Takeovers are a stain on the face of the car community. It doesn’t matter how little overlap there is between mainstream culture and these violent troublemakers—we get lumped in together all the same. Starting July 1, the Miami-Dade Police Department is enacting more severe punishments for people involved in street takeovers at any level.
In case you aren’t familiar with takeovers, they’re exactly what they sound like: a bunch of clowns will block a public street or an intersection to do the saddest attempts at donuts, burnouts, and street drags you’ve ever seen. It’s common for them to hit curbs, bystanders, or even each other. Sometimes, they just descend into rampaging mobs of vandals. They’ve even blocked ambulances on occasion, so they’re more than nuisances. And that’s why Miami is about to institute a crackdown.
The MDPD outlined new consequences for takeovers through its social media channels. On the lower end, having your car involved can get it impounded for 30 “business” days. It doesn’t matter if you try to say you weren’t driving; it’s your car, and you’re legally responsible for it. If a takeover involves 10 or more cars, or blocks an emergency vehicle in the process, it’s considered a felony. In either case, police will be able to seize your vehicle and suspend your license for two years. These can also be bundled with a fine of up to $4,000 or put you at risk of a longer, four-year license revocation. Spectators will also face $400 citations for merely being on the scene—which is still a slap on the wrist compared to what Los Angeles will do to bystanders.
Of course, the obvious way out of that is to just be a rat, and send video in as a witness. And while I can’t condone throwing rocks at Dodge Chargers doing donuts in an intersection (it’s hella illegal), I also won’t say I saw who threw it. Save it for the track, or sell your clapped-out Infiniti G37 to someone who will.
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