’ within Australia and that it was not unusual for young people to spend thousands of dollars fitting out their cars with special modifications and loud stereos.

As part of a research project by QUT's Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety - Queensland (CARRS-Q), volunteers are being sought for a study to find out what drivers think about hooning and their views on current "anti-hoon" legislation.

Ms Leal is looking for drivers in the Sunshine Coast area, who have performed a behaviour that could be construed as hooning such as racing, speed trials, burn outs, fish tails or donuts, to take part in focus groups.

"Hooning receives a considerable amount of attention in the media but there is limited research on the topic, particularly from the perspective of drivers likely to be labelled as hoons by police," Ms Leal said.

"I am interested in finding out what these drivers think about hooning and the current police response - the 'anti-hooning' legislation."

Since the introduction of "anti-hoon" legislation in Queensland more than 3200 vehicles have been impounded.

"The aim of my research is to establish the risk associated with both street racing and street racers, which can inform the development of prevention strategies," she said.

"Ultimately we want to make the state's roads safer."

Ms Leal said participants would not be asked to provide any identifying information, and all comments would be treated as confidential.

"The findings of the study will contribute to my PhD research, and may be presented at conferences or in scholarly journals," she said.

If you are interested in taking part or want to find out more about the research, contact Nerida Leal on 3138 4545, or email n.leal@qut.edu.au

Ms Leal's research is supported by the Queensland Government's Growing the Smart State PhD Funding Program.

Surely there's some "Hoons" on here that can do the community a service.

[XR6TickfordBoy]

Yeah but what qualifies you as a hoon?
My neighbours say im a hoon cos they can hear my exhaust note!

[Hunter]

Heh, CARRSQ do some interesting research actually.

They've got a whole psychology dept. attached to them. While I think the causes of hooning are obvious, she's right - there's no studies that conclusively determine why it is that people think they can go and misbehave on the road.

[AWD Chaser]

Originally Posted by XR6TickfordBoy

Yeah but what qualifies you as a hoon?
My neighbours say im a hoon cos they can hear my exhaust note!

Haha - too right... There was a thread on this about a year ago - "What is a Hoon".... I would assume it's speeding around... ie. Hooning around... but now, it's Speeding, accelerating fast, loud cars, loud stereos, burnouts, revving, changing lanes faster then what a 90yo would, and even by standers watching burnouts.... etc, etc... well, at least thats what the media says they are...

[Scott]

Originally Posted by XR6TickfordBoy

Yeah but what qualifies you as a hoon?

From the passage above:

Ms Leal is looking for drivers in the Sunshine Coast area, who have performed a behaviour that could be construed as hooning such as racing, speed trials, burn outs, fish tails or donuts, to take part in focus groups.

[Green X]

Couldn't the Uni spend money on researching something useful.

[Hunter]

Originally Posted by Green X

Couldn't the Uni spend money on researching something useful.

Such as? This is important road research and this is one of the reasons why CARRSQ exists. If they didn't investigate this sort of behavior how can you expect to legitimately combat it?

If you know why something happens often you can figure out how to prevent or mitigate it.

[jaydee]

She should get onto a Commodore Forum, that would be a target rich environment.

[BLACKAUXR8]

were do we sign up!! Im a self confessed hoon!! well not just self confessed the judge told me i am as well

[Scott]

Originally Posted by jaydee

She should get onto a Commodore Forum, that would be a target rich environment.

[TUF514]

I hate the word hoon.

Why do you guys " hoon "?

For me, i just love hearing the sound of my engine roaring, and i love that people hang out the window wishing for more......

I dont bum around the streets dropping skids and thumping my radio, i love the 2-3 seconds of WOT every now and then.

[BLACKAUXR8]

99% of "hoons" are driving VL-VS commodores and even when they give it heaps the engine dosn't roar it sounds like its about to explode. The loud stereo thing is so they cant hear the creaks and rattles of the car about to implode

[TheSneakiness]

Originally Posted by GTP006

From the passage above:

All she has to do is come up here on a Thursday night.

[sexr6tasy]

Omg I Admit It I Once Drove At 70 In A 60 Zone Im Sorry Aff And Australia I Have Failed You I Shall Never Drive Again Take My Hoon Car And Cart Me Off To Maximum Security Prison So A Black Guy Called Big Bubba Can Rape My I Dont Deserve This Study Woe Is Me

[dishpig]

Originally Posted by The_Axe

All she has to do is come up here on a Thursday night.

Or a Friday, saturday hell any day you can find people doing it in brisbane.

