Surrey Mounties say they are not targeting motorists in fast-food drive-thrus for distracted driving and ticketing them for being on their cell phones.
Nevertheless, social media is abuzz after video surfaced of a Surrey RCMP approaching the driver of a vehicle in a McDonald鈥檚 drive-thru.
On May 8, Twitter user @DrDangles87 posted a video of a Mountie walking through a parking lot and up to a vehicle going through the drive-thru. The Twitter user asked if RCMP is 鈥渁ctually out here ticketing people for using their phones at a drive thru.鈥�
鈥淚s this a joke? This is harrassment,鈥� the Tweet reads.
Surrey RCMP responded saying this happened two weeks ago, and the officer 鈥渋ssued a verbal warning to the driver after observing them allegedly using a device while driving prior to entering the drive thru area.鈥�
Police said a ticket was not issued.
The officer, Surrey RCMP said, was in the area 鈥渇ollowing up on an unrelated investigation.鈥�
鈥淭hey were not conducting targeted enforcement in the drive-thru.鈥�
is actually out here ticketing people for using their phones at a drive thru. Is this a joke? This is harassment.
鈥� Tej Dhaliwal (@DrDangles87)
Corporal Elenore Sturko told the Now-Leader the incident arose from something 鈥渢hat didn鈥檛 have anything to do with the drive-thru.鈥�
She said two officers were in the area investigating something else and were pulling into the McDonald鈥檚 parking lot when they saw a motorist, prior to being in the drive-thru, talking on a cell phone.
鈥淭he person drove right by them talking on the phone,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he person was chatting on their phone. They weren鈥檛 in there targeting, they just saw a person drive by on their phone.鈥�
Sturko said they told the motorist what they were doing was illegal, as a 鈥渜uick reminder.鈥�
鈥淚t is standard practise for an officer who sees someone committing a dangerous act like talking on a cellphone to engage with members of the public and make the decision at the time whether, based on their discretion what they鈥檝e observed, whether they would issue a ticket or a warning.
鈥淚n this case they had observed a person who was in violation of the B.C. Motor Vehicle Act by operating an electronic device while driving, and could have received a pretty hefty fine, but instead opted to give that person just a warning,鈥� Sturko said. 鈥淩egardless of the fact that it鈥檚 a drive-thru or a parking lot, under the Motor Vehicle Act those are considered part of the roadway and still subject to enforcement of the B.C. Motor Vehicle Act.鈥�
That said, she added, 鈥淚 can tell you that officers are not targetting drive-thrus. We are not targeting drive-thrus.鈥�
So i guess this is useless.
鈥� 饾悽饾悁饾惁饾悽饾惌饾悐饾悺饾悮饾惂饾惂饾悮 (@iAmitKhanna)
Thanks for trying
That is terrible. It is arguable that a drive-thru is private property and not governed by the MVA. I would take that case.
鈥� Kyla Lee (@IRPlawyer)
However I may point out the only legal way to use your cellphone in a car is with it parked and turned off. How many people know that I wonder. That is the actual law. I do entirely agree that this is a little overboard but people shouldnt even touch their phones in their cars.
鈥� Josh The Zamboni Guy (@JoshZamboniGuy)
wow what a goof. on mchappy day too!!!!! 馃槀馃槀
鈥� #ThankYouSedins (@xBraedenn)
That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen.
鈥� DunnMan (@DunnMan77)
Yup pretty dangerous in those drive thru鈥檚 ...
鈥� Vett (@RVetts)
That's the RCMP for ya'. Completely out of bounds.
鈥� Donna (@daisyface1)
Why don't they go catch some drug dealers or something 馃檮
鈥� Care 馃嚚馃嚘 (@Carezzzz)
needs to get a life. 馃檮 what part of this is causing any safety issues to the public ....
鈥� samaooo (@samim229)
tom.zytaruk@surreynowleader.com
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