KEY POINTS:
West Auckland police are describing the actions of a Harley Davidson rider who sped through a school crossing which students were preparing to use as "sheer lunacy".
A police motorbike and patrol car were following some distance behind but stopped for the crossing.
Teacher Catherine Heald was supervising students on school crossing patrol just before 9am yesterday when a man wearing a Headhunters jacket and riding a Harley Davidson came flying along Brigham Creek Rd outside Whenuapai School.
The patrol monitors had already put the big lollipop signs out and were about to let two young boys cross the road when the Harley weaved its way past the signs and sped through the middle of the crossing.
"It was really frightening for me because in that split second you think those kids could have been hit either by the guy on the motorbike or by some of the other traffic," said Miss Heald.
After the Harley had gone, the monitors let the waiting boys cross - but unbeknownst to them the road was still not clear.
"Just as they were crossing, the police came around the corner and I kind of freaked out because I could see this police motorbike coming around. These kids are year five and are quite little and I thought 'oh no, he might not have seen them'.
"I yelled at the kids to hurry up and run across and they made it safely."
Miss Heald said the police motorbike and a patrol car stopped for the crossing before one of the officers continued after the Harley rider. The other stopped to take details about what had happened on the crossing.
Miss Heald praised the actions of the patrol monitors who had stopped the two boys from crossing.
Police spokesman Kevin Loughlin described the actions of the motorcyclist as "sheer lunacy".
"This rider clearly showed complete disregard to the safety of these children and the other road users in the area at the time."
Mr Loughlin said there was no excuse for exceeding the speed limit around schools, especially given the recent advertising campaign.
In the last five years over 1200 child pedestrians have been killed or injured during school terms.
