Please Don't Jump Out Of Your Cars For The "In My Feelings" Challenge, Safety Officials Say
You might want to think twice if you've been attempting to make like KiKi by getting down to Drake's catchy "In My Feelings" track on your local roadway. Unsurprisingly, the "In My Feelings" challenge is creating road safety problems, and authorities around the world are definitely not amused by the antics. While over 200,000 people and counting have attempted to "do the Shiggy" to the Scorpion single, with varying degrees of success, law enforcement says that getting in on the challenge while driving can now result in serious fines and even jail time.
While the viral trend originally started with individuals simply showing off their great moves via inspiration from comedian Shiggy, it's now evolved into a challenge where people jump out of moving vehicles before they start dancing in the streets. The #InMyFeelingsChallenge hashtag on Instagram brings up over 200,000 posts, some of which show dancers falling out of their moving cars or even getting hit by cars as they attempt the stunt while the drivers film them, and the authorities are finally stepping in.
Joseph Solomon, a police chief in Massachusetts, warned CBS Boston, "It's only a matter of time before someone gets sucked into the wheels of the car or dragged or the driver who is recording it with their phone, hits somebody crossing the street."
The National Transportation Safety Board even issued an "urgent" warning via Twitter, because people trying to one-up each other for more likes aren't being dissuaded by videos of their social media peers getting hurt.
In addition to issuing warnings, the more dangerous antics have some serious repercussions. In a tweet, the Mossos d'Esquadra police force in Spain revealed that individuals jumping out of a moving car could face criminal charges. Meanwhile, in Abu Dhabi, three social media influencers have already been arrested as they "endangered their lives, offended public morals and violated the traffic law," per Gulf News. Meanwhile, Bloomberg reports that anyone who disrupts traffic with the challenge in Egypt can be slapped with a $167 fine and one year in prison.
Just in case you'd forgotten, authorities want to remind you that the challenge, is dangerous AF, and no 'Gram video is worth dying for, even if jumping out a moving car earns you some serious social media brownie points. You know, in case you need to reassess your priorities.
It doesn't help that celebrities have are also been getting in on the challenge, although not all of them are taking Drake's "Are you riding?" lyric quite so literally. Duo Lipa, Ciara, Kevin Hart, and BTS's J-Hope are among the A-listers who've jumped on the challenge on Instagram. Even Will Smith got in on the action, warning his fans "Be smart, don't attempt doing this under any circumstances" as he danced on a precarious bridge in Budapest.
The newest viral video craze first got its legs when comedian Shiggy tried putting his own spin on the song of the summer on June 29. While the rest of us were wondering about the identity of Champagne Papi's mystery lady, Kiki, the online personality turned the focus on the tune's sick beat, which happened to be the perfect background for any dance-off. Thus, a viral internet sensation was born, and countless people have gotten in on the action by busting in the move in the middle of the street, and now, leaping out of moving vehicles to give a new meaning to the phrase "ride or die."
While American authorities have yet to specify the consequences you could be facing if you attempt the viral trend on a roadway, I wouldn't be surprised if you get slapped with a couple violations at the very least.
Back to the mannequin challenge, then?
