A lucky motorist dodged a speeding ticket after a dove blocked the speed camera – and cops are joking that the bird was sent by God to save him.
The driver was snapped by a speed camera in Viersen, a city located in the western German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, where the Renault hatchback was driving at 54 kph (33.6 mph) on a 30-kph (18.6-mph) road.
Even though the car owner can easily be identified by the vehicle’s licence plate, cops in Germany also need to obtain a clear picture of the driver to issue a fine.
Due to the flying dove obscuring the view of the driver’s face at the moment the speed camera was triggered, the Viersen Police decided not to pursue the 105-EUR (92.6-GBP) fine.
However, German cops found the situation amusing, with some even saying that the dove could have been sent by God to protect the driver.
A Viersen police spokesman said: “The Holy Spirit might have had something in mind when he placed his symbol in the right place.
“We understand the sign and will leave the speeding motorist in peace this time.
“However, we hope that the ‘blessed’ speedster understands this ‘hint from above’ and will drive responsibly in the future.”
The police even mulled giving the dove a fine as it was clearly speeding as well, but in the end opted against it.
Earlier this month, police in Bocholt, also located in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, released a speed camera picture taken in February which shows a dove flying at a speed of 45 kph (28 mph) on a 30-kph (18.6-mph) street.
After taking 3 kph (1.9 mph) off the recorded speed for error, the bird was still found to be exceeding the limit by 12 kph (7.5 mph), earning it a 25-EUR (21.5-GBP) fine.
However, the Bocholt city authorities let the bird off the hook.
A city spokesman said: “Whether the speedy bird wants to pay the fine, and above all how it might do that, remains an open question.
“However, the city authorities do not want to look for possible witnesses.”
Last year, a speed camera in Koeniz, a town in the Swiss Canton of Bern, captured a duck flying 13 mph over the limit.
The duck was flying at 52 kph (32.3 mph) in a 30-kph (18.6-mph) zone, with the speed camera likely being triggered by the movement of its wings.
A municipality spokesman joked: “It is unclear where the fine should be sent for flying too fast.”
Other unusual moments captured by speed cameras include a snap of a dog doing a number two on the pavement after a camera was triggered by the car behind which driving at 42 kph (26 mph) in a 30-kph (18.6-mph) zone.
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Story By: Koen Berghuis, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News
