'Street takeovers' create chaos on Mario Cuomo Bridge
NEW YORK - A so-called ‘street takeover’ caused chaos on the Mario Cuomo Bridge earlier this month, as souped-up cars and their daredevil drivers showed off, doing donuts and bringing traffic to a standstill.
Street takeovers are social media-organized flash mods, often involving hundreds of spectators and multiple cars that arrive at specific locations, blocking traffic to speed and show off dangerous driving stunts.
The events are becoming more common across the U.S. and have law enforcement and residents concerned.
A video posted last year showed participants engaging in a "sacrifice circle," spinning their vehicles around open flames. Tragically, last year also saw an incident where a driver performing stunts ran over a spectator's head while trying to capture the dangerous spectacle.
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"I frequently wonder where's law enforcement," said one pedestrian who was walking on the bridge during the chaotic episode. "I greatly respect law enforcement, but I have to wonder where they are when it occurs, and it goes on and on."
When the bridge was shut down by drivers on July 8, the New York State Police, hose office is at the bridge's entrance, was able to cite a few of them, even arresting one. But in the weeks since, they told FOX 5 NY that their investigation has led to no new arrests.
The motivations behind street takeovers remain unclear, although the popularity of video clips of the events on social media likely fuels further interest as clips of the events are easy to find on Instagram and YouTube, each getting thousands of likes and views.