HIT ’EM WHERE IT HURTS: Project Stunt Driving dings 65 drivers at one event

Article content

Police vow to continue a crackdown on dangerous driving after handing out 65 tickets during a gathering of “car enthusiasts” in early September.

Article content

Insp. Max Waddell said an investigation dubbed Project Stunt Driving began in the spring in response to a large group of people gathering to drive “in a dangerous manner causing mischief and disturbances.”

He said the Winnipeg Police Service had 37 calls about vehicles racing, squealing tires and driving dangerously on large surface parking lots from mid-May to Sept. 6, generally late at night.

During a press conference Wednesday, a few video examples were shown including a person lying on the hood of a vehicle that reached speeds in excess of 120 km/h in an industrial park and a motorcycle on the Southwest Rapid Transit Corridor that reached 189 km/h.

None of the people in the videos face charges as police were unable to identify them.

Article content

Article content

On Sept. 7 at about 10:50 p.m., a number of police resources converged on a lot in the 300 block of Goldenrod Drive, just outside city limits in the rural municipality of Rosser, for a gathering of 88 vehicles resulting in 65 tickets, including six for driving carelessly.

Five of those drivers — in one instance, only the registered owner of the vehicle was identified — could potentially lose their driver’s licence after being handed serious offence notices. Those ticketed ranged in age from 18-49.

“Hit ‘em where it hurts — in the pocketbook,” Coun. Evan Duncan, whose ward includes the Cruise Night location along Portage Avenue, said.

“Let’s make one thing clear here: It’s not all cruise night goers. It’s the idiots who sit in the parking lots along Portage Avenue that are revving their engines, that are ripping down Portage Avenue, that don’t care about anybody but their cars and themselves,” the Charleswood-Tuxedo-Westwood representative said.

Article content

“It’s unacceptable, and it’s not going to be tolerated.”

Sgt. Paul Deacon of the WPS traffic division said police would support those engaged in stunt driving to immediately lose their driving privileges, but that would be something the province would have to enact.

“It goes to ensuring that the consequences for these dangerous behaviours meet how dangerous they are,” Deacon said.

Waddell said social media seems to be the driving force behind much of the risky driving behaviour.

Project Stunt Driving has wound down, but Waddell said he hopes its message has been received.

“The colder weather is coming, they’re going to want to put their nice vehicles away and we needed to send a message that it won’t be tolerated.”

Article content