"Without the nets, mob racing in the province would have caused chaos by now," said Luu Thien Minh, head of the Thanh Hoa police traffic unit. "The method does not cause accidents to the racers and limits dangers to other travellers on the streets and to the police." Mr Minh said his department had applied to the Public Security Ministry to legalise the motorbike fishing method, but had yet to receive a response.