Police are furious at the driving of an Auckland man, calling him 'an idiot with a death wish'.

He's now facing driving charges, after speeding down the wrong side of a motorway.

Police say the driver, who's in his 20s, took off when they tried to pull him over at Birkdale on the North Shore.

He shot down the wrong side of State Highway 18 for about five kilometres...scattering terrified drivers coming the other way.

Police gave up the chase but used a helicopter to track the driver...he was eventually arrested in Henderson.