A professional bus driver was disqualified for six months at Ballina District Court this week for carelessly driving his motorbike, after gardaí observed him driving around a roundabout anti-clockwise.
On October 8 2009 at 5.53pm gardaí observed a black Yahama enter a mini roundabout, from Pound Street, Ballina and move around it anti-clockwise. The bike continued onto Circular Road.
The vehicle driven by Shane Melvin, 94 Coillte, Mhuirlinne, Ballybane, Galway was pursued and stopped.
On November 14 the defendant made a statement admitting that he drove that way because he was informed by a driving instructor that he could drive across the painted roundabout, which he did that day to avoid a pothole on the left side of the roundabout, even though the garda said in court that there was no pothole.
The defendant said that he actually meant he was trying to avoid a manhole and therefore cut across the roundabout.
The bus driver, who has received awards for safe driving, was convicted and fined €500 and disqualified from driving for six months. Recognisances were fixed in the event of an appeal.
