Carmageddon: Authorities Ready For Possibility of Midnight Ridazz Bicyclists, Skateboard Flash Mobs on an Empty 405

By Dennis Romero Wed., Jul. 13 2011 at 7:03 AM

ThirdApe23

The devil's playground.

Is the after-hours bicycle mob known as Midnight Ridazz planning to bomb the 405 freeway during this weekend's much-hyped "Carmageddon" shutdown?

The group is organizing an event it calls "4PACOLYPSE: The BIG 405 CLOSURE ride" for midnight Saturday/Sunday. According to its Facebook page riders will meet up at Mom's Bar on Santa Monica Boulevard in West L.A. not far from the south end of the closure.

One Facebook user asks, "how long/far do you think we will ride?"

No solid answer is given.

Metro's highway program honcho Doug Failing warned listeners of Patt Morrison's show on KPCC (89.3 FM) yesterday that ...

... I recognize that there's going to be a lot of interest in bicyclers and skateboarders ... But ... we are going to be working very closely with our friends at the California Highway Patrol ... Keep 'em well away unless your looking for a free ride home in the back of a police cruiser.

A showdown in the works? As Morrison noted, it would be hard to resist the rare site of a wide open freeway in L.A.

Meanwhile an L.A. production company claims on Craigslist that it will be filming a "top secret" flash mob during Carmageddon. They're calling it a "purely nonprofit publicity stunt," so maybe it's nothin.'

Remember folks, the 405 is closing between the 10 and the 101 starting Friday night and running through Monday morning so crews can demolish the old Mulholland bridge for roadway widening.

Officials are overplaying the possible traffic in an effort to get you to stay away. But if you ask us, hanging out around an empty freeway on a day off isn't exactly our idea of summer fun.

[@dennisjromero/djromero@laweekly.com]

Tags:

405, bicycle, Carmageddon, CHP, flash mob, Los Angeles, Midnight Ridazz, skateboard, West L.A.

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Nice video.thanx for sharing

Ryanwade2000

I'M SURVIVING CARMAGGEDON!!!! AND ALL I'M SELLING ARE THESE T SHIRTS GET ONE OR GO HOME!!!

http://underneathhellsfreeway....

Gavriel Dorian

STORM THE FREEWAY

YAMYEOW

CRIMANIMALZ wrote the book on riding the 405 years ago.

YAMYEOW

And if recall correctly, many on the midnight Ridazz forum were against the idea. Hi borfo hi gavriel!

Daniel Edwards

Is Dennis Romero really using FOX News tactics to create hype where there is none? A reputable source on the same Facebook used by Romero has been quoted saying, "He doesn't like doing actual reporting work. He prefers to conjure up hypothetical situations instead." Another person close to that same source explains Romero's use of fictional details as, "He's trying to compensate, I've heard his penis is really small."

Dennis Romero

Thanks Daniel.

I can't confirm or deny the penis rumors, but I will speak on background.

Borfo

Romero, you are using sensationalism yet again to bring more disinformation to the masses. I don't understand how LA Weekly keeps you on as a writer. Your lack of sensitivity towards cyclists is not appreciated.

Dennis Romero

Thanks for the love Borf. And you keep reading, too ...

Towelie

I really can't help but agree Borfo.

And, I don't understand why someone would want to tax another person for *not* using petroleum (and killing people) unless they had a $ interest otherwise. We all know where the man makes his money (DUIs).

After being hit by a drunk driver on my skateboard, I really don't mind the Po making a buck from me spending a long time in the hospital. More power to them.

That said, I was fined $150 dollars for riding my deck recently. What I don't like are Governments so desperate and greedy to their way of life that they start collecting from those who have a negligible impact on the environment and those around them.

When was the last time we went to war for a bicycle or skateboard?

And, to all you car drivers out there who roll your POS to the gym, thanks bros. We have our sons and daughters dying out there for your hypocrisy and selfishness.

Late.

Greta Sanford

I paid $32.67 for a XBOX 360 and my mom got a 17 inch Toshiba laptop for $94.83 being delivered to our house tomorrow by FedEX. I will never again pay expensive retail prices at stores. I even sold a 46 inch HDTV to my boss for $650 and it only cost me $52.78 to get. Here is the website we using to get all this stuff, PennyJump.com