I’ve seen several sad things in my relatively short time on this planet. Funerals, break-ups, even that movie “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape.” Today, I saw something else that’s very depressing. Surprisingly, it’s a video of someone driving a BMW M4. Why the hell is something like that a bummer?
Here’s why:
-The valet parker in the following clip reminds me of me when I had a desk job that I hated a few years ago. I wanted to do more than just drive cars. I wanted to share my opinions about them with the world.
-Clearly, our host shouldn’t quit his day job. If he’s not pointing out obvious things such as the shift knob, he’s getting things wrong (unless BMW decided to make one special M4 with a V6). At least he has enthusiasm.
-He didn’t get a choice about doing the above. For good reason, the company that employed him canned his ass after it got wind of his high jinx.
Perhaps the worst part of all is that he doesn’t even get a chance to drive the M4 on the road. For its owner’s sake, I’m glad he doesn’t, but if you’re going to do something stupid that will surely get you fired and blacklisted, make sure the experience is worth it. Driving slowly through a parking garage sure as hell isn’t.
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
