A driver who rammed a Great Britain cycling international, putting him in hospital with a broken back, was spared a ban despite a sheriff describing the incident as a “cyclists’ nightmare”.
George Dillon, 59, a central heating engineer, “became distracted by an oncoming car” and collided with then-teenage Scottish and Great Britain professional Logan Maclean, on a training run in the Trossachs, Stirling Sheriff Court was told.
The accident, on the narrow and twisting A81 road between Callander and Port of Menteith, happened about at midday on January 5 2021.
Maclean, now 22, who began his career with Stirling Bike Club and currently rides for top team AG2R Citroen’s under 23s, was thrown from his bike, suffering a fractured lumbar vertebrae.
Clipped cyclist by mistake
Douglas Thomson, prosecuting, said the road had a number of blind bends and blind summits.
Dillon had seen Mr Maclean and was driving behind him.
Mr Thomson said: “The accused then became aware of a vehicle coming towards him and his attention has gone from the cyclist in front of him to the vehicle on the opposite side of the road and he hit the cyclist from behind, propelling him forward.”
Mr Thomson said Mr Maclean had made “a fairly significant recovery”.
Dillon, of Gullipen View, Callander, admitted careless driving.
He had originally faced an allegation of causing serious injury by dangerous driving but the Crown accepted his plea of guilty to the reduced charge.
‘Many cyclists’ nightmare’
Solicitor Virgil Crawford, defending, said Dillon had “never shirked” from the fact what happened was his fault.
He said: “He had been overtaking the cyclist, noticed the other car coming towards him, moved back in towards the side of the road and accepts that in doing so he did not brake adequately.”
Mr Crawford said there was “no suggestion” of Dillion driving at excessive speed.
He said he needs his licence for work and his wife faces “various medical difficulties”.
Dillon was fined £790, with six penalty points endorsed on his licence.
Sheriff Derek Hamilton said the driver had shown a “high degree of carelessness” but it would not be proportionate to ban him because of his personal circumstances.
He added: “I have to say that this is many cyclists’ nightmare – that a car comes up behind them and just goes straight into them.
“I have difficulty in imagining how a motorist runs into the back of a cyclist where they see the cyclist.
“Where they see the cyclist they should either stop behind the cyclist, or wait until it’s safe and give the cyclist a wide enough berth.”
The court heard that Maclean had a civil claim for compensation settled in full.
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