Australian police use ‘Hoon Law’ to take bike from girl aged 5

**Bob** · 14th August 2009, 00:33

Australian police clearly worry about ‘bikies’ getting into their wicked ways at a young age, as they used anti-hoon laws to remove a bike from a 5-year old girl.

The 5-year old, Laney Franklin, was riding her 49cc mini-motorbike in circles at the end of a cul-de-sac in Frankston,Victoria, under the supervision of her father, when police arrived to say she should not be riding there and summoned a tow truck to take the bike away from the tearful child.

According to mother, Tracey Frankland, the bike is worth just A$400, but police want $550 to return the bike in six months.

Victoria’s ‘hoon’ laws allow police sole discretion to impound any vehicle an officer believes is used in an anti-social manner. There is no appeal once the vehicle is seized. According to reports, they have raised in excess of A$3 million in revenue from ‘hoon-law’ payments.

**LBD** · 14th August 2009, 04:15

There has to be more to it than that?....surely

**Bob** · 14th August 2009, 05:42

Originally Posted by LBD

There has to be more to it than that?....surely

There are always two sides to the story of course. I did read that the mother said "No-one round here would complain - I reckon it makes a great sound." But if someone did complain, then police would have to come round and have a look.

But maybe a quiet word would have been better than impounding the bike?

Hard to tell - over here in the UK, there have been a lot of problems with people buying mini-bikes and riding them around, with no helmet (illegal), no licence (illegal) or road tax (illegal), as people think they are toys, rather than roadworthy vehicles. A lot of authorities just impound and crush them if they're seen on the road, but there are others that have made space available to use them.

**YellowDog** · 14th August 2009, 06:17

A 5 year old with such a reletively powerful machine would need some serious supervision and some abilities that not many 5 year olds would have.

Perhaps they were just trying to save her life.

**CookMySock** · 14th August 2009, 07:42

Originally Posted by LBD

There has to be more to it than that?....surely

The thing to remember, it's being reported by sensationalist media who will go to any lengths to get yet another wind-up.

Steve

**ready4whatever** · 14th August 2009, 08:39

hmm sounds dissapointing. firstly the cops should not have taken it away and if anything just warn them about the danger. secondly, a tow truck? wtf. put it on your back seat, but thats okay cause the taxpayer will cover it

**R6_kid:Me** · 14th August 2009, 11:45

I bet she was doing massive rolling burnouts, phat monos, and obviously some pretty mega donuts on that little 49cc weapon. Bloody kids terrorising the elderly... they have to learn sooner or later. Also last I checked crying doesn't fix anything