Image Credit: BC RCMP

By James Peters

DON'T DO THIS

Snowmobile on sedan roof doesn’t fly: BC RCMP

Jan 7, 2020 | 10:47 AM

KAMLOOPS — B.C. RCMP E-Division’s Traffic Services spokesman says an odd hauling situation caught on camera in Kamloops recently warrants a warning to the travelling public.

Cpl. Mike Halskov says he noticed a photo circulate online showing a snowmobile loaded on the roof of a Ford Crown Victoria, not unlike those commonly used as police cruisers.

The snowmobile is shown sitting on a roof rack attached to the roof of the sedan.

Halskov says the first safety problem that jumps out at him is the weight of the load being carried by the car’s roof.

“The roof structure itself may not be able to support what you’re putting on there. Certainly a snowmobile — 500 pounds or more — may affect the structural integrity of the roof,” Halskov told CFJC Today. “You might be driving down the highway with that thing on the roof and the roof decides to collapse on your head while you’re driving down the road.”

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The second safety problem revolves around how well the heavy load is secured to the vehicle.

“How secure is that roof rack attached to the car and how secure is the snowmobile attached to the roof rack?” asked Halskov. “Obviously, anybody following this thing would be leery of it perhaps becoming detached from the car, falling into traffic and causing a significant crash.”

Reports on social media noted the car was spotted in both Kamloops and Grand Forks. Some noted it had an Alberta license plate, but Halskov says he couldn’t confirm that.

Halskov says the process of getting the snowmobile onto the roof of the car is another head-scratcher.

“We recommend that it is secured in the bed of a pickup truck or on a special carrier that mounts inside the bed of a pickup truck for specifically that purpose, or to trailer it on a proper snowmobile trailer,” said Halskov. “Certainly, doing it that way will make it much easier to load and unload as well.”