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Ontario Provincial Police officers were patrolling Highway 417 last weekend when they spotted something unusual — an SUV with its rear hatch open, a videographer harnessed in as he filmed two Lamborghinis cruising behind the vehicle.
The driver was charged with stunt driving and faces a $2,000 fine and a one-year driving ban. In the meantime, their licence has been suspended for 30 days and their vehicle impounded for two weeks.
The cameraman was fined $240 for occupying a space that did not have a seatbelt.
“People will do anything to become famous or get their 15 minutes of fame on social media,” said OPP Const. Michael Fathi, who said the incident was his first encounter with a social media trend known as shooting “rollers.”
The videos have quickly gained popularity online, particularly in the U.S. Now Canadian car enthusiasts are picking up on the trend, too.
Owners of high-end vehicles like the videos because they show off their car’s sleek lines in motion.
Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act doesn’t explicitly prohibit driving with an open hatch, as long as any cargo is secure. The driver who was stopped on the Queensway was charged with stunt driving for having a passenger in the trunk, and that passenger was fined for being in a space that did not have a seatbelt — even though they were harnessed in.
Fathi said the drivers of the Lamborghinis were not charged because they were observing the speed limit and were not driving dangerously at the time.
Eyes on the road
Joshua Fox, a videographer from Vernon, B.C., says it’s still possible to get the perfect shot without jeopardizing safety — or breaking the law.
“You’re driving a vehicle, so you want to pay attention to what you’re doing first,” he said.
Fox noted advances in the technology and equipment used to shoot rollers, such as smaller cameras that can be mounted on the back of vehicles and automatically track the movements of the cars following behind.
Fox said his own set-up allows him to film hands-free while keeping his eyes on the road. He can hit record before he starts driving and the camera does the rest.
Joshua Fox’s set-up features a mount for his camera on the rear of his vehicle. (Submitted by Joshua Fox)
He urges others to study the rules of the road where they live before jumping on the trend.
“Look into the laws about having a camera attached to your car or being harnessed in, as well as just go the extra step,” he said. “Focus on yourself driving first [and] taking rollers second.”