A red-faced New Plymouth electorate candidate has apologised for causing an accident between the SUV he was driving and a logging truck in the city last week.
By Robin Martin of RNZ
Rusty Kane – who is standing as an independent – and a passenger escaped injury when their car collided with the truck at the intersection of Elliot and Leach streets.
The serial political candidate, who has unsuccessfully stood for public office 17 times over 30 years, said he was driving in the wrong lane.
"We didn't really know what happened at the time because we were in the car and all of a sudden we got a hit with a bang and then we were sliding along Elliott Street beside McDonald's.
"What had happened apparently is a logging truck just hit the tail end of our car and then flipped us round and pushed us down Elliott Street."
Kane, who has sought office at local body and national level across Taranaki, Auckland and Bay of Plenty, said once he saw the police report and video it was clear he was in the wrong and had been driving in the wrong lane.
"Once I found out from the police what had actually happened because there's cameras around, I accepted that and that they were going to give me an infringement notice and a fine and I had to apologise to the truck driver, the trucking company."
Kane said it was a frightening moment.
'God, it's all over!'
"This is the scariest thing I've ever experienced. You're driving along and all of a sudden, boom, bang, smash and then you're screeching all the way up the road.
"I had a big truck grill, 'cause it was a Big Mac truck, and the grill was looking at my face through my window and just pushing me down the street, and I thought, "God, it's all over!" You know, that was really scary stuff."
Kane said the incident was embarrassing.
"Well it is because it's my fault, you know, I realised that I was in the wrong lane and obviously I didn't even see the truck. I didn't see anything. I was just crossing the intersection and then bang."
Kane thanked passers-by and staff at the McDonald's for checking on his well-being and that of his passenger – a campaign staffer who'd taken a week off work– and the truck driver.
Now back on the campaign trail, he said the incident was a reminder to always take care when behind the wheel of a motor vehicle.
The truck company declined an interview and referred RNZ to police.
Police said they had conducted enquiries and one person had been issued an infringement notice for failing to comply with directional arrows.
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