Driver whose bouncing car produced sparks fined and banned from the road

A man who drove his car so fast that it bounced on the road producing sparks has been banned from getting behind the wheel for 12 months and fined £900.

Malcolm Robertson, 40, of Walls, lost control of his car as he travelled “extremely fast” on a wet A970 near the Dale Golf Course on 25th August last year.

His vehicle crossed into the path of an oncoming car, which had to pull over onto the wrong side of the road to avoid a collision.

Robertson’s car ended up damaging a fence before spinning back onto the road. He ended up facing his original direction of travel, and sped off.

At Lerwick Sheriff Court today Robertson admitted a charge of dangerous driving.

Procurator fiscal Duncan MacKenzie said Robertson had been travelling northwards when the driver of the other car became aware that Robertson was travelling “extremely fast”.

“The car was bouncing on the road and sparks were coming from the rear of the car.”

Police were contacted, who carried out a search without success, before putting out a media release.

The following day Robertson was persuaded by his partner to attend the police station.

“This was a positive and conscious decision to drive in this fashion and it’s fortunate there wasn’t a serious outcome.”

Defence agent Neil McRobert said Robertson accepted he was going too fast for the prevailing road conditions, although he did not believe his speed had exceeded 60mph.

That was too much for Sheriff Philip Mann to swallow, however.

“I wouldn’t normally expect a car being driven at 60mph to produce sparks,” he replied.

The agent said the experience had given Robertson an “extreme shock and scare”.

Robertson had carried out several jobs that involved driving and had never received any complaints. He had arranged for the fence to be repaired.

Mr McRobert added the tyres on Robertson’s car had recently been renewed, and there was some concern over the vehicle’s handling in the wet.

He said Robertson had voluntarily attended the police station the next day.

He urged the sheriff to consider restricting the period of disqualification to the mandatory 12-month period.  

Mr McRobert said Robertson regularly helped his father out on the croft, and that help would be restricted by the loss of his licence.

Sheriff Mann told Robertson: “It seems to me this incident was caused by excessive speed. I can’t really accept at face value that you were travelling only at 60mph.”