The Fast & Furious series has gone on for more than two decades. Fans of “Fast and Furious” from all over the world are anticipating the return of the franchise with the release of “Fast X,” the 10th instalment in April. The locals of the famed Angelino Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles however are furious over the filming.

Variety reports that “Fast and the Furious” fans have flocked to Angelino Heights to marvel at Bob’s Market, the family-owned grocery store and the charming Victorian home of Dominic Toretto since the film’s debut in 2001. Bob’s Market and Dominic’s house, however, have evolved into destinations for more than just taking photos, in contrast to the neighboring mansion where The WB series “Charmed” was filmed.

Car enthusiasts race and do street takeovers around the region immediately west of Downtown nearly every evening, in addition to spinning out in front of the business at high speeds while doing donuts. For the “Fast X” shoot recently, locals who put up with the frequent noise and dangerous surroundings are organizing a protest.

The demonstration happens at a time when rage in the city over the consequences of street racing is at an all-time high. In the meantime, the pandemic has seen a sharp increase in road fatalities and pedestrian deaths, which are frequently brought on by irresponsible driving and speeding.

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Traffic fatalities in the US increased 21% in the first three months of 2022 compared to 2020, signaling the pandemic nature of the problem across L.A. and the entire nation. According to a notice of filming that local residents received from FilmLA, “Fast X” will shoot on Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 a.m. in front of the Toretto residence on Kensington Road.

This will include “simulated emergency services activity, aerial photography, wetting down of street, and atmospheric smoke.” A representative for FilmLA, the organization in charge of issuing permits for filming in Los Angeles, stated that although a shooting permit has not yet been issued, the office has distributed notices to the neighborhood.

If this film shoot is allowed to go forward in Angelino Heights, or any part of it from F10 Productions (Universal) … we will stage a huge protest and will invite many reporters and news cameras to film us protesting this film shoot all day and night. We will hold this protest to honor the 178 people who have been killed by street racers in Los Angeles, and to shame Universal for their callous disregard for this deadly epidemic of street racing their films started and continue to promote.” No further details about the protest were available.

According to numerous Angelino Heights neighbors, the problem with “Fast and Furious” is not so much the one-day movie shoot as it is the ongoing effects the movies have on the area. The open space in front of Bob’s Market, according to married couple Hellen Kim and Robert Howard who live nearby, attracts street racers who perform donuts and rev their engines, making noise and smoke.

The city put up some bollards there, but a lot of the cars either went to another street or kept driving around the obstructions. And when they do, some of the vehicles lack mufflers, which causes incredibly disruptive noises like screeching tires. Angelino Heights’ current situation is the result of an industry that doesn’t care about the potential repercussions, Stay tuned to Thirsty for latest news and updates.

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Gunjan Nath

In search of simplicity and inner peace, Gunjan is basically a guy soldiering through his paranoia. You could say Art, Witty/Dark Humor, Movies, Anime, Post-rock/Black Metal/Hip-Hop/Shoegaze Music, Football, Creative Writing, Photography, Videography are his forte. A Jack of All Trades and a Master of Many.

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