South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

‘Cruisin’ Lindbergh’ gets a lot of attention, but seems unlikely to happen again

In+this+still+from+a+YouTube+video+of+the+Cruisin+Lindbergh+event+April+18%2C+a+car+prepares+to+do+a+burnout+on+the+Ronnies+Plaza+parking+lot+as+onlookers+gather.+
In this still from a YouTube video of the ‘Cruisin’ Lindbergh’ event April 18, a car prepares to do a burnout on the Ronnie’s Plaza parking lot as onlookers gather.

It’s a pastime many area drivers have participated in for decades, but cruising South Lindbergh Boulevard never got so much attention as it did two Saturdays ago, when crowds descended on the famous road despite stay-at-home orders in effect due to the coronavirus outbreak.

An event planned out of the Facebook group “Cruisin’ Lindbergh” for Saturday, April 18, was intended to be a socially distanced old-fashioned car cruise like days gone by, with no one getting out of their cars.

But videos taken by attendees showed crowds of people gathered in the parking lot at Ronnie’s Plaza for hours, cheering on other drivers who were doing burnouts.

Some footage showed police officers looking on while the burnouts happened. The next day, the Ronnie’s parking lot was covered in burnt rubber.

In debates still going on in the group, some of the participants said it was a fun family event and a welcome distraction during a crisis. Others said those at the event who didn’t socially distance ruined it for everyone by drawing negative attention.

Facebook posts made the next day thanked the St. Louis County Police Department for directing traffic and not breaking up the festivities.

But that was short-lived: Electronic signs posted at Home Depot and Ronnie’s last week said police would be enforcing St. Louis County’s anti-cruising ordinance and that lingering on any parking lot would not be allowed.

A note posted on the Facebook group now states: “This group does NOT have any planned cruises at this time. We are working on something for AFTER the stay at home order has been lifted. If you plan to cruise on your own, we remind you to be respectful of property, people, and the laws of STL County. We also will not allow any promoting or planning of cruising events at this time in the Cruisin’ Lindbergh group.”

Below, see some of the videos posted to YouTube and Facebook by attendees:

 

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