[AnnieCt]

I returned my daughter's call and she answered her cellphone while driving. She promptly hung up but a cop saw her and gave her a ticket for a first offense, $125. Has anyone been successful pleading not guilty, demonstrating they have bought a blue tooth or asking for a reduced fine if they go to court, or should she just pay it.

[Blazah1080]

Originally Posted by AnnieCt

I returned my daughter's call and she answered her cellphone while driving. She promptly hung up but a cop saw her and gave her a ticket for a first offense, $125. Has anyone been successful pleading not guilty, demonstrating they have bought a blue tooth or asking for a reduced fine if they go to court, or should she just pay it.

She should accept the fact that she broke the law and stop answering the phone while driving. You as a parent should tell her it's ok to not answer your call while she's driving.

Norwalk is cracking down on this and I'm so thankful they are!

Too bad a 16 year old girl had to kill a jogger by texting and driving for people to do anything about it!

[Blazah1080]

Norwalk police ticket 215 motorists during enforcement effort (http://www.thehour.com/story/523630/norwalk-police-ticket-215-motorists-during-enforcement-effort - broken link)

[Pammyd]

Originally Posted by AnnieCt

I returned my daughter's call and she answered her cellphone while driving. She promptly hung up but a cop saw her and gave her a ticket for a first offense, $125. Has anyone been successful pleading not guilty, demonstrating they have bought a blue tooth or asking for a reduced fine if they go to court, or should she just pay it.

Did your daughter call you the first time while driving? If so, then she used her cell phone 2X while driving and sorry, but this is super dangerous. If she did get caught and knew she shouldn't be using her phone and did so anyhow, let her work the fine out. Sometimes we have to let our kids feel the consequences of doing something that is illegal and see how the "system" works. I think she should pay the fine. I got caught without my seatbelt..I am 64 years old and totally harmless and at first was insulted that he didn't just warn me. So??? who am I to think I deserve just a warning? I broke the law..it is a law and that is that. I paid my fine and I am a cute little old lady..LOL. No breaks for anyone when you are behind the wheel and doing stuff that can hurt you and other people as well.

[AnonChick]

I'm vehemently anti-cell phone, to the extent that I don't even think hands-free cells should be allowed in cars.

HOWEVER

I realize that "no hands-free allowed" isn't going to happen any time soon, if at all. So with regards to the kind you have to pick up from your purse/lap and bring to your ear:

For a first offense? I think a different kind of punishment besides fining the driver is in order:

First offense: confiscate the phone. No fine.
Second offense: confiscate the phone, order the telco to shut off service to the customer for a period of no less than 30 days.
Third offense: confiscate the phone, permanent cell shutoff from that telco, and jail time. Maximum number of points against the license, plus license revocation. An additional mandate that they not be allowed to use a cell phone even if they're a passenger in a vehicle.
Fourth offense: jail time and mandatory social services work, anything from cleaning horse stalls at the police department (if they have horses, some depts do), to picking up garbage on the highway, to feeding children whose lives were affected by irresponsisble drivers in hospitals and homeless shelters. (depending on the criminal's aptitude and capabilities).

That's assuming there's no accident caused because the person was too busy on the phone to notice their responsibility to the road. If that happens, all bets are off, and you go straight to vehicular manslaughter or "failure" and gross negligence, whichever applies.

[Mike 75]

Good to hear that someone is enforcing this law.
Seems like all I see are people driving around chatting on their phones. With many new cars equipped with bluetooth, and the availability of headsets, there really is no excuse anymore.

[pulpfiction]

Glad to see that this is being enforced.

I can't tell you how many times I've encountered a soccer-mom tooling along in the far left lane of the freeway blabbing away on her cell phone while obstructing the flow of traffic. It's a freaking epidemic in this state. Good to know that this kid will have learned her lesson at an early age.

Thumbs up to the state trooper who wrote the ticket. Now if only they'd start enforcing 'keep right except to pass'...

[Blazah1080]

Originally Posted by pulpfiction

Glad to see that this is being enforced.

I can't tell you how many times I've encountered a soccer-mom tooling along in the far left lane of the freeway blabbing away on her cell phone while obstructing the flow of traffic. It's a freaking epidemic in this state. Good to know that this kid will have learned her lesson at an early age.

Thumbs up to the state trooper who wrote the ticket. Now if only they'd start enforcing 'keep right except to pass'...

The sad part is the kid's mom comes here thinking that she shouldn't have gotten a ticket.

THAT'S the problem these days...deal with the parents first it'll then trickle down to the kids.

[chris410]

Originally Posted by Blazah1080

The sad part is the kid's mom comes here thinking that she shouldn't have gotten a ticket.

THAT'S the problem these days...deal with the parents first it'll then trickle down to the kids.

I'm with you. pretty absurd...

[MrGompers]

Originally Posted by AnnieCt

I returned my daughter's call and she answered her cellphone while driving. She promptly hung up but a cop saw her and gave her a ticket for a first offense, $125. Has anyone been successful pleading not guilty, demonstrating they have bought a blue tooth or asking for a reduced fine if they go to court, or should she just pay it.

When the no cellphone while driving law was 1st instituted if you could prove you bought a "hand held device" and brought it to court they would nolle the ticket. Since the law has been in place about 2.5 yrs now I don't think they still do this, but its worth a try.

If you plea not guilty there's a small chance the ticket will be nolled. If not and you have to go to court there's a small chance the fine $$$ will be reduced. You will have a better chance for nolle at a busier courthouse, such as New Britain or Hartford. If the case is assigned to Middletown forget about a nolle.

Traffic infractions are assigned to various GA's (geographic area's) in Connecticut according to what town\city the ticket was issued in.

You can find out which GA your case will be assigned to by checking this map. Geographic Area Courts of Connecticut