Rich kids behind the wheels on their glamorous toys are no longer off the hook. Tehran police say they have impounded 850 luxury cars for speeding and other traffic-related violations in a space of just two weeks.

Erratic driving by the children of the nouveau riche has become a serious nuisance, prompting public outcry on the social media.

Residents in close-knitted neighborhoods and motorists are aghast at seeing thoroughfares and major pathways turned into virtual racetracks.

They zoom past you in muscle cars, doing drifting as they deliberately aim at tight corners and miss only by a whisker.

Their other pastime is revving engines or cruising from one end of a major street to another – known as Dor Dor -- to show off their assets.

The phenomenon has come to the limelight following two high-profile deadly accidents on a single day which involved Porsche cars.

Tehran traffic police chief Teymour Hosseini says his forces are on the lookout after having stopped 1,700 vehicles over the past two weeks, 60% of which were luxury cars.

Their violations included dangerous driving or creating trouble for other drivers or pedestrians, he said.

A view from the Navvab highway in downtown Tehran.

Hosseini said police have launched a round-the-clock patrol to confront aggressive driving.

“Traffic control at late hours of the night and early morning has been specifically put on the agenda of police officers.

“With the implementation of this plan, dangerous drivers and those involved in Dor Dor with their cars, who create a negative view and psychological insecurity, will be seriously dealt with,” he added.

These measures have been taken after Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei complained of psychological insecurity created by the offspring of wealthy families on the streets.

"I hear that young people from the generation of wealth, a generation intoxicated by their money, are driving luxury cars and parading in the streets, making the streets insecure," the Leader said last month.

"This is an example of psychological insecurity," Ayatollah Khamenei said.

The streets in Tehran and other major cities, mostly in plush neighborhoods, see enough of Porsche, Bugatti and Maserati supercars everyday.

Iranian media has reported a rise in the imports of muscle cars in recent years, triggering a wave of criticism among lawmakers and the public.

HB/HB