A single BC Highway Patrol officer caught three drivers going dangerously over the speed limit on Highway 99 near Porteau Cove on December 30, sending all three vehicles to an impound lot to start the new year.
The first two stops came late in the morning when the officer spotted a Volkswagen and a Subaru travelling much faster than the surrounding traffic. The Subaru driver told police he sped up because the Volkswagen “was tailgating me,” while the tourist driving the rental Volkswagen said he “wanted to get ahead” at the end of two merge lanes on his way to the airport.
The Volkswagen was clocked at 154 km/h and the Subaru at 149 km/h in an 80 km/h zone, both nearly double the posted limit.
Corporal Michael McLaughlin with BC Highway Patrol said merge lanes are not the place for competitive driving. At best, dangerous driving gains a few seconds, he said. At worst, drivers face horrible crashes or lose hours dealing with police impounds.
“If you want to save time, leave earlier and drive the speed limit,” McLaughlin said. That afternoon, the same officer stopped a yellow Porsche in the area, doing 88 km/h over the limit. The driver asked police to be “considerate” because she was celebrating her birthday.
Consequences add up quickly
All three drivers received $483 tickets for excessive speeding under section 148(1) of the BC Motor Vehicle Act, plus seven-day vehicle impounds that include towing costs. The two BC drivers will face at least three years of high-risk driver premiums totalling about $2,500. The rental car driver will likely face additional fees or penalties from the rental company.
McLaughlin said keeping roads safe is the patrol’s job, and drivers who behave inconsiderately will face consequences no matter the occasion.
No consideration should be given no matter if there is a birthday or not, the fine needs to be this high in order for people to learn, next time it won’t be just the ticket, it maybe totalling a car, loosing a life or becoming a quadriplegic. Sea to Sky Hwy has always had speedsters who are the worst of the worst, i want more police presence.