Jerry Brown Blog - Culture Crash

Jerry Brown Writes:

Culture Crash

Louis Sahagun of the Los Angeles Times has written a fascinating piece on Oakland's sideshows. A sideshow, for the uninitiated, is a homegrown version of a demolition derby, except it takes place illegally on city streets - often under the influence of drugs and violence.

On any given Saturday night, the streets of East Oakland are clogged with automobiles blaring loud music and performing dangerous stunts while spectators party on the sidelines. People come from all over Northern California to take part.

Having witnessed these antics below my own bedroom window, I know the annoyance and danger firsthand, but the spectacle has its share of apologists. They believe government has failed to provide "youth" with suitable evening amusement - thus the need for late night hijinks.

Former Governor / Mayor Jerry Brown of Oakland with LEAP Founder Dr. Charlotte Laws in Palos Verdes Estates. California in March 2005.

The Oakland Police Department - in coordination with the California Highway Patrol - has worked hard to stop this urban insurgency. Controlling convoys of cars in "hyphee" mode is not easy, however, and costs money the city could put to much better use.

Thanks to some recent legislation, the city is taking cars whose drivers are arrested for reckless driving and impounding them for thirty days. But even the temporary loss of a vehicle and a sizeable fine has not slowed the sideshows.

The next step may be to declare the cars a public nuisance and sell them at public auction. In egregious cases, the drivers and their front seat partners might also be charged with conspiracy to commit reckless driving, a felony. There are also some new technologies that might have a role to play in curtailing the sideshows.

The whole sideshow business is a commentary on one aspect of urban life that's often overlooked. Life for working people in low income neighborhoods is tough enough without this aggravation.
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1) INTERVIEW some of these kids. Find out what the thrill is. Is it playing cat and mouse with the cops? Is it drugs? Is it underage drinking? Is it just getting together with friends? Is it being rowdy? Is it speed? Is it the "car acrobatics"? Is it all of the above? I would guess the latter. It is obviously easier to solve a problem when the motivations are understood.

2) Find out HOW OFTEN these events occur—I'm sure the police have statistics. And PLAN SANCTIONED / "CONTROLLED" events as a PILOT PROGRAM with the same frequency.

3) ARRANGE A PLACE for the kids to have these events – I was thinking an unused runaway at the airport, if one exists. I've never been to the Coliseum, but if the parking lot is large enough (and won't disturb nearby homeowners/residents), that would suffice. Do not charge a fee per car or have security or first aid there. This will not work in my view. Kids do not want to be supervised. But you definitely need to get the kids off the streets; it is dangerous for Oakland residents.

4) DO NOT have the police MONITOR these events because if the kids are monitored, they will not come. Exception: if the police are called for some reason, they should show up and arrest kids for illegalities.

5) TELL the kids you expect LAWFUL BEHAVIOR at these events, but let me reiterate – In general, DO NOT MONITOR.

6) Most Important: If you allow these "controlled" events, make sure there is NO LIABILITY FOR the City of OAKLAND! Figure out what disclaimers will be provided and how? i.e. Huge sign/billboard (aka artwork) at the event. There would have to be a "buyer beware" type policy; I don't know if this is feasible (legally speaking).

7) CRACK DOWN on anyone caught participating in sideshows who are NOT at the sanctioned location. Stiffen the penalties – I leave that up to you decide what these will be – you have the experience in this area, not me.

Important addendum: I just interviewed my 18 year old daughter Kayla who knows all about these events (news to her antiquated mom!) One of her friends was killed last year in a sideshow-related incident and another drove off a cliff (but lived), several have been injured.

We discussed the above suggestions. Kayla says...And you should listen to her above me:

#1 All reasons pertain except the "cat and mouse with cops." They do not want to get caught.

#2 and # 3 The sanctioned events would have to happen every Friday and Saturday night.

She said it would be good to find a location with restaurants that are open late (2-3 pm). I suggested the Van Nuys airport for her situation, and she said it might work (despite the lack of food). A fee per car, security, first aid, etc. will not work.

#4 and #5 The sanctioned locations will only work if there is no supervision and kids are unlikely to be arrested for underage drinking. There are no drugs other than pot, she says at these events, at least here in Sherman Oaks. The pilot program would have to be fairly long so it would have time to "catch on" and it should begin just prior to summer – more activity of this sort in the summer.

#7 Kayla also says that increasing penalties WILL WORK. This will stop some kids from participating.

To "medical aid should be provided," Kayla's response is: "We have cell phones. We could call an ambulance."

To any kind of adult supervision: "No one would show up. They'd just go someplace else."

Kayla says the main interests in these sideshows are seeing friends, music, food, and alcohol. One of these otherwise harmless activities is illegal, but only in the U.S.; alcohol is not per se a deadly activity and is entirely legal in Europe and all other developed countries for over 18s.

All teenagers go through the "rites of passage" – most engage in some kind of risky behavior. In the 1970's, kids had a place to go which provided drugs, alcohol, sex, food and dangerous activities -- it was called Vietnam

As a teen, my ex-husband traveled alone across the Sahara desert and into the Congo, was held at gunpoint, imprisoned, robbed, survived many perilous adventures.

At the age of 16, I tiptoed out of the house and traveled from Atlanta to Chicago and New York without telling my parents about this "vacation." My hotel caught fire the first night, and I remember walking through the NYC streets alone and barefoot at three in the morning.

The really dangerous sideshow activity is related to cars. Kayla says the kids search for the most confined street possible so as to avoid detection. The injuries/deaths of her friends stem from crashing into parked vehicles, walls, etc. – something that would not be an issue in a huge parking lot or on an unused airport runway. Not that I advocate racing cars, but it is better to do so on an airport runway than off a cliff or into a tree or pedestrian.

You ask...would I let my daughter attend the sanctioned events? Yes, if she was careful and did not engage in illegal activity. I trust her; she does not drink, do drugs, etc., but she will "hang out" with friends (something over which I have no control), and at times those around her will behave in "risky" or unlawful ways.

Government cannot sanction illegal behavior or set aside a public place for the commission of a crime; however, it can provide a relatively safe place for kids to gather. The question is...Are sideshows so severely dangerous that drastic measures are needed?

I acknowledge that both of our ideas are probably unworkable, but there seem only two options: 1) increase penalties or 2) increase penalties plus find a safer place for kids to "hang out."

I am new to "blogging" and perceive it as a brainstorming opportunity. I appreciate the sincere effort people make to solve problems and explore new ideas.

It is also an experiment for me. I told my Council I would report back with my findings...as to whether blogging might be something we would want to set up for our community, whether it is valuable for gaining insights, listening to stakeholders/constituents, and forming policy. So far it is interesting, to say the least.