Speed demon Swede fined in Germany

Published: 11 Nov 09 11:19 CET
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/23202/20091111/

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A 33-year-old Swedish man has been fined €2,000 ($3,000) by police in Germany after he was caught speeding at more than double the legal limit while driving to the south of the country with his girlfriend in a BMW convertible.

"He was at least 120 kilometres per hour over the speed limit," a spokesman for Hamburg police told The Local.

Police took up the chase after spotting the Swede's vehicle travelling at high speed at the Hamburg-Ost autobahn intersection.

Police checks found that the Swede, identified only as Anders C., hit speeds of 220 km/h on a section of the autobahn with a llimit of 100 km/h, and 189 km/h in an 80 km/h zone.

The authorities then almost lost track of the speeding BMW as it reached speeds they were unable to measure, but believe may have soared as high as 280 km/h.

But the Swede was forced to slow right down due to heavy traffic in the Moorfleet district, where police managed to catch up and implore the reckless driver to pull over.

Anders C. became subdued when slapped with a €2,000 speeding ticket, telling police he had no idea the fines were so high in Germany, Hamburger Morgenpost reports.

He did however swiftly pull out enough euro notes from his wallet to cover the fine.

Police spokeswoman Ulrike Sweden told the newspaper that the outlandish speeds at which Anders C. was travelling meant that his fine was double the normal rate. But as he was not a German citizen, the authorities had no option but to allow him to retain his driving licence.

The 33-year-old driver agreed to participate in an on-the-spot drug test, which produced negative results.

Paul O'Mahony
paul.omahony@thelocal.se
08 656 6513

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11:55 November 11, 2009 by karex
There should be agreements between the EU countries so that insane motorists such as this can loose their licenses when not in their home countries.
12:23 November 11, 2009 by Nemesis
@ Karex,

Agreed.

There needs to be more Europe wide cooperation between police forces. If a person loses there driving license in one country in Europe, they should lose it in every country in Europe. That same should apply for all criminal offences.

In Ireland north and south, we have a lot of people like this. They are a scourge on the roads. The death toll is incredible due to there recklessness.

Legally the German police could not have taken his license at present, but they could have taken his car and crushed it, with him watching.
12:33 November 11, 2009 by Rick Methven
"Police spokeswoman Ulrike Sweden"

What a coincidence!
12:40 November 11, 2009 by krigeren
It would have been more respectable if he would have hit at least 300.

Living in Sweden where the cops are more interested in setting up camouflaged speed traps to generate revenue by fleecing the otherwise law abiding citizen for money rather than fighting real crime its no wonder why people living here like myself and Anders like to floor it in Germany..its something I personally look forward to several times a year. There is something deeply satisfying about passing a police officer at 150kmh and they do not even bat an eyelid.

Expounding on the cops in Sweden...they are victims of economics like anyone else. Whats easier for them to do...

A) Pop motorists with tickets...A decent cop should be able to raise 10,000 SEK a day in fines without a problem. These motorists are not likely to be carrying weapons, drugs, or give the cop too bad of a time.

B) Track down drug dealers. They need informants, detectives, lots of time, lost of administration. What is their return in terms of revenues for doing this and are these cases often conclusive? Probably not?

For a cop doing choice A gives them the instant gratification of "catching" someone in the act and makes more sense from a revenue generating point of view.

Neither can you blame cops here in Sweden, their administrative procedures really hold them back from getting the job done. If I were a cop here I would quickly develop and indifferent point of view to the law because the chips seem to be stacked against the cops when enforcing it against real criminals.
13:07 November 11, 2009 by Rick Methven
This guy was driving on the basis of 2 myths.

1. A foreign plated car would not be stopped

2. There is no speed limit on the Autobahn.

He found out that

1. The Police will stop anybody

2. That in Germany you WILL obey Speed limits on all roads.
13:22 November 11, 2009 by Julian Bevan
Why couldn't they take his license? The Swedish police would take my british one if they caught me going that fast....
13:32 November 11, 2009 by misssh
maybe he would do a better job of losing the police in this car

I seen it on top gear last night and I just want to have one to try and outrun the police on the autobahn

http://www.rsportscars.com/lamborghini/2010-lamborghini-murcielago-lp670-4-superveloce/
13:32 November 11, 2009 by jose_s
if you commit a criminal offense in whichever country you are in, you must pay the consequences as written in their books. speeding, theft, etc.. fine him and take away his license.
13:37 November 11, 2009 by misssh
search on you tube for this:

Top Gear S13 - Lamborghini Murcielago LP670-4 SV Vs. Mercedes-Benz SLR 722 [Exclusive 2010]

and if you tell me you would not like to drive this your dead to me....
14:03 November 11, 2009 by dusan
if those police officers suspected that he had hidden drugs and checked him with a rectal exam, his girlfriend would be soooo impressed!
17:44 November 11, 2009 by mkvgtired
As a German Autobahn enthusiast I hate to hear stories like this. This is pretty much the last place you are allowed to drive with your speed unrestricted, so at least obey the speed limit when they have one. I can not tell you how many times someone has flown by me in a 100 km/h zone going probably 180 or more (many times these drivers have foreign plates). Every time one of these people causes an accident it is blamed on the "unlimited" speed limit, regardless of if that is the case or not (i.e. the pileup near the Dutch border, even though there is a limit of 120 km/h there). If we want to continue to be able to use this modern marvel we have to respect the rules when they are in place. Wait for the circle with the 5 diagonal lines through it THEN mash the pedal to the floor!!
20:10 November 11, 2009 by karex
@mkvgtired

Very good popint. It is irresponsible people such as this who spoil things for everyone else.

