Australian tourist who had keys taken from him fined

Lindis Pass. Photo / Ghislain Mary

An Australian tourist driver who had his car keys taken from him by a member of the public while driving on the Lindis Pass earlier this month has been fined.

Sreedharan Iyer, 41, of New South Wales, was fined $1000 for careless operation of a vehicle by Justices of the Peace Joy MacDonald and Bill Townsend in Alexandra District Court this morning.

He earlier pleaded guilty via a letter after he returned to Australia.

A motorist was driving south behind another vehicle on the Lindis Pass in Upper Clutha on January 18 when he said he encountered the Kia Carnival rental car being driven in the opposite direction by Iyer.

The man said the rental vehicle was performing a passing manoeuvre on a bend and was in the wrong lane, forcing the car in front of his to drive "completely off the road" to avoid a collision. He then pursued and overtook the vehicle before slowing to get Iyer to pull over.

After a verbal exchange he took the keys and alerted police, leaving Iyer stranded on the side of the road in a remote spot with three children and no cellphone reception.

Iyer later said he had no idea of what he had done wrong.

Police arrived later and his rental car agreement was cancelled.