Southern California’s Lowrider Community Calls Cruising Bill ‘a Step in the Right Direction’

Members of Southern California’s lowrider community are hopeful a bill introduced in Sacramento this week gets the green light from lawmakers.

A state bill introduced Monday would repeal parts of state vehicle code that allow local governments to ban cruising. Specifically, AB 436 would repeal part of the law that makes it unlawful to operate a car modified so that it’s lowered to a certain ride height.

Supporters of AB 436 called said current law too often targets people of color and lowriders, rolling artwork embedded in Southern California car culture.

“It’s exciting because you don’t have that worry in the back of your head that you’re going to get pulled over,” said Sandy Avila, president of the Lady Lowrider Car Club of Los Angeles. “It’s sort of like a therapy for us. It’s like a pastime, a time for us to come together. Community, family… and all have the same passion.”

Current law that effectively bans lowrider cruising has been in place since the late 1980s. It allows local governments to craft ordinances on cruising.

According to AB 436: “Existing law makes it unlawful to operate a passenger vehicle, or commercial vehicle under 6,000 pounds, that has been modified from its original design so that any portion of the vehicle, other than the wheels, has less clearance from the surface of a level roadway than the clearance between the roadway and the lowermost portion of any rim of any wheel in contact with the roadway.”

‘The Great American Lowrider Tradition’ explores LA’s lowrider tradition. Video broadcast Tuesday Sept. 20, 2022 on Today in LA.

The bill introduced by California Assembly Members David Alvarez, of San Diego, and Luz Rivas, who represents parts of Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley, would repeal the ride-height prohibition.

“It’s that racism and descrimination against people of color, and based on, literally, the car they drive,” said Martin Torrez, the filmmaker behind the ‘The Great American Lowrider Tradition‘ documentary. “It’s a step in the right direction that we’re finally becoming accepting of others, right? It’s no longer like, well you’re different than me and you’re not part of the dominant culture.

“For me and for my son and for the future, that he could realize as Americans we can celebrate diversity.”

The bill will be considered by several state committees, including public safety and transportation, before it is voted on by lawmakers in both houses. If approved, it would then go to the governor’s desk.