By JESSE GRAHAM
A BADGER CREEK man is calling for hoons to be put back on the radar, after an early morning near-miss near a primary school last week.
The man, who asked not to be identified, said he was walking along Badger Creek Road at 7.15am on Wednesday 26 November when a dark model sedan sped through the roundabout near the Healesville Sanctuary.
He said that he stopped on the side of the road when he saw heard the car come around to see its registration plates, and that the car drove straight at him before swerving away at the last minute.
The man said that he rang triple zero to report the incident – and the first half of the car’s registration plate – and followed the matter up with Healesville Police.
He told the Mail that he wanted to raise awareness of dangerous driving through Badger Creek, particularly in the roads around Badger Creek Primary School.
“It’s the kind of thing that needs to be raised,” he said.
“We’re the ones who get the mess around our schools, but when they’re driving directly at you, that’s not hooning anymore – that’s something more.”
When the Mail went out to talk to the man, Badger Creek Road was covered in dark tyre-marks from Toora Crescent to near Nigel Court.
Healesville Police Leading Senior Constable Chris Hickey said that police had attended one address in relation to the report, and had an idea of who may have been responsible.
“We’ve got a good idea of who it’ll be, and we’re investigating,” he said.
LSC Hickey said that hoon behaviour was particularly prevalent around the roundabout on Badger Creek Road, but said that it was a tough crime for police to respond to.
“The trouble with hooning is that it only takes them 30 seconds and they’re gone,” he said.
He said that it was important for anyone witnessing a hoon driver to take down key details, such as registration plate numbers, the colour and make of the car, a rough description of the driver and any identifying aspects, such as large stickers or decals on the vehicle.
The dangers of hoon behaviour extend beyond the possibility of losing control, LSC Hickey said – there is also the danger of stressing out parts of the car which may fail later on.
“Apart from the obvious danger of losing control and having an accident, it’s the actual stress they put on the drivetrain of the car,” he said.
“This can let go when they’re doing a normal drive – when they’re going down the highway, something could fail.”
Other examples of burnout-related damage included tyres overheating and de-laminating, side-walls becoming weaker, as well as damage to the brakes of the car.
When reporting any incident to police, LSC Hickey said it was important for residents to call triple zero at all times, as calls were recorded and relayed to police on the road or in the station and other emergency services could be co-ordinated.
“The best way to contact any police for a job is triple zero – if you want to talk to your local police station or local police, of course ring,” he said.
