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The actions of a motorist who drove down an Auckland motorway with sparks shooting off an exposed wheel rim were “incredibly senseless”, a road safety spokesperson says.

The Nissan Navara ute was seen on Saturday afternoon travelling on the hard shoulder of the Southwestern Motorway near Māngere with one obviously flat tyre on the front and one rear tyre completely missing and the rim gouging the road.

Sparks trailed the vehicle and flames could be seen coming from the metal.

Video was shared online, with users wondering why the driver did not stop.

Flames could be seen as the driver continued down the hard shoulder.

“Ol’ mate refuses to be stranded on the motorway,” one person joked.

Another thought the scene appeared to be a homegrown version of popular game franchise Grand Theft Auto, writing: “NZ GTA be like”.

“When ‘no WOF, no rego, no worries’ turns into no wheel,” another quipped.

Others noted the driver’s relaxed stance with one hand on the wheel and the other arm propped up on the window, suggesting he was on a “Sunday cruise”.

And, because this is New Zealand, one person wrote: “That’s my dad lmao”.

Just cruising.

Tāmaki Makaurau road policing manager acting Inspector Jason McIntosh told the Herald that police received a complaint about the vehicle just after 5pm on Saturday but were unable to find it.

“The registered owner does not reside in the Auckland region, so inquiries were unable to immediately be conducted at an address,” McIntosh said.

“Driving an unroadworthy vehicle poses safety risks not only to the driver but to other road users as well. It also can cause damage to the roading network,” he added.

”The driver should have stopped their vehicle and recovered their vehicle safely.”

The ute was obviously badly damaged.

The AA’s road safety spokesperson Dylan Thomsen offered blunt criticism of the man’s actions.

“There’s a reason why cars have four tyres. Driving your car with the rim dragging along the motorway shoulder is incredibly senseless,” Thomsen said.

He noted that driving with a flat is dangerous enough as it can compromise steering and braking but “no tyre at all is a whole other story”.

“Not only is it hazardous and illegal, it will cause major damage to your vehicle, costing you much more than the price of repairing or replacing one tyre,” he told the Herald.

Thomsen said drivers should be able to tell if they are driving with a flat tyre and should pull over as soon as it is safe and put hazard lights on.

“The AA can help out with organising a repair or a tow truck if needed,” he added.

“If you see anyone driving in a manner like in this video, keep your distance and notify the Police on *555.”

Chris Marriner is an Auckland-based journalist covering trending news and social media. He joined the Herald in 2003 and previously worked in the Herald’s visual team.

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