The Trailblazer: Michael Beutel Goes Viral
The first thing that crosses a Hills Senior’s mind in the morning is usually ‘Will I make it to school on time?’ and ‘What should I eat for lunch?’ Hills Senior Michael Beutel experienced a similar morning on Thursday, March 13th with the shocking addition of being pulled over and “going viral” for it. During the week of NJGPA testing for the juniors, Beutel and most students had a delayed start to school. His mom made him a turkey sandwich for lunch which he decided to eat on his way to school.
The Viral Moment
Before he could finish his meal and park at school, a Park Ridge police officer pulled him over because he claimed to see a cell phone in Beutel’s hand while driving, a major driving danger. When Beutel explained that it was not his phone but a sandwich, the officer responded, “I know what a sandwich looks like.” This was the line that sent the internet into a spiral.
Despite the officer not writing Beutel a ticket and letting him go with a warning, this published DashCam footage made its way to almost every corner of the internet with the help of accounts that re-edited his original video for short-form content. The most famous of these was on TikTok.
Internet Fame and Community Impact
There have been many successful videos posted on TikTok of the interaction with the first gaining traction on Friday, March 14th. The most famous, however, was posted by an account dedicated to police content, @bp_cast1. The video currently has 23.7 million views, 1.4 million likes and 4,469 comments. Comments consisted of critiquing his music taste, arguing the legality of eating while driving, debating how to handle this situation, spreading negativity towards either him or the cop, and, inevitably, pointing out the hilarity of a sandwich being mistaken for a phone, earning him the name “sandwich boy.”
This overnight fame has not only affected Beutel but the Hills community too. In the past week, students have shown teachers the video, and almost everyone, like the internet comments, has their opinions. Thus, Beutel was interviewed to understand the situation and his experience.
Handling the Situation
Beutel was just as confused as everyone else when he was pulled over. He claimed that he was “caught off guard,” thinking he did nothing wrong but also believing the adamant officer, especially since he was still a little tired from waking up not so long ago. If he did not have a dashcam, he would have likely stood up for himself more because he would have had no evidence for court and no verification that the cop was correct or incorrect.
“It’s stressful. Last night I was up until one in the morning thinking about it and I couldn’t go to sleep.”— Senior Michael Beutel
Implications and Reflections
Beutel has seen the comments and reported that the reactions were a “nice split” between positive and negative feedback. While many appreciated his respectful demeanor during the stop, others found ways to critique his chewing or music choice. The incident has also prompted discussions about the power dynamics of police interactions. Beutel recommends that drivers use dashcams, like him, because it would have helped him if he had gone to court and ultimately, the footage made him go viral.
Future Endeavors
In terms of taking advantage of this newfound attention, Beutel uploaded a podcast on the same YouTube channel where the dashcam footage was posted, @FriendGroupAy. He also stated he would continue to fulfill the purpose of his YouTube channel: to document the lives of him and his friends for their future. Additionally, now that his new fame secured him over 1,000 subscribers, his channel can be monetized, creating financial opportunities for his future.
“Match the cops’ energy and make sure to stay respectful.”— Senior Michael Beutel
Expert Insights
Security Guard and former Woodcliff Lake police officer Matthew Miller shared his insights on Beutel’s viral interaction, advice on what to do when pulled over, and driving safety in general. The following steps were advised by Mr. Miller:
- Pull over and make sure the car pulling you over is an actual police car (marked unit: red and blue lights, siren, “Police” on the side of the car, etc.).
- Roll down your window, lower your music, and put your hands on the steering wheel.
- Do not move around a lot, it can make an officer nervous. No “furtive movements.”
- When the officer asks for your license and registration, indicate where they are, and give the officer what they need.
- Be respectful!
Miller started with the root of much debate. When asked whether eating while driving is illegal, he affirmed that it was on the same level as looking at a phone because, although normalized in the United States, it is distracted driving.
Legal Perspectives
“Yes, it is illegal, not only illegal, it’s a motor vehicle infraction. It’s a ticket…When you’re driving, you should be driving. When you’re eating, you should be eating. You shouldn’t be doing both at the same time…It’s hard to do two things at once. It’s hard to drive. It’s not as easy as you think.”— Hills Security Guard Matthew Miller
He added that most cops, like the one in the video, will let a respectful young person off with a warning because it could inspire understanding and prevent future distracted driving accidents like one he witnessed as an officer.
Conclusion
The original video posted by Beutel on the @FriendGroupAy YouTube Channel can be viewed here.
