Police fine half-naked luge rider after video of Kaimai Ranges ride

The Tauranga teenager recently shown riding a luge down the Kaimai Range on social media posts has been issued with two infringement notices, incurring fees totalling $750.

Police have interviewed 18-year-old Travis Scott and issued two notices for operating a vehicle in a manner likely to cause injury, which carries a penalty of $600, and driving on the wrong side of no passing lines, which has a penalty of $150.

Senior Sergeant Ian Campion said the incident was a reminder that all road users needed to act responsibly and take due care to ensure their own and others' safety.

"Regardless of what you're doing on the road, your actions can have an impact on other road users.

"The last thing we want to have to do is knock on the doors of families to tell them that a loved one is not coming home, or has been seriously injured, due to a poor decision that results in a crash that could have been avoided.

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"This incident could so easily have ended in tragedy and we are pleased that no-one was hurt."

The footage emerged earlier this week after being posted on social media.

Scott said he and his friends got bored on Tuesday afternoon and wanted a challenge with a cart they had bought off Trade Me a few weeks ago.

"So the boys said they'd buy a box if I did the Kaimais," Scott told Bay of Plenty Times.

A video shows Scott shirtless and travelling at speed down the west side of the State Highway 29 range, being filmed by someone travelling in a car behind. At times the cart ventures across double lines and heavy freight trucks can be seen travelling in the opposite direction.

"I got a few toots and funny looks. I know I swerved out into the other lane but I could clearly see there was no one coming."

One of Scott's friends panned a camera to film a line of traffic stuck travelling behind them before panning back to record the luge rider.

Police earlier labelled the stunt "brainless" but Scott has said he might do it again on the Bombay hills, South Of Auckland.

Scott declined to comment on the fine when contacted today by Bay of Plenty Times