A 76-year-old eastern Ontario man will not have to face the hefty fine reserved for street racers, despite being charged under a new law designed to crack down on extreme speeding.

Norman Harding, 76, said he has learned his lesson and will stick to the speed limit from now on.
(CBC)

Norman Harding of Pembroke, Ont., was clocked by a police officer as travelling 130 km/h while passing a vehicle in an 80 km/h zone in January. Speeds of 130 km/h or more are considered stunt driving under a new Ontario law and conviction carries a fine of $2,000 to $10,000, along with six demerit points.

However, on Thursday, assistant Crown attorney Robert McGowan reduced the speed on the ticket to 129 km/h, dropping Harding out of the stunt driving category.

"I'm not a stunt driver and never was," Harding said. "At my age, it's not something I'm going to start to do."

Harding pleaded guilty in a Killaloe, Ont., court to driving 129 km/h. He was fined $340 and will get four demerit points. He said he has learned his lesson and will stick to the speed limit from now on.

However, he also said the street-racing law was not meant to be applied to seniors driving to a doctor's appointment.

His friend Douglas Biggs also doesn't believe Harding should have been charged in the first place under a law designed to reduce street racing fatalities among young drivers.

"The police are a little out of control I'd say," said Biggs. "I have total respect for law, but they're going a little overboard."

Despite the outcome of the case, OPP Const. Mark Mackisoc, the officer who stopped Harding, said he has no regrets about laying the charge.

"The charge was definitely warranted," he said, adding that the speeding legislation will be interpreted in a variety of ways by the courts.

As a result of the stunt racing charge, Harding's vehicle was immediately impounded and his licence was suspended for seven days.