By Laura Michell
A rider allegedly travelling nearly three times over the speed limit was lucky to escape injury after he came off his bike in Diggers Rest .
The 32-year-old, who was travelling with a crucifix on his bike for protection, was seen weaving through traffic, splitting lanes and overtaking in the emergency lane of the Calder Freeway on Thursday afternoon.
Police allege the Avondale Heights rider was travelling at 123km/h in an 80km/h zone on the Calder Freeway before he failed to stop for police.
Police said he was then detected travelling at 137km/h in a 50km/h zone in a residential street in Diggers Rest.
The rider lost control of his bike and crashed a short time later.
Police believe the man was travelling through a roundabout before falling off his bike and landing on a medium strip.
Brimbank Highway Patrol Sergeant Andy Oakley said the man started praying and thanking God for his survival.
“He won’t be praying to that cross for a while as his bike has been impounded,” Sergeant Oakley said.
“There’s no doubt this man was very lucky; sadly, and all too often crashes such as this and with the driving behaviour we saw the rider would have been taken off to hospital if not worse.
“Someone may have just been looking out for him yesterday to keep him safe.”
The man is likely to be charged with a number of offences including speeding, riding without a licence and failing to stop for police.
The man was also found to be in breach of the Chief Health Officer’s orders to stay at home and was fined $1652.
