The annual Bimmerfest is a celebration of all things Bayerische Motoren Werke. For East Coast Americans, it’s a place to go and muck about with like-minded enthusiasts, but some people seemed to get a little carried away with the relaxed atmosphere of the show.

Exhibit A: the offending maneuver that set things in motion.

Case in point: the driver of this LS2-powered E30, who was all too happy to show off his coupe’s tire-burning abilities, as long as the crowd was rowdy and excited. Suddenly, Officer McNofunatall appears out of nowhere to put a stop to the shenanigans, much to the dismay of the twentysomething showgoers.

The kids start to get ugly with the police officer, shouting boo and chanting “LET HIM GO!” as the cop gets in close to talk with the driver. Cries of “You have the right to burn those tires, motherf*@!er!” and “Smoke tires not drugs!” drown out whatever conversation can be heard between the officer and driver, but it’s clear that both parties are not about to engage in mortal combat anytime soon.

The police officer leans in to talk with the driver. Shenanigans ensue.

The situation heats up, however, as the car begins pull ahead through the throng of wannabe anarchists. It stops on the authority of an event official, who reminds everyone that their outrageous behavior will prevent the show from being held next year.

The tension begins to dissipate once the official and the cop start talking, and soon enough the driver emerges from his BMW to work things out with the authorities. “We have a respectable policeman here,” he says aloud.

All this to say: It’s a good day when you can walk away from talking to police officer without getting a ticket; it’s better when the mob stays lucid enough to keep from throwing rocks or getting tased. And the next time you feel the need to burn rubber, hold off until it gets the thumbs-up from Johnny Law.

“You are 5 seconds away from wishing you hadn’t been born with eyes.”