Boosted Falcon

Vic police impound Lewis Hamilton's car
March 27, 2010 - 6:10AM

British Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton has had his car impounded under hoon laws after doing a burnout near the entrance to the Australian grand prix in Melbourne.

Police intercepted 25-year-old Hamilton on Fitzroy Street at about 9.15pm (AEDT) on Friday after noticing that his car skidded as it was driven out of Lakeside Drive, Albert Park, where the four-day event is being held.

Leading Senior Constable Scott Woodford said Hamilton's rear wheels were losing traction as he accelerated out of the intersection.

"He was disappointed with the incident but extremely cooperative with police," Snr Const Woodford told AAP.

"Given that Melbourne's on the world stage with a lot of interstate and international visitors, we would expect drivers to observe road rules."

Earlier on Friday Hamilton recorded the fastest lap time at a second practice session for the grand prix.

His late model silver Mercedes sedan was seized by police to be impounded in Preston, and he was charged on summons with improper use of a vehicle.

The car will be eligible for release from 9am (AEDT) on Monday.

[Sterling] wrote:Like he's gonna go to court, his team will drop some big coin on some lawyer and he'll get off scott free.

SnyperEB wrote:

[Sterling] wrote:Like he's gonna go to court, his team will drop some big coin on some lawyer and he'll get off scott free.

Eaxctly my thoughts!

Nikk O'lass wrote:A Blackman in a Merc doing skids...cop's probally thought it was stolen to start off with.

ClassicAU wrote:I literally spit my Johnny and Coke at the TV screen when I saw this last night! Imagine what our retarded state/county looks like overseas now! Did someone say communism? That's where we are heading at this rate!
I mean, Jesus Christ, he is a world champion F1 driver ffs!! It's be like arresting Michael Jordan for playing street ball or something! Pathetic wanker bureaucratic bullshit! Revenue raising publicity stunt crap, no concern for anything else was even considered!

EFFalcon wrote:on no.. the loan car got impounded.

Frost wrote:

EFFalcon wrote:on no.. the loan car got impounded.

So it would be registered to a company you reakon? I thought they couldn't impound company vehicles or vehicles registered in a business name?

Yahoo7 News wrote:Vic top road cop hits back at Webber

Victoria's top road cop is disappointed at comments from Aussie Formula One driver Mark Webber who said Australia was becoming a "nanny state" and called the country's speeding laws "ridiculous".

In an apparent swipe at police arresting the former F1 champion Lewis Hamilton when he was caught doing a burnout in his car in Melbourne on Friday night, Webber said he had spent the past few days "dodging the ridiculous speeding and parking (rules) and all the nanny state country that we have down here in Australia".

Hitting back after Webber's comments, which came during a horror weekend on Victoria's roads, the state's top traffic cop Deputy Commissioner Ken Lay said the work of police was likely to have saved the lives of many of the driver's fans.

"I'd be so bold to say, too... that there's probably quite a few Mark Webber fans still alive today because of the work we do," Mr Lay told ABC Radio on Monday.

He said Webber's comments were disappointing after a weekend in which four people had died in speed-related crashes.

"So, disappointing, not helpful at all and hopefully on reflection he'd wish he hadn't said it," Mr Lay said.

He added that Webber had undermined police work in trying to make roads safer.

"Mark Webber's in a unique position where he's got the ability to influence the behaviour of road users.

"He's missed an opportunity, he's probably undermined our message to a degree and that comes on the end of a horror weekend on our roads, where four people have died as a result of speeding."

Meanwhile, the Institute of Public Affairs (IPA) says Webber was spot-on in claiming Australia has become a nanny state when it comes to what we can and can't do.

"Webber's comments expose the incremental efforts by government to regulate and tax every part of our lives," said IPA spokesman Tim Wilson.

"The problem is the government is introducing the nanny state bit by bit so most Australians don't notice how far we're down the path."

But Liberty Victoria president Michael Pearce says Webber should be looking in his own backyard before criticising others.

He said the Victorian government had been highly intrusive in its legislation surrounding the staging of the grand prix at Albert Park, suspending the normal rights of citizens to enjoy local amenities.

"Mark Webber should become familiar with that legislation before he shoots his mouth off about anti-hoon laws," Mr Pearce told AAP.

"There was a raft of highly contentious legislation which deprived the residents of the surrounding areas of all their normal rights of protest and amenity and this was so people like Mark Webber could engage in legalised hooning."

bigdell wrote:you say that but
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXFf0fNc-_c