In a surprising turn of events during a Friday afternoon ride, three young boys transformed a routine Waymo trip into an exhilarating escapade with the wind in their hair. Witness Rojia Shahsavani was running errands in Santa Monica around 6 p.m. when she spotted the boys sitting on the open window ledges of a white Waymo, cruising from Santa Monica into West Los Angeles.
Shahsavani described how her initial encounter with the Waymo vehicle, which was a couple of cars ahead of her in the left lane, didn’t raise any alarms at first. “I thought they were just going to take a quick picture and get back in,” she said. But moments later, it became clear that the boys were settling in for a longer thrill ride.
With a mix of disbelief and concern, Shahsavani snapped multiple photos as the vehicle traveled along Olympic Boulevard. Initially, it was just two boys in the back seat who swung their legs out of the opening. But soon, the youngest, seated in the front, couldn’t resist the urge to join them. “They were just laughing and taking selfies as the car moved along,” she recounted, emphasizing how carefree they seemed.
Noticing the potential danger, Shahsavani rolled up next to the Waymo and tried to shout a warning for the kids to sit back down. Unfortunately, her advice went unheard. One of the boys even joked, saying he only spoke Italian, making the encounter more perplexing. Frustrated and alarmed, Shahsavani decided to call Waymo’s customer service while the vehicle continued into West Los Angeles, past Bundy Drive.
During her call, Shahsavani was assured by a Waymo agent that the company could stop the vehicle if they deemed it necessary. However, as she followed the Waymo, she couldn’t shake off her growing anxiety. “I kept expecting Waymo to stop the car, but they insisted that it wasn’t the right place,” she stated, all while the boys continued their playful antics.
Although the speed limit began to rise alongside traffic, Shahsavani remained vigilant. She noted that cars were speeding up, which only heightened her concerns for the young boys and surrounding drivers. As they approached Rancho Park, the Waymo turned right, with the boys still perched atop the windows, seemingly unfazed by the growing danger.
Shahsavani remarked that her worries were not only for the boys’ safety but also for others on the road. “I support technological advancements, but I feel Waymo should be more aware of how their vehicles are being used and the safety implications involved,” she concluded, echoing a sentiment many share about the need for public safety to keep pace with innovation.
