San Francisco could permanently seize cars taken from sideshows under new law
San Francisco is one step closer to approving new penalties for people who participate in sideshows.
The legislation was announced in August by Mayor London Breed and Supervisor Matt Dorsey, and on Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors approved the new laws — There will still be a final vote on Oct. 1.
Under the new penalties, it will be illegal to participate in promoting a sideshow, assembling for a sideshow, blocking or obstructing streets to set up for a sideshow, and impeding police from stopping a sideshow.
One of the new penalties would also see cars seized during a sideshow possibly being permanently seized.
A car seized during a sideshow could be impounded for more than 30 days if the district attorney is filing charges, and it could be permanently seized if the person is convicted.
All charges would be misdemeanors as it's the highest penalty currently allowed by state law.
Another issue the new laws aim to tackle is the large groups of dirt bikers who are riding throughout the city.
Molly Tello said almost every weekend a group of sometimes more than 100 people on dirt bikes take over her neighborhood, speeding down streets and blowing through traffic lights.
"Doing acrobatics on their bikes and looking like they might fall off and kill themselves, and they're just going past the house," said Tello.
Tello said it's gotten so bad on the Embarcadero that even locals know when and where the bikers meet up.
"We saw them congregating down in front of the Dolphin Club, and it's something that police seem like they should be aware of," said Tello.
Still some locals like Juliet Mariniello said they're not too sure a new law will actually change anything.
"I think it just moves from one street to another most of the time. Like I've seen it in Oakland where they tried to outlaw street shows whatever, sideshows, whatever they call them, and they move to another corner. They move down a block so. I hope it works," said Mariniello.
Tello said she too is nervous but hopeful about this legislation. She hopes it could help police stop the sideshows before they even begin.
"The people who are actually participating in them on the bikes that need to be stopped before they get started," said Tello.
Police said they are using technology like drones and license plate readers to try and disrupt sideshows.
The approval by the Board of Supervisors comes a day after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed four new laws to crack down on sideshows in the state.