Man luges down Kaimai Ranges

A Tauranga man took on the Kaimai Ranges in a luge cart recently. Image: Youtube.

A video has emerged online of a man travelling down the Kaimai Ranges in a luge cart.

The footage, uploaded to YouTube and shared on Facebook, shows the man riding down the Waikato side of the ranges, while a friend in a vehicle behind records it.

Warning: Video contains bad language.

Tauranga local Travis Scott, 18, was the luge cart rider, and says the experience was 'pretty fun”.

'Me and the boys just had the afternoon off and were taking turns going down Minden lookout in Te Puna.

'We got bored of that, so they pretty much dared me to go down the Kaimai Ranges, so I did.”

He thinks he reached speeds of up to 80km/h.

'It doesn't look that fast in the video, but they were watching it on the speedo. At the time I was pretty chill about it, but afterwards I couldn't believe I did it.”

According to the AA website, skateboards, rollerblades and push scooters are legally regarded as "vehicles", and can be used on the road if the rider is over 14 years old.

A spokesperson for the NZTA says the Land Transport Act definition states a luge is a vehicle, however the rider of a luge is still subject to the same obligations as drivers of other vehicles, to use it safely.

Western Bay of Plenty road policing manager Senior Sergeant Ian Campion calls the stunt 'brainless”.

'Such activity is highly dangerous and likely to end in disaster. Vehicles such as skateboards or luge carts don't have adequate brakes or protection, they don't handle speed well. They're also difficult to see because they're so low to the ground.

'To be quite honest I wouldn't let any of my family engage in that sort of behaviour.”

You may also like....

27 comments

Silly luge stunt

Posted on 25-01-2017 11:28 | By begesch

It's dangerous for the luge person for sure, no protection, and ....... lets face it, even a motor biker wears safety vest to not get burnt if grazing the tarmac. And then it's incredibly dangerous for other drivers. Imagine somebody watching that guy on his luge, loosing control of his own vehicle! Stupid, brainless, putting other people's lives at risk.


Overit

Posted on 25-01-2017 11:42 | By overit

What a fool. No helmet.


Unregistered

Posted on 25-01-2017 11:49 | By Merlin

Unregistered vehicle and dangerous driving charges should be laid.Endangering other vehicles.No brains no pain.


Wow

Posted on 25-01-2017 11:54 | By Politically Incorrect

Riding a cart down death alley is stupid enough, but the crossing the double yellows and weaving around, you are one lucky boy to still be breathing. Might be legal to ride a cart on the road, but this tool needs to be charged with careless driving, wreckless endangerment, or a new law should be created where you can be charged for being a tool.


Dur..

Posted on 25-01-2017 12:24 | By Me again

No brainz, No pain, never mind the other motorist on the road just as long as they enjoy themselves. F.Wz


Incredible!!!

Posted on 25-01-2017 12:43 | By MirellaV

The police knows name and everything and they do not take any action against this foolish boy???


Dangerous temporary NZer

Posted on 25-01-2017 12:56 | By betelgeuse

Congratulations Senior Sergeant Ian Campion for being so honest and suggesting he wouldnt let his family engage in that sort of behavior. Brilliant but really off the mark when usually we hear that "hes extremely disappointed" when someones killed on the road.These idiots should all be prosecuted for this ridiculous activity.Holding up traffic,crossing double yellow lines etc Im suprised the guy isnt dead giving Ian an excellent byline "Im very disappointed"


&^%$*&#!

Posted on 25-01-2017 13:07 | By penguin

This guy has to be unstable, selfish, self-centered, idiotic and many other terms that could be used. NO thought for the other motorists that he put in danger let alone the emergency workers who would have to scrape his body off the road. There is absolutely nothing smart or clever about what he did. And the people following him are not better. The vision of what the guy looked like plastered over the road might hit home but that is doubtful!


The Fun Police

Posted on 25-01-2017 13:17 | By clingon

Are out in force again...


History

Posted on 25-01-2017 13:48 | By rastus

Nothing new about this apart from the increase in danger - as far back as 1965, two guys I knew built their own skate boards and came down the Kaimia H'way on them - they said they had great difficulty in even standing up at the completion - was mad then, even madder today!


.

Posted on 25-01-2017 14:01 | By whatsinaname

If I ride my bike on that road without a helmet I would be prosecuted so why not this very foolish person.


Clingon

Posted on 25-01-2017 14:23 | By Kenworthlogger

How would you think some motorist would feel if that guy wiped out and had to be washed out the grille of their vehicle? Man you make some idiotic comments. Do this sort of thing on a private road where people like myself are not having to see the mess that is left when people stuff up. Think of others.....


Really

Posted on 25-01-2017 15:38 | By Kaimai

Typical, can't use the slow vehicle lane! Am I right in assuming that none of the vehicles passing or behind called *555 that day?


