The wheels came off during Tuesday's car parade in Rochester

Car parades like this one have become popular during the COVID pandemic. (Courtesy photo)

ROCHESTER - Call it cabin fever, the need to party even during a pandemic or just a kind gesture that got out of hand.

But whatever it was it meant headaches for Rochester Police on Tuesday as 50-60 cars snaked their way in parade fashion along Rochester streets from Pickering Road to the area of Spaulding High, spinning tires, honking horns and on occasion, even speeding.

A lot of residents along the ad hoc parade route were upset, too, complaining to police dispatch beginning around 4:30 p.m. that a large contingent of cars were assembling on Pickering Road.

Rochester Police Capt. Todd Pinkham said parade organizers had told police about their plans to traverse the city and stop by certain homes to wish several city children who are shut in during the state of emergency "Happy Birthday" on their special day.

"We spoke with the organizers who reached out to us," Pinkham said. "We gave them the same speech whenever anyone wants to do this; don't delay traffic and no violations."

But around 6:25 p.m. the parade was still rolling along, now on Chamberlain Street, with one caller to dispatch reporting that 50-60 cars were going down their street, speeding up, slowing down, revving their engines and driving recklessly.

The parade route also included Whitehall Road and Heritage Street.

By the time the procession was approaching The Ridge Marketplace police had decided to shut it down, according to dispatch notes.

Pinkham said the planning for the event began on Facebook and it just morphed into something more than even the organizer expected.

"Other people started joining the parade, screeching tires and speeding," said Pinkham, who said a few parade drivers were handed out violation-level citations.