Police who pulled over a car seen swerving dramatically from side to side on a Hawke's Bay street weren't expecting the driver's novel excuse.
The man's erratic driving on Pukatea Street in Saint Leonards, Hastings, prompted multiple calls to police by onlookers concerned he might be impaired by drugs or alcohol.
Police pulled him over at 12.30pm on Wednesday.
The driver explained to them that his car was running out of fuel.