Highway Patrol officers were surprised that an Acura belonging to a speeding B.C. driver didn’t disintegrate due to an odd, makeshift fix he had on his car.
According to a news release from BC Highway Patrol, on Jan. 9, at around 4 p.m., a police officer was doing speed enforcement on Highway 3 near Christina Lake. The officer stopped a grey Acura, which was travelling at 130 km/h in an 80 km/h zone.
The officer ordered the car to be removed from the road after discovering an improvised door latch, along with a host of other safety issues, during the traffic stop.
BC Highway Patrol Corporal Michael McLaughlin almost sounded impressed that the car didn’t fall apart. BCHP also titled its news release, “Creativity 10, legality: 0.”
“It’s amazing that this particular car could go that fast without disintegrating,” he said.
The improvised door latch. (BC Highway Patrol)
“The owner had put in some effort to hammer out the dents and spray paint the repairs, but his car was not roadworthy. It looked like it had been chewed up by Robosaurus,” McLaughlin added.
Other safety issues the car presented included a rear window that was missing and replaced with rebar and duct tape. The driver’s door, which could not stay closed, was being held together by a welded latch from a garden gate.
The B.C. driver, who is from Kelowna, is 22 years old and faces a few violations, including a $368 speeding ticket. He also had to pay for the cost of a tow truck and a seven-day vehicle impound, and faces high-risk driver premiums and escalating insurance costs for at least three years.
The driver also received a Notice and Order requiring the car’s removal from the road until it’s fixed and passes inspection.
“Any time you modify an essential component of your vehicle, including door locks, windows, steering, brakes, or suspension, you need to get that vehicle inspected,” McLaughlin said.
“And if you’re driving in a vehicle that’s obviously not roadworthy, you probably shouldn’t speed. Police can’t ignore that.”
There’ve been a few interesting stories from BCHP in recent weeks, including a speeding driver claiming he was trying to outrun an elk, and another driver from Kelowna caught with a pipe in his mouth. You can find those stories below.