A motorcyclist filmed himself driving 234 kilometres per hour on a busy Lions Gate Bridge in Vancouver.
The video, posted on social media, shows the driver speeding while weaving in and out of traffic.
The speed limit on the Lions Gate Bridge is 60 km/h, meaning the driver was going nearly four times the speed limit.
Ron Cronk, executive director of the Vancouver Island Safety Council, was shocked when he saw the video.
"Absolute foolishness,” he says. “It made me angry, it made me disappointed. It is absolute ludicrous."
Cronk, who has worked as a motorcycle instructor, says the driver not only put his life in danger but also other people on the bridge.
“The actions of the rider didn't kill himself, which certainly could have been an option in that situation,” he says. “It could cause the innocent drivers to become alert, manipulate the car into the side rail into other cars, or if there was a lane change."
He says stunts like this misrepresent other motorcyclists.
"It was a really poor reflection on other motorcycle riders and the riding community. It gives us all a very bad name,” says Cronk.
Carol Fedor, general manager at ProRide Motorcycle Training, says staff at the Vancouver school teach students "how to avoid dangerous situations such as this."
"We would not want any impressionable riders to think that this is the standard," says Fedor. "No matter how skilled you are or think you are, you cannot control the actions of another driver. It could take on small movement of another vehicle for this rider to be clipped and the collateral damage could be catastrophic."
Fedor notes potential fines this rider could face would be:
- $109 and two points for an unsafe lane change;
- $368-$483 for excessive speeding and three points (can result in the vehicle being impounded for seven days); and,
- many other infractions, including careless driving, driving without reasonable consideration and changing lanes without a signal.
The Vancouver Police Department (VPD) tells Glacier Media they don’t believe anyone called the police on the driver, but its Traffic Section is aware and is investigating.
Meanwhile, the West Vancouver Police Department says it's aware of the video but the matter is being investigated by VPD.
Other videos shared on social media show the same motorcyclist speeding up to 299 km/h on Vancouver Island.
Back in 2022, a speeding motorcyclist on Vancouver Island who was travelling up to 300 km/h was charged with dangerous operation of a motor vehicle.
When it comes to catching this individual, Cronk says it won’t be too tough.
"I think that this video was put out for the public and people who know this person are going to hear about these actions because he certainly is a bit of a trophy or something as proof that they went over the bridge at that kind of speed,” says Cronk. "So somebody knows something.”
He hopes anyone who knows this individual or who has information about them will contact the police or CrimeStoppers.
