A driver has been fined after allowing his passengers to sit unrestrained on the back-seat headrest of a convertible while travelling down a busy Tauranga expressway.
A motorist caught the act on camera on Wednesday and notified police, who issued the driver with an infringement offence notice for permitting a person to ride in a dangerous position.
What may seem to be a harmless bit of fun can turn to tragedy very quickly.
The incident came a week after a photo of a man car surfing was published in the Bay of Plenty Times, police condemning his "stupid" behaviour.
Police were still trying to obtain a date for the car surfing offence from witnesses before they laid charges.
Western Bay of Plenty road policing manager Senior Sergeant Ian Campion reminded all occupants of vehicles they were required to wear a seatbelt at all times.
"What may seem to be a harmless bit of fun can turn to tragedy very quickly," he said.
Police were yesterday applauding the actions of another person who called police to dob in a driver who nearly ran a woman off the road near Katikati. Hauraki-Piako police area response manager Senior Sergeant Rex Knight said a call was received about 12.40pm after the driver of a northbound Mercedes on SH2 nearly ran the woman off the road.
"Waihi units responded to the call and stopped the car near the intersection with Waihi Beach Rd.
The 33-year-old male driver initially gave false details to the officers but, thanks to modern technology as part of the police's mobility roll-out, his actual identity was established as that of a suspended driver.
"The car he was driving was not his and we're working to locate the rightful owner for that and we believe a large television and an i-Pad recovered in the car may have been stolen."
Because the driver was driving while suspended the car was impounded for 28 days and he was to appear in the Hamilton District Court yesterday on nine charges. Mr Knight said yesterday's stop as a result of a driver complaint was a good example of why people who noticed something amiss should contact police.
"Generally, people's instincts are pretty accurate and if something doesn't feel right it probably isn't."