Motorist fined $387 for "handling wallet" while driving
A motorist has collapsed after receiving a fine for $387, in which the fine claims he was holding his phone while driving.
Sydney man Husni Tarmizi opened the infringement notice with his 62-year-old dad on Tuesday and admitted he was both "surprised" and "panicked" by the fine, leaving Husni to pick his father up off the floor after he collapsed from shock.
Husni was confused by the fine, which also cost his dad 10 demerit points, as his father is rarely on his phone, and decided to take a closer look at the image captured by the mobile detection camera.
"I went to the computer and downloaded the image and I could see clearly that it's a wallet [in his hand], you can see his phone is in the cradle," he told Yahoo News.
"In his left hand you can see the wallet and his right hand he's holding a $50 bill."
Husni continued, "He was quite panicked, especially with the 10 demerit points... and I was scared a bit because he has a heart condition."
The 62-year-old man said he recalls holding onto his wallet and the $50 note to pay for petrol over the Easter long weekend, which explains the hefty loss of demerit points.
Tarmizi confirmed he has already appealed the infringement and is awaiting a response after people urged him to dispute it.
"I've also written an appeal, it's called a review request, we'll see how that goes," he said.
"For the older generation where they don't understand the technologies and stuff, it's scary."
Image credits: Husni Tarmizi