Tourist admits dangerous driving on mountain road
A Japanese tourist who “smoothed the curves” as he drove the Crown Range road in Otago because his wife was prone to carsickness has admitted a charge of dangerous driving.
Tsuyoshi Hayashi, an engineer, has no convictions and is the holder of a “golden licence” in his own country.
But he has now been disqualified from driving in New Zealand for six months by Judge Tony Couch in the Christchurch District Court and was fined $500 after pleading guilty through defence counsel Rupert Ward.
Police said Hayashi was seen to cross to the right hand lane several times during the drive and was photographed and reported by a following vehicle.
He told police he was trying to minimise the corners to make things more comfortable for his wife because she suffered from carsickness.
Mr Ward told the court that Hayashi acknowledged he did something against the New Zealand laws and understood that he could have caused an accident. He was more used to driving in Japan where rural areas had more dual carriageways than in New Zealand.
Judge Couch noted that people in Japan also drove on the left, so that was not an issue. He was not sure that the disqualification would have any effect after Hayashi’s return to Japan.
He will be required to pay the fine today so that he can fly back to Japan tomorrow.
Category: Focus
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