A pensioner drove along the A9 at 25mph and with no lights on the “pitch black” winter night.
James Greer’s white Skoda was seen “swaying” across the centre line as he travelled at low speed on the trunk road.
When the 78-year-old was stopped by police he failed to apply his handbrake, allowing his vehicle to start to roll.
Greer was not present in court as his plea of guilty to a single charge of dangerous driving relating to the incident on February 18 of this year was recorded.
‘Dangerously slow speed’
The charge detailed how Greer drove with no lights in hours of darkness, failed to maintain lane discipline, drove at “dangerously slow speed” and failed to apply his hand brake causing his vehicle to roll backwards.
Fiscal depute Shay Treanor told Sheriff Gary Aitken it was 6.40pm when witnesses spotted Greer’s white Skoda on the northbound A9 near the Ralia junction.
He said Greer had “no main beam, no rear lights” and added that the road was “pitch black” due to the lack of street lighting at that location.
The other motorists notified police and remained behind the vehicle, which they observed to be “swaying across the centre line of the road” as it travelled at speeds as low as 25mph.
Mr Treanor said Greer was stopped and pulled into a layby where police engaged with him.
Officer ran to apply brake
“As they did his vehicle started to roll back because he failed to apply the handbrake – a constable had to run over to the car and put the handbrake on.”
The fiscal depute told the court that Greer was not under the influence of drink or drugs at the time of the offence.
Sheriff Aitken banned Greer, of Glen Road, Newtonmore, from the roads for 12 months, after which he would need to sit and pass an extended test before returning to the roads.
He was also fined £420.
