Strengthen sideshow penalties by confiscating cars, readers suggest
Q You asked others to weigh in on how to deal with sideshows.
Sideshows endanger participants, spectators and property. Who would pay for a track? Liability insurance? Forgetaboutit! Finding an acceptable location for a track would be impossible. Who wants noise, exhaust, traffic, unruly crowds? NIMBY!
I agree that penalties are woefully inadequate. Seize vehicles, fine participants and spectators to pay for enforcement, and revoke licenses.
There's too much decriminalizing and too many unsafe, dangerous and destructive acts happening already.
— Darlene Brannen,
San Jose A Half of those who responded to a reader's recent suggestion that safe spaces be found for sideshows disagree with him, and half agree. Q A recent sideshow beneath a freeway ramp in Pinole involved gunfire. There has been more than one sideshow staged on the Bay Bridge to get maximum publicity by inconveniencing as many people as possible. Some residential intersections near my home are repeatedly hit by late-night sideshows, with all the accompanying noise and traffic blockages. — Lynne Ellinwood, Richmond
A And …
Q (Reader) Paul Jacobs has the right idea, arrest them for reckless driving, confiscate and sell their cars to pay for more enforcement. They are ignoring existing laws and endangering the public, as well as the other participants. It is time to stop them, and time for law enforcement to get serious about stopping them.
A task force of officers from multiple agencies needs to be set up with the sole responsibility of stopping sideshows. Once participants are arrested and their cars taken, it won't be long before there will be no more sideshows.
— Gary Lofgren,
retired CHP
A Still more …
Q
Sideshows attract hundreds of people from the Central Valley, North and South Bay, as well as Oakland. And judging from the cars, these aren't kids driving old jalopies.
Oakland police cite and tow what cars they can, but they can't put a stop to sideshows without a tremendous show of force, which isn't going to happen. Meanwhile, participants hurl rocks, bricks and bottles at officers and shine lasers at their eyes. If OPD IDs a car at a sideshow but it gets away before being towed, they go after it, sometimes to Vallejo, Sacramento, Manteca, or wherever the owner resides. It gets towed and impounded for 30 days and costs a bunch to get back.
Arranging space for these to be done “safely” is a non-starter because 1) participants get off on danger and ticking people off and 2) because of the liability that would be incurred when someone is injured or killed. Skateboards … if only.
— Charles L. Today,
Oakland
A
Coming next, responses from those who mistakenly think we can find a safe space for sideshows.