Dunedin 'sober drivers' face fines of $10,000 as police lose patience with the unlicenced service organised through Facebook.
Members of the 2100-strong Dunedin Sober Drivers Facebook group say the service is safer than walking and cheaper than a taxi. Passengers pay fees or buy petrol in return for a ride.
But the group has come under fire from the New Zealand Taxi Federation which described the practice as illegal and called for a crackdown.
Dunedin police yesterday revealed they had been monitoring the group and had spoken to people who had been advertising on the page.
"It appears some of those people spoken to were genuinely unaware that this activity was illegal, when in fact they were operating an unlicensed passenger service. There were however others spoken to that are aware that this activity is illegal and they have been warned to desist.
"This is a serious offence and for the first offence, it carries a maximum fine of $10,000. A second offence carries a maximum fine of $20,000 and the impoundment of your car," Dunedin police said in a Facebook post.
The post stressed that "there would be no further warnings and those caught operating as "taxis" (unlicensed passenger service) will be prosecuted and put before the court."
Police said they were concerned that passengers were getting into cars with people they didn't know who may be inexperienced behind the wheel or, in one recent case, a disqualified driver.
"The other issue relates to some female passengers who are getting into cars with unknown people. This too poses obvious safety risks. Several parents spoken to were also unaware that this practice is illegal or that their teenagers were taking part in it"
The post drew an instant response from Facebook users on the Dunedin Police page with more than 150 comments, most of them backing the sober driver service.
