(a) In recent years, San Francisco has seen a rise in “motor vehicle stunt driving,” which includes reckless driving, vehicle speed contests, and/or exhibitions that involve stunts and tricks with vehicles. In some instances, the motor vehicle stunt driving features cars weaving and speeding along thoroughfares, spinning “doughnuts,” and screeching tires while passengers hang out the windows, drawing crowds of spectators. In other instances, the cars speed in unison. The various stunts and tricks featured during motor vehicle stunt driving are extremely dangerous and imperil both willing spectators and uninvolved bystanders, as well as participants. In the San Francisco Bay Area, the use of vehicles for stunts and tricks has caused serious injuries and death to not only participants and spectators but also to bystanders.
(b) As of the enactment of this Article 56, among the more recent instances of motor vehicle stunt driving in San Francisco were the following:
On February 23, 2020, there were four illegal motor vehicle stunt driving exhibitions involving 50 to 100 cars in San Francisco. Several cars sped through City neighborhoods engaging in reckless driving behavior. Motor vehicles blocked street intersections and engaged in tricks and stunts that included driving in continuous “figure eights” with screeching tires, and “doughnut” contests. Dozens of spectators crowded the streets and sidewalks in very close proximity to the vehicles to watch the exhibitions, creating a major public safety concern for everyone.
On August 24, 2020, there was an illegal motor vehicle stunt driving exhibition in San Francisco where vehicles orbited an intersection performing continuous “doughnuts” and sending burnt rubber smoke from tires into the air as passengers hung out the window. Approximately 100 spectators cheered on the spinning cars. At one point, a participating driver lost control of his vehicle, forcing spectators to move back unexpectedly. There were spectator vehicles that blocked all access to entry of the exhibition intersection. Nearby, gun shots were fired.
On September 6, 2020, an illegal motor vehicle stunt driving exhibition in San Francisco attracted hundreds of spectators and approximately 50 vehicles. There were approximately 100 calls for police service for this event from residents concerned about public safety. A man was shot to death in the immediate vicinity of the reckless stunt driving exhibition.
(c) There is no place for this type of motorized misconduct in a heavily populated urban environment such as San Francisco. At a minimum, motor vehicle stunt driving in the City creates chaos, inconvenience, and in some cases fear, among those who live in neighborhoods where it occurs; and it presents challenges for law-abiding drivers whose routes unfortunately take them to an area where such irresponsible antics are occurring. Of even greater concern, the possibility that serious injury or death may result from motor vehicle stunt driving is ever-present.
(Added by Ord. 212-20, File No. 201061, App. 10/29/2020, Eff. 11/29/2020)