OT- BMW employee gets Darwin award

[Fogey]

On the news this a.m. A BMW employee parks a prototype BMW near Central Park and heads off to a picnic. Forgets to turn the engine off (electric?) but puts a cover over the car. Someone reports this vibrating car under a cover.
Cops get called, take the cover off and smash a window to turn it off and check it out. Car was covered with all the hide the shape stickers et. al. Sure it's on u-tube by now.

[CamaroSkooter]

Wow, I can't believe the cops were that dense to smash the window. I mean, the BMW employee is pretty dense to actually leave it running EVEN WHILE he's putting the cover on it, but still. Smashing the window on a car that has all the "hide the body lines" patches is just remarkable to me...

Where's the "I'm with stupid" emote...

[Havok]

Guess BMW can go after the cops now, just like Apple is going after the guy and company that found the IPad proto and sold it.

[MontyCarlo]

How is that a Darwin Award?

[Fogey]

Loose usage of the Darwin Award criteria. He did not die and therefore remains in the gene pool. Sorry if I offended any Darwin Award fans

[MontyCarlo]

Originally Posted by Fogey

Leaves his prototype car running. Then covers it with a cover while it's running. At least a candidate for the Darwin award.

You're only a candidate for the Darwin award if your mistake killed you.

[2010 SSRS]

my hero

[Brokinarrow]

Originally Posted by MontyCarlo

You're only a candidate for the Darwin award if your mistake killed you.

Actually it's more if your mistake removes your ability to reproduce, which more often than not, results in your death. Also, you can't have had any children already.... unless the mistake somehow took them down with you I guess.

[2000v6]

Originally Posted by CamaroSkooter

Wow, I can't believe the cops were that dense to smash the window. I mean, the BMW employee is pretty dense to actually leave it running EVEN WHILE he's putting the cover on it, but still. Smashing the window on a car that has all the "hide the body lines" patches is just remarkable to me...

Where's the "I'm with stupid" emote...

Actually considering that this is NYC, and NYC has been labeled as one of the biggest terrorist targets in the states, the cops had every right to smash the window. I mean, look it happened a week after the whole times square thing, which could have resulted very badly for the millions of NYers and tourists that were within the vicinity of times square. If anyone was stupid it was the guy from bmw. He goes for a jog in central park and leaves the engine running? Especially considering that us NYers don't see cars wearing the "hide the body lines" paint pattern every day, so the cops responded as they should have. Next time he should just take the car wearing a normal paint scheme, turn the car off and take the keys with him. So what if the auto media types will have the car pics plastered all over the internet within ten minutes, but at least he won't accidentally cause a "threat". It's his own fault and if bmw should go after anybody, it should be him. (rant over)

I know that things are different in san antonio, where all of them rednecks go driving around with shotguns in the back seat. But in NYC, us NYers aren't used to seeing cars that are unattended, left running, under a car cover and with some weird paint scheme. The woman who reported the vehicle and the cops did exactly as they should have done and had every right to. Maybe the guy from bmw will think things through and drive the car with a normal paint scheme next time. Even if it is pre production, but so what? In NYC nobody really gives a rat's ass about pre production cars that look like they belong on the street rather than something that for all we know can be a spacecraft from mars.

[2000v6]

Originally Posted by Havok

Guess BMW can go after the cops now, just like Apple is going after the guy and company that found the IPad proto and sold it.

Uh... you do realize that he won a pre production version and was told that he wasn't allowed to leave with it unless he signed a document stating that he wouldn't sell it. He somehow "managed to forget" that little bit of info, and now they have every right to go after him.

BMW on the other hand, let their employee drive the car around in NYC, and if he had done just that everything would have been fine. But he decided to be a complete idiot, leave the car running unattended and under a cover near central park. Hm... he's apparently a few brain cells short if he decided to pull a stunt like that right after the whole times square incident.

[cHaotix]

Originally Posted by 2000v6

Actually considering that this is NYC, and NYC has been labeled as one of the biggest terrorist targets in the states, the cops had every right to smash the window. I mean, look it happened a week after the whole times square thing, which could have resulted very badly for the millions of NYers and tourists that were within the vicinity of times square. If anyone was stupid it was the guy from bmw. He goes for a jog in central park and leaves the engine running? Especially considering that us NYers don't see cars wearing the "hide the body lines" paint pattern every day, so the cops responded as they should have. Next time he should just take the car wearing a normal paint scheme, turn the car off and take the keys with him. So what if the auto media types will have the car pics plastered all over the internet within ten minutes, but at least he won't accidentally cause a "threat". It's his own fault and if bmw should go after anybody, it should be him. (rant over)

I know that things are different in san antonio, where all of them rednecks go driving around with shotguns in the back seat. But in NYC, us NYers aren't used to seeing cars that are unattended, left running, under a car cover and with some weird paint scheme. The woman who reported the vehicle and the cops did exactly as they should have done and had every right to. Maybe the guy from bmw will think things through and drive the car with a normal paint scheme next time. Even if it is pre production, but so what? In NYC nobody really gives a rat's ass about pre production cars that look like they belong on the street rather than something that for all we know can be a spacecraft from mars.

There is a lot of ignorance in this post.

[5thGenOwner]

Eh... BMW's, and all the German autos (non-supercars) in fact, are becomming hiddious these days. And the people who buy them... will buy them no matter what they look like, it's all about the badge.

I do think the American and Asian styles are more appealing to the average consumer. Not to mention, more affordable.

In the end this little 'stunt' may just give BMW more free publicity than they could ever buy!

[nester7929]

Originally Posted by 2000v6

Actually considering that this is NYC, and NYC has been labeled as one of the biggest terrorist targets in the states, the cops had every right to smash the window. I mean, look it happened a week after the whole times square thing, which could have resulted very badly for the millions of NYers and tourists that were within the vicinity of times square. If anyone was stupid it was the guy from bmw. He goes for a jog in central park and leaves the engine running? Especially considering that us NYers don't see cars wearing the "hide the body lines" paint pattern every day, so the cops responded as they should have. Next time he should just take the car wearing a normal paint scheme, turn the car off and take the keys with him. So what if the auto media types will have the car pics plastered all over the internet within ten minutes, but at least he won't accidentally cause a "threat". It's his own fault and if bmw should go after anybody, it should be him. (rant over)

I know that things are different in san antonio, where all of them rednecks go driving around with shotguns in the back seat. But in NYC, us NYers aren't used to seeing cars that are unattended, left running, under a car cover and with some weird paint scheme. The woman who reported the vehicle and the cops did exactly as they should have done and had every right to. Maybe the guy from bmw will think things through and drive the car with a normal paint scheme next time. Even if it is pre production, but so what? In NYC nobody really gives a rat's ass about pre production cars that look like they belong on the street rather than something that for all we know can be a spacecraft from mars.

So a running car under a cover + odd paint scheme = probable explosive device? I understand why security might be a bit tight with recent events and all, but it's still quite a gap in logic.

I definitely agree that it was stupid to leave a prototype running in public. Leaving a car running in NY is like an open invitation to having it stolen. However, the most someone should have to fear is the car being stolen, and not a NEST team showing up.

Also, the shotgun comment was unnecessary. Not all Texans have guns on the back of the rear window. Mine's in the glovebox.

[AlSuwaidi]

Funny story... maybe he couldnt turn it off cause you need something special to turn it on again!