Me and the guys in my club have been wanting to start a cruise night, the first Friday of every month during summer, maybe even more often than that if we get support. But we've already had a few people bring up the fact that cruising is still technically illegal... We are aware of this. But things like J walking are also illegal, and yet once a month there is an "art night" where hundreds of people flood the streets in old town, with no kind of event permit. What are the odds that anybody will actually get cited during a cruise as long as we follow all traffic laws (except the cruising law, obviously)? I was under the impression that cruising laws were to stop people from buying drugs and hookers, not keeps car guys from having fun... We will cruise regardless, tickets or not, but what have you guys done to avoid this issue?
It sounds so easy doesn't it?, but it's not. Van Nuys Blvd was brought back a few years back with the cities blessing. For reasons that we're simple and reasons that we're complicated it didn't last. I wish you and your pal's the best. But there will be things that will unfold that you won't be able to controle and the police and city will step in. It really suck's!!! Oh, by the way. My avatar is from Van Nuy's Blvd on day 1 of it's return.
Man, you guys have got to get out of California.........pretty soon it will be illegal to breathe ! Really, there are laws there against a bunch of guys with cool cars going for a ride together and maybe stopping somewhere to eat ? That is unbelievable. Down here the city runs a cruise night the 4th Saturday of the month and they love it when we line the streets with old cars. Don
Don, it's not illegal yet but some days it's ill advised. Just remember the SoCal mantra: Never breathe air you can't see!
Don, Breathing will always be legal, but may be taxed! Farting on the other hand will become illegal and will subject to EPA regulation!
don't know how big your city is,but go down there on the nite your thinking about doing it. see how many rodder friendly restaraunts are down there,how many dry-goods stores.antique stores. at 5:00 see how many people are there. if it ain't alot present it to the city that you can put people down town. people with DESPOSABLE INCOME. THEN ADVERTISE IT TO DEATH. but make the city do the insurance thing. you be the volunteer. and yes i know i can't spell!!!
The problem with Van Nuys was the VNCA lost the parking lot they had. It is now a FIAT dealer. There was no "city blessing" . It was a seat of the pants, take a chance thing. It just so happened, the city people thought it was pretty cool because it was bringing people to town on an off night and for the most part, it was an older, more behaved crowd than in the "old days". Since the lot went away, so did most of the older people leaving the late model guys doing burn-outs and donuts in the middle of the street, one resulted in a high speed pursuit of a guy in a new Camaro who ended up hitting two parked cars and a tree. Since then, if you go to Van Nuys Blvd on cruise night you will be greeted by at least 5 LAPD cruisers, a couple of CHP cruisers and a handful of LAPD motorcycle cops ready to write you up for anything. Last month there were 4 cars out. We happened to be in the neighborhood and thought we'd check it out. more cops than cruisers thanks to the late model idiots. Another one bites the dust.....
Why does cruise night need to be "organized". we never organized back in the 60s and plenty of people showed up. Every friday night is cruise night here, weather permitting. not as much cruising, and a lot more sitting, eating, and parking lot lies being told however, as most of us don't drink enough beer anymore to be able to sell the empties for gas money. loads of fun just the same. Russ
There's a cruise night in Golden, CO first Sat. of the month the thing is HUGE. The police even help direct traffic. Just another reason to add to my list of reasons not to go to CA.
Organize? Why not just get some buddies, leave from a persons house and DRIVE to the eatery of your choice. BUY SOMETHING, eat it, chit chat, then go home DRIVING the same route home. Seems simple to me. WTF is up with getting permissision to DRIVE down a street, go to a eatery, EAT and then DRIVE home? Really. Now, if you gather in a parking lot, with lawn chairs and coolers.... yea, you need to be hassled. Because then you're not CRUISING. You're LOITERING.
Wow you guys have it rough over there, We can cruise 50 deep over here as long as you behave. Our local cruise night is organized at a bass pro shop and we up to 1500 cars every other thursday during the summer.
