Australia Going Down The Toilet ?

[Flynnn]

Herald Sun

UPDATE 11.56pm: FORMER Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton was caught hoon driving and had his car impounded tonight.

The English McLaren driver did a burnout and a fishtail in a 2010 silver Mercedes along Lakeside Drive in front of a Victoria Police divisional van, that pulled him over.

He will be charged on summons with improper use of a vehicle. The sports car was towed to a police yard in Raglan St in Preston, where it will be held for 48 hours under anti-hoon laws.

The divisional van saw Hamilton turn into the street with smoking wheels and pulled him over.

Senior Constable Scott Woodford said the 2008 world champion stopped right away and was "extremely co-operative".

“It would have been fair to say he was fairly disappointed with the incident," he said.

Hamilton was interviewed for around half an hour in the car, and would have been routinely breath-tested.

Hamilton, who was visibly upset, had his car towed away and impounded and will also receive a fine.

It is understood he told policemen at the scene that he was worried this would dent his reputation.

The Herald Sun understands that he was not taken back the police station for questioning.

The incident happened at around 9.15pm tonight.

In 2007, Hamilton was banned from driving in France after being clocked driving at 123mp/h (around 200km/h).

He was given an on-the-fine and his sports car was impounded by French police.

I'm ashamed to be a Victorian

It's no laughing matter anymore, this country is becoming an absolute shitter

[paulr33]

he broke the law?

what do you expect?

[llama_au]

^ agreed. And I for one am glad to hear he got treated like any of us would in the same situation.

[geraus]

dammmmmmmmmmmmmm , i never thought this

[Priestley]

He broke the law and got done for it. If he had been let off people would be complaining about double standards.

If its so bad, feel free to leave

[Flynnn]

he broke the law?

what do you expect?

^ agreed. And I for one am glad to hear he got treated like any of us would in the same situation.

A professional race driver got out of the race track with a little sideways action and this is considered hoon behaviour? GFTO

This man is a visitor to this country... Instead of being a group of nice, hospitable people.. we slap him with a fine for something that would be considered laughable in every other part of the world.

We devote our lives so much to these phucked up rules that we've lost our moral compass... why not give just give him a word of warnning instead?

hahaha.. do you even bother to ask your self why we don't receive any significant amount of tourists into this country?

Edited March 26, 2010 by Barbarian

[Flynnn]

He broke the law and got done for it. If he had been let off people would be complaining about double standards.

If its so bad, feel free to leave

I am actually planning on migrating to Europe in a decade or so.. life in general is quite boring here when compared to Europe

Edited March 26, 2010 by Barbarian

[paulr33]

he broke the law

life goes on

go over to thailand and smuggle drugs

and then go blah blah im a sports hero, let me off

good luck

[scotty014]

A professional race driver got out of the race track with a little sideways action and this is considered hoon behaviour? GFTO

This man is a visitor to this country... Instead of being a group of nice, hospitable people.. we slap him with a fine for something that would be considered laughable in every other part of the world.

We devote our lives so much to these phucked up rules that we've lost our moral compass... why not give just give him a word of warnning instead?

hahaha.. do you even bother to ask your self why we don't receive any significant amount of tourists into this country?

i find it fair because if it was any of us doing the same thing our car would be towed and we would get in big trouble so just because he is famous why should he get special privileges, thats unfair.

[alr33x]

reading ALOT of the reader comments on the herald sun is interesting, many say its embarrassing to australia and the laws are backwards etc etc.. good to see some of the general public realise how ridiculous the hoon laws are.

not condoning this guy, hope it was a decent skid to make it worth while but i doubt it those amgs correct pretty quick.

[Roy]

Barbarian, you do seem awfully down on Aus and all things Victoria. Why wait a decade if you dont like the place? That said i hear where you are coming from. HE BROKE THE LAW! Come on guys...pull our heads out of our asses and look at whats going on.

