Rebel without a cause? Street takeovers are ‘flash mobs with cars’ (2024)

More than a dozen street takeovers disrupted traffic throughout Cleveland over the last year. Now, some people are asking: What actually are they?

Typically, street takeovers involve tricked out cars meeting up to drive fast and perform stunts such as donuts, ghost-riding or fishtailing. These tricks involve high speeds and have been labeled as dangerous, though some argue they can be done safely.

Most street takeovers in Cleveland have happened late at night with cars blocking off intersections or filling parking lots with cars and spectators. In some cases, people at thegatherings have set fires in the street. Police have said some participants carried firearms, raising additional concerns about safety.

After clocking out as a bartender in Ohio City, Easton Pierson watched a street takeover at the intersection of Lorain Avenue and West 25th Street on Sept. 28. It was the first time he’d seen one in person after hearing about takeovers and seeing them in movies, he said.

“It’s like watching ‘Fast and the Furious’ or something like that,” Pierson told Signal Cleveland. “It was cool to me, but I really don’t care for it, you know?”

When asked if the situation made him feel unsafe, the Cleveland resident said: “I’ll be perfectly safe because I’d be away from it.”

Street takeovers are car culture but underground

One of the easiest ways to describe a takeover is a “flash mob with cars.” Often hundreds of people watch as dozens of cars take over streets to do tricks. The tricks are considered dangerous because they involve high speeds and the potential to lose control.

The history goes back to the 1980s in Oakland, California, where people put on what they called “sideshows.” They did not start out as “wild, violent, out-of-control street events that we often see depicted on the evening news,” one reporter wrote for a local paper in 2009. The events were informal, late-night social gatherings for Black teens in East Oakland who were trying to escape community violence.They also have a global reach — Australians typically call it “hooning.”

Street takeovers don’t typically involve racing but are opportunities to show off in front of a crowd. Social media also plays a role in organizing the meet ups. Street Takeover is a social media account with 225,000 followers that hosts events for “gear heads,” meaning someone who loves cars. The group also organizes car shows and car meets that don’t involve racing or taking over city streets.

Street takeovers have become more popular post-lockdown during the pandemic. Driving habits have changed, leading to more pedestrian fatalities, according to a report by The National Conference of State Legislatures.

Living life a quarter mile at a time

Ever since there have been cars, people have found ways to race and show off. A popular example includes “Rebel Without a Cause” starring James Dean and Natalie Wood. The film is set in Los Angeles and focuses on teenagers. The opening scene is set in a juvenile detention center after Dean’s character gets arrested for consuming alcohol.

What’s the difference between street takeovers, car meets and car shows?

Street takeovers draw from car culture, including car shows and street racing, though they have their own flavor, which is often displayed on social media. Some automobile enthusiasts have argued that street takeovers are ruining car culture, giving it a bad name.

Isaiah McCoy, another Ohio City bartender who witnessed some recent takeovers, said the difference between these takeovers and the car meets he’s used to attending.

“Everybody admires cars and like, it looks like there’s none of this like drag race stuff. You go, you see a car that you’ve seen in a movie, and it’s a lot more safe,” McCoy said. People aren’t allowed to rev their engines or race at car meets, he said.

“It’s supposed to be respectful, like a more mature thing to do, I guess,” McCoy said. He also worked the night of the street takeover in Ohio City.

Lots of car enthusiasts agree that car culture needs to be safe and to respect local laws.

“Participating in legal and sanctioned events such as car meets and car shows allows us to celebrate our shared passion for cars while promoting responsible and enjoyable experiences for all,” someone wrote on Rideology.io, a blog for automobile lovers.

How are cities grappling with street takeovers?

Over the last few decades, cities have seen increased pressure from the community to respond to and break up street takeovers and other forms of reckless driving. Some cities have passed laws criminalizing street takeovers.

Cities are still grappling with how to control the potential danger – and sometimes violence – happening at street takeovers across the United States.

Just weeks before cars showed up in Cleveland, Indianapolis police responded to a takeover and estimated between 100 and 200 cars participated. The police said that when they arrived to try and break it up, they were met with flaming baseball bats and cans of gas. The police department wants to beef up the legal consequences for street takeovers, such as allowing police to seize vehicles.

In Miami, spectators at these events can be fined $400. Drivers can face felony charges, thousands of dollars in fines and have their driver’s licenses suspended for up to four years. The laws went into effect July 1 and define a takeover as involving 10 or more cars.

Ohio is set to increase penalties for drivers who participate in street takeovers and forms of reckless driving. In June, lawmakers approved a state law that would add “stunt driving” to the definition of illegal street racing. The law would also ban donuts, burnouts, drifting and wheelies on public roads. Drivers who evade police responding to the takeover risk felony charges. The law takes effect Oct. 24.

Cleveland will soon vote on legislation that will mirror the new state law. The legislation council members are considering would also allow police to take “vehicle components” or parts adapted to be used during street and forfeit parts such as steering wheels, tires and mufflers.

Instead of criminalizing street takeovers, some cities have tried to make them safer. In 2020, Detroit experimented with police-sanctioned street takeovers. Community activists have also started advocacy groups, such as Street Racing Kills, an organization to end reckless driving.