Hooning is the name given in the automotive world for people showboating, or worse, acting recklessly in their cars for the entertainment of onlookers. Unfortunately, hooners sometimes get carried away and start damaging things or properties. That is the case with a group of car enthusiasts that gathered in a church parking lot recently. Thankfully, there is a video of what happened. 

Hooning at church

The church in question is Forest City Community Church in Ontario, Canada. It has a good size parking lot. Naturally, large parking lots are places auto enthusiasts like to gather to see each other’s shiny cars and talk about them. Apparently, however, this gathering of folks never asked the church if it was okay for them to gather there. So, when the empty parking lot started getting filled and the noise level went up, neighbors called the police. Under the Provincial Emergency Act, gatherings of more than five people are not permitted. So, the police came and broke things up. 

Time to make the donuts

The gathering happened again the following week. This time it was caught on drone video. It is assumed that the noise level must have been raised a bit because a few of those that gathered decided to do a good amount of hooning. One truck can be seen burning rubber in a parking spot. Also, while that was happening, a couple of drivers cars decided to begin doing donuts, a lot of donuts.

Where did the lines go?

The end result is that the church parking lot had enough rubber laid down upon it that the painted parking lot lines on a portion of the lot are obscured. The church now had to look at recovery costs associated with the hooning. The drone footage is below.

With the police’s help, the church leaders were able to meet with two drivers afterward. According to CTV News London, Senior Pastor Rob Hogendoorn came to an understanding that the gatherings were a way for the hooners to mourn the passing of a friend from a motorcycle accident. 

Of the half-hour meeting, the Pastor said, 

“I just thought I’d reach out to them and find out a little bit about how they’re doing personally. And instead of getting damages and all that, I thought, maybe we can actually help.”

Results of the meeting

The report says that there were a few action items that came out of the meeting. First, the Pastor will not be pressing charges on the group. Secondly, the church will help pay for the headstone. Third, and most moving, is that after the COVID-19 gathering restrictions are lifted, the church offered to hold a car cruise-in memorial service to honor the deceased friend and the family. 

Thankfully the end result of the situation is that a new bond was created between the community and the hooners that will show respect to a missing loved one. It is a heartwarming result of a situation that could have gone very differently. Instead of police records, penalties, and hurt feelings, people reached across barriers and shook hands of agreement with an actionable plan on how to move forward. What a novel idea.