He broke a law, not the Law! Big difference. There is not one single law, there is an increasing trend for a whole bunch of laws which irritate me. Talk to experienced Police and many laugh at talk that they need more powers. They have all the power they need and all the laws they need. They need courts and magistrates to start doing their jobs. They need governments to remove all the guff that officers need to do and create a new entity to do all the time consuming and pointless crap which is required because the govt needs revenue from their grifting laws, often passed to try and collect votes. Not because of a real law and order plan.

So, FARK OFF that a a World Champion F1 driver, visiting our country, leaving a venue, performing a skid should have been treated like this. Officer's discression should have had him pulled over, tell him to keep it in his pants and what he could do and tell him there are better ways and things to be enjoying Melbourne while he is here. Towing his car and impounding it....come on.

Lewis, if he has any balls when asked about this over the next few days should go on the offensive. "sure, i shouldnt have done it, but seems down there in Victoria its almost a police state for road users...and i dont understand what he was telling me about being a hoon and how this anti hoon policy improves driver education and safety" .

...anyway.... i hope Webz gets out there in a Thrifty Camry, rips the handbrakes and fries the front wheels all the way down St Kilda road tram tracks after winning this weekends race

<edit> This is not a dig at Police, but the crazy laws that they find themselves having to enforce. If an officer is caught using cocaine he is cactus and in serious trouble. If he gets caught doing a skid should his job be in the same jeopardy? HELL NO! Yeh, I have a whole bunch of thoughts on this topic

[scotty014]

reading ALOT of the reader comments on the herald sun is interesting, many say its embarrassing to australia and the laws are backwards etc etc.. good to see some of the general public realise how ridiculous the hoon laws are.

not condoning this guy, hope it was a decent skid to make it worth while but i doubt it those amgs correct pretty quick.

unless it was the AMG black edition

of course the laws are stupid but you have to follow them or get a fine. he was being treated like anyone else, even though the law is shit.

[NXTIME]

Hamilton won't dare say anything against the machine, although I would love it if he actually did

I seriously doubt that any of the F1 drivers would be getting briefed on the local road regulations. Any in any event, I don't think this will make Victoria and Australia look good in the eyes of the world.

I suggest that the police involved saw it as a way of making a high-profile example. And the media weren't too far behind.

I guess it's the price you pay for being famous

[scotty014]

ill also add the media has blown it way out of proportion as usual, how the hell does this make front page news lol. the media is so shit, wouldnt surprise me if this makes it onto a current affair now.

[Basti]

[adis]

I am actually planning on migrating to Europe in a decade or so.. life in general is quite boring here when compared to Europe

Europe? Mate you will be back very very soon! There is a reason why australia is called "the lucky country". You will see why when you leave, you dont know how good we have it here, and this is coming from a WOG, Grew up in your ideal "EUROPE".

Love the country, law, the lot.

Overseas, ye you have "benefits" such as you drive drunk, get pulled over, bit of money and off you go. If 20 bux does that, imagine what 1000 will do, you can kill someone and get away, which i dont like at all.

f**k him, (pro driver), if he wants to come to australia, he needs to comply to our rules and laws.

In Thailand, you say "f*k the king", you will be locked up and executed lol.. here you say f*k kevin and bracks and your still alive...lucky i say, lucky country.

[IOWNU]

Double Post.

[IOWNU]

LOL!

What a joke.

I agree, a warning would have been much more appropriate. Although amounting this to 'Australia Going Down The Toilet' is just as much of a joke.

[Roy]

Listening to the BBC coverage of practice and they are laughing about saying. Strange that drivers do it all over the world for fans and its appluaded. Here, they seem to think its OHS craziness?!?!?!?! I have already made my thoughts clear, and seeing that the Vic Police are now saying they are stoked to bag such a high profile person in their campaign

[The Bogan]

I am actually planning on migrating to Europe in a decade or so.. life in general is quite boring here when compared to Europe

Why wait ?