A cyclist in West Auckland says he was nearly hit by a car due to National Party campaigners causing a distraction at a busy roundabout - but the MP campaigning says there was never any danger.
Sam Harvey was cycling to work on Thursday morning when he noticed traffic was heavier than usual.
"At first I thought there had been a crash, because cars were backed up way further than usual," he told Newshub.
As he approached the Swanson roundabout, Harvey saw "about a dozen" blue-clad National Party supporters with MP Alfred Ngaro waving signs and encouraging cars to beep.
As he cycled through the busy roundabout, Harvey says a car failed to see him - getting so close that one of the National supporters actually cried out in shock.
"One of Alfred's team actually went 'whoa!' - luckily it missed me."
The near-miss left him shaken and when he went to comment on Ngaro's Facebook page complaining about his experience, he was unimpressed with the response he got from the MP.
"He basically said he wasn't breaking any rules, it was all legal. But the level of agitation they were creating just didn't seem right...they were on the roundabout and there's no crossing there so they must have had to run in front of traffic to get there.
There are some gaps in traffic islands for pedestrians but you would have to be a brave person to attempt to cross."
Auckland Transport's rules for election signs state they must not "obstruct or hinder the safety of persons using the roadway or unreasonably obstruct or hinder the safety or movement of persons using the footpath or any part of the road."
A spokesperson for AT told Newshub "anyone who is out and about with any type of advertising sign needs to be careful not to distract motorists, that's potentially dangerous."
Ngaro told Newshub he and the other campaigners saw Harvey that morning.
"At no time did we see any incident that caused concern for us, but I do recognise this is a busy and at times challenging roundabout."
The roundabout was mentioned in a 2013 article listing Auckland's most dangerous due to its "elongated shape".
https://www.greaterauckland.org.nz/2013/08/04/the-worst-roundabouts-in-auckand/
Ngaro says he acknowledges Harvey's concerns and apologises for any inconvenience - but "we will continue to wave our signs on the roadside as many other political parties do up and down the country".
A spokesperson for the Electoral Commission told Newshub "it is up to parties where and how they campaign".
