Back in March on my way home from Mexican food with Lindsay and her roommate I was pulled over by a BIKE COP and given a $100 ticket for 'ditracted driving'. Being a Jackal I fought the ticket with the following letter:
On March 14, 2012 I was driving home from dinner when I received a ticket for "distracted driving". The following is an account of what happened that evening which I have 2 witnesses to and I do not believe it warrants a ticket.
As I was sitting at a red light at Lincoln Park at 8:40pm I received a text message which caused my phone to vibrate in my pocket. As this was distracting and I was almost back to my girlfriends house I took the phone out of my pocket and placed it in my cup holder as to remove the distraction. 2 blocks later I was pulled over by officer Parson at another red light and was given no explanation as to why I was pulled over. When I asked if I had done something wrong he told me he "would let me know when I needed to know." After presenting my license, registration, and insurance he went back to his bicycle and ran my information and could see that I have no outstanding tickets. He then presented me with the $100 ticket without asking my side of the story at 8:50pm. As you can see by the document attached I did not reply to the text I had received until 8:58pm, after I parked my car at my girlfriends house on the 700 block of 7th street.
I do not believe that DC law permit individuals from having cell phones turned on in their pocket while they are driving. I further do not believe that drivers are prohibited from removing cell phones from their pocket and placing them in their cup holders while they are stopped at a stop light so that they can drive without being distracted. Both of my witnesses are happy to attest to what happened the night in question if that is required.
Today I received the following:
