Motorist who chased fire engine gets fingers burnt

A Salthill motorist has been fined for chasing behind a Fire Brigade truck as it sped along the Clifden to Galway road.

Paul Francis Langan (40), The Lodge, Ardmore, Taylor’s Hill, was nabbed by a Garda travelling behind him in a unmarked car.

Garda John Hayes gave evidence at Galway District Court that he was coming in from Clifden in his own car on March 27 last when he observed a silver Audi following closely behind a Fire Brigade truck.

In doing so, the car, he said, overtook three cars on a continuous white line at Rosscahill, taking advantage of the Fire Brigade truck in front of it.

The car eventually stopped when it pulled into Oughterard Community Centre.

Garda Hayes said he spoke to the driver who did not give him any excuse for driving closely behind the Fire Brigade.

Langan was subsequently issued with a fixed charge penalty notice, for overtaking in a dangerous manner at Doon West, Rosscahill, which was not paid.

Judge Mary Fahy said Langan had written a letter to the court stating he was doing a course and had tried to pay but was late.

She said he was very lucky not to be facing the more serious charge of careless driving.

Thankfully, she said, nothing happened and there was no accident.

“He should have paid the fixed charge notice and be done with it,” she added, before convicting and fining Langan €120.