[Kenster]

after doing this research as they coming out of the place you will just heaps of cops waiting to take every car off the road that have been mod it in someway

[fiery]

Originally Posted by Kenster

after doing this research as they coming out of the place you will just heaps of cops waiting to take every car off the road that have been mod it in someway

I do agree somewhat that this is an interesting way of having certain cars 'randomly' watched afterwards. Anyone that thinks that wouldn't happen or that the findings will not be handed onto the authorities with all sorts of information is sadly kidding themselves.

Mind you, I could just simply be a cynical person and completely wrong (omg, nearly choked on those words : )

[Hunter]

Why is Aspley maccas once again 'the place to be'??? For ages it was dead quiet and now the ricers and collective bogans are back again.

Is it wrong of me to find it bloody hilarious when the cops block both entrances and raid the place?

[Scott]

Well, I emailed Nerida, here's what she had to say:

Hi,

Thanks for your email.

I'm doing my PhD with QUT, and am looking at the road safety implications of "hooning" and Queensland's anti-hooning legislation. There is certainly a lot of negative attention given to this issue, but very little research to back it up, so I'm keen to explore whether there is any risk associated with the behaviour.

For this part of my research, I'm interested in talking to people who drive in Queensland and engage in the behaviours listed in Queensland's anti-hooning legislation about the behaviours and the legislation and police response. I'll be conducting focus groups over the next couple of months, and then will develop a questionnaire later in the year. I've attached an information sheet about the focus groups.

I don't need any identifying information from anyone - people can make up a name if they like. Even when signing the consent form, any scribble will do! Please feel free to forward the information to anyone you feel may be interested and meets the selection criteria. If you were interested in participating, or want to find out more, feel free to contact me on 3138 4545 or return email.

Kind regards,
Nerida

[ELtim]

Hoons drive Holdens!

[TheSneakiness]

Originally Posted by ELtim

Hoons drive Holdens!

And Falcons, and Crylines, and the rest of 'em.

Good example is one dude I saw yesterday in a series 6 or 7 RX7 driving round with his door up (scissor doors).

Or how about the in the 180SX who decided on a main road to pull a handbrake drift and then spin the wheels going up the road?

It's not always confined to the Commo drivers.

[Green X]

Originally Posted by Hunter

Such as? This is important road research and this is one of the reasons why CARRSQ exists. If they didn't investigate this sort of behavior how can you expect to legitimately combat it?

If you know why something happens often you can figure out how to prevent or mitigate it.

What, is Hooning all of a sudden something new that has never Happened before , Most governments and ACA, TT would like you to think it is, that was they can chuck around words like, Epidemic, Reckless, Carnage, Out of Control and so on

Why do people decide to Hoon, I could ravel off 6 different reasons off the top of my head.

How do we stop it, we can't, well you can but no sensibly. You can't just change people attitudes who do this, How long has it been drilled into us that smoking kills, How many people still smoke or take up smoking.

have any of the Laws really made a difference, or has it made it into a little game for them to see how much they can get away with now.

When I was younger I did a bit of hooning, I Learnt a hell of allot from it and is one of the reasons I haven't been killed in a car accident, hell I still do "Hoon" occasionally, bit of a stress reliever but there is a time and a place for it, but organised street racing Ect is not acceptable, this is the sort of thing Hoon laws should target.

[BOOSTDEF]

As long as boys/blokes have egos and balls, hooning will never go away.

For some, Hooning is a measure of gaining recognition/stature.....

The only suggestion I could make to the donkeys in charge of reducing hoon fatalities.. etc, is to fund a local strip, with safety supervisors/employees/local police present on the nights of activity (Thurs, Fri, Sat).

Match this with Stricter laws and things would change.

[GUNEF]

yea what is "hooning" i was band out of my school car park for two weeks and had to park out on the road. i was using my horn to tell my mate that he was getting too close to my car going back from out of a car park. when they told be this i left the next day and showed them what a "HOON" was i cut one car off and lined the carpark and road with smoke for a while.

[V3RSAC3]

Originally Posted by GUNEF

yea what is "hooning" i was band out of my school car park for two weeks and had to park out on the road. i was using my horn to tell my mate that he was getting too close to my car going back from out of a car park. when they told be this i left the next day and showed them what a "HOON" was i cut one car off and lined the carpark and road with smoke for a while.

hahahahahaa ... hahahahahahahahahaa

yeah but our school's stupid .. who banned you? Pez or Mr S?

as if they banned u for that, i didn't know that, u should'ov told me!

[Road Games]

I dont hoon , I Race .............

[V3RSAC3]

Originally Posted by DAZZLER351

I dont hoon , I Race .............

i like it .... it's going to be used ;)