BOY-RACERS PULLING handbrake turns and doing doughnuts in the middle of the night is making life a “living nightmare” for residents and even impacting tourism, according to Mayo County Council.
“Trademark ‘doughnuts’ are increasingly visible across the country, leaving local authorities with the burden of repairing the damage in the process,” Mayo road safety officer, Noel Gibbons, said.
Gibbons said the anti-social behaviour is having a huge impact on residents and even causing tourists to stay away from the western county.
“They will spin the car round and round and round in the junction four, five times creating a huge screeching noise, burning rubber,” one resident told the council.
I really don’t know how they can afford to keep replacing the tyres on the cars. I’m positive that somebody at some point is going to be killed.
The cost of repairing junctions in the aftermath of the incidents can be up to €1,200, if markings or signage need to be replaced.
The County Council has erected several CCTV cameras in a bid to stamp out the dangerous behaviour.
The cameras are placed at various boy-racer hotspots and video footage which captures any risky driving will be forwarded to the Gardaí.
The county council has created a campaign to encourage young drivers not to be a “jackass behind the wheel”.
Gibbons has masterminded several unorthodox road safety campaigns.
In August last year he used a life sized cut out of, the Father Ted character, Mrs Doyle to raise awareness of driver fatigue. Two of the signs were stolen within hours of being erected.
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