Napier police were left wondering if they had a book big enough to throw at a motorcyclist they laid in wait for and ended up chasing at speeds more than twice the legal limit along Marine Parade late last week.
``Pretty crazy stuff,'' was Napier Police Traffic Unit Constable Ian Cheyne's
take on the incident which will see the 22-year-old Napier man appear in court later this month to face several charges.
Mr Cheyne said police had received complaints about a noisy, speeding motorcycle travelling along Marine Parade every morning just before 7am.
``So we set up early and waited for it,'' he said.
A second officer parked well along Marine Parade, in the 50km/h zone, to give the rider the benefit of doubt if he was winding down after coming off the 100km/h limit highway.
But Mr Cheyne said when they saw and heard the bike it appeared to be accelerating.
They clocked it at an alleged 118km/h and took off in pursuit.
``We followed him at high speed - it was easily in excess of 140km/h.''
The officers said the rider had glanced back at them but continued - at one stage overtaking a truck on the Breakwater Rd bend near the port and causing an oncoming car to mount the footpath.
They saw the motorcycle, which was smoking badly at that stage, pull into the Port of Napier and blocked the entrance off.
The rider was then spoken to by police and arrested.
``It had an oil leak - there was oil all over the rear wheel.''
A check of the Suzuki 750 showed no registration plate or warrant of fitness. It also had defective exhaust baffles and was described as ``very loud''.
The bike was impounded for 28 days and the rider issued with an automatic 28-day disqualification.
Charges included reckless driving and failing to stop.
Later in the morning one Marine Parade resident called police to ask ``did you get him?''
``Yes, we did,'' was Mr Cheyne's reply.
Police would follow up and deal with any reports of dangerous driving in both urban and rural areas.
