Ron Czerniak and his wife Karen Smith on Lonely Track Rd, in Albany. Photo / Dean Purcell
Ron Czerniak and his wife Karen Smith on Lonely Track Rd, in Albany. Photo / Dean Purcell
A pedestrian has described a "terrifying" near miss with a speeding driver on Auckland's empty lockdown roads, which he says was like dodging "a raging bull".
Northcross resident Ron Czerniak, 74, dislocated his shoulder evading a driver who was "hooning" along Lonely Track Rd at excessive speed on Saturday.
Czerniak and his wife Karen Smith were walking a 6km route which they had been using during lockdown instead of their favourite local beach to avoid using a car.
"It had been living up to it's name because there was hardly any traffic on it," he said.
Footpaths are scant along the road but the couple had been extremely cautious sticking near the seal's edge and stepping away when an oncoming vehicle neared.
"We felt pretty comfortable we were going to be okay."
But when a car hurtled towards the couple over a series of speed bumps set in an area posted for 25km/h the 74-year-old was sent sprawling for cover.
Czerniak had tried to signal the driver to slow but instead the vehicle veered towards him, forcing him to leap to safety without a thought for the landing.
"You are just trying to escape this raging bull aimed for you," he said.
While Czerniak injured his shoulder in the fall, the car continued on and he says the driver narrowly missed another pedestrian who was also urging the car to stop.
"The adrenaline was rushing at that point that yeah, you know you have hurt yourself but you are trying to deal with the situation at the time," Czerniak said.
Shortly later the shaken group were joined by a cyclist riding past who described a close call with the same car, he said.
"This guy almost collected three people."
They reported the incident to the police and Czerniak was taken to hospital where his shoulder popped back into place.
He has possibly months of rehabiliation ahead but credited a "wonderful" medical team as looking after him.
However, the near-miss had left him feeling angry.
"With all this going on, the message is so clear to people; stay home, stay vigilant, stay safe, stay strong - only go out for absolutely necessary reasons and this person was obviously just hooning."
The driver must have known that he came so close to a collision because the jacket he was holding went flying, he said.
He described the driver as a dark-haired male accompanied by a dark-haired female passenger likely in her late 20s.
"To think I'm worried about Covid-19 but I almost got killed by a fellow New Zealander, who doesn't probably have Covid-19, but he does have a very dangerous weapon."
Czerniak said while previously travelling in Asia he had seen the devastating impact of Sars outbreak.
And while it could be tempting for people to lower their guard now it was more important than ever to be diligent and careful, he said.
"This is still a time for vigilance and care. Compared to other countries we are almost there."
Police confirmed they received a report relating to a speeding vehicle which nearly hit a person on Lonely Track Rd on April 18.
The vehicle was described as an early 2000's silver Volkswagen.
"In general, police encourage anyone who witnesses unsafe or dangerous driving behaviour to contact police as soon as possible by calling 111 and if possible try to recall details such as the registration number, make and model of the vehicle and the location," a police spokesman said.
