Bin lorry’s run-in with car one hour before the disaster
A BIN lorry driver was seen acting ‘aggressively’ towards a red Audi car around an hour before the tragedy unfolded in George Square, the inquiry has heard.
Andrew Wilson, 38, said he saw an incident on Cowcaddens Road, Glasgow, that concerned him and he reported it to police after hearing about the disaster.
Mr Wilson, a baker who was shopping in Glasgow’s city centre on December 22 – told the crash inquiry: ‘As far as I remember there was a bin lorry and another car both approaching the junction. The car in front of me looked to accidentally cut in front of the lorry and the driver of the bin lorry was kind of beeping and looked to be gesturing and being slightly aggressive.’
He added that he also heard ‘ quite long, maybe several long horn sounds’.
Mr Wilson was asked what it was about the driver that concerned him and he replied: ‘Just that it seemed a little bit aggressive for a public servant to be doing that to another citizen for something that I think was an accident.’
When Mr Wilson got home later that day and heard about the crash in George Square, he contacted police about the earlier incident and officers came to take a statement.
He told the officers that he believed the red car involved in the confrontation was an Audi 8 or Audi 6, possibly an estate car, and that the incident happened around 1.30pm.
Mr Wilson added: ‘I have no idea if it was the same bin lorry or not.’
The inquiry heard that when CCTV of the area was examined, the bin lorry driven by Harry Clarke was observed turning right from Cowcaddens Road into North Hanover Street around 1.45pm.
The inquiry was told the footage showed a red Audi A3 was behind the lorry at the time.