Silver Lake's 'No Cruising' Signs, Relics of Another Era, Targeted For Removal
If you've ever driven around Silver Lake and wondered what those "no cruising" signs are about, now we know:
Facebook / The Eastsider LA Cruising for a bruising.
They're from a different era, when gay men would drive around looking for prospective casual encounters. Things have changed since the mid-'90s, however, and people are more likely today to be cruising the neighborhood for antiques and wine bars than for sex.
And some residents in the gentrified area say the signs are past their prime:
According to The Eastsider LA, the Silver Lake Neighborhood Council this week voted to support removing the signs near Griffith Park Boulevard and Hyperion Avenue. (There are also signs on Sunset Boulevard, if we recall correctly, although it's not clear if the vote applies to those too).
Eastsider says the Griffith Park Boulevard/Hyperion Avenue signs were installed in 1997. One community member called them an "embarrassment," and council board member Michael Masterson said, "They stigmatize the neighborhood."
It'll be interesting to see of the city obeys the wishes of the council and takes these down.
Given the near-million dollar homes in the area (some are worth more) we can understand the property-value concerns, especially in an age when someone like George Michael is more likely to live there than cruise there.
[@dennisjromero/djromero@laweekly.com]
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