Need for speed costs Alberta man $12,000

A judge has allowed a motorcyclist caught speeding on an Alberta highway at 263 km/h to keep his licence — in return for a $12,000 fine

The Hinton man, 34, was stopped on May 1 on Highway 16 between Edson and Hinton, about 280 kilometres west of Edmonton, RCMP said Friday.

The posted speed limit is 110 km/h.

"The speed was unusual to begin with," said RCMP Sgt. Ron Lyons, pointing out that the maximum fine for speeding in the province is $25,000. "But I haven't seen fines that high, ever."

In June, the same traffic court handed a 25-year-old man from Prince George, B.C. a $8,500 fine for driving his Chevy Cobalt 206 km/h on the same stretch of highway.