In a world where our smartphones are practically glued to our hands, one driver’s story is going viral on TikTok, serving as a warning that even a momentary glance at your phone to change the songs at a red light can lead to a series of unfortunate and very costly events.
Emily Rundle (@emilyyrundle), a TikTok user from London, Ontario, shared her story on April 19 in a video that has since racked up over 888,900 views. Rundle’s ordeal began when she reached for her phone to change the music at a red light—a seemingly harmless act that quickly escalated when a police officer pulled her over.
“This is your sign to put your phone down at a red light and not change the song. Just don’t do it, OK?” Rundle warns in the video. “And obviously, I know you can’t be on your phone when your car is in drive, all right? I know that. But I was at a red light, and I knew it would take two seconds. So I did it.”
The repercussions were severe. Rundle said she found herself slapped with a staggering $615 ticket, leaving her reeling. Despite considering contesting the fine, the TikToker says she ultimately opted to pay it, citing a lack of desire to go to a court.
But the financial hit didn’t end there. The next day, Rundle says she received a letter informing her that her license was suspended. As a first-time offender with a clean driving record, she laments, “You don’t want to cut me a little bit of slack?”
She continues, “No biggie. Oh, but to reinstate your license, It’s $280. God, are you kidding me? So this whole thing is costing me like $900.”
@emilyyrundle ticketed on march 25. they decided to suspend my license april 17. officer im just a gal! #londonlife #driverslicense #noahkahan ♬ original sound – emily rundle
The video has sparked a conversation among viewers, with many urging Rundle to contest the ticket.
“Always fight it, they will 99% of the time drop it or lower the fine…” one commenter advised.
Another echoed the sentiment, adding, “I hate to say it… wait until you see your insurance rates when they renew. You’ll want to fight this.”
“Husband is a cop, girl fight this. If you went to court and plead your case they likely would have dropped your ticket cost A LOT,” a third commenter advised.
How to contest a ticket
Prior to Emily Rundle’s costly experience, another TikToker went viral after posting a PSA about online services that will go to court and fight traffic tickets for you.
Several Reddit threads are also dedicated to the discussion of contesting tickets. One redditor said they’ve successfully contested 11 tickets. Their success rate of contesting tickets is high as they’ve been issued 13 tickets. They shared three tips that they’ve learned from their success.
The first is to “ALWAYS contest your first ticket.” They said this is “almost a guaranteed win.”
It costs not only time but a bit of money to contest a ticket. The redditor suggested contesting every ticket if one is able to afford it. “You have no reason not to. Worst case scenario: the judge cuts the fine,” their second tip reads.
“The ONLY thing you have to do in court is bring a reasonable doubt,” they said, sharing their third and final tip.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Emily Rundle via Instagram direct messages for comment.
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