96-year-old driver fights to keep licence after 20mph police chase

Herbert Street, 96, was trying to get his F-reg Fiat Punto to a garage after its engine started to overheat. But, halfway there, there was so much steam coming from under the bonnet that he slowed right down as he drove along the A75 Gretna to Stranraer Euroroute.

Mr Street, who has been driving since 1924 and is now fighting to keep his licence, was having trouble seeing out of the front windscreen and failed to give way to a lorry at a roundabout, forcing it to brake to avoid a collision.

Another motorist alerted police, and when officers tried to stop Mr Street's car - which he calls Maggie Jane after his late wife - he mounted the verge in an attempt to get past. He was eventually stopped, breathalysed and had his car impounded.

At Dumfries Sheriff Court, the retired coastguard admitted driving carelessly and at an unnecessarily slow speed, but he says he will fight to retain his licence, as he poses no danger.

Mr Street, from Kirtlebridge, Dumfriesshire, said: "This is my tenth year of having a no-claims bonus. If I haven't had any bumps and the insurance company is giving me cheap insurance, my driving can't be that bad, can it?"

Of the incident in January, he explained: "The police said I was driving to get away from them, but it was just that I couldn't see very well because of all the steam coming out of the engine - I wanted to be as safe as possible.

"It was about three o'clock in the afternoon and the police car came in front of me. You would think I was a criminal or something, the way that police- woman treated me.

"I was trying to get my car to the garage and they are trying to get me down as a bad driver. They were saying that I drove like that all the time, but that's not true - I am safe as houses.

"They reckon that I hit someone's car as well, but I don't think I did. There would have been damage and I would have heard it.

"I pleaded guilty to driving Maggie Jane in the condition she was, but not to dangerous driving."

The pensioner went on: "The fan belt broke and I was driving along the A75 to Annan to get it fixed and, as you know, when there's no fan belt, the engine gets hot and steam starts coming out of it.

"I should've stopped straight-away but I was trying to get it to the garage. I suppose it was more difficult to drive than usual.

"I feel perfectly safe on the roads and that I am in control. My eyesight is okay and I don't wear glasses when I am driving. One of my sons is 56 and he has to get me to read the papers to him because I can see better than he can.

"I first started to drive when I was 15, but it was motorbikes back then and, of course, the roads weren't as busy as they are now.

"Over the years, I must have had a hundred different cars. But I really like the little Fiat that I have got now."

He concluded: "There are some very foolish drivers on the road, but I still think that I am okay.

"At least I have got my independence and that's very important to me. I don't have to rely on anyone for anything. I must save the government a fortune."

After the incident, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency was informed, but Mr Street's doctor has confirmed that he is healthy for his age.

However, Sheriff Kenneth Ross said he was still considering disqualifying him from driving and has adjourned the case until 29 June.

He said that if the incident had involved a younger driver, disqualification would have been out of the question but because of the circumstances, it seemed that public safety was involved and he wanted to obtain further information.