It’s a Wednesday night in Pacific Palisades, just after 10 p.m. Children are tucked into their beds, homes are silent and the only sound heard in the neighborhoods along Sunset Boulevard is the occasional barking dog.
Yet like clockwork, the calm is broken as the murmur of what sounds like a swarm of bees begins resonating from Sunset. The buzz suddenly turns into a mechanical howl, and then a growl, as the headlights from a small pack of motorcyclists, heading west on Sunset, come into view.
This night, a group of about seven riders reach the intersection of Sunset and Swarthmore, stopping at a red traffic light. As they wait for the light to turn, the group begins revving their engines and posturing to each other. When the light turns green, they accelerate loudly down Sunset and continue on to PCH. The back of their black leather jackets have the same logo—two brass knuckles standing next to a circular design with the words “Hooligan Society West Coast” written on the side and bottom.
Shortly before the pack’s arrival, one of their compadres, who was wearing the same logo, drove through town. Except this particular rider was also equipped with what looked like a police scanner on the side of his helmet. These types of helmets may include Bluetooth pairing and other services, which can alert riders to the presence of police as well as allowing rider-to-rider communication.
When the Hooligan Society bikers arrive at the 76 Station at the corner of Sunset and PCH, they gather around a white Ford Mustang that seems to be part of the meet-up. After just a few moments, it becomes clear that most all the riders at the station are familiar with each other.
However, looks can be deceiving; while the “hooligan” crew wore rebellious fatigues, they rode through town in an orderly manner and obeyed all traffic lights. The same could not be said about the pack that rode through town about 30 minutes later. This group of six riders, who did not brandish a club logo, was anything but orderly. They blasted through the Village as they headed westbound on Sunset. At the 76 Station, most of these riders were already off their bikes and in the store when this reporter finally caught up to them. Two others were outside smoking cigarettes, and when a police squad car drove by, the pair hid behind one of the SUVs in the parking lot and giggled like mischievous children. The police cruiser either didn’t notice them or didn’t view them as a danger. Making a U-turn on PCH, the officer headed back toward the Village.
After a loud argument between two of its members, the pack got back on their bikes and sped down PCH toward Malibu—but not before one them popped a wheelie at the intersection. Making a right turn on Topanga Canyon Boulevard, the group weaved northward along the curves towards the Valley. From the Sagebrush Cantina in Woodland Hills to Pat’s Topanga Grill, there are several hot spots where motorcycle enthusiasts like to gather.
Over time, the Sunset corridor through Pacific Palisades has become a popular route for motorcyclists of all types, from “hogs” (Harley Davidson-type motorcycles) during the day to mostly “crotch rockets” (racing motorcycles) at night.
Since 2008, Palisadians have expressed anger about these groups speeding and causing noise pollution. This last December, Marquez neighbors were jarred by the blaring sounds of metal screeching and revving engines when a rider crashed his racing bike on the front lawn of a home in the 16800 block of Sunset. A neighbor who caught the aftermath on video told the Palisadian-Post that “there were 15 to 20 guys and two cars assisting them.” According to witnesses, several riders wearing Bluetooth devices showed up to assist the man and a pickup truck was used to transport his wrecked bike.
Many in town view these riders as a continuing annoyance. “Their sound reverberates throughout the Marquez area,” said one neighbor on the Post’s Facebook page. “Wednesdays and Sundays are the most common days, and during the summer there are times the noise seems to go on forever.”
In September, the Los Angeles Police Department conducted traffic enforcement operations on Sunset and cited several riders for speeding. Regardless, the groups continue to be a noisy problem for neighbors; last week the bikers were heard virtually every night, but there is only so much the police can do when the riders are not violating any specific laws. For now, the after-hours droning of unseen visitors remains an unchanged part of life in the Palisades.
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