Operation Royal Rumble was conducted because police noticed an increase in "antisocial road users" — a term that includes speeding, burnouts, tailgating, and evidence of modifications.
Southland road policing manager Senior Sergeant Brent Kingsland said the increase was largely anecdotal, but his colleagues were all noting a rise in unsafe road users.
"From our point of view, it’s a safety issue.
"It only takes one person to step out on to the road."
The operation was named Royal Rumble in reference to it taking place over King’s Birthday Weekend, and the rumble of engines on the roads.
It resulted in the largest number of infringement notices, ordering unsafe vehicles off the road, delivered in an operation like this, he said.
Vehicles being driven erratically or those that appeared to be modified were guided to VTNZ where they were then assessed for road worthiness.
"We conduct an operation like this because there is a problem.
"It drains on our resources quite a bit."
Sergeant Geoff Sutherland was one of the nearly two dozen officers taking part in the operation.
He joined the police more than 36 years ago after his friend died in a drink-driving crash.
"The impact that had on us as a friend group was devastating."
On Saturday night, Sgt Sutherland was targeting the main strips of Invercargill which drivers of modified vehicles were known to frequent.
They were not necessarily racing, but a lot of vehicle owners had sunk a lot of money into their cars — and where better to flaunt it than on Dee St?
The telltale signs of a modified vehicle were vast, but a lowered chassis and a widened exhaust were usually indicators the car had more work done.
The first vehicle he pulled over had a roll cage installed — the two friends in the car said they were out for ice cream.
"I bet it goes like a bat out of hell," Sgt Sutherland said when he looked under the hood.
"There wouldn’t be many people that could beat me," the driver said.
Over the two nights of the operation, 38 vehicles were inspected at the VTNZ Testing Station.
Of those, 15 pink stickers were issued (notices ordering unsafe vehicles off the road) and six green (repairs needed), while those with minor faults were issued with infringement notices.
Snr Sgt Kingsland said this was a very high number of stickers issued — one inspector told him it was the most pink stickers issued for such an operation.
Police conducting the operation also processed five drink-drivers, three driver licence suspensions, one forbidden to drive and one disqualified driver, and impounded one vehicle.
By Ben Tomsett
