A distributor for a luxury car company has escaped a driving ban after squeezing past an overtaking car on the A90.
Lee Thomson forced his Mitsubishi Shogun past a Vauxhall Mokka after its driver drifted to the left while overtaking a slower-moving car, meaning the vehicles were almost three abreast on the busy dual carriageway.
The 44-year-old had earlier driven so close to the other vehicle that the driver was unable to see the Shogun’s bonnet.
Fiscal depute Carol Whyte told Perth Sheriff Court: “It was 10.15am on April 26 last year. There was a slower moving vehicle in the inside lane and a vehicle travelling at 70mph in the outside lane, overtaking the slower car.
“The driver in the outside lane became aware of a vehicle behind him, which he described as being so close that he couldn’t see the bonnet. He may have subconsciously moved left towards the slower lane.
“At that point the accused moved to the right and overtook on the tarmac area towards the central reservation, so effectively there were three vehicles abreast on the dual carriageway.
“The accused was later traced and cautioned and charged on May 5. In response he said: ‘He had done his overtake and was moving back to the left lane. I started to overtake and moved over. I was about half way past him when he moved back to the right. There was nothing in the inside lane – he was well past any car’.”
Solicitor Ian Houston, representing Thomson, said the incident had occurred due to his client’s impatience.
He said: “The carelessness here was that he allowed himself to get too close to the vehicle in front.
“There was a degree of impatience – he should have waited until the other vehicle had completed its overtaking manoeuvre.”
He said that Thomson works as a distributor of Porsche motor parts and drives a considerable number of miles each year.
Thomson, of Errol, admitted driving without due care an attention on the A90 Dundee to Perth road near Errol on April 26 last year by failing to maintain a safe braking distance and overtaking a vehicle which was driving in the outside lane.
Sheriff William Wood handed Thomson five points to add to the ones already on his licence. Under the totting up procedure drivers with a total of 12 points are automatically banned.
He said: “I think everyone driving on the motorway has seen something similar (to this incident).
“It was silly but had the potential for a catastrophic outcome.”
Sheriff Wood also fined Thomson £900.
