- Radim Passer could face two years in jail after his Chrion stunt
- German autorities are reviewing evidence to see if the law was violated
- The saga has sparked debates about the future of de-restricted Autobahn zones
Tons of free advertising and 8 million views later, Bugatti owner Radim Passer is still in hot water. For those of you out of the loop, Passer managed to do 257 mph and anger a superpower in one go. Now, Passer’s case has developed enough to justify an update. The top-speed run in a Bugatti Chiron has sparked debate over the Autobahn’s unrestricted stretches of highway, where someone can theoretically go as fast as they desire. That may not be the case soon.
Radim Passer hit 417 kph on the Autobahn | Radim Passer, Youtube
Radim Passer and his Bugatti Chiron aren’t in the clear yet
The stunt was conducted in early summer 2021, and now Passer might have to pay for it. German prosecutors are currently deciding what to do about the whole thing, as UK outlet The Sun reports. Per said UK media outlet, the stunt has not only sparked an investigation but also renewed calls from members of the public and the German Green Party to institute speed limits on the sections of the Autobahn that are limit-free.
It’s a bit of a moral dilemma for car enthusiasts. Odds are, a good number of us would have done the exact same thing if given the keys to a Bugatti Chiron. After all, it is one of the fastest cars in the world. But I’m willing to bet a lot of us wouldn’t go and upload the evidence of such flagrant speed to the internet. Mom was right. Nothing on the internet is ever gone.
Can you go to jail for speeding on the Autobahn?
The Autobahn is one of the most regulated highways in the world | Matthias Balk via Getty Images
Really, this is a debate about the letter of the law versus the spirit of the law. Should Passer’s Bugatti Chiron stunt land him in jail? Or was he simply using the de-restricted zone for its intended purpose? Of course, then there’s the “intended purpose” part to consider. Let’s start with the letter of the law.
The Germans can potentially classify what happened as a “banned car race,” (similar to street racing in the US) punishable by up to two years in jail. The burden of proof here is pretty simple: Drivers must make sure that “no other person is harmed, endangered, or obstructed or inconvenienced more than is unavoidable under the circumstances.” Right now, that’s exactly what the German police are trying to figure out: If Passer did any of those things.
The spirit of the law is a much simpler angle. Did Passer’s Chiron hit 257 mph in a de-restricted section of Autobahn? Yes. That’s it, then. There are no restrictions of speed limits there, and Passer simply did a speed. End of debate; the Autobahn was used within the boundaries of German traffic law.
Bugatti distances itself from Autobahn blitz
Bugatti’s logo | Martin Bureau via Getty Images
Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S is aware of the video of a Bugatti Chiron being driven at high speed on a German highway. However, due to the possible investigation being conducted by the public prosecutor, Bugatti Automobiles does not wish to comment on or anticipate any further assessments regarding the incident referred to
Bugatti
Even Bugatti has stepped up to comment on the incident, saying that they, er, prefer not to comment. Basically, they want to be left out of this. The brand even offers specific days where owners of Bugatti models can go hit their top speeds at VW/Bugatti’s Ehra-Lessien track. As for Passer and his Chiron, well, we’re going to have to wait for the wheels of the German government to turn to see what’ll become of de-restricted Autobahn limits.
Keyword: Bugatti Chiron Owner Could Face Years in Jail After Autobahn Top Speed Stunt