Edmonton police are warning motorcyclists to slow down after they clocked a biker travelling at warp speed on Anthony Henday Drive near Terwilligar Drive. The bike was doing a whopping 222 km/h in a 100 km/h zone.
As the snow disappears from Alberta streets and highways, high-flying speeders emerge from a long winter of deprivation looking for two-wheeled adrenaline-fuelled thrills, which are accompanied by hefty penalties if caught in the act.
In a separate incident on Monday, about a half hour after cops nabbed the Henday speeder, a photo radar camera captured an image of another two-wheeled daredevil travelling at 125 km/h in a 50-km/h zone.
“It doesn’t take much when you’re travelling at that speed to lose control,” said Edmonton Police Services spokeswoman Karen Carlson.
On the weekend, a 38-year-old man died as a result of head and neck injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident that occurred in the downtown area. Police investigations indicate that speed was a contributing factor in the Sunday night collision.
“The faster you go, the faster you have to react to inherent dangers,” said George Billings, chief motorcycle training instructor for the Alberta Safety Council.
Billings said that among the biggest hazards facing motorcyclists with a need for speed is the sand and gravel on roads in the spring.
“It’s just like hydroplaning. We all know what it’s like with four wheels – just imagine what it’s like with two.
“Trained or not, these people still get off on speed,” Billings said. “Unfortunately, it’s a dangerous attitude.”
-victoria.handysides@metronews.ca
