A SELF-DESCRIBED “dickhead” P-plater who did a 20-metre burnout in broad daylight in Skipton Street told a magistrate he had “calmed down” since the incident on Monday.
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Ballarat Magistrates Court heard Shane Van-Prooyen, formerly of Ballarat, caused smoke to billow down the street about 1.55pm on January 5 after revving his Holden Commodore before its wheels began to spin and lost traction.
Police prosecutor Leading Senior Constable Pepe Brown told the court other cars were forced to avoid Van-Prooyen, with several vehicles travelling in both directions down Skipton Street while the accused’s car lost control.
The court heard police intercepted Van-Prooyen a short time later, with him conceding he had been a “dickhead”.
“I done a bit of a skid, being a bit of an idiot,” the court heard he told police.
“Just a one-off thing... I was a dickhead.”
Representing himself in court on Monday, Van-Prooyen told magistrate Peter Mithen his Commodore was “nice” before promising the magistrate he was no longer a “dickhead”.
“I just wasn’t thinking,” he said.
“I’ve calmed down a bit since then.”
Van-Prooyen pleaded guilty to charges including careless driving, driving a vehicle causing loss of traction and driving without P-plates.
Fining Van-Prooyen $600 and ordering he complete a road safety awareness course, the magistrate said too many young drivers treated the roads like racetracks.
Referring to road safety course, Mr Mithen asked Van-Prooyen to pass on its message to his mates.
“Come out of it a better driver, a bit more considerate on the road,” he told Van-Prooyen.
Mr Mithen congratulated Van-Prooyen for taking responsibility and pleading guilty at an early stage and said he gave weight to his cooperation with police.
