A capital driver sent a cyclist flying over her car bonnet after crashing into their bike.
Rider Charles Piper was left trapped under Jirlene Fletcher’s vehicle after the collision on London Road.
29-year-old Fletcher appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court where she pled guilty to driving without due care and attention.
Fiscal depute Beth McAllister told the court how Charles had been cycling west on the four-lane road at about 12.35pm on December 19.
The Daily Record reports how Fletcher moved her car into the bus lane and across the cyclist’s path, before crashing into their bike.
The cyclist then bounced off the Bonet of the car ‘propelling’ onto the road in front of it.
The court was told how Fletcher’s car drove over Charles before she braked leaving the cyclist “trapped” underneath.
The prosecutor said that a passersby “lifted the front of the accused’s car to allow (Charles) to wriggle free”.
Fletcher, who is originally from Brazil and lived in Edinburgh with her husband, failed to carry out a “shoulder check” in the lane to look for cyclists.
Her Defence agent Mr MacPherson told how she found the indecent “traumatic” and had apologised to Charles before calling the police.
He added: “She is quite traumatised about having caused this.”
Fletcher, of the city’s Duddingston area, was described by her agent as being a “good character” with a “good driving record”.
Fletcher was fined £330 and hit with four penalty points at the hearing on Wednesday.
Sheriff Adrian Cottam concluded that it is essential for all drivers to check for the presence of cyclists. He noted Fletcher was not prevented from using the bus lane at that time but she caused the accident due to a “lack of observation”.
