– Now I’m probably going to be bullied for what I intend to say, but I think it’s really childish and selfish to do it on a motorway like that. This is what Sonja Brandtzæg (27) tells news. She has been part of the robbery scene in Drammen since she was 13 years old. In 2019, she was also in the news series “Sjette gir”. – You make a selfish choice when you have to take over a motorway because it suits you. Drive to Andebu then. Try rallying there, or drifting. Travel by Streetcar, use banana. Travel to Rudskogen, says Brandtzæg and adds: – Yes, we have also done what they are doing now. But then we borrowed one or another forest road, and then we closed off the ends. Sonja Brandtzæg is well known among vegans in the Drammen area. Photo: Tordis Gauteplass / news For many years she has fought for the robbers in Drammen to have a place to be. A resort town. But now she is bored. Tired of individuals ruining several years of work. – It put everyone in a very bad light, when you put yourself and others in such great danger, she explains. Brandtzæg is concerned with distancing himself from these people, and says robbers are more concerned with cars than this environment, where racing seems to be the most important thing. Sonja Brandtzæg on the bridge where several people turned up to follow the race on the E18. Photo: Tordis Gauteplass / news Masked persons block the E18 What Brandtzæg is reacting to is an incident on the E18 between Lier and Drammen last Friday. By then, many people had gathered on a bridge over the motorway. Masked persons then blocked the road with their cars, so that racing could take place. UP calls it all organized. The situation even with one of the cars trying to escape from the police. It was measured at 205 km/h, and drove off the road and onto a field in Sande in Vestfold and Telemark. In the end, three people were arrested. The picture from the car for UP shows how cars block the E18 ahead of a race from Lier towards Drammen. Photo: The police – These belong to the same environment, explains Morten Visdal, police chief in UP. On Friday, he was present on E18 and sat in the car that was speed measured by the rough drivers. On Sunday he was in Vestfold and Telemark, at a car meeting. There, two people had their driver’s license confiscated due to driving and sledging, while three cars were banned from use. Morten Visdal is group leader for UP in Buskerud. Photo: Tordis Gauteplass / news Visdal is also, like Brandtzæg, preoccupied with distinguishing between people who are preoccupied with cars and this environment. – Being interested in cars and driving is a completely legitimate interest. And the vast majority have it as a healthy interest. But unfortunately it has turned out that there are a few in these circles who take it much further, says Visdal. It has gone so far that UP chief Knut Smedsrud is calling for new remedies: – Can they manage to stop this tendency before someone is killed in such a race? – That is the good question. That is precisely what we fear will happen, and that is why we are calling for slightly more effective remedies to bring this environment to life, says Smedsrud. Being connected by social media – There is a loosely assembled environment of car enthusiasts, who use social media to keep in touch. We have a fairly good overview of that environment, and it is light vehicles and people who leave, explains Visdal. The bridge over the E18 was packed with spectators who were going to watch the race. Photo: The police This is confirmed by Brandtzæg, who can tell that social media had a lot of content from the race on the E18. – Many people shared this on Snapchat. That’s where it appeared for me too. But now much has been erased. And much of what I ask for nectar they send, because now people have realized that I am standing here with you. So there aren’t that many people who want to share it with me, she says. UP chief Knut Smedsrud says they are unable to stop all such incidents. Photo: Tordis Gauteplass / news UP chief Knut Smedsrud tells news that even though they follow social media and have some intelligence, they are unable to stop this. – We try to be present when we become aware of it, but still we see that they are able to carry out things like they did at the weekend. Blocks the E18 for all traffic and drive racing. It is completely irresponsible and a complete lack of respect for other road users and the law in general, explains an informed Smedsrud. Young guys with a lot of money – Unfortunately, they are often 18-20 year old guys, with a fully funded loan or a dad with a lot of money. Young guys, with a lot of testosterone and a little too much money right then and there, who don’t understand the consequences of what they do, says Brandtzæg about the environment that drives racing. – And once they understand the reality, it’s too late, she adds. The race took place on this part of the E18, between Lier and Drammen. Photo: Tordis Gauteplass / news Morten Visdal in UP says this is an environment they have a lot of information about, and which they follow closely. – The cars are used by several drivers. And when someone has to race or do something that needs to be filmed and posted on social media, we see that they take off signs or put on fake signs. On Monday afternoon, the police confirmed to news that one of the drivers in the race on the E18 was charged with the incident. The police say they also have the registration number and video of the other car.
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– Put us all in a bad light – news Oslo og Viken – Local news, TV and radio
