An Alberta man spent seven days without his Mercedes after telling a BC Highway Patrol officer he was speeding to avoid an elk.On December 30, a patrol officer stopped the SUV on Highway 3/95 near Moyie after clocking it at 160 km/h in a 100 km/h zone. When asked for an explanation, the driver claimed he was trying to escape a North American elk.“The maximum speed of a North American elk is about 70 km/h, so they are just as athletic as they are majestic, but if you feel the need to get away, you still have plenty of room to spare in a 100 km/h zone,” said Cpl. Michael McLaughlin of BC Highway Patrol. “Instead of coming up with questionable excuses, consider leaving slightly earlier, slowing to the speed limit, and saving yourself the cost and hassle of losing your vehicle to an impound.”.The driver received a ticket for excessive speed over 60 km/h under section 148(1) of the BC Motor Vehicle Act ($483), along with towing and seven-day impound fees at his own expense. High-risk driver premiums and rising insurance costs for any vehicles insured in BC were also expected to follow.“Luckily, no elk were harmed during this incident,” McLaughlin added. “Hitting such a large creature at 160 km/h would end badly for you and very badly for the elk.”