Thanks for the input!! Maybe once we start cruising and it goes alright more people will get involved. The plan was just to cruise up 5th and back down 4th a few times, then meet up at the Denny's on 5th for burgers. Super laid back, no real organization kind of deal. Most of the cops are nice enough if your not being a dick to them...
there is no problem with several guys driving to an eatery and enjoying food, no law against it. i have done it with friends before. just keep burnouts down and just cruise, no speeding. if more than 20 people the cops may pass you and stare. but just give a friendly wave. half the cops in la area have old cars. the cruising law states that if a cop sees you pass in the same area 3 or more times then thats the illegal cruising. if you really want to do a bigger cruise, make a bigger route so you stay a bit further away from the same streets
It was never VNCA to begin with. I was one of the first groups there at the Ralphs parking lot. We were greated by a gentleman that told use not to use Ralph's to park at. He was the Owner of Rydell Chevrolet and he invited all of us to park at the vacant lot he had controle of for that night. It was made clear to us the lot was not going to be a forever thing. Cruising was the key here, and the Old crowd seem to favor parking and chating. It the younger crowd that came in after hours that messed things up with the imports and rice rocket bikes.
To all that think it's bad here in Cali, I"ll just say sorry . I live here in the heart of where much of what we write about or like reading about Hot Rod and Kustom-wise and I have experienced no problem driving my Hot Rod daily to breakfast on a 6mi. round trip. I go to a weekly wednesday morning cruise driving through some of the most picturesque and wealthy neighborhoods in So Cal. Drive to the Broiler weekly in the evening, and even have done the Van Nuys Cruise in multiple vehicles and totally maintained what is expected of me as a cruising participant. I have started cruise nights (which really just involved hanging out and grabbing chow with pals and meeting more like minded enthusiasts), Participated in "Cruising Colorado" which was a Saturday night specific cruise up Colorado Bl. to Orange Grove Bl. then Right onto Walnut and back to Michellinda and back into Fuddruckers for the rest of the "Cruise Night". So there is a difference between "Cruising" ones local main drag and a stagnant "Cruise Night". Van Nuys actually had/has no cruising signs, that basically mean that you are not legally allowed to drive in each direction multiple times or you may be cited. I believe the same goes in Old Town Pasadena,but it's rarely enforced unless some rowdy person gets out of hand, then there on ya! We do a New Years Eve Cruise that follows the original "Cruisin Colorado" idea down to the lot where we start and finish,(heck it's even been covered here on HAMB). Where else can one Cruise on New Years day in their Open or Closed Hot Rod/Kustom and see a bunch of "Out of Towners" line up 11miles up a parade route to see a moving car show? If you start a "Cruise Night" that is stagnant you probably wouldn't even have a reaction from the local law enforcement, If you're actually going to cruise, just make sure that you keep the squirels in line and perhaps they won't bug ya doing that as well? Patronize the establishments along the cruise and they'll know that you're what supports them in a very tough economy.
One of the biggest cruise nights around here takes place at a barbecue restaurant way out in the country. They have parking for a couple hundred cars and the lot is usually full on Thursday night. Been going on for years with no hassles. I don't know if there is anyplace in your area that would be off the radar so to speak. Start a gathering there with your friends. Pass the word around. Take responsibility for crowd control. See how things develop.
Yep, those sign's were up. Going back to when I said the City was in support of the Monthly cruise. I had a conversation with a Motor Cop about what to expect that first night. His words were "This is your guys night, we are just here as observers. If you have a problem with someone it's your job to handle it". I replied, (in a joking manner) so is it ok to kick there Ass then. His reply, "Take'm in the alley if you need to, we'll make sure it don't get out of hand". If that not Support then I don't know what else to say.
Our CC has a "cruise in" we partner with a local restaurant and meet up there and cruise around. The shop gets some free advertising and extra business from all the old cars and we get a free ice cream or a 15% discount or something. We rotate business' throughout the summer so that everybody gets some love.
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