LTA warns against 'Maui Wowie' TikTok trend where people hang off traffic lights & signs

"Hanging out" has taken a whole new form amongst the younger generation.

The latest trend is:

Literally hanging off of traffic lights and street signs.

LTA gives warning

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has warned against these shenanigans in the latest Maui Wowie TikTok trend.

First originating in the U.S., it has now spread across the globe and reached Singapore shores.

In a Facebook post shared on Oct. 14, LTA cautioned social media users against using traffic lights, street signs, and other road infrastructure as stunt props.

The post stressed:

“Fun’s fun, but our road infrastructure isn’t a playground. It helps facilitate travel and keeps everyone safe.

Please don’t use them as props for social media. 😭 Let’s keep our roads safe (and your content risk-free).”

In the post, a video of various AI-generated people doing the stunt that LTA is warning against can be seen, before ending off on a cautionary note.

LTA further clarified that while it understands youths may be chasing viral moments, public infrastructure must be respected and preserved for its intended role: supporting safe travel.

So what is a Maui Wowie?

The origins of the trend can be traced back to TikTok, where videos have sprung up of young people gripping street signage or traffic lights as they lip-sync, “Goin’ back to Honolulu just to get that, that Maui Wowie, that Maui Wowie".

The “Maui Wowie” chanted repeatedly in the chorus actually refers to a Hawaiian cannabis strain originally cultivated in Hawaii that is famed for its sweet, tropical notes and flavor.

The chorus comes from a Kid Cudi track of the same name and the video that kicked it all off, according to Know Your Meme, started from a TikTok user called @aaronxbrownn who filmed himself hanging from a signpost in Honolulu on Sep. 6 2025.

@aaronxbrownn omw to honolulu #fyp #mauiwowie ♬ original sound - PAPO

What prompted him to suddenly start dangling off a traffic light?

No one knows, but it seems to have caught the attention and minds of netizens as everyone quickly started imitating him and hopped on the trend.

The post has since amassed over 750,000 likes and millions of views.

The song by Kid Cudi itself has also seen a resurgence as it climbed into Spotify’s “Viral 50 USA” playlist and surged up streaming charts.

So what about Singapore?

Most of the posts featuring the trend in Singapore’s local sphere have invited the usual comments or picture reacts on the physical prowess needed to engage in the stunt.

Others feature a copy-paste reply that starts off with concern for the health of the video poster, before ending off with a pick-up line.

While the Maui Wowie trend has gained enough traction on local TikTok for the LTA to step in and send a cautionary message, there have been no confirmed cases of serious injuries or accidents related to the stunt.

So far.

Top images via mojogojosatoru/TikTok, scandalousdiscoball/TikTok, WeKeepYourWorldMoving/Facebook