Journalist Crashes 2016 Camaro During Detroit Test Drive, Gets Kicked Out Of Event [VIDEO]

I'm going to get right to the point of this op-ed piece.  In fact, I can sum it up in one word: Dumb.

No, not the journalist.  No, not the journalist's driving skills.  I'm not even talking about the fact that Chevy kicked him out of the press event.

"Dumb" is the overall description I'm giving to people's, or in this case, a company's ego.

I'm going to give you the super-duper summarized version of the events, based on the Jalopnik account, leading up to Sunday, when a well-respected journalist crashed a 2016 Camaro "mule," or, in more familiar terms, "the beta version."  But first I'll let you watch the video.

Patrick George received leaked specs on the new 2016 Camaro and, as other media outlets did (particularly those that regularly write about automobiles), and he shared those leaked specs.

GM was none-too-happy about this and they got their panties in a wad.  In fact, a lot of folks there wanted him banned from the Belle Isle test drive event altogether.

But, his invitation to come and test drive the new Camaro was not rescinded, and GM not only allowed him to attend, but flew him there, paid for his accommodations and adult beverages.

So, while he's doing what he's supposed to do -- driving the car and talking about how great it handles, he ends up losing control as he rounds a corner and slams into a wall.

The car is messed up.  That's when the folks at GM told him to leave.

Now, this guy completely defends the car and accepts 100% responsibility for the crash, which is noble.  But, before we get too bent on letting him bear the full responsibility, let's consider that, perhaps, the insight GM can gain by investigating the crash may be valuable in developing or tweaking issues with the road model.

But regardless of what, ultimately, is determined to have been the cause of the crash -- c'mon, GM, this is just a damn car.  You're going to kick the guy out because you're mad that, what?  You're mad because he did his job and beat his competitors to the information that inevitably would soon be widespread anyway?

Or worse, you're mad that he crashed your car when you put him on a race track and told him to 'see how she handles?'

Alright, let me dial it back a little.  Maybe I'm just a little annoyed with how disgustingly ugly the camo on the "mules" is, and worse, that anyone wants to pretend that it's covering up something astonishingly unique and amazing when it's simply not.

This is really more a rant about how we -- people and businesses -- need to get over ourselves than it is a story about a car crash.

My brother and I had a conversation about a friend of his that does soil samples and had to sign a non-compete.  Non-competes are supposed to protect sensitive information from reaching a competitor, not prevent people from obtaining work, or better yet, starting their own business... or at least that's how it should be in AMERICA.

A journalist leaking information that is valuable to his readers is and should be of more concern than a company's timeline for the release of that information just like a radio station playing a brand new song before the artist or record company intended for it to be heard or played should be of no dispute when the radio station will a short time later be begged by the record company to play that very song.

I hope you enjoyed the video.  And I hope you're enjoying the new Maroon 5 track and the new Taylor Swift track.  They aren't "going for adds" just yet.