2 years’ imprisonment for road rage driver

[glasgowcyclist]

Considering previous sentences for similar or worse cases (fatalities), I’m surprised and pleased at this sentence.

What’s shocking isn’t just that he swerved at the cyclist, I’ve seen and suffered similar often enough, but he did it while carrying passengers.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-62062684

A taxi driver who deliberately drove an eight-seater minibus at a cyclist who had criticised his driving has been jailed for two years.​

Charles Yorston steered the vehicle to the right as Andrew Learmonth drew level with the driver's window.​

The impact sent the 31-year-old prison officer into mid-air, seriously injuring him.​

Yorston, who was also banned from driving for four years, was told Mr Learmonth was lucky not to be killed.​

Sheriff Derek Hamilton said the 60-year-old had shown complete disregard for the consequences of his actions.​

He said : "What you did was quite extraordinary. This was no accident."​

Yorston was found guilty by a jury at Falkirk Sheriff Court of causing serious injury by dangerous driving in Grangemouth in 2019.​

He had denied the charge and insisted he had not been trying to scare Mr Learmonth.​

Fractured elbow​

The court was told Mr Learmonth struck his head against the kerb, cracking his helmet and leaving him with cuts, bruises and a fractured right elbow.​

The cyclist told the trial he had ridden alongside the minibus because he believed the driver had "cut him up" at nearby traffic lights and given him a fright.​

He admitted hitting the rear quarter-panel of the taxi with his hand to get the driver's attention, and shouted an obscenity.​

Mr Learmonth said he wanted to make Yorston aware of what he had done.​

He said he then looked into the driver's eyes and noticed a look of anger in his face and saw him begin to turn the steering wheel towards him.​

Passengers in the minibus said Yorston swore at Mr Learmonth then "jerked the wheel with an unnatural movement."​

Sheriff Hamilton said: "It is fortunate that the consequences were not more tragic.​

"This could easily have resulted in a fatality."​

 

[PK99]

The moral of the story being: Don't get abusive and stroppy at drivers and don't hit vehicles, sooner or late you will do it to a psychopath.

 

[DCLane]

Unfortunately only a 4-year driving ban, which means it's likely he'll be back as a 'professional' driver.

Hopefully he'll learn from the 12+ months of his sentence spent inside, but sadly I somehow doubt it.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

The moral of the story being: Don't get abusive and stroppy at drivers and don't hit vehicles, sooner or late you will do it to a psychopath.

I thought the moral of the story was don't drive like a dick.

 

[Slick]

I thought the moral of the story was don't drive like a dick.

Kinda what I got as well.

 

[ClichéGuevara]

Unfortunately only a 4-year driving ban, which means it's likely he'll be back as a 'professional' driver.

Hopefully he'll learn from the 12+ months of his sentence spent inside, but sadly I somehow doubt it.

If he has a PSV license, he'll need to go before the Area Traffic Commissioner before they'll allow it to be reissued. He'll quite likely need to go before the Taxi Licensing Committee before he can get a Hackney License. It depends on the area, but both tend to be rigid in their application of the rules.

 

[Brandane]

Unfortunately only a 4-year driving ban, which means it's likely he'll be back as a 'professional' driver.

Hopefully he'll learn from the 12+ months of his sentence spent inside, but sadly I somehow doubt it.

I doubt very much if he will ever be able to obtain a taxi drivers permit. They are issued by local councils in Scotland (where he lives), and a previous conviction check is required.
However, the "professional" bit is largely irrelevant if he still has access to any motor vehicle that he is able to drive.