San Jose continues to draw more and larger sideshows than even SF or Oakland, and a five-minute video has emerged from this weekend’s dangerous, donut-skidmark affair.
We complain about sideshows in San Francisco, in discourse often littered with “Gotham City” and “failed state” rhetoric. But the reality on the streets is that Oakland seems to endure more sideshows, and San Jose has a far bigger recurring sideshow problem than any Bay Area city. It has over the last month, at least, as the video below depicts a large Saturday morning sideshow in San Jose, on the heels of last weekend’s sideshow where a spectator was hit by a car, and the sideshow the weekend before that which produced 170 citations. This is becoming an every-weekend thing in San Jose!
KPIX reports on the sideshow seen above, resulting in 205 citations, three impounds, and one arrest. Those impound and arrest numbers may seem infuriatingly low. But a full watch of the video shows that despite the crowds, it seems like only a half-dozen automobiles are doing all the sideshowing. We do see a scary moment around the 2:30 mark where it appears another spectator may have been hit, or came close to getting hit. And we see how these things clear when the police arrive at the 4:00 mark.
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— San José Police Media Relations (@SJPD_PIO) September 11, 2021
• 205 citations issued for various violations, including spectators
• 3 30-Day impounds
• 1 warrant arrest
We will continue to respond with available resources. These dangerous events are not welcome in San José. #itsnotworthit
According to the Mercury News, “more than 100 vehicles had gathered in the area of Park Avenue and Woz Way, near John P. McEnery Park, at around 12:30 a.m.” for the sideshow on Saturday morning. But those vehicles had merely “gathered,” only a few participated directly in the sideshow. Either activity is subject to citation or arrest, even if you’re just a spectator. In fact, just promoting a sideshow on social media is a crime in San Jose.
“We don’t want this to occur in San Jose. It’s dangerous,” San Jose police sergeant Christian Camarillo told KPIX. “Our citizens are frustrated and we want to take care of it.” The station notes that “tire treads, garbage and broken glass” were strewn about the scene once daybreak hit Saturday morning.
There were no injuries reported on this one, but we have seen sideshow fatalities before. And with sideshows becoming a larger problem, law enforcement may have to rethink how they prosecute these things. After all, that one arrest? According to the Mercury News, it was “for an outstanding warrant,” and not directly related to the slideshow.
Related: SFPD Seizes Cadillac Spotted During Sideshow With AK-47-Wielding Woman Hanging Out Window [SFist]
Screenshot via Youtube
