How do you defend yourself if you run into this?

[Trisha]

Isn't that Feinstein & Boxer territory? It's their utopia. . .

My actions would be 'culturally insensitive' I'm afraid. I'm determined to be as well informed as possible when I travel (it has happened in the past, though less likely now days). Just as the British have areas of their island that are out of control (as do other contries' locales), knowledge begats preparation.

A lack of preparation and information can all too easily lead to a harsh education (if one survives).

I learned that the hard way.

I hope the remaining decent and worthy people in those areas decisively succeed in changing the political landscape and take back their neighborhoods! It's time they fixed the problem and don't focus too much on afixing blame - the time to define the problem and act is apon them.

Trisha

 

[mfree]

Boxes upon boxes of tire spikes.

I'm fond of the idea of sniping engine blocks with something suppressed. Normally I'd say hey, none of my biz, but this kind of lawlessness gets people killed, including *me* if I'm ever in Oakland (gods forbid).

*pop* "What's that?" and suddenly you've got 2 gallons of antifreeze and 5 quarts of oil on the pavement, a complete moron with a $3000 engine bill coming due, and no recourse because... hey, who's he gonna call? The police? I doubt a tow truck would come get his sorry self...

 

[HighVelocity]

What they need is a GIANT hole in the ground that can be opened in front of the mass of idiots thereby filling the hole with said idiots then covering it up with new pavement. Fixing potholes and making the streets safer for our children.

 

[Werewolf]

Why is it that crazy stuff like this almost always originates in California. What do they do out there - spike the water?

 

[R.H. Lee]

Isn't that Feinstein & Boxer territory? It's their utopia. . .

Not only that. Former Governor Jerry 'Moonbeam' Brown is the Mayor of Oakland.

 

[armoredman]

Two long nails bent at 90 degrees, and welded becomes a caltrop, always falls with one point up. Use sharpened hollow tubing like spike strips, and the tire deflates very quickly. Academic exercise, of course, as actually using such a device could be very unlawful....like sideshows.....

 

[MLH]

four young women in an Escalade were trapped in sideshow traffic congestion, pulled f

If they meant they were raped I'm afraid I would have to leave a few bodies on the street before I would stand by and see that happen! Mine might be one of them but I could not just stand by and watch four young women be beaten and raped!!

 

[Domino]

To allow this kind of activity is absolutely criminal, The police should use whatever force necessary to eliminate this problem. I will also say that in Atlanta we have a similar but not as terrible problem, Freaknik is always known as an out of control party in which a huge amount of illegal activity is commited. Its just rediculous.

 

[molonlabe]

What do they do out there - spike the water?

You know I've thought about that. Maybe it's being close to the San Andreas Fault or something. People out there were just weird. Not all of them but it seemed to collect their share of the aberrant bunch. Somebody should study this. I could help to protect the rest of the country from this disease.

 

[hso]

Hip Hop meets NASCAR

 

[Rockrivr1]

What I don't get is the part where they forced them onto a highway and blocked 6 straight exits. If they did that, why the hell didn't they just block the highway itself as well? Not like those small cars could get around a few semi's blocking the road. Hell, you'd have the whole gang just waiting to get cited. It would be a tow truck driver's wet dream after they policed up the bulk of these guys and gals. Figure, the cars that are stolen would just be abandoned on the road and reclaimed.

 

[Fudgie Ghost]

The thing that gets me: IF you did get caught up in one of these, say with your family, and you did feel in fear of your life or grave bodily injury, and you couldn't escape--and if you did use lethal force--man, they would hang your #$$ to beat the band. Especially if you were a white, middle class male from the suburbs. That's red meat to an inner city DA.

Two Americas indeed.

 

[sm]

Back in my day, we cruised Drive-Ins, Dairy Queens, Tastee-Freeze and later the Golden Arches . Muscle Cars, Rock&Roll and "Cruisin" - Guys looking for Gals , Gals looking for Guys.

