An 88-year-old pensioner has been banned from the road – after driving the wrong way on the A90 near Laurencekirk.
John Milne pulled out of a junction on the A937 onto the A90, but instead of driving across the northbound carriageway onto the southbound one, he began to drive south in the northbound lane.
A horrified witness, in the car with her son, watched on as Milne drove on the wrong side of the busy road, with an HGV fast approaching in the other direction.
The 88-year-old continued for around 30 metres before turning off the A90 and heading towards Marykirk.
Fiscal depute Carol Gammie told Aberdeen Sheriff Court: “It was approximately 3.10pm on September 9 2020 when a witness and her son were travelling south on the A937 road at Laurencekirk and they were approaching the A90.
“As she was approaching the junction, the witness saw the accused’s car stationary at the junction.
“The accused turned right at the junction and travelled south on the north-bound carriageway of the A90 for approximately 30 metres.
Incident could have ended in ‘disaster’
“They observed that here was an oncoming heavy goods vehicle.
“The accused’s vehicle turned left, crossed the A90 south-bound carriageway and entered the junction with Marykirk road.”
Ms Gammie said the witness was “concerned at the manner of driving” and contacted police.
Milne, of Glebeway, Meigle, pled guilty to a charge of dangerous driving.
Defence agent Michael Tavendale said: “Mr Milne is an 88-year-old man who has been driving for some 70 years, having originally learned to drive in the army in Korea.
“He was an HGV driver for over 50 years.”
The solicitor explained that Milne’s wife and daughter relied on him for transportation, but acknowledged a disqualification would be inevitable.
A ‘sad day’ for Milne
He went on: “Immediately following the incident he was assessed by a driving instructor.
“He saw no particular difficulty with his driving and it’s still somewhat of a mystery to Mr Milne as to how he came to get himself into this situation.
“Obviously he could have gone straight across, but once he turned right rather than straight across, he realised his error but it was too late and he just carried on.”
Mr Tavendale described it as a “sad day” for his client, who he said had one conviction for speeding from “probably about 40 years ago”.
Sheriff Mark Thorley emphasised the risk involved in the driving manoeuvre and said it could have ended in “disaster”.
He fined Milne £420 and banned him from driving for a year.
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