Boy racers who plagued Dudley’s Merry Hill Centre have almost been driven out by measures to clamp down on cruising, it was revealed today.
Merry Hill owners Westfield said up to 45 cars used to gather for meetings after the centre closed but this has been cut by more than half and even down to zero on some nights. To tackle the nuisance the centre introduced barrier controls on Station Drive and the Embankment close to the Odeon cinema where cars were paraded and sped on the car parks.
Westfield says it has worked closely with businesses and residents on an almost daily basis to monitor the success of the lockdown.
As a further measure the security team controls the traffic lights at the junction between Mill Street and the Boulevard to put the brakes on drivers acting recklessly.
Centre manager Emma Hindes said: “Before we initiated these measures cars would gather on the car parks and parade along the roads close to Merry Hill and the retail park which was becoming a nuisance for residents, shoppers and businesses.
“The main disturbance was in the evening when most of the shops and businesses were closed and something needed to be done to stop these motorists dominating the area.
“Although these are ongoing initiatives and we are by no means finished, we are really pleased with the results so far.
“The safety and comfort of our customers is paramount and hopefully shoppers and residents alike will have noticed an improvement in the situation both within and outside trading hours.”
Security manager for Merry Hill Dean Jenkins added: “We’re pleased with how our initial measures are taking effect.
“I would like to thank businesses and residents for their co-operation to date and stress the importance of working together to combat this situation head-on.”
38 Comments
its about time these Na Joke cars got driven out. most cars there are a ridculous and its about the the coppers did something about it. WHAT A NUISANCE.
What about the ones near the Aldi by Merry Hill?
They’re there every sunday night without fail and the police do nothing!
They’re racing up until midnight some nights.
I agree with Bill, the problem has not gone away but moved elsewhere. I work in Fens Pool Avenue just by Aldi where they gather and race up and down the road. On a Monday morning the road is strewn with rubbish, empty pizza boxes, broken glass from bottles etc. A barrier is supposed to be being erected at the entrace to the road but again it will just move the problem on.
why dont people realise this is not teh way to get rid of teh boy racers it just moves the problem elsewhere, the way to solve it is create more safe areas where it can happen without being a nusience, i go to meets where we chose totally safe places to meet like on the back of empty industrial estates away from where people live. they move us from there and it push’s us to find more places and cause this sort of problem in built up areas, oh and i do track days too to really test my car but there £150 a day! and rarely accessable.
It ain’t fair man. We ain’t doin’ no wrong.
Would you rather we woz out pincing tea bags off the elderly? Well would you?
It’s not up to the rest of us to amuse the boy racers . If they were proivided with safe areas they’d still chuck litter everywhere and drive like idoits to and from the safe area. My answer is to crush the cars, if necessary with the drivers inside them. You don’t see such anti-social behaviour from groups of mature motorcyclists do you? If it were just a case of gathering and not being anti-social no one would mind, it’s just not possible for these gatherings to take place without the idiots.
Some of them are dangerous,they pop up alongside you or right behind you expecting you to race them its pathetic and now they have moved elsewhere you can hear them racing up&down the bypass by cousins in dudley.I think they should have more consideration for other drivers on the road.
The problem with creating a ’safe area’ or an official area where they can be maniacs is someone will be liable if anything goes wrong. Illegal, unofficial racing areas have no comeback other than the unlucky people that get caught up in the madness.
Some of course learn the hard way, by killing themselves and others.
They simply shouldn’t be allowed to ‘mod’ cars or buy anything above 1000cc until they’re mature enough.
In 10 years time, whn they’re settled down with families and kids of their own, they’ll realise what a complete bunch of idiots they were. That is if some actually make it another 10 years.
pete you need to think about what you say especially about motorbikes causing problems, why do you the wheel was closed down on the bridgenorth road becuase of the motor bikes doing burnouts and wheelies,
most of this is just generalisations labelling the whole group beacuse of one or 2 people, i cant speak for teh dudley ones but i go to cannock meet that is offical and happens everyweek which is a proper meet organised by a club and run by them including who isnt allowed to stay with the group,
some of them do drive dangerously but there no more dangerous than old people who tootle round as 20 miles an hour and are totally ignorant to what or who is around them, at least with teh boy racers there aware of who is around them,
nita as for concideration of otehr road users there are far worse people than boy racers around, professional drivers are much worse such as the taxi drivers and lorry/van drivers and much more dangerous and alot less in control of there vehicle
Big Noise,Big Wheels and Filler,18 year old tossers,i know,i was one.Let em make fools of themselves.Maturity shows how daft i must have looked.But it was Fun
About time something is done about the “saxo/corsa” brigade. Have you heard the row off the exhaust(well 4inch pipe) I have a bike and we have to have our exhaust stamped street legal and beleive me the police check constantly but these “boy racers” seem to be able to make as much noise as they want. Perhaps thats why there in car entertainment is load enough for outdoor rock fesival it covers the noise from the exhaust
baggie boy i have to admit some of the cars are stupidly loud and the stereo’s too but there are limits to noise which is check at mot time and teh police do have teh right to stop checks but dont seem to do so,
dave i agree with teh problems of liablity but surely wouldnt take much effort for them to sign liability wavers whats what happened last time i was at santa pod,
Keep eyes posted on new vehicle laws and these exhausts that create noise, soon it will be a thing of the past.
