A motorcyclist and his pillion passenger survived unscathed after they were thrown from their bike onto the opposite carriageway of the A9.
Retired motor mechanic Ralph Bird and his partner were travelling northbound near Dalwhinnie on August 26 last year when he got too close to the Renault in front.
Fiscal depute Shamyla Ghafar told Inverness Sheriff Court: “He made contact with the rear corner of the vehicle resulting in him losing control.
“He swerved onto the opposite carriageway and the front of his bike collided with the front wheel of an oncoming car.
“It rotated clockwise and came to rest on the southbound carriageway and they were thrown from the bike.
“The emergency services were called but no one was injured.”
‘He momentarily lost concentration’
Defence solicitor Mhyrin Hill told Sheriff Eilidh Macdonald: “He has been driving for 45 years without incident. There is no indication of speeding.
“He momentarily lost concentration and misjudged the following distance.”
The 66-year-old of Teith Place, Kilmarnock, admitted careless driving and was fined £560 and had his licence endorsed with nine penalty points.
Sheriff Macdonald decided not to disqualify him from driving because of his clean licence.
She added: “The culpability is not of the highest but you were clearly driving too close to this vehicle in front. I am not sure it was a momentary lapse of concentration.
“You and others are lucky to have survived without injury. But I am sure you know that.”
