A tourist caught driving with a kayak tied cross-ways across his car roof told shocked police that he was just trying to preserve his vehicle.
The tourist was pulled over after an officer spotted him with the dangerously wide load on State Highway 25 between Kopu and Hikuai on Sunday.
Inspector Freda Grace says the tourist defended his actions when the officer asked him what he was thinking.
"The driver was unrepentant, telling the officer that stopped him that if he secured the kayak long-ways as he is supposed to it would cause damage to the roof of his car.
"To make matters worse the Tairua officer was already on her way to a vehicle crash and this driver's behaviour could very easily have caused another. Imagine if he's encountered a cyclist driving like this?"
Mrs Grace says overseas tourists are believed have caused several recent crashes.
She says a Canadian driver is thought to be at fault for a two car collision in Athenree Gorge on Saturday that injured six people.
Another person was critically injured in a crash on Sunday where a Swiss driver crossed the centre line, she says.
"Driving conditions varied over the weekend from periods of heavy rain to fine weather. What didn't change were the actual roads.
"The various routes remained winding and offer quite a challenge to drivers irrespective of if they are used to European or North American highways or Auckland's Southern Motorway and all motorists need to be at their peak if we are to reach the beach this summer."
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Originally Posted by tigertim20
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