We actually talked to girls and girls to guys, shared a Milkshake, I mean actually "conversed" with one another. Sure there may have been truth to the rumors of "heading down to River Road" . Betty would drop a scarf and two fellows race. Deserted road, no traffic, and folks on either end just in case someone showed up late. Heck - even the Cops knew about it. Only time "cherries on top" rotated was " boys, the neighbors up the way can hear the open headers...$5 says the yellow car wins...quiet the cars and I won't be back".

Around here - yeah we have some side-showing going on. Between the sideshows, the "activity" I hear ever night with gunshots, the FD, LEO and EMT...one chooses their route home at night carefully.

And Yes, I have been confronted by a "wall" of folks and cars, just the normal route home. You find reverse real quick and back up the truck...take another route. I have spoken to LEO and my area is "not good" advised to "watch six" and they are watching it real close with UC and unmarked vehicles.

"Ah, I'll make a note, we see your vehicle hauling butt, you are a good guy".

I went two block over and a half a block up this morning. About where I heard gunshots. Ricochets on the pavement, a few casings around , Donuts and tire marks from cars and motorcycles.

Whatever happened to sharing a milkshake?

 

[Otherguy Overby]

Generations

"They'll never be able to stop sideshow; we've got strength in numbers," Ward said. "It's part of Oakland culture. It's in the people. It's who we are."

And from a generation ago:

we wanna be free. free to do what we wanna do. we wanna be free to ride. we wanna be free to ride our machines without being hassled by the man. and we wanna get loaded - Peter Fonda in Wild Angels.

Yeah, it's a problem. Could it be a symptom?

 

[Brian Dale]

I've been in parts of Oakland (e.g., 70-something and MacArthur) at night, quite a few years ago. I didn't like it.

I do my best to not be there (wherever "there" is) when the riot happens.

 

[Bobothebigdog]

Happens alot in Sacramento. The police out here are so out numbered that nothing is ever done unless someone gets shot or killed. It's down to the point were some people would rather break the law and carry then get into a violent altercation.

 

[thorn726]

i REALLY like you guys nail-in -the-road ideas!

must be a good way to implement that.

 

[cracked butt]

You can always use something of this concept to break up the sideshow festivities

 

[DRZinn]

Then there is gettin' stupid,

You mean they don't call the whole thing that?

Rockrivr1 beat me top it, but if you can close off a stretch of freeway on three sides, why not just close the fourth and sweep up? What they did there is just laziness.

 

[Kevlarman]

Isn't Oakland where Bubb Rubb and Lil Sis made the whistle go woo woo?

That made me laugh.

The whistles go w00!

 

[Parallax]

Tha whistles got wooooooo!

Iz juz fo' dekorashunz!

 

[thorn726]

HA! 40 cars towed last night!

heheh, so the residents are getting fed up enough, last night it was a big night for sideshow, 90th and bancroft in oakland was on the news jsut now, they towed FORTY cars. stupid idiots.

it had been extra warm lately so lots of people were out, and the police claim they had less peole on duty, which may be why the sideshow grew so large before they cops got there.

in a way, it is better it gets big and crazy, as long as they then bust Everyone HArd, take their cars and their licenses.

 

[Bear Gulch]

one word: Caltrops

 

[Edmond]

We need to get back control of society. Don't know how it's going to happen.

I agree! It's like the justice system works more for the bad guys than the good guys.

 

[Ivy Mike]

They tend to feature Corvettes, Camaros, Mustangs, Corollas and Chevelles with oversized 20-inch wheels, and special oil pans that prevent overheating by not allowing the lubricant to slosh to one side during high-speed turns.

*SINGS*One of these things is not like the other ones, one of these things just doesn't belong.

I think it would be fun to weld a bunch of steel to the front of my bronco and head towards this "wall of cars and people" at about 45 mph. Make a battering ram of sorts...of course, I'd need a few buddies in the truck with SKS's...volunteers anyone?