A video has gone viral which shows some people attempting the Kiki challenge at the side of a busy road, only to be immediately pulled over by police officers.
The footage was captured in Tulsa, Oklahoma by a motorist who could not contain his laughter as the incident unfolded.
Two young boys hopped out of the back of the vehicle in question and began dancing. However, when they noticed the cops pulling over, they dived straight back in, much to the amused motorist’s delight.
Like many an internet meme, the Kiki challenge started with Drake. However, it has since morphed into a viral monster…
Instagram comic Shiggy kicked off the trend with his humorous interpretation of Drake’s bounce track In My Feelings, which concerns his complicated feelings towards a shopaholic girl called Kiki.
Shiggy filmed a version where he danced exuberantly in the middle of a road, making steering motions during the lyrics ‘Are you riding?’ as if driving a car.
Something about the happy, silly dance resonated with fans; and has prompted many to try out the so-called Kiki challenge for themselves. Often, participants will leap out of a moving car and dance along beside it in the style of Shiggy.
Challengers of note include the likes of Will Smith and Kevin Hart, as well as the entire cast of Queer Eye.
And although it may seem like a harmless bit of fun, police officers in various countries have become worried by the trend, which could pose a serious threat to public safety.
According to The Guardian, the Kiki challenge has already been linked to several accidents; including crashing into poles, falling over potholes and tumbling from cars.
One shocking video reportedly shows a woman being mugged, while another even shows a dancing man being hit by a car.
Chief of National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) Safety Advocacy Division, Nicholas Worrell, has made the following statement:
Preventing death or injury from #doingtheShiggy is comparatively simple: Don’t jump out of a moving car for a meme. That’s it.
It’s foolish, it puts other road users at risk, and, it’s an excellent way to suffer road rash, legal penalties, or worse. By posting such a video, you’re providing evidence not just of your dance moves, but of any laws you may be breaking.
In a recent roundtable on distracted driving, we heard survivor advocates’ ideas about getting tougher on drivers using their phones (like the driver-cameraperson in this challenge).
Part of getting tougher includes increasing enforcement of distracted driving laws. If your local law enforcement agency is among the many cracking down on distracted drivers, the last thing you want to do is post evidence of you and your friends breaking the law.
Many of those who have watched this latest dashcam footage have come forward to express their opinions on this risky dance trend.
One person joked:
Kiki, do you love cops?
Another tutted:
Kids are so stupid these days.
Hopefully these youngsters will now have learnt their lesson and won’t risk endangering their lives for the sake of a meme again.
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Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.