Excessive speed
Aw, I'd love to be pulled over by this guy - Credit: Tom Raftery/Flickr.com
After my little rant a few days ago about people driving entirely too slowly for their own good and the safety of others on the road, I feel I need to redeem myself with today’s post.
I logged on to my local paper’s website this morning and one story in particular immediately caught my eye: BMW clocked at 240km/hr on Ville Marie.
I’m sorry, what?
If you don’t feel like reading the entire thing, oh faithful reader (because, after all, it would mean leaving this blog — blasphemy), then I present the crib notes:
– Valet is handed keys to a BMW.
– Valet gets brilliant idea and heads on highway.
– Valet pushes BMW to 240 km/hr on said highway.
– Cops catch valet.
– Valet panics (clearly) and stops immediately.
– Valet is handed a $2,000+ ticket and docked 42 points (when we only have 15 to give here in good ol’ Canada) from his license.
– Valet humiliated and humbled forever.
Now, I’m all for going fast. For those of you who know me, you know I like a bit of speed on the road — especially if I’m in a car that can handle it. But I know my limits and I know when enough is enough. I also know that public roads (highways) are hardly the place to truly test the limits of a vehicle.
This news article made it onto a popular message board I visit often (MontrealRacing.com) and, unfortunately, a great deal of the comments on that post are positive. Posters are commenting on how they’ve hit over 200 km on highways in various locations and weren’t caught and there are some who questioned the valet actually stopping for the cops.
This disturbs me.
As I say, I’m not saint on the road and I’ve been known to have a lead foot, but dude; save it for the track!
There’s a time and place to put a car through its paces and on a public highway (in a car that’s not yours!!) is not it. Not at all. I cannot begin to tell you how many things are wrong with that scenario.
I’m so pleased that the police are cracking down on speeding like they are. The price of the ticket seems excessive, but he was doing 240 km+ in a 70 km/hr zone. Holy speeding is right, Batman.
For those of you out there who do own high-performing vehicles, I hope you’re taking them to the track to get your yahoos out.
Drive on,
– M.
drivingmsmiranda
Driving MsMiranda's Blog 
Well, I’m not allowed to drive fast yet (damn limits on my G1 license), and I really don’t see a need to go THAT fast on a road. I mean, I’m fine with cruising at 70 km/h (limit on my G1 [damn it] is 80 km/h). And I can’t fathom that my friend who has a G1 as well, hit 120 km/h on a road between stoplights! If you have an urge to race, save it for the track!
Although I may not be one to talk. I don’t drive fast, but I did manage to get a van to slide sideways around a roundabout last night.
If there is no emergency, then why do people have to go fast on road. It will just increased their risk in accidents.
240 km? That’s insane- wow! Street racing used to be a huge deal where I used to live, but I’ve definitely never seen anyone go that fast!
Really interesting stuff you’ve got here- keep it up- I’ll be checking back frequently!