Rayner drove his own drama
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Hertfordshire lorry driver Michael Rayner deliberately 'thundered" down the M1 for 20 miles in May 1998 when his Scania developed a fault because he found himself "enjoying" the unfolding drama, Harrow Crown Court has heard.
Rayner is charged with dangerous driving. At the opening of his trial on Monday {7 Juno, he was also accused by prosecutor Crispin Aylett of coming up with one empty excuse after another to explain why he could not stop his truck travelling at speeds up to 75mph.
Rayner, an agency driver working for waste contractor Polkacrest, had
phoned police from his cab on the morning of 10 May to say that his accelerator pedal had stuck and his brakes would not slow him down. He was initially applauded by police for his handling of a difficult situation, but Aylott claims Rayner only stopped when he was told he was running out of road.
Aylett told the court that although accident investigators accepted there was a problem with Rayner's throttle, he could have switched off his engine at any time. Aylett also alleged that there was nothing wrong with the truck's brakes.
Rayner had argued against turning off his engine on the grounds that this might have activated the Scania's automatic steering lock. The trial is expected to end by Friday 11 June.