Boomshanka (Real)

Driving (Slowly) Into Trees Can Be Fun Too

Author: Chris Tann, The
Date: 1995/01/30
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It seemed like a good idea at the time. In fact, looking back, it still seems like a pretty good idea [1]. Picture the boredom of youth, or even youths. Picture the boredom of youths sitting around drinking. Picture the boredom of youths sitting around drinking, looking at the fire-break running around the property, and thinking, "Wouldn't it be nice if...?" Picture three of these youths getting a couple of hundred bucks together, leafing through the paper, and buying the cheapest running car they could find.

Now picture [2] the same lads, spending a weekend thrashing the car around the track, running it into trees, and generally having a wow of a time as is the want of lads (and lasses) of that age.

Thus was born the tradition of Boomshanka [3]. This first car, an old blue HK Kingswood with a Teddybear screwed to the bonnet, was Christened "Boomshanka I". Imaginatively, the next two cars, a Fiat 128 and a Holden Torana respectively, were Christened "Boomshanka II" and "Boomshanka III". Boomshanka IV was a Venetian Gondola, but that's another story.

[1]	An empirical definition of "A Good Idea" is difficult to obtain. For the purposes of this article, we will use the definition "Bloody stupid and dangerous, but probably good fun if no one gets killed."
[2]	Those of a more sensitive nature should refrain from picturing this bit.
[3]	The word means: "May the seed of your loin have fruit in the belly of your woman."

See also

• Boredom
• Rules Of Car Chasing
• Car Alarms