Northern Irish visitor fined after flouting one-way system on Mountain Road

36-year-old turned around near Bungalow after losing friends

A visitor from Northern Ireland has been fined £500 after being caught riding the wrong way on the Mountain Road.

Jordan Wallace, from Ballyclare, appeared at Douglas Courthouse yesterday (2 June) from custody where he pleaded guilty to failing to conform to a traffic direction.

The court heard the 36-year-old had been riding his KTM 300 bike on the greenlanes with friends, at around 1pm on Monday (1 June), before emerging onto the A18.

The bricklayer lost sight of his group but as he was riding past The Bungalow he spotted them and, after passing under the footbridge, turned his bike around in the road.

He then rode back towards The Bungalow against the flow of the one-way traffic; conditions at the time were described as ‘very foggy’ and Wallace didn't have his lights on.

Wallace was arrested and told officers he’d arrived on the Island the night before and was not familiar with the roads saying he believed the Mountain Road was two-way.

In court his advocate said his client was ‘deeply apologetic’ adding: “He, frankly, has no idea where he joined the mountain. He didn’t know where on the Isle of Man he was.”

Fining Wallace Deputy High Bailiff Rachael Braidwood told him the signage, from where he’d entered the route, ‘would not have been quite so obvious’.

She added: “This wasn’t a flagrant breach. It was a misunderstanding. It could have been very serious.”

Wallace must pay his fine, and prosecution costs of £125, forthwith or face 40 days in custody.

Another visitor was also fined £500, for the same offence, during a separate court hearing - you can find out more HERE.