In the year 2026, it feels as if there is always “a video.” Whether it’s regarding some breaking news, a plane crash, an explosion, or some other newsworthy event, someone or something is always recording from some angle. Just 20 years ago, you’d be lucky to see a real-time recording of any sort of relevant happenings in the world. Now, it’s weird if there isn’t a clip circling online showing exactly what happened.
This phenomenon, of course, extends to the car world. Previously, news of a car crash could only be proven through the aftermath photos from drivers or first responders. Now, though, thanks to the mass adoption of onboard cameras, doorbell cameras, and smartphones, it feels as if every noteworthy crash I hear about has a video attached to it, showing what actually happened.
Sometimes, these videos can have far-reaching consequences for those involved. Take this video of a Miata getting struck by what appears to be an out-of-control BMW M2 on a twisty road, which has since gone viral, spawning numerous reposts, thousands of comments, and even its own meme. It’s proof that in today’s modern world, if you appear to drive like a dick, it’s not just the law you have to worry about, it’s the entire internet.
The State Of The World Means Nothing Is Private
These days, if I step outside my home, I assume I’m on camera the entire time, no matter what. While that might sound a little paranoid, I don’t think it’s an unreasonable attitude to have, considering I live in New York City.
I live in an apartment building, and there are two people with Ring cameras mounted next to their doors on my floor. I walk outside, and there are security cameras on nearly every corner. Peek inside the windshield of the cab driving by me, and there is a dashcam mounted to the glass. Every person I walk by holds a camera in their hand, built into their phone. Hell, I even own a pair of sunglasses that has a camera mounted in the frame.
All of this constant recording wouldn’t be so worrying if the internet didn’t exist. But because any snippet of video can be shared with billions of people almost instantly, there’s always the idea that my image can be spread widely and alter my reputation forever. Even something as simple as a recording of me slipping on some black ice and falling on my ass could have lasting effects if it looks goofy enough on camera. Just ask anyone who’s been immortalized through a meme.
This mass adoption of camera usage and subsequent proliferation of clips on the internet relates to cars in a few ways. Those of us who have been on the internet for a long time are deeply familiar with the rise in popularity of Russian dashcam videos in the 2000s. But as stuff like dashcams, GoPros, and other kinds of small, portable recording devices get cheaper and simpler to use, it’s become easy for anyone to record their on-road travels and, if they see something, share that footage on the internet.
Anyone who’s been on the web knows that places like social media greatly encourage sharing media. Instagram and TikTok culture have emboldened people to do crazy things in front of a camera for likes, clout, and, if you have enough success, real, actual revenue. These types of rewards push people to create dangerous situations, not strictly because they want to, but also because they know the algorithm will reward the risk.
The rise of street takeovers, where people do donuts in public intersections and blow up cars as crowds of people watch and film with their phones, is a great example of this. And did you really drift that turn at the Angeles Crest turnout if it wasn’t caught on camera? Even if you didn’t, and totaled your car trying, that’s even more clicks in the bag—so long as your friend was recording.
This is all to say that now, in 2026, we have a landscape of car culture that is constantly pointing cameras in every direction. Whether that’s to catch the next Mustang crash at the local Cars & Coffee, or to record your daily commute in case someone rear-ends you, or to film a fun scenic drive in your sports car from the driver’s point of view, you should just assume that when you’re driving, your actions are being filmed. And if you do something wrong, it could have far greater effects than you think.
Always Assume There’s A Camera
That brings me to this crash between an ND-generation Mazda MX-5 Miata and a newer BMW M2. In this case, it wasn’t a dashcam that captured the incident, but a camera mounted to the head of the person driving the Miata. The video, published by user Kev_rofroy to the Miata Subreddit earlier this week, shows the Miata cruising through a twisty back road—in northern Georgia, according to a description—when it comes upon a tight left-hander.
As the Miata approaches the corner, a G87-generation BMW M2 materializes in frame already at the apex, before appearing to understeer into the opposing lane, where the Miata is now located. The nose of the M2 smacks into the side of the Miata, before rolling off the road and into an embankment.