I think you only have to read the grammar and spelling from some of these idiots to realise that their one and only brain cell is not held in the brain after all. Why can’t they go and do something for society instead of making a nuisance of themselves everywhere!
Saxo Daz, you epitomise the boy racer numpties. birchy seems to be a real enthusiast with his head screwed on but a lot of them ponce around in their saxo/corsa with half a ton of fibreglass slapped on and a baked bean tin hanging out the back with no consideration for other drivers. I have the fortune/misfortune of having a car which these muppets want to race and have watched them nearly causing crashes as they’re more interested in beatng me off the lights than paying attention to the road
baggie boy-at last i can agree with you on something.These Saxo (lol)driving morons should be given the birch and their crap cars sold off and the proceeds given to buying a new ant house at Dudley zoo
Take their vehicles off them for six months minimum.
The racing is bad as tufnells vans still have to go down the fens pool avenue at all hours.
Also IT IS THE NOISE FROM YOUR EXHAUSTS which is 99% of the problem!!
Don’t any of you have to be in work on Monday morning???
It doesn’t happen on Friday or night- just Sunday!!
here’s a simple but very effective way to combat this situation.
Anyone under the age of 25 cannot get insurance for any vehicle over an 1100cc engine capacity.
Abolish the system of being a named driver on parents insurance. I.E - you must have your own insurance.
Finally anyone caught driving irratically or endangering public safety a lifetime ban from driving.
Now anyone driving a subaru,corsa, MR2, ferrari or the like will not have insurance under the age of 25 so pull em over and arrest them ( No insurance ) (NI10)
Driving is a privelage you earn, not a god given right, when you kill a family/child/pedestrian/
yourself or your friends because you don`t have enough driving experience ( sorry is not going to cover it ).
” I can drive ” ” I`m Safe ” course i can spin my car and control it ”
Just remember, the call could be to your house and police having to tell your parents you are dead !!!
What did they do to deserve that ?
Educated/Colley Gate Wolf - I find your vitriolic comments most inaccurate and highly contemptible. I abhor the insinuation that boy racers are ‘numpties’ that exhibit a poor grasp of grammar and spelling.
So there.
P.S. You go beating yourself off at the lights and have a go a me for compromising safety. Pot. Kettle. Black.
Well said, Educated.
Doesn’t the unnesessary death of a young man at Merry Hill make any of you stop and think? Of course not,it will never happen to you, will it? Have ‘fun’ by all means, but consider others, especially the family you may leave behind. As for the police not doing their job,I don’t agree entirely with that comment.Isn’t that what Merry Hill Security are paid to do?
Been reading the dictionary Saxo Daz? If you’re referring to me in your last comment about beating yourself off at the lights I’m sorry but that’s not the case. There seem to be a lot of Corsa and Saxo drivers around Merry Hill who believe they’ve beaten a porsche off the lights but it’s just because I can’t be bothered to look like a prat. End of the day boy racers are a liability
jim i am 18 and my car is 1600cc but i do have my own insuranxce policy which is over £2000 and i work hard to pay it and have the car i have, oh and as for it being a privilage to drive it si nto somethign i take for granted as i love driving, past in less than 10 lessons aswell as doing advanced track day driving courses and studying the police drivers handbook.
and now i’ve being driving over a year and have a totally clean licence and stopped twice once in a mini because it was a random stop check on the car and teh second time in my current car for having a tail light out on wolverhampton ring road at 2 in the morning.
and i spend alot of time at my work driving company cars on deliveries still with no problems,
i clock all teh cars i beat on a track not off the lights as they is somethign to make you smile as i love the feeling of acceleration but i dont go about the speed limit with it,
so i’m a liability now am i?
oh and as for limiting teh cc to 1100 fine then, i’d go straight back to a mini, drop a 1100cc A series engine it and strip teh car down to seats and a roll cage, sit it on some semi slick tyres and fit it with turbo and nitrous, 0-62 in about 6.5 seconds =]
This seems to have turned in to a young drivers are bad, old drivers are good argument.
That’s not what people are saying. Visit just about any MacDonalds and you’ll see a row of Saxo type cars with piles of litter just dropped next to them. Not all young drivers are bad (and OK not all bikers are responsible) but there are a huge number of inconsiderate , rude , littering and dangerous young drivers around. When there’s a congregation (look it up) of young drivers you can bet that there will be an increase in littering, graffiti and anti-social behaviour. It’s no good denying it, you can’t . Birchy , you are an example of what people should be doing and maybe you can help change the opinions of us older blokes.