Brainless

Posted on 25-01-2017 15:45 | By Summerfreeze

If these guys had one brain cell between them I would be surprised. Yes, they should be charged with dangerous driving at the very least.


What a jerk

Posted on 25-01-2017 16:26 | By Tgaboy

You are a selfish and stupid meat axe. An absolutely worthy recipient of a Darwin Award and I bet your parents are real proud. No one cares about your safety but the fact you risked other road users safety makes you a jerk. Cannot fathom that police know your name, have the footage and have not prosecuted you yet. If I ride my bike safely on the footpath without a helmet I get a ticket. Go figure!


Hey Mr Policeman..

Posted on 25-01-2017 16:39 | By Me again

hope you throw the prison cell his way so some other young fella don't do the same and get killed in the process or some other motorist trying to avoid the idiot. And it should be a long sentence and throw in a finewith not a wet bus ticket, just saying!!!


Senior Sergeant Campion

Posted on 25-01-2017 17:32 | By JimM1

In the video there are several things, not least multiple instances of crossing the double yellow line, you must be able to get this twit for. And while you're at it, round up his cohorts in the following car - judging by the sound track they're also fit into the same brainless category!


golly gosh

Posted on 25-01-2017 17:45 | By old trucker

I remember calling 111 about 3yrs back going to hamilton and a van crossed the grass from hamilton side at tamahere and into bank other side up the bank and flipped over and faced back towards hamilton the STRESS they caused me trying to ask nearest sideroad it was in the middle of nowhere for goodness sake, so i hung up, too much STRESS, anyway Sunlive, its all good Thanks for being No1 in the Bay for news, 10-4 out.


Reckless Boy

Posted on 25-01-2017 17:57 | By space cadet

So, not a popular idea then?


Clingon

Posted on 25-01-2017 18:02 | By maildrop

Aside from the all the comments already made regarding other road users and the illegality of it, you have to question the "fun" aspect too. You could still have fun whilst taking a few precautions. No helmet, no shirt? What a muppet. He clearly has no future.


80kph lol

Posted on 25-01-2017 18:08 | By Capt_Kaveman

not a chance prob 50kph at most, yip idiot


golly gosh

Posted on 25-01-2017 19:50 | By old trucker

This is silly,(BUT) had he not gone over into on comming lane it would have been ok,he was not hurt, being silly yes, just leave him alone, there is no grounds for punishing him,we have all done silly things in our lives, even the boys in blue, just let it be, its been done, forget it,let him be.No1 in news Thankyou, 10-4 out.Phew.


Brainless huh!? Tell me this ..

Posted on 25-01-2017 21:00 | By Linaire

If I was driving up the Kaimais, and this dimwit was crossing the yellow line going down the Kaimais, and I hit him ..... who would be at fault then? Him, or me? And Ian Campion calls this stunt 'brainless'? Mr Campion, you and the rest of the Police are the brainless ones, for not charging this lunatic! You have the proof! Do something!!


Can't be legal.

Posted on 26-01-2017 00:04 | By morepork

No registration, no WOF, crossing double yellows, driving without due care and attention, reckless driving... it is a list of mindless stupidity but the single MOST serious lapse is that it inconvenienced the road users behind, and endangered the road users oncoming, who may have been forced to take evasive action at any moment. For that reason alone, this escapade deserves prosecution.


@Clingon

Posted on 26-01-2017 00:17 | By morepork

Anyone who has ever been an 18 year old male, is aware of the need for fun that is sometimes reckless of the safety of the person concerned. It is natural, and most of us survive it (sadly, there are a few that don't...) My point is that most of us have done reckless and stupid things in the name of "fun" at some point in our lives, usually when around the age noted here. But the line is drawn when you endanger OTHER PEOPLE, who have no say in whether they are willing to participate in your prank. You would need to get the road officially closed (good luck with that...) or ask every person in every oncoming and following car if they were OK with it, before this action could be considered remotely acceptable. Don't bleat about it when the inevitable consequences happen... K'logger has it right.


And no one here....

Posted on 27-01-2017 02:17 | By GreertonBoy

Has ever done anything stupid? Some of the dumb stuff I have done, I am lucky to be here.... Back in the day we had 'trolley races' down at 3rd ave... I suppose health and safety would veto that sort of thing these days tho.... but I look at this little 'adventure' from both sides...yes, all of the danger to others stuff is correct, especially what Logger said, but at least the kid is out from behind a computer or not robbing dairies or something like that... and the most likely person to have got hurt was himself. I am not condoning his actions, but maybe something official could be organised somewhere other than the Kaimais where a section of road could be closed and like minded youngsters (or us old blokes) can have a crack? Silly to put it on the news tho, inspires copycats...


Nice looking kid!

Posted on 30-01-2017 11:14 | By Cydifor

When he tells us - the general public, that we can just get over it - it proves that beauty fades, but dumb is forever!


Leave a Comment


You must be logged in to make a comment.