Tauranga local Tony Breeds has seen the old saying ‘one person's misfortune is another's gain' first hand, after a kayak fell off the back of a SUV and was carted away by another motorist.
Tony was travelling north behind a SUV towing four kayaks along Takitimu Drive near the Judea onramp at 10.30am today. When one of the kayaks came off the trailer.
Takitimu Drive near were the incident happen. Photo: Google Maps.
'The driver didn't even notice it come off the trailer and just kept going.”
The kayak landed in front of a truck travelling north in the right-hand lane. However the truck driver avoided hitting the kayak. Both Tony and the truck driver pulled over, turned on their hazard lights and attempted to remove the hazard.
'I carried one end the driver carried the other end and we had to cross two busy lanes so we could put it safely down on the verge.”
Both men managed to do the task without incident and returned safely to their vehicles. As they were about to leave, Tony witnessed another ute pull over and the driver jumped out put the kayak on the back of his ute and drive off.
'I guess he had other ideas about what Christmas spirit is all about.” Tony joked.
Because Tony didn't want to hold up traffic any longer he continued on his journey. A few kilometres down the road, he saw the SUV minus one kayak pulled over on the side of the road.
'I guess someone must of told him he had lost part of his load and was going back to retrieve it. Unfortunately there's nothing to go back for because it's already gone.”
Tony says he is hoping the driver of the ute has taken the kayak to the police in a bid to get it back to the rightful owner.
'I'd like to think they guys is sharing the spirit of Christmas and will return the kayak. But I have my doubts," Tony jokes.
8 comments
didn't
Posted on 27-12-2015 13:15 | By CC8
anyone think that the rego number of taking ute would be useful!
Hey Coach! 8cc.
Posted on 27-12-2015 16:13 | By Bill Gibson-Patmore
You are " Onto It" CC8 ! The guys have already described what they did. With their level of efficiency, I feel quite certain they would have, if they could have...... (Get Rego) .... Even without the thorough training that an armchair coach could bring to the task. Please pick your moments, and a New Year Resolution of Being Positive would probably work for coaches too? PS. Great Work Guys! Risky task, well completed. With Best Wishes, Bill Gibson-Patmore.
rego
Posted on 27-12-2015 19:39 | By Vman
You would have thought that was the first thing they wrote down.... The drive camera on the Toll feed truck might show the rego though. I past it in the opposite direction but will look at my drive camera footage and see if the ute shows up on mine.
The humour....
Posted on 28-12-2015 00:08 | By Jimmy Ehu
of the story, is in the irony of the incident, and if you can sit stationary in the right hand lane of the expressway and be able to write down a rego. without the fear of being pummelled by another vehicle you have my admiration, my inclination was after clearing and making the road safe was with the truck driver getting the hell away from being a target!!!, writing down a rego. was not even a thought, self preservation was though.
fines
Posted on 28-12-2015 00:15 | By mattbz
They should only get it back if they pay the $2000 fine for Failure to secure load
No sympathy
Posted on 28-12-2015 16:44 | By Lpggas
Cratanly not condoning the guy who took what isn't his but I don't feel any sympathy for the guy who lost it in the first place. Insecure loads are a major hazard to other road users and easily avoidable by taking the time to secure things properly to begin with . Imagine the carnage and potential trade guy if that kayak had hit another vehicle or the truck had swerved to avoid it . And how on earth can you lose a large item like a kayak off a SUV and not realise at the time
Don't.....
Posted on 31-12-2015 07:26 | By GreertonBoy
You know anything Lpggas? He was too busy when the kayak fell off.... maybe he hadn't sent the text yet? LOL I wonder if the law sees it as finders keepers or theft? To me, anything on the roadside (apart from street signs and parked cars LOL) are free? I thought that the rule for boats 'adrift unmanned' can be 'salvaged' by whoever finds it? I believe that used to be the maritime law? Maybe it could be claimed this kayak was 'adrift and unmanned' on Taka drive? Anyway, it might teach the driver of the suv to tie his load on better? It could have gone thru someone's windshield and really made someone's day.... not!
Jimmy
Posted on 31-12-2015 09:17 | By Kenworthlogger
The article says both driver pulled over. I doubt they parked in the fast lane mate! Funny how the ute that took the kayak managed to secure it so quickly.
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