The man earlier told the Herald he was prepared for any consequences he would face.
Tāmaki Makaurau road policing manager Inspector Scott Webb called the charge “another example of an offender being held to account for putting others at risk on our roads.”
Webb said the man’s behaviour was also concerning because of the amount of congestion it caused.
The man was seen parking a 2009 Nissan GT-R northbound on State Highway 1′s middle lane near Highbrook, blocking traffic.
A witness told the Herald a man was “sitting there meditating like a monk”.
The witness managed to briefly speak to the driver, asking him what was going on. The man allegedly claimed to be staging a protest against Waka Kotahi NZTA’s Road to Zero policy.
The witness described the incident as “wild” and said it caused a lot of disruption to traffic.
“Man that was wild. Traffic was just shocking. It built up. This guy has a screw loose or something.
“It’s the most unusual thing I’ve seen in a long time.”
The meditating man told the Herald: “I am a young Kiwi who had lost friends to horrific car accidents and ... I see NZTA spend millions, now billions, on road safety to get our road death toll to zero.”
He said he was protesting the campaign and had his own alternate ideas.
NZTA’s Road to Zero campaign hopes to reach a goal where New Zealand has zero deaths and serious injuries on our roads.
NZTA’s vision, according to its website, is that Kiwis can travel and reach their destination safely through numerous transport modes such as driving, walking, cycling, motorcycling or taking public transport.
Raphael Franks is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. He joined the Herald as a Te Rito cadet in 2022.
