Car driver forced to take action to allow 'careless' overtake on Berriedale Braes
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A driver was forced to take action to avoid a collision when he was faced with a motorist coming the opposite way in the wrong lane on the Berriedale Braes.
The northbound vehicle, a Volvo estate car, was overtaking an artic lorry on the A9 and the oncoming car, a Ford Kuga, had to put the brakes on to allow the driver of the Volvo space to complete the overtaking manoeuvre, Wick Sheriff Court heard on Wednesday.
The Volvo driver, Edward Rowan (71), admitted a charge of careless driving by letter and was fined £300. He also incurred four penalty points.
David Barclay said that the driver of the Ford had slowed down from 37mph to 2mph to ensure that Rowan, of Threipland Place, Spittal, could complete his overtaking manoeuvre.
The fiscal added that it was not the place to overtake, as Rowan could not see if there was "enough road" in which to complete it.
Sheriff Neil Wilson said he was prepared to accept that the incident, caught on the oncoming driver's dash-cam, had been "a momentary lapse of judgment" on the part of the accused.
- In a previous version of this story, we stated that it was the lorry driver who was forced to slow down, rather than the oncoming vehicle. We apologise for this error, which has now been rectified.
