Footage Capturing Bus Surfing In San Bernardino Goes Viral But Police Aren't Impressed
SAN BERNARDINO (CBSLA.com) — Cellphone video of two men bus surfing has gone viral, but police aren't impressed.
As KCAL9's Crystal Cruz reports, the footage captured the unidentified men hitching a free ride on the back of a moving bus.
When they hopped on, the bus was traveling 30 to 40 mph, according to the footage.
"At that speed, if they were to fall off, there's no way that that car could stop before they hit one of those people," San Bernardino Police Department Lt. Richard Lawhead said.
The video has gone viral with one person writing: "Talk about a free bus ride." Another wrote: "Sometimes you gotta save a $1.50."
The bus fare is actually $1.75, but the legal repercussions of bus surfing or shooting video of it could be far steeper.
"If you film it and think it's funny and all the sudden there's an accident, then you could be held liable for whatever happens," the lieutenant said.
Cruz reports that a man who claimed to be one of the bus surfers responded to online accusations that he's cheap by stating: "Never broke. Just didn't want to spend my bread. LOL."
With cameras on the bus primarily recording what's happening on the inside the bus, the driver can only see what's happening in the front of the bus.
"I also kind of look at it as a mother," Wendy Williams, a spokesperson for OmniTrans, said. "I think you know those boys could get hurt."
So far, the incident appears to be isolated. However, police said legal action could result if someone falls off and causes an accident.
"It all looks like fun and everything else, but all the fun stops when somebody falls off the back," Lawhead said.