Phil

AUS_3568.jpg

Around the beginning of 2019, I was going Eastbound on the 407 around 4:30pm leaving work. I decided to take the 407 that day since I had some classes to coach that evening.

As I was driving I noticed an SUV behind me while I was in Lane 1 (The Passing Lane). While signalling I moved over to lane 2 to allow the vehicle to pass. Only to have them switch lanes as well. Once this happen, I knew something was going to happen. The SUV then put on it's sirens, it was a police officer. So I signalled my lane change to go into the passing lane and pull over into the shoulder of the express way. 

Driving on the shoulder I put on my hazard lights and waited. When the officer pulled me over he came upto me and said "Excuse me Sir, do you know why I've pulled you over?"

I replied with "No, I don't."

He then informed that my license plates were not coming up as registered. 

A bit confused I replied with "Pardon?" The officer then repeated himself and asked for my documentation. I gave it to him. Upon receiving it he asked me if I had any other sort of I.D. Though I found that odd I remembered I happened to have my passport with me since I had vouched for a friend on a passport application. After giving it to him, the officer went back to their SUV.

While waiting I let my friend know I would potentially be late heading in to coach. Once the officer came back he looked at my car and asked me to roll up my windows. Once he said this I knew he was going to check if my tint is legal it is legal within Ontario. While rolling them up, I let him know I received the car with this tint. He immediately retorted with "Doesn't matter." After looking at it all he said was "It looks borderline to me." The officer gave me back my ID and said he would be back he's going to verify my insurance. I waited for him to come back. 

Once he came back he told me he was going to give me a summons to court for reckless driving. Surprised by this I asked "In what way was I driving recklessly?" The offer simply replied "It was just the way I was driving." 

Dispute me signalling both lane changes while driving within the speed limit, I was told to tell the Crown what happened when I go for my summons for reckless driving.

On the day of my appointment, it was in the beginning of June. I had made sure to bring all my documents that I had with me when I got pulled over. Including my passport and told the Crown what happened. The man seemed a bit confused by my story then asked me "Mr. Campbell, are you aware of anyways license plates could come up unregistered?" 

I replied with "No Sir, I don't." He replied and told me that lack of valid insurance could result in this happening. 

Afterwards they had told me to return here with a letter from my insurance company stating that at the time I was pulled over I had valid insurance. 

I returned 2 weeks later with this letter on June 13th, stating my insurance was valid. The Crown then told me "Thank you Mr. Campbell, upon hearing your story and with the documents you have provided you will not be charged with reckless driving. We're very sorry you had to come all the way here for this." I then thanked them and left.