Outdoor calisthenics being performed by employees of a Hooters restaurant in Nova Scotia has drawn the attention of police concerned about distracted drivers.
A few weeks ago, police officers showed up at the recently opened Hooters Restaurant, on a busy stretch of Main St. in Dartmouth, N.S.
They politely asked employees to stop dancing so close to traffic.
It seemed some drivers couldn’t help but turn their heads to catch a glimpse of the young women doing jumping jacks on the side of the road, with the result being plenty of honking and even the occasional collision.
“In the last month we attended Hooters and requested that their staff move to a different location, as we believe they may have been distracting drivers,” said Theresa Rath, spokeswoman for Halifax Regional Police.
But while the women in tight T-shirts and orange short-shorts might be attention-grabbing, Rath emphasized that they weren’t committing an illegal act.
“It’s very important to note that no offence was taking place,” she said. “We were concerned about traffic safety and road safety, and Hooters agreed to comply with our request.”
There have been no police reports pointing to the enthusiastic Hooters employees as the cause of any collisions.
However, Rath said, “We understand that there may have been a few minor fender-benders in the area.”
Scott Samways, general manager of Hooters Dartmouth, which opened in April, said the daily “jump-start” is the routine way the restaurant starts morning and evening shifts.
“We talk to the girls, tell them about any promotions we have going, any parties that are going to be here that night, any product we’re out of,” he said.
“It’s just sort of a gathering beforehand to get them ramped up and pumped up.”