Had there been no footage of the collision, it’s very likely no one outside of the two drivers’ close circles and social media followers would’ve ever heard about this crash. But because there was a crystal clear video that was shared online, the incident immediately went viral.
Since its posting on Sunday, the original clip has racked up tens of thousands of upvotes on Reddit. On YouTube, it has accumulated over 80,000 views across various reposts. The incident gained even more traction when another Miata Subreddit user, RazvanPaun, turned the crash into a meme the following day, which has since been shared widely across social media. It shows a drawing of an M2 understeering into the opposing lane of a road, with text above reading, “POV: the last thing you see after deciding to take your Miata on a scenic canyon drive:”
Apologies for the bad editing, I didn’t want to use AI
by
u/RazvanPaun in
Miata
Internet sleuths were quickly able to identify the driver of the M2 as the same person who operates the g87_angel Instagram account. Photos published to the account show what appear to be the same car from the incident, while story posts, which have since expired but were screenshotted by Reddit users, show the car resting against a tree in an embankment, with a red Miata in the background.
Comment
by
u/SuperReleasio64 from discussionin
Miata
Another expired Instagram story from g87_angel, which was also preserved on Reddit, shows the above meme with the text “Love y’all thanks for the fan art ❤️❤️” overlaid underneath. While it’s impossible to truly know what they meant by this, I feel like there’s a strong scent of sarcasm here where remorse should probably lie instead.
Apparently the M2 owner has seen the meme. Everyone boo him!
by
u/SuperReleasio64 in
Miata
Users have been quick to pile on accusations and insults in the comment section of g87_angel’s most recent Instagram post, with many comments receiving tens of thousands of likes and dozens of replies. Here are some of the most popular examples:
This is likely the most attention this user has ever received online, and it’s all almost universally negative. Moreover, it’s just a tiny portion of the criticism. Factor in all the views, comments, reposts, shares, and DMs stemming from the reaction videos and meme pages across the vast corner of the internet dedicated to cars, and you have thousands upon thousands of people roasting this M2 driver into oblivion.
Online Car Culture Takes No Prisoners
Most will assume it was driver error that caused the crash. Judging by the footage, it looks as if the driver misjudged their speed and/or the tightness of the corner, and attempted to correct themselves back into their lane as the oncoming Miata appeared. But by then it was too late, and the two cars collided. By my estimation, the M2 probably would’ve gotten away from the mistake by cutting the double-yellow lines if the Miata weren’t there.
I don’t want to come to any conclusions, though, since we don’t know the full story. Though unlikely, it’s possible that an equipment failure caused the M2 to cross the double-yellow lines and hit the Miata (g87_angel did not respond to a request for comment when I reached out via Instagram DM, and the Miata driver declined to comment when reached via Reddit DM).
The average internet commenter has the nuance of a hamster, so the people commenting on the above post probably aren’t thinking about the long-term impact of this driver’s mistake (if that was the cause). I’m not saying the driver of this M2 shouldn’t be judged for their actions, obviously. If it really was driver error, they should be called out for it. People who overdrive their vehicles on public roads this blatantly have no place in car culture.
Previously, the driver of that M2 would’ve only had to live with their mistake on their own (and probably deal with some big insurance hikes). But now, thanks to this video, they have to live with the fact that their actions and their car are the butt of a joke that’ll likely live on in Miata circles for years to come.
Maybe that’s a good thing. If drivers are subjected to the digital panopticon, where they think that they are being monitored for any wrongdoing at all times, they’d probably drive more conservatively than if they thought they were truly alone. If I assumed I was being watched on a back road by an entity that could immediately ruin my reputation, I would definitely be moving differently—not because I drive recklessly, but because I don’t want to be perceived as anything other than a proper, polite road-goer. If every driver went about their day from this perspective, there’d probably be safer roads.
No matter what you think about this, cameras aren’t going away any time soon. In fact, as more and more cars get built-in dashcams from the factory, the number of recording devices on the road is only set to grow from here. What’s clear after this whole debacle is that if you drive like a dick and cause harm, you might not just be held responsible by the law and insurance adjusters, but also entire swaths of car culture. Is social policing like this the right path forward? It’s tough to tell. But it’s certainly where we’re headed.
