Police have warned motorists that speeding can have “catastrophic consequences” after a 46-year-old man was charged for allegedly riding a motorbike at almost double the national limit on a busy road.
Officers stopped Norman Johnstone on the A96 Aberdeen to Inverurie road between Blackburn and Kintore just before 2pm on Wednesday after he was allegedly caught driving at 137mph.
The 46-year-old has been charged in relation connection to the alleged dangerous driving, and will appear at Aberdeen Sheriff Court at a later date.
Road policing sergeant Steve Manson said recent wet weather conditions have made north-east roads more treacherous.
He said: “It goes without saying that a collision at this speed could result in catastrophic consequences.
“Adding together with the recent weather conditions and the fact that many of the roads are wet or have standing water makes it all the more dangerous.
“The A96 has a maximum speed limit of 70mph for a reason.
“Travelling at anything above this speed risks not only your own life, but those of other road users and will almost certainly result in serious injury or fatality.
“The speed limit is not a target and when the conditions are poor you should reduce your speed.”
East Garioch councillor Dominic Lonchay was equally unimpressed with the offence, saying: “Firstly, in this weather, people should be particularly careful on roads.
“But driving at 137mph is completely out of order, no matter what the weather is.”
At Inverness Sheriff Court, meanwhile, a motorist who raced at 132mph on the A96 Inverness to Aberdeen road narrowly avoided a prison sentence.
Agricultural worker John MacAulay was caught by a police speed trap as he travelled at dangerously high speed in his Toyota Corolla sports car, near Tomhommie, on April 26 last year.
MacAulay, 27, of High Street in Aberlour, was ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work and banned from the road for two years.
Defence laywer Duncan Henderson said his client had already lost his job as a result of the offence.