The reason why they are able to offer unlimited speed in some parts of the autobahn is because the safety measures are put in: speed limits near crossings, exits, etc. Aside from the fact that the road is always kept in impeccable condition.
21:47 November 11, 2009 by mkvgtired
Another point that was brought up already, Germany needs to have agreements with any country that offers reciprocal agreements for driving privileges. As an American they could not suspend my license either if I was caught doing that. I think if Germany is going to be gracious enough to allow drivers on their impeccable roads, they should be subject to the same rules as ordinary Germans. Couldn't the case be made that "all EU citizens need to be treated the same" for this person? I would think that would give Germany the right to suspend his license. I also, unlike this guy, I dont have €2000 to blow on a speeding ticket.
00:56 November 12, 2009 by Atlas
Yet again people think that in Autobahn there is no speed limit. WAKE UP, there is a speed limit on all Autobahns.
01:31 November 12, 2009 by Luke35711
Speeding is not only immoral, it's also totally out of fashion: not cool, out of date, and out of touch! Today, you will impress your partner with an environmentally-friendly vehicle and concern about the future of the planet!
01:37 November 12, 2009 by wasi947
hej

may be his dream from childhood to drive car so fast

may be its Christmas preparation

may be want to tell Swedish police to increase the speed limit in Sweden
02:16 November 12, 2009 by krigeren
@Luke35711

"Speeding is not only immoral...out of fashion...not cool...etc"

What?

Then I guess being a man is uncool, etc. Most men I know like things that go fast and things that blow up or make a lot of noise.

"Recycling and speed limits are bullshit," Tyler said. "They're like someone who quits smoking on his deathbed." ~Chuck Palahniuk, Fight Club

i.e., we will run out of oil. we will not bridge the gap with a sustainable solution. billions will die. maybe who is left will get it right.....the world is locked into a shortsighted business cycle mentality it influences EVERYTHING we do. our mutual destruction is assured by the millions of MBA's out there who run the world who were never taught to think long term or what the impact of short term financial decision have on the sustainability of the planet.

Focus on what really matters. Shagging the one you love as much as you can. Preparing for either yourself of your kids to have a sustainable lifestyle in some backwoods somewhere that they can defend. In the meantime, squeeze the juice of life of what is left of this oil economy world that will collapse. Get your hands on a Porsche 911 GT3 cruise down to the Nuremberg ring and drive it until the engine explodes. Fly to Oklahoma and rent a machine gun letting loose all the rounds you can afford down range. These experiences are like the dodo bird..live them while you can because they wont last long.
07:22 November 12, 2009 by hilt_m
Luke35711 i think you are referring to the Caring Understanding Nineties Type, that's very out of fashion. lol
09:59 November 12, 2009 by DAVID T
Well the very fact someone thinks it's ok to drive that fast should be a reason to ban them for life from driving. Germany needs to wake up and introduce reasonable speed limits like the rest of the world.
18:37 November 12, 2009 by mkvgtired
Luke35711, Must be why Al Gore gets all the ladies.

David T, I have driven on the Autobahn several times. Germans are FAR safer drivers than Americans or any other culture I have encountered. The fatality rate is actually considerably lower on the German Autobahn than the American Interstate System, or other major highway systems. I would not be opposed to them implementing a system that offers special permits to non-Germans that allows them to drive full speed (if you dont have it you would be restricted to 130 km/h on the unrestricted parts). I say this because the only near accidents I have seen have been from foreigners, 2 French drivers, one Dutch, and one from the UK. If people do not know how to use it, it can be very dangerous. If they follow the German rules and laws I would say it is the most safe and efficient national roadway system in the world. Follow the main rule, "drive right". Get out of the way of faster traffic and there are very few problems.
21:12 November 13, 2009 by Aussie_Downunder
Nearly everyone who has commented is retarded. This guy is a bloody legend. This guy thought, 'Hey I'm on a autobahn in Germany why the hell not?' Did he kill anyone? No. He even slowed down. All of you who are agreeing that this guy should lose his license are just losers with fcking toyota hybrids.

Maybe this guy did overdo it, but come on, autobahn! I don't care even if there is a speed limit, you have one of those and its just asking for it.

So:

1) Get a better Job

2) Buy a real car

3) Experience it

4) Watch Vanishing Point

5) Then see if you empathise with this guy

If they really wanted no one to speed they wouldn't make cars that went fast.
22:41 November 13, 2009 by aldetect
Please no more Euro laws to cover such a minor driving violation.
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