Top graphic images: Reddit
I got rear-ended twice last year just a few weeks apart on completely different sides of town. Both were really slow impacts and didn’t do any visible damage at all to either car but you can bet I’ve got front and rear dashcams on my car now.
If my M2 came home with a horrid body kit like that I’d smash it into a tree too. “on accident” of course. Poor Miata just got in the way.
That’s the factory M2 front bumper:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b8/BMW_G87_M2_1X7A1838.jpg/1280px-BMW_G87_M2_1X7A1838.jpg
I am in favor of showing these crashes widely, if only to show the next person who was going to drive like an idiot through there that it can have disastrous consequences. As far as “ruining someone’s life”, people do that on their own through their response. If they offer a heartfelt mea culpa, they tend to be forgiven more quickly. When they attempt to shrug it off as nothing or not their fault, things get worse for them, as it should be.
I also think though, that before we judge others, particularly when nobody was injured, we should stop and remember some of the things we’ve done in the past. If you were never an idiot when you were young, or even not so young, you’re well ahead of me.
Edit: I don’t mean they shouldn’t be judged harshly for the incident, maybe just given the benefit of the doubt that they can quit being stupid and be productive members of society.
And people think Mustang drivers are bad.
It’s a short video, but it would appear the BMW driver suffered from “failing to brake in time, thinking his ‘Ultimate Driving Machine’* would save him from his own stupidity.”
*I bet it was an automatic too.
Dammit! Every time I think the Mercedes drivers have completely taken over as the archetypal dickheads, some idiot who can’t drive his BMW shifts it all right back!
Nah, I’m all for publicly naming and shaming people like this. In fact, I think we should do it more often.
With all of the damage the social media clout chasing, “tonight was a movie bro” takeover kids have done to the car community these past few years, it’s the least we can do before they ruin it even more for those of us who know how to behave.
I live nearby and drive that road often. No one in a sports car is driving responsibly on this road. They keep making the speed limit signs bigger and more frequent. I highly doubt the Miata driver was observing the 25 MPH speed limit either. Obviously the BMW driver is to blame, but this internet witch hunt was kind of disgusting to watch unfold. Yeah, mistake was made. How do you know the BMW driver had no remorse? Did you talk to them? This was probably one of the worst days of their life too. I’m sure no one here has ever made a mistake on a public road.
Brian summed it up perfectly:
What good does calling out “BMW” driver in the headline do that calling out idiot/irresponsible/dangerous driver would not have accomplished?
What next, are you going to crack a hot new joke about how BMW drivers don’t use their turn signals, either?
Because there are two cars, especially in the top shot, it’s important to clarify who is being called out. The alternative is: Driver Becomes Ultimate ‘That Guy’ After Smashing Into Other Driver And Appearing To Show No Remorse
That doesn’t parse well to me.
“crack a hot new joke about howBMW drivers don’t use their turn signals, either?”
Just rewatched the video, and indeed he did not apply his turn signal before entering the Miata’s lane.
So BMW.
Crazy the Miata air bags didn’t even go off. That beemer driver is a dumb dumb though my god he wasn’t even going that fast and couldn’t make it around that corner?
Let’s be clear: this sort of driving kills people. No slack for this guy, please.
So much this. If the Miata was a motorcycle, almost certainly would have been a fatality. All the hate hopefully help people thinking about not crossing the yellow. If it’s because “someone might be filming it”, fine.
Yes, the miata driver is fortunate that the BMW gave a strong glancing blow rather than overlapping front ends. This was a close one.
Perhaps his front tire pressures were off by 1.5psi
That guy is another great example of how the internet can cement your mistake into the zeitgeist forever (though it was mostly his fault for going out of his way to talk about psi)
He’s a great example of how much worse you can make things by trying to avoid taking responsibility. If he’d just owned up to it, it would have probably been forgotten quickly. Somebody pushes their limits and crashes? Not great, but pretty forgettable. Blames a 1.5 psi difference in tire pressure? That’s memorable.
“Why did(n’t) you turn (more)?!”