A good samaritan who tried to help out some TT visitors has ended up with a driving conviction after taking a wrong turning on to the Mountain Road one-way system.
A court heard Philip Bollen, of Selborne Drive had offered to give a lift to some New Zealand visitors who wanted to watch the practices from the Bungalow.
But as he approached the Mountain Road from the Creg-ny-Baa Back Road, he failed to spot the one-way system signs and turned the wrong way, heading up the hill towards Kate’s Cottage.
For the prosecution, Michael Jelski said, after about 25 yards, Bollen felt uneasy about the manoeuvre, did a three-point turn and headed back down towards the Creg. The incident happend about 8.50pm after practices on June 4.
He said although he had seen signs and cones he had not appreciated their significance, particularly as there was no sign indicating ‘No right turn’ where the Back Road joined the main Mountain Road.
He said he thought the road was one-way from Ramsey Hairpin to the Bungalow but two-ways from there to the Creg-ny-Baa, and that he was trying to reach the Bungalow to pick some people up and give them a lift.
Bollen, who is 70, admitted careless driving.
Representing Bollen, Stephen Wood said his client was not a TT fan or even a TT follower, and therefore was not familiar with road closures and practice schedules. He did not keep track of media bulletins or social media.
As an act of pure goodwill, he said Bollen had offered a lift to some visitors. Earlier in the evening he had dropped them off in Laxey so they could catch the tram up Snaefell and at the end of practices, he was trying to collect them again from the Bungalow to take them home. Approaching from the side road, he pointed out Bollen would not have had such a good long-range perspective of the road signs and bollards as someone approaching up the hill from Douglas.
‘There is not a “No right turn” sign for people approaching from the Back Road. Had he seen one, he would not have turned right,’ he said. ‘Out of the goodness of his heart he gave a lift to these people and was going to collect them.’
Mr Wood said Bollen had a totally unblemished driving record, and that it had simply been an error of judgement.
Sentencing him, Deputy High Bailiff Jayne Hughes said: ‘This was a serious transgression. During TT people have to take extra care not just for motor cycles but for road closures.’
He was fined £350 for careless driving with £50 costs. He was banned from driving for one month in the light of what Mrs Hughes said was ‘substantial mitigation’.