Driving for the Cure...? (Or, how I got blacklisted...)

Let me summarize: I got asked to leave and not come back. I was asked to LEAVE A CHARITY EVENT and not return.

This is not a proud story, but I'm learning to deal with it. Here goes:

I got to Don Jacobs BMW around 1:15 and signed my waiver with my information (including my cell phone #). They had all sorts of BMW's to drive, from Z4 roadsters to 3-, 5-, 6-, and 7-series cars, all with different engines and Rear- and All-wheel-drive configurations. I was in heaven.

The place was busy, but I was interested in driving only one car for my first drive, a BMW 335i coupe (E92 in BMW parlance). This was THE car, BMW's first turbo passenger car in 20+ years, twin-turbocharged and tractable. So, I put my name in and waited patiently, watching the crew of permatan 20-somethings shuffling people in and out of the 18 cars, wagons, and SUVs they brought. This was a much bigger event than the last one I attended on a lark back in 2001.

After about an hour, Gal in the White Cap called for me and I piled into the silver 335. I got my bearings and departed, adjusting the seat, mirrors, radio, transmission, sunroof and steering wheel en route. They trust you enough to send you out alone, after signing your life away on the form, so by halfway up West New Circle, I got my mind on navigation.

I set-up a cruise on New Circle at around 70, then exit at Versailles RD (US 60) going towards town. The seats were amazing, as was the steering--it was pleasantly heavy, and the car pointed like a laser beam, point and go.

The Versailles road exit is an ogival curve, bullet shaped and sharpest in the middle. The car ate it at 60 mph, with a hint of stability control in the middle. They don't put tires on these cars, they put MEATS. Eighteen inch wheels, sporting 225/40 tires up front, and 255/35 out back. A right at Parker's Mill road led to some backroad running to Man O'War, then an urban cycle to Harrodsburg and then to New Circle.

Here's where I got into trouble. I was kinda bored with the car--so much capability, no way to take advantage of it--so, I cut the route short by getting back on New Circle and running up to Nicholasville. The car was (again) a laser in traffic: Holes appeared, and the 335i filled them. It was pure joy.

And so, as I got to the exit ramp, the light was turning and I blazed through it, traction control off, a nice 10-degree slip angle as the car dug in 2nd gear. In short, I drifted a $45k car on the busiest section of road in Kentucky. At 3pm.

Then I blazed across the overpass at 60-70mph, and shot into the parking lot. I got out of the car and really wasn't interesting in driving much else, so I left.

Then the cell phone rang.

I didn't recognize the #, so I let it ring through to voicemail. What can I say, I get lots of wrong #'s!

Anyway, it was Chip, or Lance, or some other marketing-drone name, said he was from Ultimate Drive for the Cure and he politely asked me to call him back. I dialed back as I was working my way towards Georgetown Road.

Transcript:

Drone: "This is Lance".

Me: "Hi, this is Harold...you called?"

D: "Yes sir! Just wanted to touch base with you...are you still at the event?"

M: "No, I'm headed home...what's up?"

D: "Were you the one driving the 335, number nine?"

M: "Sure was...man it was awesome!"

D: "Glad you liked it. Well, just wanted to let you know, we were contacted by the police. Apparently, they saw you driving on Nicholasville Road and came by and asked that you be removed from the event."

M: "Uh...okay."

D: "Just think, next time you want to come to the event, you want to understand what we're trying to acccomplish here, and behave accordingly. You endangered a multi-million dollar event here." (That's the gist of the guilt-trip he laid on me...)

(click)

Yeah. "Asked not to return" Joy.