Friday 12 June 2009

Advanced Driver TRAINing?



From BBC News

A drunk woman who drove almost half a mile along railway tracks before her car broke down has been spared jail.

Alcoholic Karen Angus had downed wine and taken anti-depressants before she somehow turned on to the tracks at a Metro crossing in Fawdon, Newcastle.

The mother-of-three said she could not remember driving and, when arrested, told police she was having a "bad day".

Angus, 40, who admitted endangering rail travellers, was given a 10-month prison term, suspended for two years.

On 24 February, she was spotted by the driver of a Metro train carrying 20 passengers on the opposite side of the tracks, Newcastle Crown Court heard.

Prosecutor Debbie Breen said: "At about 11pm the Metro driver Alistair Joel saw headlights appear on the other side of the track.

"He slowed down and saw there was a motor vehicle on the track and applied the emergency brakes."

The judge told Angus she was lucky to be alive
The driver walked down the track to the car, where Angus wound down the window and told him: "I'm an alcoholic, My car won't start."

Judge David Wood also gave Angus a 12-month supervision order and banned her from driving for three years.




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