A Vancouver man taking a vehicle on what he described as an overnight test drive ended up with an excessive speeding ticket, a seven-day vehicle impound and thousands of dollars in penalties after being caught travelling 172 km/h near Merritt.BC Highway Patrol said the incident occurred on July 17 at about 6:15 p.m. on Hwy. 97C near Elkhart, where officers used a laser speed detector to record a grey Toyota sedan travelling 172 km/h in a posted 110 km/h zone.The stop took place more than 300 kilometres from the Vancouver dealership where the driver said he had begun his test drive.According to police, the 30-year-old driver told officers he and his girlfriend were driving from Vancouver to Kelowna to try out the vehicle before deciding whether to buy it."The driver told police that he and his girlfriend were on an overnight test-drive from Vancouver to Kelowna," said Sgt. Michael McLaughlin of BC Highway Patrol."The vehicle successfully demonstrated that it can speed and that it fits on the back of a tow truck."The driver was issued a $483 excessive speeding ticket under Section 148(1) of British Columbia's Motor Vehicle Act for travelling more than 60 km/h over the speed limit.In addition to the fine, the vehicle was towed and impounded for seven days. While the driver is responsible for the towing costs, the registered owner is responsible for the impound fees.Police said the driver will also face at least three years of high-risk driver insurance premiums, bringing the total financial impact of the incident to nearly $2,500.The BC Highway Patrol said it did not know whether the driver ultimately decided to purchase the Toyota.
