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Unfair fine

Vanessa Trollip from Bokfontein writes:

On 10 October 2008, I was on the road between seeing clients in the Brits area - I work in advertising. I was stopped by a traffic official. I pulled off the road immediately. Once I had stopped and the traffic official was already at my drivers side window, I had a phone call from a woman to whom I said (while the car was stationary) that I could not speak as I had been pulled over by the officials, which is exactly what the official heard me saying.
I greeted him with a smile and as per regulation, handed him my valid driver's license immediately. Without a 'Good Morning', or any sort of decency he spat the words..."Cell Phone R1000.00!" At first I thought he was joking... (as I was stationary and definitely not "Holding a cellular phone with hand while operating a vehicle on a public road!!!") But as the time was passing, 30 minutes of it, I realized that this man was serious.
He forced his arm through my drivers' side window without saying 'please' or 'excuse me' and turned my steering wheel from left to right a few times, asked me to open the bonnet, spent more time looking in the engine, read, then re-read my car license (which incidently took another 5 minutes,) came back, shoved his arm through my window again turning my steering wheel from side to side....
This is when I started getting angry. ( Please take note that while this was happening, many taxis and even an old blue Ford bakkie were also stopped- licences checked and the vehicles told to proceed. I could not believe this!!! I drive a white Mercedes, not a very new model, but a C-class- a roadworthy, safe and reliable vehicle. I proceeded to get out of my car and ask him why he wanted to fine me???
I called another traffic officer over to be my witness and I said that if I am given a fine I will tear it up in front of them all as I most definitely was within all the boundaries of the law. The official then threatened to arrest me immediately - on the spot. I was shocked!!! This same official refused to give his name on the fine - only an illegible scribbled signature.
I'm just wondering if there was not a hidden agenda- letting all the other 1965 model bakkies and taxi's go? Maybe one of them thought I may stash a R100 note in their hand as so many other motorists do. I feel passionate about this subject because, as I said before, I am a 32 year old single mother, a law abiding citizen, and someone trying to earn an honest living.
And under no circumstances was I on the phone while driving!!!

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16 October 2008