A holidaymaker who drove in the face of oncoming traffic and crashed into a bus carrying 16 passengers near Taynuilt has been banned from driving.
Sheriff Euan Cameron told Mark Van Nijlen, of Arendonk, The Netherlands, that he was fortunate there wasn’t a fatality.
Van Nijlen, 70, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving at Oban Sheriff Court when he appeared on Wednesday October 4. He was banned for 14 months and fined £1,275.
The court heard he drove onto the opposing carriageway into the path of oncoming vehicles on the A85 at Taynuilt on February 4. He collided with the bus causing damage to both vehicles. Fortunately, no one was injured.
Procurator Fiscal Rebecca Reid said: “It was 6pm, there was a light amount of passing traffic when witness Douglas was driving a single decker bus with 16 people on board. He was travelling towards Oban when he observed a black Renault Alaska being driven by the accused on the wrong side of the road.
“The witness took evasive action, in an attempt to avoid the accused’s vehicle by breaking hard and steering to the left and into a grass verge. At the same time the accused steered to the right. As a result, the two vehicles collided with each other.”
There was extensive damage to Van Nijlen’s vehicle, with the airbags deployed. The bus suffered from damage to the front end.
Solicitor Kevin McGinness said his client, a retired butcher, is a frequent visitor to the UK for shooting holidays. Mr McGinness said: “He thought he had reached the point where he was to make a right turn. There was a very short distance to go to the entrance to the track, so he made the decision to turn in the face of oncoming traffic.
“He apologises most sincerely for his driving on this occasion.”
Sheriff Euan Cameron said: “This is a serious example of dangerous driving. I struggle to understand what was going through your mind. You accept that your driving could have easily resulted in a fatality, causing untold loss not only to others but to your family too.”