Hanoi's fight against illegal racing: short-term police crackdown, long-term education key

Hello dear readers! Greetings and welcome back to the Words on the Street section of The Hanoi Times, where we touch on the latest and most important concerns in the community.

Last week, Hanoi residents were reassured to see police officers patrolling the streets, ready to disperse groups of young people trying to gather for illegal street races. We see these actions as essential to restoring social order and safety and contributing to the vision of Hanoi as a liveable and safe city.

Nine criminal offences and 57 traffic infractions, including illegal motorcycle modifications, underage riding, dangerous manoeuvres and riding an unregistered motorcycle, were found and dealt with by the 141 task forces over the weekend, according to the Hanoi Police Department. Some 53 vehicles were impounded and the cases were sent to local police for further investigation and handling.

Many perpetrators displayed brazen attitudes, and some even became threatening, which required officers to take strict measures to subdue them. For the people of Hanoi, these decisive actions demonstrate the city's commitment to curbing illegal street racing - a risky sport that tarnishes the city's image, endangers residents and causes property damage.

Just a week ago, a 27-year-old girl was killed when a gang of reckless motorcyclists ran her over near the Tran Hung Dao - Ba Trieu intersection in Hoan Kiem District. The tragedy is all the more heartbreaking as she was so close to her wedding day. The bikers will be held accountable for their actions and could face criminal charges at a very young age.

Most of these illegal riders are high school students. The motorbikes they use are usually bought by their parents to get to school, but they become tools for these young people to assert themselves in ways that defy the law.

Illegal street racing is a chronic problem in Hanoi. As Vietnam's economy has grown, owning a motorbike has become commonplace for most families. But as parents focus on their careers and day-to-day concerns, a subset of young people has drifted into reckless behavior, gathering on weekends to race with little regard for their safety or that of others.

Even their parents are shocked by their children's behavior. At home, these teenagers seem harmless and obedient, but on the streets they turn into "threats". In their youthful inexperience, they see street racing as a display of strength and courage. However, when confronted with the recent tragic accident, they expressed regret and remorse, but it was far too late.

Comments on news platforms and social media are overwhelmingly condemning these actions. Not only Hanoi residents, but also tourists and visitors from other provinces feel unsafe when they encounter these mad night races in the city.

It is clear that we need sustainable solutions to tackle this problem. Tough action should be taken now to make the recent crackdown a warning to anyone considering such actions in the future.

Fines, criminal charges and youth education. There are many ways in which Hanoi can prevent future tragic incidents. Illegal street racing occasionally resurfaces, but is quickly quashed by swift, direct action by the police.

Sitting in a café one weekend evening, I noticed a group of plainclothes officers patrolling the streets. Their presence is essential to breaking up these gangs, as are their attempts to identify and tackle juvenile offending.

As former Danang Party Secretary Nguyen Ba Thanh once suggested to the National Assembly, confiscating or even destroying vehicles used in illegal races could be an effective deterrent. While this may seem extreme to some, sometimes drastic measures are necessary to restore order.

But what about long-term solutions? Cracking down on underage driving and imposing fines and penalties only treats the symptoms of the issue, as we pointed out in a previous Words on the Street article.

Education is the key to building an informed, cognizant of the law and socially responsible generation. Young people need to understand the high risks of street racing, both to themselves and to others.

If they manage to return home unharmed, they should consider themselves lucky. But when tragedy strikes, it is their parents and loved ones who suffer the most.

It is said that the loss of a child is an indescribable, unspeakable pain. These young people need to put themselves in the shoes of that 27-year-old woman's mother to understand the enormous devastation they can cause a family.

In the immediate term, local authorities and law enforcement agencies need to maintain patrols, surveillance and enforcement throughout the city. Officers should be prepared to deal decisively with these offenders, including the use of force if necessary.

This is what we need to make Hanoi a truly liveable, civilized and cultured city.