Okay i suppose you deserve a reply, you are a rare breed doing advanced driving and that is a credit to you.
firstly nitrous is illegal on a vehicle used on a public highway, secondly as for ripping out and changing engines that is a modification to the vehicle and as all drivers know this must be reported to your insurers. then you`d pay £5000 a year.
If however you didn`t notify your insurance as alot of the boy racers don`t, that means that your insurance is void and anyone you crash into run over or have in your car can all take you to court and take every penny you earn for the rest of your life.
If you think i was aiming comments directly at you your mistaken but too many young drivers are dead already how many more before they take street cruizes to a track and do things properly ?
these idiot boy racers need to realise that the merry hill complex is not a racing circuit.Their has been a few fatal accidents recently due to these idiot racers.Its a matter of time when the next fatility will happen as people leaving the cinema complex with young children are in danger from getting hit.Hopefully further measures will ensure a safe environment for all.
as comments before doesn’t matter what you do these “boy and girl racers” will move to different places.
it doesn’t matter what you do you will never put a stop to these meets, and why shouldn’t they be aloud to meet, it’s the same for motorcycle riders as long as there is a designated place away from peoples homes and busy areas as long as police are on hand so if people do start getting silly they can put a stop to it, like at bassetts pole and the swancote??
I think it would be a good idea instead of building apartments and new homes on any bit of land they can find why not build a mini race circuit for people of all ages to use that doesn’t cost a fortune like track days, atleast then they are away from peoples homes and somewhere, where if an accident occurs they will be the only ones injured and only their car damaged.
We are all guilt of having out “boy or girl racer” days and we are all guilt or going over the speed limit.
i’m 26 and drive a 2.5 bmw, at 19 i was driving a sierra cosworth, people can drive whatever car they like if they can afford the insurance it and run it as long as there is abit of common sense in them to realise when it’s the right time and place to do it.
And as for the digs on saxo and corsa drivers we all had to start somewhere with driving yes some of the people driving them do make them look silly and sound noise because they have nothing better to spend there money on, when they have to rent or buy there own property then it will hit them.
Let them have there fun BUT they need to show respect for other road users and home owners.
Lets not miss the point here.
The argument is the boy racers, not what cars they drive.
I have no problem with having fun as long as it doesn’t put people in danger and disturb the peace.
Thats the issue.
We work hard to pay our mortgages and rent , not for people to be racing up and down roads on a sunday night when we’re in bed or relaxing.
28. jim, yes teh nitrous is illegal but the insurance isnt a problem as its a classic mini it falls into teh classic policy band meaning its cheaper insurance, specialist liek footman james insurance do mini only policies, i know this because my first car was a 1988 mini which had many modifications all of which the insurance were aware of including engine upgrades and general performance upgrades and i was still paying less than 800 pounds a year, in fact the only reason i sold the car was because it was unreliable and expensive to maintain especially while i was still in 6th form working only in a spar shop,
that was alot cheaper then my current car which is why i brought a sporty model to start with and it remains and will remain completely standard
give them somewhere to show off there cars some off them work hard on them if they wont to kill them selves let them but all they wont to do is show them off the ones who try to kill there cars are the problem
i think that if u dont want boy racers 2 be around u shuld give them sumwhere they can go with out bein herased by police.
i dont agree that they are recless coz once theve spent all the money on cars there less likey to crash than the so called police who speed more than ny one else. they dont stop at red lights an they just abuse the power they have. its all a load of poo
giv us sumwhere to play with our cars and race. where the police wont bother us and we wud be able to keep away from merry hill.
ryt chaps and ladies i know this is a bit late and is becoming pointless however some of you, or rather the majority of you are complaining about the antisocial behaviour of these so called boy racers for one thats a generalization. fair enough the minority spoil it for the majority. but some of you are saying that there stupid and dangerous but there no more dangerous than old people. and i saw a crush there cars and ban for life fair doos its a privallige so is smoking but even in prison ur allowed to smoke that is unethical and of no use. i can understand the annoyance caused by the exahusts and speakers but they dnt all race and if theres a place to go where they wnt get botherd and it is looked after by the people running the event then theres no problem somewhere out of the way so stop complaining there are other options and those among us who are enthusiasts woodnt mind bveing moved if there was a place to go. ps i know for the fact that there are worse drivers around merry hill than the “boy racers”
well where els are we going to go at nights in our cars why dont you just leave us alone
ive got a 1.9 turbo car, ive just gone 18, on my dads insurance but badically its my car, yeah i thrash it around but only where i know that an accident is very very rare, nothing wrong with a good old traffic lights race in my opinion, as long as the road is straight and the cars know when to slow down. i was one of the cars that got stopped down by fens pool avenue tonight and got told if im down there agen, my car will be crushed thats hardly fair, i wasnt doing anything!