An elderly woman who got a distracted driving ticket for having her cellphone in her cupholder has reportedly received an apology from police.
READ MORE: B.C. senior’s $368 ticket for cellphone in cupholder sparks debate
Randi Kramer, in her 70s, was driving along West Georgia Street in Vancouver when she stopped at a red light on Tuesday, her son Trevor told Black Press Media, and a police officer tapped on her window. He ended up fining her $368 for distracted driving because her phone was not properly secured.
But according to defence lawyer Kyla Lee, who was retained by the Kramers, Randi won’t have to pay the ticket after all.
“I am happy to report that Vancouver police have cancelled the ticket issued to Ms. Kramer this week,” Lee tweeted, adding that she was impressed with how the woman’s son advocated for her.
The incident sparked outrage online after her son, Trevor, tweeted about the ticket and how arbitrary he thought it was.
Thank you sooo much for your amazing help, @IRPlawyer! What a great outcome. Hopefully, even though this isn’t a court precedent, it will still guide distracted driving enforcement moving forward, benefiting not only my mom, but all BC drivers. https://t.co/9372ZVVqK1
— Trevor Kramer â“‹ (@tkhereandthere) October 2, 2019
READ MORE: Having phone within sight while driving does not violate law, B.C. judge says
Holding a phone or “operating one or more of the device’s functions” qualifies as distracted driving in B.C.
At the time, a Vancouver police spokesperson had said there was a precedent for ticketing a person for “using an electronic device even if they are not touching it,” if it’s turned on and within the reach of a driver.
@ashwadhwani
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