Is the cruising ban discriminatory?
Car enthusiasts on the Eastside say they shouldn’t get fined for participating in a cultural activity
A shot of the Whittier Blvd Sign
Cruising down strips of Whittier Boulevard on weekends. Hanging with friends. Checking out other cars.
Cruising is a lifestyle for car enthusiasts. But for many others, it makes the streets of Los Angeles even more traffic-jammed than they usually are.
That’s why the city cracked down on cruising decades ago with a cruising ordinance that bans driving two or more times in a particular direction within a six-hour period. Violators can be fined $100, according to the ordinance.
Enforcement actions last year prompted an informal petition to change the law or create designated times when cruising would be allowed. A renewed interest in cruising culture on the Eastside and elsewhere has also raised questions about whether the ordinance could be discriminatory by repressing an important cultural aspect of the Eastside.
Ronnie Padilla, a former East Los Angeles resident, and a car enthusiast, recalled the days when cruising was allowed and the culture thrived.
“I remember I got to ride in a lowrider when I was like 4 or 5, and [a driver named ‘Torta’] took me to the McDonald’s drive-thru on Whittier Boulevard, cruising on the way, they be hitting the switches, and it was just fun,” Padilla said.
Not many know this is an actual ordinance, Padilla said.
He added that he thinks it’s unfair, not just to the lowrider community but to others who use certain roads a lot: “It depends on who decides what cruising means because different people have different definitions for it. You can literally be driving down the same road six or seven times just for my commute personally for work. Is that considered cruising?”
Some drivers like Jesus Batalla who actually drive through Whittier Boulevard frequently said it doesn’t seem to affect traffic much.
“There’s no issue in my eyes. Every time I get the chance to go and hang out with my friends and see other cars, it’s just a great time. Sure, the street gets a bit backed up sometimes but that’s why we have other streets to maneuver through,” he said.
Batalla added that it’s strange to see some people associate cruising with criminal activity because he sees it as a fun activity, and said it can be family-friendly.
He added that it’s a lifestyle for him, so he wouldn’t drop it, even if it means risking a ticket: “I don’t mind getting stopped. I will still have fun taking my car and my friends to see other cars and meet new people, especially in a safe and fun way.”
Augustine Ramirez, an East Los Angeles resident, can see both sides of the debate.
“I don’t see it as a problem. It’s like having a Sunday barbecue,” Ramirez said. On the other hand, he said he gets that “the traffic is bad.”
He added: “I understand people get frustrated because they are coming from downtown and they go through that street and it makes people upset.”
Several local politicians could not be reached for comment about the ordinance despite emails.
To read more about cruising culture, check out:
Women behind the wheel: The lowrider ladies of Los Angeles
https://csulauniversitytimes.com/lowrider-ladies/
Community News produces stories about under-covered neighborhoods and small cities on the Eastside and South Los Angeles. Please email feedback, corrections and story tips to [email protected].
Anthony Aguilar is working in Social Media for the UT. During his time off he loves to shoot photography and videography as well as take his dogs for walks.
Lorraine • Sep 1, 2022 at 11:35 pm
The cruising on Whittier Blvd has been around long before any of us and that is the culture of East LA. We need to preserve Amit and the burden falls on the city and county to support the needs of the community and all that it entails including the original culture and community. I support cruising and believe we can work together to preserve the legacy of Whittier Blvd for future generations with appropriate leaders in place, positive & resourceful community members who are willing to support the process.
Here is my petition to preserve the culture on change.org
https://chng.it/ZtJszbjKwK
Maria • Jun 16, 2022 at 9:26 pm
Crusing on whittier blvd has to be protected. It is a place were chicanos express there chicano culture. We cruise peacefully. It should’t be discriminize. This keeps are community together.
James • Jun 14, 2022 at 11:08 pm
When i lived on Hoefner and Whittier blvd in east los angeles, traffic was bad on cruising days. The noise of the old cars and sirens on lowriders where loud late night. It also attracted illegal street racing more recently. It is an issue, and im sure many people who live there next to whittier blvd do not appreciate the noise of loud music in cars, the smell of burnimg fuel from outdated cars and the traffic. I had to move out of the area….. not a place to live if you want quiet and peace. Ghetto