Stay out of trouble or you’ll be banned, sheriff tells careless driver
A call centre driver running late for work has been rapped by a sheriff for his ropey motorway driving, writes Ron Moore.
Hasty Connor O’Brien repeatedly tailgated other motorists as well as undertaking another vehicle in his black VW Golf during the dash from his home in Renfrew to his office in Glasgow.
Paisley Sheriff Court heard O’Brien, 25, came to the attention of police travelling eastbound on the M8 in an unmarked car during the morning rush hour.
Fiscal depute Margaret McCallum said: “At around 8.50am two police officers were passing Junction 27 when they noticed a dark- coloured vehicle approaching from the rear.
“The noticed it was a black VW Golf and decided to follow it. As they followed it, they noticed it was in lane three when the Golf approached a Ford Fiesta.
“The Golf was required to slow down. The Fiesta then left the motorway at Junction 26.
“The accused then continued but was held up by an Audi A3 in front in lane three. He moved to lane four.
“The Golf continued in this fashion on the four-lane section at the Clyde Tunnel on-ramp. There, the accused moved from lane four to lane two to undertake a slower moving vehicle which was towing a trailer, then moved back into lane two.
“Police activated their blue lights and sirens at this point and spoke to the driver, who identified himself and provided his details.”
O’Brien, of Cardon Square, Renfrew, pleaded guilty to a charge of careless or inconsiderate driving on the M8 on October 9 last year.
Defence agent Chris McKenna said: “He was late for work. Both the Fiesta and the Audi were travelling slower than the speed limit.
“And he knows he should not have undertaken the other vehicle. He understands that is not acceptable.”
The lawyer highlighted that Mr O’Brien had taken the rap, even though he had seven points on his licence and faced disqualification if the court handed him five or more points.
However, Sheriff Murdo MacLeod said there was some value to the court in accepting O’Brien’s plea of guilty rather taking the matter to trial.
He said: “I was almost late in getting here today.
“But one must always obey the law when driving and one must be aware of it.”
He handed O’Brien four points on his licence, reduced from five, and fined him £200, reduced from £250, because of the guilty plea.
Sheriff MacLeod added the punishment allowed the accused to keep his licence, said: “Any more trouble and you will be banned.”
One must always obey the law when driving Sheriff Murdo MacLeod