David Seymour is standing by the driving that saw him land in the crosshairs of a State Highway 1 motorist’s cellphone, with footage posted to Reddit showing the Deputy Prime Minister apparently speeding and undertaking another motorist.
However, the Act Party leader will not be making a complaint to police about his accuser appearing to be using a cellphone while behind the wheel, Seymour told the Herald this afternoon.
“Police time is very valuable and I think Reddit man has already had enough community discipline to rethink his action here,” said Seymour, describing himself as “a very responsible driver”.
In a video posted to the social media platform yesterday, an Act-branded car with Seymour’s face on it could be seen passing a fellow motorist from the highway’s left-hand lane.
Drivers can only pass on the left when there are two or more lanes on their side of the centre line, and they’re able to pass safely by using the left-hand lane, according to New Zealand road rules.
Passing on the left is also allowed when a police officer gives direction to, or if the vehicle being passed has stopped, is signalling a right turn or is turning right.
By law, phones can only be used while driving in limited circumstances, such as the driver calling 111, or to make or receive an audio call, for music, or for navigation if properly mounted or operated hands-free.
In the video posted to Reddit, the person filming shows their speedometer – which is sitting just under 110km/h – before panning to Seymour’s car accelerating ahead.
“Had this guy riding my tailpipe for a good whack on SH1, he must have hit the snooze button a few too many times this morning,” the person wrote.
“I gave it a touch of the jandal to gain a bit of distance from him, but it wasn’t enough – as soon as there was the slightest gap, he shot up the inside, undertook and started tailgating the next in line.
“He must have been doing 20 over the posted speed limit.”
In a statement yesterday, Seymour added to the comments made by some Redditors that the poster was in the wrong, with one scolding the Redditor to “keep left unless passing and get off your phone”.
“You’re the one driving poorly here.”
Seymour said it was “good to see the Reddit commenters could understand what sort of person this is without even needing to be there”.
“If memory serves, the person in front of me was driving erratically, speeding up and slowing down in the right lane.”
Today, the Deputy Prime Minister doubled down on his criticism, and said he wouldn’t be making any changes to his driving.
“If you’ve got someone driving erratically in front of you, perhaps because they’re on their phone … it is safest to get quickly past them. So, no, I’m a very responsible driver and don’t plan to make any changes,” he told the Herald.
“Somebody who’s speeding up and slowing down by their own admission is not a very good measure of another person’s speed.”
His only other comment was for the media to “move on”, Seymour said.
“I hope the New Zealand media can move on to more substantial topics.”
Police weren’t immediately aware of any complaint regarding the drivers in the video posted to Reddit, a spokesman said this afternoon.
“Anyone who witnesses dangerous or illegal behaviour on the road should make a report via 105, or call 111 if there is a threat to life or property.
“We also want to remind people to obey the law when driving, which includes keeping to the speed limit and not using a phone unless it’s an emergency.”
In April, Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown was fined $150 and given 20 demerit points for using his phone while driving.
Auckland Council’s transport committee showed Brown talking into a mobile phone for about 40 seconds and looking down at times.
Brown admitted the offence to the Herald and apologised for the error of judgment.
Cherie Howie is an Auckland-based reporter who joined the Herald in 2011. She has been a journalist for more than 20 years and specialises in general news and features.