The state made it legal for cities to ban the practice of cruising modified vehicles decades ago and those bans all get dissolved next year
1 hour ago
–> 
–>
Lowrider lovers can rejoice as California Governor Gavin Newsom just signed a bill repealing the ban on the popular cruisers. Decades after a law made it illegal to cruise some areas in a lowrider back in the early 1980s, the practice is going to be legal again beginning in 2024. Advocates say that past concerns with the practice have no merit.
More than 30 years ago, California lawmakers passed a law enabling local governments to ban cruising. While it didn’t directly ban lowriders specifically, it did tend to apply to them more than everyday vehicles. Now, that’s all going away with Assembly Bill 436.
Specifically, it bans the new laws that restrict the display of customized classic cars by cruising on city streets. Signed National City Asm. David Alvarez is the representative that introduced Assembly Bill 436 and he thanked the Governor for taking action.
advertisement scroll to continue
More: Watch Chip Foose Hand Sketch A Mustang Racing Concept For SEMA
[embedded content]
“On behalf of the thousands of advocates who supported this culturally significant legislation, the low rider communities and car clubs from all over California, I would like to thank the Governor for signing AB 436 into law,” Alvarez said in a statement. “The law will allow the historical legacies of cruising to continue for the current generation and many more.”
Enthusiasts and their communities across California, long considered the birthplace of the lowrider, are celebrating this decision, as it opens up opportunities for public events and gatherings centered around these classic cars. Technically, the law goes into effect on January 1st, 2024 but some cities, like National City, have already dropped their ban.
That includes cities like Sacrament, Modesto, and San Jose. Other places like Los Angeles, Santa Ana, and Fresno still have laws in place preventing the practice, for now. In the past, advocates for the ban cited potential street racing as cause for the legislation.
Speaking to KMPH, city councilmember Luis Chavez poured water on those concerns. “Completely different. Drag racing is obviously illegal, and it’s just two cars going fast,” he said. a low rider is not designed to go fast, it’s designed to just cruise, and that’s the bid distinction that we want to make sure our community understands that this is cruising, it is not drag racing.” Prepare to see a lot more chrome and flake paint in California in 2024.
