U-turn motorway driver given ban
Discussion
U-turn motorway driver given ban
A man who drove for nearly eight miles down the wrong way on the M4 has been given a two year suspended jail term.
Ali Abdo, 68, originally from Yemen, was also banned from driving for five years at Swindon Crown Court.
The court was told he caused several accidents driving at 80mph near Swindon last February.
He was flagged down by frantic police signalling from the central reservation as he drove to Cardiff after picking his wife up from Heathrow Airport.
In court Abdo, who admitted the offences, was described as a nervous driver who had never driven on a motorway before.
'Dramatic' U-turn
The prosecution said he was actually given the correct directions by a cab driver but as he travelled the right way on the M4 towards his home in Cardiff, he became convinced for some reason that he was driving in the wrong direction.
He then pulled over onto the hard shoulder, completed a "dramatic" U-turn and drove seven-and-a-half miles back towards junction 15.
Abdo said he had a "panic attack" and believed after the U-turn that he was genuinely driving in the right direction.
He was slowed to 30mph by police who chased alongside him on the opposite carriageway.
They then raced on ahead, pulled over, jumped over the central reservation and stood on the carriageway signaling him to stop.
Once he pulled over near to Membury Services, police said he still did not realise what he had done.
His wife Fatma, 38, had to be helped out of the car and was taken to Great Western Hospital for treatment for severe shock.
Speaking outside the court, Abdo said he felt "terrible" and that he "still dreams about it now".
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/wi
A man who drove for nearly eight miles down the wrong way on the M4 has been given a two year suspended jail term.
Ali Abdo, 68, originally from Yemen, was also banned from driving for five years at Swindon Crown Court.
The court was told he caused several accidents driving at 80mph near Swindon last February.
He was flagged down by frantic police signalling from the central reservation as he drove to Cardiff after picking his wife up from Heathrow Airport.
In court Abdo, who admitted the offences, was described as a nervous driver who had never driven on a motorway before.
'Dramatic' U-turn
The prosecution said he was actually given the correct directions by a cab driver but as he travelled the right way on the M4 towards his home in Cardiff, he became convinced for some reason that he was driving in the wrong direction.
He then pulled over onto the hard shoulder, completed a "dramatic" U-turn and drove seven-and-a-half miles back towards junction 15.
Abdo said he had a "panic attack" and believed after the U-turn that he was genuinely driving in the right direction.
He was slowed to 30mph by police who chased alongside him on the opposite carriageway.
They then raced on ahead, pulled over, jumped over the central reservation and stood on the carriageway signaling him to stop.
Once he pulled over near to Membury Services, police said he still did not realise what he had done.
His wife Fatma, 38, had to be helped out of the car and was taken to Great Western Hospital for treatment for severe shock.
Speaking outside the court, Abdo said he felt "terrible" and that he "still dreams about it now".
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/wi
LongQ said:
Can't condone what happened but it seems entirely reasonably that he may have been distracted and confused ... 
Maybe, but scant consolation to the people he would have killed if he had hit a car head on. If you drive on the road, pay attention to the road. I mean, who the hell drives on a motorway and thinks they can execute a U turn??!?!?
Mon Ami Mate said:
Just heard the story on R5. Apparently the driver can't read and has never taken a British driving test, which exarcerbates things significantly to my mind...
Don't you have to retake your test when you have completed a ban ? if so it probably means this driver will never drive on British roads again .
martind said:
Mon Ami Mate said:
Just heard the story on R5. Apparently the driver can't read and has never taken a British driving test, which exarcerbates things significantly to my mind...
Don't you have to retake your test when you have completed a ban ? if so it probably means this driver will never drive on British roads again .
Doesn't stop a lot of people.
jasandjules said:
Well, at least he got banned.
It's about time they got the dodderers off the road.
It's about time they got the dodderers off the road.
Can trafpol confirm (or otherwise) the impression I get that this is an increasing problem. It might just be here, but there's a regular stream of "Dual Carriageway Wrong Wayers" round here - and in rural Norfolk, there's not much D2 to drive the wrong way round.
martind said:
Mon Ami Mate said:
Just heard the story on R5. Apparently the driver can't read and has never taken a British driving test, which exarcerbates things significantly to my mind...
Don't you have to retake your test when you have completed a ban ? if so it probably means this driver will never drive on British roads again .
Not automatically, depends on offence/sentencing.
vonhosen said:
martind said:
Mon Ami Mate said:
Just heard the story on R5. Apparently the driver can't read and has never taken a British driving test, which exarcerbates things significantly to my mind...
Don't you have to retake your test when you have completed a ban ? if so it probably means this driver will never drive on British roads again .
Not automatically, depends on offence/sentencing.
If this guy cannot read .. then perhaps he must take a UK test.
But EU mainland requires test of all NON -EU citizens (Swiss/Norway /old EFTA countries being exception) within 6 month of residency. Surely UK has similar? I did UK test as matter of course when I married Ted. Und this und your IAM /RoSPA - Pah! Easy Peasy! Und after the rather unfortuante - I got the family BiB to sort me out und re-did the IAM.RoSPA und still passed with goldy marks .. so Nanananhanhanann- nanNAHHHHH!
esselte said:
Mon Ami Mate said:
Just heard the story on R5. Apparently the driver can't read and has never taken a British driving test, which exarcerbates things significantly to my mind...
How long can you drive for here with a foreign licence?
Edited by Mon Ami Mate on Saturday 30th September 20:01
Edited by Mon Ami Mate on Saturday 30th September 20:02
Mon Ami Mate said:
esselte said:
Mon Ami Mate said:
Just heard the story on R5. Apparently the driver can't read and has never taken a British driving test, which exarcerbates things significantly to my mind...
How long can you drive for here with a foreign licence?
1935 I believe.
vonhosen said:
Mon Ami Mate said:
esselte said:
Mon Ami Mate said:
Just heard the story on R5. Apparently the driver can't read and has never taken a British driving test, which exarcerbates things significantly to my mind...
How long can you drive for here with a foreign licence?
1935 I believe.
Mon Ami Mate said:
vonhosen said:
Mon Ami Mate said:
esselte said:
Mon Ami Mate said:
Just heard the story on R5. Apparently the driver can't read and has never taken a British driving test, which exarcerbates things significantly to my mind...
How long can you drive for here with a foreign licence?
1935 I believe.
I think you have up to 6 months as non EU citizen und then you revert to provisional./
Is case in Germany... Austria .. Switzerland.. France.. Holland anyway. I am sure lieber von will tell us if UK ist different. MY understandiung ist that UK also requires some education to standard if long term residency as in over 6 months' stay.
WildCat said:
I think you have up to 6 months as non EU citizen und then you revert to provisional./
Is case in Germany... Austria .. Switzerland.. France.. Holland anyway. I am sure lieber von will tell us if UK ist different. MY understandiung ist that UK also requires some education to standard if long term residency as in over 6 months' stay.
Used to be 12 months. I got my Driving Licence in Italy and when I moved here I had 12 months in which to pass a UK test, although now another EU country licence holder would not need to take a UK test.
Edited by catso on Saturday 30th September 20:46
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