Street racing surged during the pandemic. LA now wants to crack down
LOS ANGELES — Underground street racing has long been an illicit part of Los Angeles’ car culture, with boulevards transformed into wide-open stretches of tarmac, ready made for smooth tires, supercharged engine blocks and tuners.
Officials noticed an uptick during the first months of the pandemic, when stay-at-home orders made L.A.'s empty streets even more inviting for large gatherings known as sideshows or takeovers.
Fueled by social media, illegal street racing activity — and its attendant dangers — continued to grow even as pandemic restrictions eased and L.A. commuting patterns returned.
Los Angeles officials are now considering new measures to crack down on street racing, joining a growing number of cities taking the fight from the streets to social media and targeting those who organize and promote the races.
As of July, the number of races and street takeovers
