Joyriding a tragedy waiting to happen

IN the run-up to Christmas the anti-social joy riding problem is returning to the Ballinacurra Weston area of Limerick and both young children and elderly people are in danger.

The area outside Our Lady of Lourdes church is being targeted by the joy riders.

There is now a clear danger to the young children who play in the vicinity and to elderly people who attend the church.

In the past few days two cars have been burned after they were driven around the area by these young tearaways.

This latest outbreak of joyriding is a tragedy waiting to happen unless quick action is taken to curb it.

As a local community activist I am now appealing to the young people involved in this joy riding to stop and think about the potential consequences of their actions.

While it may be a macho act to steal and drive a car in a reckless fashion, the danger is that innocent people like young children will get hurt.

In the days before Christmas no one in the local community wants to see a tragedy such as a child or an elderly person being hit by a joy rider.

It has happened in the past and the awful tragedy and loss of life can be avoided if these young people simply desist from joyriding.

Sean O’Neill

Prospect

Limerick