Eclipse observations of the W-L corona show linear rays above active regions at times of solar maximum. We show that these linear rays are also observed in the field-of-view of the C2-LASCO coronagraph, in perfect correspondence with the eclipse results. A selected prominent case taken from the 2001 eclipse observation in Angola is analysed with several different methods, including the use of a synoptic map constructed using SoHO/LASCO C2 images. A clear signature of time variations near the eclipse observation is detected, suggesting that at least some parts of the beam are collimated. These observations strongly suggest high speed streams that apparently ignore the potential large scale coronal magnetic field rooted rather low in the corona. A possible origin is the neutral magnetic points located above the active region. Several mechanisms exist to explain how the plasma is accelerated in these regions to large quasi-relativistic velocities, possibly related to the occurrence of type III radio bursts. We point out a curious analogy with phenomena occurring inside coronal holes.