Cruising is a social activity that primarily consists of driving a car. Cruising can be an expression of the perceived freedom of possessing a driver's license. Cruising is distinguished from regular driving by the social and recreational nature of the activity, which characterized by an impulsively random, often aimless course. A popular route (or "strip") is often the focus of cruising. "Cruise nights" are evenings during which cars drive slowly, bumper-to-bumper, through small towns. Another common form is a "Piss Cruise" this is where a group of people go out 'cruising' and drinking.
Contents |
One of the oldest cruising strips is located on Whittier Boulevard in East Los Angeles. Cruising on this strip became a popular past-time with the lowriding community during the 1940s before spreading to surrounding neighborhoods in the 1950s.[1] Perhaps the most famous cruising strip (or main drag) is McHenry Avenue in Modesto, California. The cruising culture of the late 1950s and early 1960s was depicted in the film American Graffiti. The film was set (but not actually filmed) in director George Lucas' home town of Modesto, which also hosts an annual "Graffiti Night" celebration in the film's honor.
Cruising in Detroit took place from the 1950s to the 1970s in the city's northern suburbs along Woodward Avenue, from Ferndale north to Pontiac.[2] Cruising along Woodward reached its peak in the mid 1960s, with muscle car competitions that were covered by journalists from Car and Driver, Motor Trend, and CBS World News Roundup. The cruising culture on Woodward Avenue faded in the 1970s when new car safety standards and higher gas prices altered American automotive design. Other popular cruising strips in the Detroit area include US-24 Telegraph Road from 12 Mile Road in Southfield to Michigan Avenue in Dearborn, and M-3 Gratiot Avenue on the East Side.
The Dragging the Gut Festival is an event held each year on the fourth weekend of August (August 24-25, 2012)[3] in the historic downtown of McMinnville, Oregon. The festival gives participants the chance to relive the classic 1950's car cruising on the main street that took place for decades in downtown McMinnville.[4][5][6] The Dragging the Gut Festival was born out of a Facebook group called "I Dragged the Gut in Downtown McMinnville" which grew rapidly and led to the creation of the festival.[7]
The Woodward Dream Cruise occurs on the third Saturday in August along the original cruising strip in Detroit's northern suburbs. The event is a tribute to the classic Woodward cruisers and attracts approximately 1 million people and 40,000 muscle cars, street rods, and custom, collector, and special interest vehicles.
Waukegan, Illinois has an annual summer cruising festival called "Scoopin' Genesee".[8]
In the 2000s, some cities (such as Milwaukee, Wisconsin) began to consider cruising a traffic offense.[9][10]