IT was a wild piece of driving that only good fortune spared an innocent person serious injury or death.
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Jonathon Ross Piper assured Albury Local Court he had changed his ways.
His obsession with cars ended when he spectacularly crashed into a road sign earlier this year.
The Springdale Heights man pleaded guilty on Tuesday to driving recklessly and furiously in a manner dangerous.
Magistrate Tony Murray slapped Piper, 20, with a $1000 fine, then put him off the road for two years.
He said Piper could have faced a maximum jail term of nine months, which “shows how serious these offences are”.
Mr Murray said it would be quite obvious to anyone that driving more than 80km/h in a 60km/h zone at 9.45 in the morning would put people at risk, especially children.
Mr Murray said he took special note of the fact Piper’s car left a skid mark on the road measuring 41.5 metres.
“You have built up a very unenviable record for a young man.”
The court was told Piper’s bad driving ended with him crashing into and destroying a solar-powered children’s crossing sign valued at $3520, an amount he must repay.
Just moments earlier he had been speeding along Hague Street in Lavington.
As he approached a bend he pulled out to overtake a friend’s sedan, then moved back to the correct side of the road.
Piper lost control of the car so tried to correct his steering, then did so again several times.
His car headed towards a car travelling in the opposite direction then spun 360 degrees, smashing the sign.
