Crossing the Line
Speeding on public roads is the last thing any driver should do — not only because it can lead to hefty fines, but also because it is unsafe and can endanger other road users. One driver learned that the hard way after going on a high-speed joyride in a customer’s Honda Odyssey from the shop where he worked.
According to the owner of the Odyssey, who shared the story and dashcam footage on Reddit, the body shop employee took the minivan onto a freeway while bragging about being the “Alpha” to someone on the phone or radio. While a Civic Type R may have been a more fitting Honda to back up such bragging, he excitedly claimed to have reached 140 km/h (around 87 mph) in an 80 km/h (50 mph) construction zone — a speed clocked by police using a speed gun.
Not Exactly the Intended Performance Test
For context, the Odyssey — whose exact model year wasn’t disclosed — had been taken to the shop after it was rear-ended and developed what the owner described as a “small mechanical issue.” The dashcam footage shows the road test, with the owner saying the employee wanted to look into the Honda V6 — likely the factory 3.5-liter six-cylinder engine, which has neither electric motors nor forced induction in North American models.
Given the Odyssey’s size, weight, and front-wheel-drive layout, such speeds could place significant strain on the front wheels.
The police officer didn’t let the employee off easy, even asking why he was driving 140 km/h in a customer’s car. While the employee wrote a “sincere” apology letter, he was fired, and the vehicle was impounded for seven days. Fortunately, the shop covered the costs, had the vehicle detailed, and even offered to take the owner out for a “nice dinner.”
One More Reason to Install a Dashcam
The post says that the officer who contacted the owner for the original footage was from the RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police), suggesting the incident took place somewhere in Canada.
Some recommend using a dashcam to record incidents like this. However, others pointed out that service shops sometimes unplug these devices, likely due to privacy concerns. Regardless, the incident is a reminder that not everything that happens during a repair is documented, so finding a trusted mechanic may help reduce such risks.
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