On the one hand, I’m quick to judge what I feel is the idiot behaviour of a minority group of dickheads who give all car enthusiasts a bad name; on the other, I think that they are, in reality, doing nothing more natural than what every-single inhabitant of the world does at some time in their life… They fantasise about becoming their hero.

Kids grow up playing back-yard footy; and what would a barby be without a game of back-yard cricket for the kids of all-ages! Kids may grow up dreaming of being rock stars or racing super-cars, GP bikes, maybe even wearing tight shorts and riding push bikes in the Tour de France…

Everyone has a hero. It could be a mate, it could be a legend you’ve never met; but it is someone who inspires you in many areas of your life. Someone who makes you think ‘one day, I’m going to do that…’

So a lot of the younger generation have grown-up witnessing the growth of what many believe are legitimate motor-sports – like drifting and burnouts.

With the proliferation of burnout and drifting events over the past decade, the sports have become something many of the younger generation have aspired to; but unlike back-yard cricket, or a neighbourhood game of footy at the local park, burnout and drifting aspirants have nowhere to practice and develop their skills – except, of course, shopping centre carparks, industrial estates, quiet residential estates… All the places that piss-off law-abiding citizens!

Just as a thought – rather than media-bashing this minority and giving them exactly what they want – notoriety – maybe it’s time to try a novel new approach… Look at the problem and work out how to resolve it.

Rather than using the police as a big stick without respect, try investing funds into educating these kids; try investing in having their hero’s deliver the message; try investing in providing somewhere for these kids to go have fun with their cars in a safe way without harassment.

But most of all, we all need to put a stop to the name-calling, the victimisation, the judgement and the attitude – for after all, they are only doing what all Aussie kids grow up to do…