A Finnish man was recently stopped in a fully covered Tesla. It cost him a fine of DKK 5,000, even though he claimed the car can only go 11 km/h.
A Finnish man has been fined 5,000 Danish kroner after he was stopped in his Tesla, which was covered in snow.
The episode took place in Vantaa, a suburb of Helsinki, where the police noticed a car which was almost completely hidden under the snow. The man's vision was so limited that he had to stick his head out of the side window to navigate.
According to the police report, the snowfall was heavy, but the driver still chose to drive without first removing the snow from the car. The police have referred to the episode as "igloo crossing" and described it as a serious risk to road safety.
In an interview with the Finnish newspaper Iltalehti, the man has admitted that his action was a mistake.
– It was stupidly done, I can honestly say that. I would have spent time removing the snow, he says to the newspaper.
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He also explains that he works at a car repair shop and only had to drive a short distance. According to him, the collision took place in the car's service mode, where the speed is limited to 11 km/h and where safety systems can stop the car automatically when obstacles are detected.
However, this explanation has not changed the police's assessment. In a press release, they emphasize: "'Igloo crossing' in traffic endangers the safety of drivers and passengers, but also for other road users such as pedestrians." They believe that it is the driver's responsibility to ensure adequate visibility before starting the race.
Driving with snow on the car can be dangerous as it can lead to accidents. At the same time, it emphasizes the necessity for motorists to remove snow and ice from their vehicles before moving out into traffic.
In this case, the Finnish man's decision not to do so has resulted in a substantial fine of 680 euros. That in Danish currency corresponds to DKK 5,071 at the current exchange rate.
