This is how they transport a mattress on the highway in Miami

A brief yet impactful video posted on the Instagram profile of the news site Only in Dade has become the sensation of the past few hours, showing a car driving on one of Miami's expressways with a mattress strapped to the roof.

In the footage recorded from another car, the vehicle is seen moving at high speed while the straps holding the mattress sway in the force of the wind, causing it to rock back and forth.

"The mattress is dancing," said an internet user in the comments section of the post.

For several seconds, it becomes apparent how the makeshift trailer threatens to detach and fall onto the road, which could potentially cause an accident. However, the driver does not slow down and continues on their way.

The author of the video accompanied it with an ironic reflection on the high prices of messaging and delivery apps: "When the delivery fee is too high for you to become a delivery driver," he wrote.

The recording, which has already amassed tens of thousands of likes and numerous shares, has sparked a wave of mixed reactions among those who celebrate the driver's ingenuity and those who condemn the risk taken by transporting a bulky load with so little safety.

Divided reactions

The comments include both warnings of danger and praise for the driver's boldness.

An internet user noted that the mattress "is going to fly away with the car," another claimed that "it will scrape the paint off immediately," and a third joked, pointing out that Miami "is not a real place," given the usual nature of such unbelievable scenes.

Several admitted that they would never dare to do that: "There's no way I would be driving near that thing."

Finally, there were those who could not resist associating the improvised mode of transportation with the creativity of the Cuban community in the city: "100% Cuban," suggested a comment.

Legal and security risks

Traffic safety experts agree that a poorly secured load significantly increases the risk of accidents, especially when traveling in a fast lane—as was the case in this incident—where high speed combined with the instability of the cargo can lead to an accident.

Moreover, this practice could violate regulations concerning the transportation of large objects on public roads, which would expose the driver to fines and penalties.

However, these scenes on the streets of Miami are more common than one would like, partly due to the influx of Cubans and migrants from other countries who have been changing the urban landscape of the city.

In September 2023, a video went viral showing a driver whose vehicle was captured while traveling on a highway in Miami with two poorly secured mattresses on the roof.

So precarious was the tie that in the video -also shared by Only in Dade- it could be seen how the mattresses began to sway with the speed and wind, broke the ropes, and took off into the air.

Although the author of the recording could not capture what happened with the cars behind the offender, it can be imagined that they had to slam on their brakes after getting quite a scare.

Another dangerous action was committed by a driver who, in July of that year, drove down a street in Miami-Dade with two women lying on a mattress placed on top of the roof of a car.

Days before, a similar scene went viral on social media: that of a man carrying a mattress on a scooter along 42nd Ave or Le Jeune Road.

The image provoked hundreds of comments, and one user concluded that such an act constituted "Cubanismo at its finest."

Frequently Asked Questions about Unusual Transportation and Road Safety in Miami