VIDEO: BMW 7-Series test driver gets all riled up

It isn’t easy work, being a full time professional spy photographer. Even though you work with your camera on public roads, sometimes you’ll have to endure abuse from the drivers of prototype vehicles. Skip to the 39 second mark of the video above to see a little spat between the driver of this next generation BMW 7-Series prototype and a spy photographer.

We asked a German-speaking friend what was going on between the test driver and the photographer.

Test driver: Put that camera away!
Photographer: I can take pictures. This is a public space.
Test driver: No, you can’t take pics of the cars without my permission.
Photographer: What’s your name?
Test driver: Go away!
Photographer: What’s the name of your boss? I’ve never experienced this.

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Paul Tan

After dabbling for years in the IT industry, Paul Tan initially began this site as a general blog covering various topics of personal interest. With an increasing number of readers paying rapt attention to the motoring stories, one thing led to another and the rest, as they say, is history.

 

Comments

  • Obviously (Member) on Aug 18, 2014 at 10:03 am

    Wow. Seems that it takes lots of guts to be an autospy sometimes in order to get the best spyshots. I do wonder why the test driver was so angry. It’s not like he’s the one responsible for keeping everything under wraps (impossible on public roads). Maybe he just got annoyed by the spy tailing them hours on end.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 12 Thumb down 2
    • Same L0rrr on Aug 18, 2014 at 5:12 pm

      On this, Proton is much smarter I have to praised it (no sarcastic).

      When Proton is annoyed with people shooting their GSC, they just put the GSC launch on hold until they are happy. Good one.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 2
  • death (Member) on Aug 18, 2014 at 10:24 am

    Hmm, when you are going to test it on the public road, you are ready to get spyshots by someone. Right?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 16 Thumb down 1
  • Just like many (not all) bmw drivers here.. No surprise.. Lol

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 41 Thumb down 1
    • I am Bimmer owner but i dont act like this. We Malaysian are actually very kind and peace loving regardless of race.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 16 Thumb down 22
      • kp driver on Aug 18, 2014 at 11:23 am

        I’m a 7 Series driver and I love people taking photo of the bimmer & me whenever my boss is not around. Haha.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 47 Thumb down 2
        • Yeah so your are just driver.Shoo. Dont troll.

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 10
          • Also Drive A Bimmer on Aug 19, 2014 at 11:23 am

            Very contrast to what you’ve wrote earlier. Very kind le konon. Banyak sombong!

            Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 0
      • bro he said not all right? calm down…

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 9 Thumb down 0
    • drMsohai on Aug 18, 2014 at 3:06 pm

      Normally toyota and p2 drivers are like that. And some VW too. Merc and bimmer are more polite usually.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 7
  • I dont see why the hoo hah is about anyway. It’s a 7 series for god’s sake, not some skunkworks project.

    Judging by BMW’s current approach to design, it aint gonna look radically different. The intresting bits which is the built in tech can’t be spied with cameras anyway. I think he’s just annoyed that he is constantly being followed.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 12 Thumb down 1
  • the spy photographer should bring steering-lock along to avoid this kind of action

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 36 Thumb down 1
  • TheDean on Aug 18, 2014 at 11:52 am

    Hmmmmm. I see the point of being photographed when test driving on public roads, but this is more like ‘hounding’….. and no one likes that. Dangerous too, isn’t it? Like celebs. Paps have the right to shoot them in public, but hounding them like a flea ticks people off, no? Pun intended.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 1
  • leonardo on Aug 18, 2014 at 12:06 pm

    Public roads are considered ‘public domain’. It is up to the manufacturers to keep the car under wraps or go for night testing to minimise exposure.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
  • Semi-Value (Member) on Aug 18, 2014 at 12:07 pm

    mercedes drivers never like this. peace.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 13 Thumb down 7
  • gaviny on Aug 18, 2014 at 12:09 pm

    people, having sat and passed for an european license, the first minutes of the video the spy driver was tailgating by law and that’s what pissed them off most likely. and we don’t see other shots of what they were doing just the edited sections, it may be they got in the way of the testing of the cars, braking, acceleration etc.

    if you’re gonna hamper people from doing their jobs, don’t blame them later that there wasn’t enough road testing done right?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 4
  • Black Dog on Aug 18, 2014 at 12:14 pm

    BMW have such boring designs, what’s the big deal.

    But I certainly hate spy photographers snooping on celebrities. They expose people’s privacy for money. I’ll give them a few punches if they come near.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 3
    • rellyah on Aug 18, 2014 at 4:53 pm

      yeap if it does happen to have a black dog running loose n close to me i would flying kick his face first.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • DSG_Fart on Aug 18, 2014 at 12:54 pm

    Now you know why BMW driver get this tagline … Wanker !!!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 2
  • amin recurve on Aug 18, 2014 at 1:06 pm

    As a spy photographer, you shouldn’t expose yourself and must use the concept of shoot, ‘destroy’ and go back. Some of ppl will feel annoying because we shot them without their permission. You should bring multiple range of lenses to perform this job. Im also a photographer.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 6
    • Joe Radzif on Aug 18, 2014 at 2:08 pm

      Well,
      I know Mr Amin is a photographer and BMW owner…

      Long time no see…

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 4
  • teamsleepnine on Aug 18, 2014 at 1:06 pm

    i think the photographer bit of a wanker to…he is making the test driver uncomfortable…bit intimidated…you don’t see the driver…legally yes the photographer is right…morally,ethically he is sort of a stalker.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 0
  • Proton will sue and deny about the new car at the same time. Didnt this happen before? fantastic how their mind works.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 6
    • leonardo on Aug 19, 2014 at 8:48 am

      This story has got nothing to do with Proton. Fantastic how your mind works.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
  • Josh Ling on Aug 18, 2014 at 3:20 pm

    ehm……what’s the point of chasing the spy cameraman away? it’s not like there’s anything to look at. they were all covered-up prototypes, and it’s not like the cameraman had not taken any pics of the prototypes already.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • heybadigol on Aug 18, 2014 at 6:50 pm

    Are we sure its the 7 series? Seems like a similar size. But could be hiding something else underneath. If the driver was really unhappy with the photographers, it could mean something more than meets the eye about the car.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • I think the driver angry not because of someone taking picture, is because the photographer keep tailing them make them feel uncomfortable

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • diablo on Aug 18, 2014 at 10:00 pm

    I think the test drivers got annoyed because they’re trying to do their job and likely a test schedule to follow. We don’t know exactly what the photographer did. Hounding would definitely have caused annoyance. The test driver in my view should have approached politely but firmly tell him to leave them alone. Also take photos and vehicle reg. Other than that there isn’t more they can do.If anything they can complain on road safety issue but not privacy issue in my view

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • rüsselsheimer on Aug 18, 2014 at 11:46 pm

    scheiss auf bmw… opel ist das beste

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Peter on Aug 19, 2014 at 11:34 am

    At least he didn’t use sterling lock & shout like mad guy.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
 

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