Spring brings out drivers, bikers competing in the Darwin 500

The video has a heart-stopping, almost video-game quality.

A high-powered Yamaha motorcycle streaks down a divided highway near Victoria, B.C., passing other vehicles as if they were standing still, leaning sharply into the bends and sometimes squeezing between two cars.

For almost two minutes the rider using the handle Joe Blow flirts with death, his and perhaps other drivers, boasting in the upload that he reached a top speed of 299 kilometres an hour. For you old-school types that's about 185 miles per hour.

Now police in suburban Saanich, B.C., want to find the rider, whose stunt shocked rather than awed even veteran traffic officers, CBC News reported.

Saanich police expect to recommend several charges once he, or she, is identified. They're hoping someone will provide a tip on who owns the blue Yamaha.

"There are multiple infractions," said Sgt. Dean Jantzen. "I don't even know where to begin, there's so many traffic infractions in here -- let alone the dangerous behaviour, dangerous to himself or herself.

"At that speed, my understanding is that it takes hundreds of metres for you to actually have the thought process to actually decide to bring the bike to a halt or to make a correction."

Saanich police say speeding is a serious problem as spring and summer weather make the open road more attractive. One motorcycle was clocked going 137 kph in a 60 kph zone, passing other vehicles dangerously. Last year a biker was nabbed doing 188 kph.

The advent of tiny video cameras has also made it easier for these speed demons to record their exploits and post them online.

Joe Blow's April 8 post, though, got mostly thumbs down from those who commented on it.

"WOW moron.. people like you give motorcycle riders a bad name. I'm not sure about you.. but I would like to make it home safely to my daughter and family.. NOT COOL," said one.

Meanwhile, RCMP impounded two pricy sports cars, an Aston Martin and an Audi R8, for racing down the rain-slicked Trans-Canada Highway east of Vancouver, Global Television BC reported.

The Aston Martin was clocked at 265 kilometres an hour and the Audi was doing 176 kph, police said.

When the drivers were pulled over between Chilliwack and Abbotsford, police found the passenger in the Aston was the driver of a Ford Fiesta who'd been pulled over two hours earlier for driving at about 150 kph.

The drivers were fined $500 each and police have sent the file to Crown prosecutors for possible criminal charges.

The dangerous stunt reminded Vancouver-area residents of an incident last year when 13 sports cars worth more than $2 million were pulled over south of the city for running at speeds upwards of 200 kph.

B.C. law allows police to impound vehicles caught speeding excessively for a week. RCMP are holding these latest two catches indefinitely while they await a ruling from the Crown on further charges.