NZ drivers' risk-taking horrifying, say police

Police are stunned after an undercover photo-shoot snapped 54 drivers, including health professionals, on the wrong side of the road in five hours.

The highly publicised Operation Centreline was carried out last week in the Manawatu Gorge.

Central North Island police adopted the hardline stance after two Easter holiday crashes in the region killed five people.

They said they made no apology for using covert tactics.

"If I have to have officers hiding in trees to stop the blatant disregard for the road rules that is claiming lives almost daily, that is what I will do," the region's district commander, Superintendent Russell Gibson told the Herald last month.

But police were horrified by last Thursday's results - particularly as the gorge spot featured on a current affairs show highlighting dangerous driving.

They say extra police will be on the roads for Queen's Birthday Weekend.

"What part of driving on the left do New Zealand motorists not understand?" said Inspector Neil Wynne, road policing manager for the Central District.

"On 54 occasions last week people diced with death through the gorge. What is it going to take for motorists to start thinking about their own lives and the lives of others?"

And it doesn't appear much better in Auckland.

One frustrated driver installed a video camera in his 50-tonne truck after too many near-misses.

"It's not just one person every now and then," said the man, who did not want to be named.

"People are just diving ... across lanes like there's no tomorrow - the indicator doesn't go on until they are in the other lane.

"It's as though changing from one lane to the next is top-secret. They won't put the indicator on before they do it in case someone behind them speeds up and closes the gap."

The man kept the camera running throughout his journeys, capturing many motorists making unsafe manoeuvres.

These included cutting him off at speed, overtaking on the left-hand verge and courier vans crossing two lanes of oncoming traffic to turn into a side street.

On one occasion the truckie snapped a woman pushing a pram in front of an oncoming truck; on another, a motorcyclist texting while riding.

He said driving behaviour worsened when traffic had to slow down - at peak times or in bad weather.

"The idiots come to the surface. There's this need to be in front of everyone else and you see it time and time again."

Drivers frequently raced ahead beat other traffic, he said.

"On the motorway, they zip across lane after lane after lane. ... and you get to the turnoff and there they are again, they are turning off and they have got no further than you."

The criticisms come after a motorist was photographed crossing no-passing double yellow lines to overtake a truck in wet conditions and fog on the Napier-Taupo Rd.

FATAL FLAWS

* 54 cars caught on wrong side of road in 5 hours

* 70 per cent of all fatal crashes in area included centre-line transgressions

* 5 Manawatu Gorge crash deaths over Easter