A road rage Arbroath mechanic caused more than £8,000 of damage to a car which had to swerve when he deliberately braked in front of it.
James Bates, 25, pled guilty to a reduced charge of driving carelessly on January 31 last year when he appeared at Forfar Sheriff Court, having initially been charged with dangerous driving.
He admitted, on the A92, forcing another motorist to take evasive action by pulling in front of them and braking sharply.
Fiscal depute Jill Drummond explained Bates had been travelling north behind the car in the overtaking lane, between Ethiebeaton and Upper Victoria, at 6.30pm.
He flashed his lights to indicate he wanted to pass the vehicle in front.
Its driver braked to slow and pull into the left-hand lane but when Bates pulled in front, he too braked, “harshly, suddenly and without warning”.
The driver swerved and struck the central reservation, before coming to rest over both lanes of the carriageway.
Her vehicle had sustained £8,450 worth of damage.
Bates handed himself into police after being made aware of a social media appeal.
Retaliation
Lawyer Billy Rennie explained Bates hit the brakes in retaliation.
“There’s been this altercation on the road. It caused him annoyance.
“The sequence of events, I think, is reasonably important – it’s all too familiar.
“Unfortunately on this occasion, someone has suffered consequences.
“He could have equally suffered something. He should have just let it be.
“I’m not suggesting it’s low-level – it’s a bit of retaliation which has had consequences.”
‘All too common’
Sheriff Derek Reekie fined Bates, of Benedict Road in Arbroath, £1,275 and imposed nine penalty points.
The sheriff said: “I think you’re extremely fortunate that a plea of careless driving has been accepted.
“I’ve seen cases where this type of behaviour has been regarded as dangerous.
“I don’t think your justification is, in any way, an excuse.
“It’s a deliberate act that caused significant risk and indeed, significant harm.
“There are cases where top-end careless and low-end dangerous probably merge into each other.
“This is one of these in my opinion but I am dealing with a careless driving charge.
“This sort of behaviour is becoming all to common.”
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