Truck driver put lives in danger by attempting U-turn move
A Paisley businessman caused a pile-up on a dual carriageway by blocking the whole road – as he ground to a halt during a botched attempt to carry out a U-turn in a recovery truck.
A sheriff found vehicle recovery owner James McFarlane, 46, guilty of dangerous driving and said he had put several lives in danger with the bungled manoeuvre.
Perth Sheriff Court was told that McFarlane’s 7.5-ton truck was shunted down an embankment after two other lorries could not stop in time to avoid a collision.
Sheriff Gillian Wade said: “Witnesses saw him come across the road and he ends up in a position where he was stationary on the southbound carriageway.
“To find yourself stationary across one and partially at least across the other lane of the A9 when it is dark, raining and visibility is impaired is undoubtedly dangerous.
“It was a very flawed decision.
“You couldn’t execute the manoeuvre and ended up stationary in the middle of the road.
“You were endangering, not only your own life, but a child’s life and other road users.”
McFarlane, of Fulbar Crescent, Paisley, was found guilty of driving dangerously and stopping on the A9 and blocking the road while trying to carry out a U-turn near Greenloaning on December 18, 2019.
The court was told that McFarlane, who had an 11- year- old boy in the recovery vehicle with him, was trying to turn around after missing the garage he was supposed to pull off the road at.
He admitted struggling with the turn as the vehicle was heavy and slow and he had limited traction, but he claimed he had completed it before being struck by other another lorry.
However, Sheriff Wade rejected his version of events after hearing several witnesses describe how they had nowhere to go as his vehicle was at a standstill across the dual carriageway.
She said: “I have no difficulty concluding this was an incident of dangerous driving.
“It was very fortunate in some respects that this did not cause loss of life as it could have done.”
Fiscal depute Tina Dickie said: “Having driven past his destination he decided to perform a risky manoeuvre.
“The weather was horrendous, it was dark and visibility was poor.
“He showed a complete disregard for the potential dangers which may have arisen.
“He failed to take into account that he was entering into the fast lane.”
McFarlane told the court that he was struck and shunted down an embankment by Andrew Sawn’s lorry and that in turn was hit by another HGV which had insufficient time to stop.
Sheriff Gillian Wade banned McFarlane from driving for a year and fined him £ 1,500 after hearing the disqualification would make it impossible for him to run his vehicle recovery business.
He showed a complete disregard for the potential dangers