Owning the Streets, Street Takeovers in L.A.

Hello beautiful people, and I mean this in the most spiritual sense! Being a secret creative on the Fast and Furious movie saga since the 1970s when I was a child, I know the emotional VALUE of a street takeover. And I don’t oppose people doing this kind of thing.

This article is causing me to write. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/lapd-will-impound-every-car-at-street-takeovers-including-spectators/ar-AA10UqBA

Image is from article link above.

What comes of this is DANGER though, for people who come to participate. We don’t want brothers and sisters getting injured, or worse. This is when it is not so cool and ruins it for everyone. No one wants to go home and remember for YEARS, even their whole lifetimes about that fkn race or that bad move that got a young, or even old, brother or sister severely injured or k-lled. It puts a stigma on a whole neighborhood, even town within a big city.

Here is my wish! I know brothers and sisters want to group, celebrate life together. Can it be done in a way that is legal and safe? Is there a place to gather and sport with cars and together as human beings without looting a store, without endangering those who just come to watch the spectacle?

Again, I completely understand the VALUE of a last minute flash crowd, street takeover. It is almost part of the highest level of the religion of street cars and street racing to gather and SPORT, without prior permission and without spending money to do it. Without formal organization, and it just comes together in a beautiful way. The Christian Bible speaks of Jesus and hundreds of people finding a way to share food and enjoy the day even when people came and had nothing. I don’t know other religious texts, but I bet they have similar. A coming together for a street takeover is a modern way for cowboys to ride in on their horses, set up a camp and fkn party all night long under the stars and shoot guns into the sky and drink. It’s in American cowboy movies. So it is so natural to do this.

Is there a way, to find a designated street, or part of a town where it can be legalized as a “street party zone”? I know this sounds lame, but I’d rather brothers and sisters find an answer so they can still party and not lose the ability to gather at all. In film productions, INCLUDING THE FAST AND FURIOUS movies… we PAY to own a street or part of a neighborhood for use to race cars on. No joke. I humbly suggest peeps look into this instead of getting their rides impounded. Find ways to keep everyone safe too.

Ride fast, stay furious at the wheel.

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Update 12/31/2022
NEW LAWS in Orange County, California
Ryan’s Law still in effect plus more restrictions.

Update 8/30/2022
I came across this article about street racing protests and deaths outside of street takeovers.

Copycats of Fast and Furious movie driving

Image from article link above.

So here is the thing, kids driving fast in residential neighbors at any time of the day and looking really bad-a and pretending to be crew and family of Fast and Furious… you gotta take your stunt driving to places where there are NO PEDESTRIANS and NO PUBLIC DRIVING is/are at risk. You ARE NOT COOL endangering potential FANS of Fast and Furious. Way no bueno.

In the very first movie the opening scene was young Paul Walker PRACTICING in a parking lot, NOT ON THE STREETS. That was a message in of itself. It’s really real. Some of the fastest, best drivers… in racing and stunts… DO NOT PRACTICE ON COMMON PUBLIC STREETS.

Humble suggestion: At least go to INDUSTRIAL PARKS*. Paul Walker and peeps kept their cars in industrial park areas and they did drive really fkn fast in THOSE KINDS OF NEIGHBORHOODS: BUSINESS and INDUSTRIAL parts of the city.. AFTER HOURS, like on weekends. But truth: don’t p-ss off the police. If they tell you “slow down” or “go elsewhere” they mean it. They love cars too. They don’t want you de-d or bystanders either. There are places to be with your cars, 1/4 milers and long distance cruisers alike. Added level of cool? See if you can find a quiet remote industrial park that may tolerate some driving and has a small mom and pop deli to open off hours for snacks and drinks!

Another cool idea? SHOW RESPECT for residential neighborhoods THIS WAY: Drive slow. Let people see your cars, let them admire your cars. PARADE your cars through neighborhoods slowly. No joke. Wave, smile. Show people true residential neighborhood skillz. Stop at stop signs. Let people use crosswalks. Kids and adults ADMIRE cool cars, expensive and non-expensive ones. Make friends even if you don’t speak with them. Not enemies. You can even go to parks and have very calm, cool gatherings and impromptu car shows. Let locals walk around your vehicles, talk about mods and upgrades. This is sportsmanship, not nerdgasming. Driving is still a SPORT. It takes all kinds of skill and practice, knowledge.

*Warning on driving in industrial parks. If you really wanna be legit, go slow and study the road you are planning to drive fast on. SCOUT IT. Make sure there is NO DEBRIS and hazards that could cause an accident. No one is going to judge you for being careful on your first pass through an area.

I did write about illegal racing some months back. That blog post is here > ILLEGAL STREET RACING