A Tesla owner tried to spread some holiday cheer by duct-taping Christmas lights to their Model 3, but Burnaby Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in British Columbia, Canada, did not approve of the plan.
On Wednesday, the police force tweeted, “Last night a Traffic Section officer stopped this Tesla near Kingsway and McMurray. The lights were duct taped to the vehicle.”
“Please don’t do this, it can be dangerous if they fall off in traffic, never mind the distraction,” said Burnaby RCMP, noting “a violation ticket was issued.”
Last night a Traffic Section officer stopped this Tesla near Kingsway and McMurray.
The lights were duct taped to the vehicle.
Please don’t do this, it can be dangerous if they fall off in traffic, never mind the distraction.
A violation ticket was issued.#BurnabyFrontline pic.twitter.com/dlpIGVO6Le
— Burnaby RCMP (@BurnabyRCMP) December 3, 2020
Many on Twitter quickly responded to the Burnaby RCMP, saying their ticket was too heavy-handed and a warning would have sufficed in this situation, considering it’s the holidays.
The video below shows what appears to be the Tesla Model 3 in action decked out in lights:
Was it this guy? pic.twitter.com/eQEgItx5xZ
— DOWN ON EARTH BUT STILL ABOVE YOU-SIDHU MOOSE WALA (@msdhak) December 4, 2020
According to BurnabyNow, the driver was given an $81 ticket and three days to remove the lights.
Corporal Mike Kalanj said a Burnaby RCMP traffic officer was in the Metrotown area and saw the Tesla driving by lit up with lights that were changing colour. The man driving the Model 3 was in this 30s and was given a ticket under the Motor Vehicle Act for having an “unauthorized lamp”.
“We’ve seen an increase in collisions lately,” Kalanj told BurnabyNow. “The officer that wrote this ticket has attended and dealt with many accidents, large and small. I trust their judgment. As unpopular as it might be to some, this was about road safety.”
What do you think? Is a ticket really necessary in this situation?
