CHULA VISTA, Calif. — California lowrider owners are riding into 2024 with a bit of relief. It's no longer a crime to cruise.
“We can cruise all California, here we come,” said Marcos “Rabbit” Allerano, President of Impalas Car Club, San Diego Chapter.
For more than a year Rabbit and Jovita Allerano, who leads the United Lowrider Coalition, and its members pushed for AB 736, which repeals the ban on lowrider cruising and bouncing in California.
“Cruising is not a crime,” said Jovita.
Lowrider owners say cruising is a tradition for Latino families and it’s a part of their culture and its family.
“It’s like, you're working on a piece of art. And then once you're done with it, you want to show it to the world,” said Alfonso “Fonzy” Delgado.
He takes pride in his 1960 Chevy Impala that he spent eight months — and a lot of money — restoring himself and also passing down the tradition to his teenage son.
“I think it's good that he's also learning a trade and the discipline. But not only that, it's just us riding his family,” said Delgado.
It hasn't always been a smooth ride for Latinos and minorities who felt unfairly targeted driving a lowrider.
“I grew up in the 90s and it was tough in the 90s," Delgado said. "And I remember going cruising with a couple of my friends and it was just getting pulled over being harassed. All we did was want to cruise."
In 1988, a law passed giving local jurisdictions the authority to make cruising illegal. At the time it was aimed to deter traffic congestion and crime.
Starting January 1, 2024, the new state law that South Bay Assemblyman David Alvarez authored, prohibits a city or county in California from banning cruising.
Lowriders celebrated with a sunrise cruise to Chicano Park and an afternoon ride on Highland Avenue.
“It feels like a couple of bricks off your back,” said Delgado.
Helping to drive the lowriding change are women like Allerano who is the president of the United Lowrider Coalition non-profit.
“Back in the day, yeah, it was it was tough for women," she said. "I was in a specialist car club in the late 70s, early 80s. And it was tough because this was male dominant lowriders."
“We had to take care of ourselves. We became family and our sisters. But today, the women out here the women, low riders, I mean, they rock.”
Lowrider owners say cruising is more than just a part of their culture, it’s a state of mind.
“Just enjoying life,” said Rabbit.
The Allerano’s say there's still a lot of work to be done for lowrider owners. They want to make history and be in the 2025 Rose Parade.
WATCH RELATED: San Diego movement helps lift lowrider ban in California