Oncoming traffic narrowly avoids colliding with a VW Golf after overtaking a shuttle full of people on Bruce Road, Whakapapa. Video / Ruapehu Scenic Shuttles
A ‘near miss’ on the Whakapapa Ski Area access road has left a shuttle bus loaded with passengers shocked and angry.
The shuttle driver captured the overtaking manoeuvre on his dash cam yesterday.
In the video, a silver VW Golf overtakes the shuttle and narrowly avoids a head-oncollision with a Mercedes-Benz station wagon, requiring the oncoming vehicle to make room and the shuttle to brake.
“As I was coming up the road towards Scoria Flat, someone decided ‘oh yeah, you’re in a bus, you’re going slow, I’ll overtake you’,” shuttle driver Colin Baker told the Herald.
“As usual, you get one person try it and then the vehicles behind followed it,” he said.
The first car passed him safely and the second vehicle had a lot less time, he said.
The second vehicle to pass the shuttle is still returning to the left lane as the oncoming traffic approaches - but a third vehicle is also attempting to pass. Photo / Supplied
“And then I spotted this car coming down the hill. So, I thought the second vehicle going by was a bit close.”
Incredibly, a third vehicle accelerates past the shuttle.
“I saw the third vehicle about to overtake in the mirror, but I didn’t expect it to carry out the manoeuvre,” said Baker.
The experienced shuttle driver told the Herald he has driven the road thousands of times over 20 years and describes it as “one of the most scary near misses I have encountered in a long time”.
When he realised the car was passing him – and seeing the proximity of the Mercedes, he thought “this is it”.
“It didn’t gain him anything. All it gained him was another spot closer in car park 6 [of Whakapapa Ski Area],” said the Ruapehu Scenic Shuttles driver.
Baker said it was fortunate that the oncoming vehicle was doing “a sensible speed”.
The close call. Somehow the hatchback avoided the oncoming vehicle and the shuttle it was overtaking on Whakapapa access road. Photo / Supplied
He had 14 passengers on board who witnessed the dangerous driving, gasping in shock.
“They were mad. As we were going through the car park. We were looking for the vehicle, because they were not happy at all with the driver. They just thanked me for not hitting it,” said Baker.
He pulled over shortly after to make sure he had the license plate and after dropping his passengers off, drove back down to a police checkpoint where he said commercial vehicle checks were being carried out.
“When I came down, the police’s focus was mainly on checking the [shuttle] vehicle. They didn’t want to hear about the report. And that’s the bit that really disappointed me,” said Baker.
Police were unable to confirm to the Herald that a report had been made about the offending vehicle.
Baker, who drives the road up to six times per day, said he has attended fatal accidents on the route and is relieved the latest incident was not another.
