A new generation of Latino low-riders is embracing the car culture of their fathers and grandfathers, reveling in the old-school custom cars

And still facing the same hostility.

Low-riders of more than 35 clubs from Chandler to west Phoenix, including Old School, Slow Lane, Mi Vida and the Imperials, meet most weekends to style cars and hang out. But mostly to cruise the streets.

The center of the action: Maryvale.

Hundreds of dropped and flamboyantly painted custom cars slowly roll along the streets of the west Phoenix neighborhood on Sunday nights. The scene is so big that the national Lowrider magazine named Maryvale one of the top cruising spots in the Southwest.

Neighbors and police are not impressed.

The cruisers, they say, are intimidating and clog streets, imprisoning residents in their own homes. They complain of rap and hip-hop music pumping out of amped-up stereo systems as cruisers show off for each other and dolled-up girls on the sidewalks.

"I literally have to stay home along with my neighbors on Sunday evenings because of the cruising," said Martha Garcia, 59, a neighborhood activist. "We've learned not to go to the grocery store, not to go anywhere."

But low-riders defend themselves, saying their car-club gatherings are peaceful family events.

"Cruising is just for people to show off their cars," said Tony Garcia, 20, a Majestics Car Clubber whose baby is a '68 Impala with a tricked out hydraulic suspension system and custom wheels.

"You don't want to build a car and then just have it sitting in your garage."

Arizona lawmakers do.

A bill directed at controlling cruising cleared the House and Senate last week and is awaiting a final hearing by the House. Although lawmakers twice have failed to pass similar measures, they believe this bill will become law because they drafted the proposal with the help of car and bike clubs.

Under House Bill 2136, local jurisdictions can make cruising illegal, and ticket and tow the offenders' cars. It is designed, lawmakers say, to give police and residents a chance to fight back.

"The bill deals with a cruising problem that has been going on for about six years," said Rep. John Nelson, R-Glendale, sponsor of the measure. "It's a civil penalty and makes it fairly easy to deal with the issue."

Firefighters and police say cruisers make it almost impossible to respond to emergencies. Phoenix spends $1 million a year to beef up manpower after car-show events, said City Councilman Claude Mattox, who represents Maryvale.

"We literally couldn't get out of the driveway and that's problematic if a house is on fire or someone isn't breathing," said Bob Khan, assistant fire chief. "Our concern is being able to get to people's house in four minutes."

The situation came to a head last month. After hundreds of low-riders gathered at the Arizona Fairgrounds for Lowrider magazine's annual car show, Maryvale authorities called in police from around the city to control the after-show traffic. From 5 p.m. to 1 a.m., police issued 403 traffic tickets, 10 DUI citations, towed 19 vehicles, seized two guns and arrested 54 people, according to a city report.

"Our attitude is, if citations don't work, if police enforcement doesn't work, then perhaps if you lose your car and you have to pay storage fees and towing fees, then maybe you'll think twice about doing that," Mattox said of the anti-cruising bill.

Critics say the legislation is overly broad and open to misinterpretation. Mainstream hot rodders and antique-car hobbyists also fear they'll be targeted.

"It's just a vague and heavy-handed kind of bill," said Bill Gilmore, an automotive researcher and historian.

"This will make everyone wonder when they're out driving around whether they're violating something. I feel for the problems in the neighborhood, but you can't make a state law regulate (a) square-mile area."

Testifying against the bill before the Senate, Gilmore said, "Unfortunately this bill might be considered by some Hispanics as a form of state-sponsored terrorism through vague local ordinances."

Low-riders are customized cars, mostly Chevrolets, with lowered suspensions enhanced by complex hydraulic systems and bright custom wheels.

Hispanic cruisers bring their culture and religion to the customized cars they drive. Religious figures, including the Virgin of Guadalupe, are painted on some cars, along with pinstriping, disco balls and sexy women.

The older autos often have themes. A disco motif complete with champagne coolers and mirrored interior.

A Cadillac finished with signature Louis Vuitton seats and vinyl top.

New to the scene are tricked out sport utility vehicles.

Club members and officials say it's not just Latinos who are involved in low-riding.

"You see every race and color doing it," said Jose Garcia, 23, of Unity Car Club. "It's a hobby, it's not like gang-banging. It keeps people out of trouble, and a lot of time, passion and money goes into it. There's nothing negative coming out of this."

The cruises are like rolling parties, neighbors say, that get out of control.

"Not only is there gridlock, but there's convertibles where girls are dancing on top of their seats doing peep shows with their little tops," Garcia said.

Officials say this bill will help prevent that behavior. Cruisers say lawmakers should be targeting gang violence, not cruising.

"We usually go to parks, but the cops close us down and kick us out," said Garcia, of south Phoenix. "So we go to another park and they kick us out from that, too. That's why we end up cruising."