Penny Hamilton’s hands trembled Monday holding the excessive speeding ticket that she is still figuring out how she is going to pay.
“This is extreme,” said the Nanaimo resident.
“We don’t have that kind of money. We live on a pension.”
According to the 72-year-old, she briefly sped up as she approached Ladysmith southbound at noon Saturday.
“I’ve never had a ticket,” said Hamilton.
“I’ve never had an accident and I’ve been driving since I was 15-years-old.”
The Nanaimo grandmother said she says she was trying to avoid a car that was all over the road and didn’t realize until it was too late that she’d passed a sign that reduces speed from 90 kilometres an hour to 70.
“And I was going 120 clicks. I could hear the sirens going off,” said Hamilton.
Her $368 speeding ticket was just a fraction of the price she has to pay since it qualified as excessive speeding. All told, Hamilton’s facing a $2,800 bill, which includes the ticket, the car being towed away, the impounding fees and a $500 fine against her license.
“I said ‘this makes no sense why are you doing this,'” said Hamilton.
“He said this is nothing. I’m taking your car for seven days. You’re what? You’re taking my car for seven days why? I’m not on alcohol.”
The ticketing officer was with the RCMP’s South Island Traffic Services. A spokesperson said while the details are regrettable, they can’t choose whether to ticket someone who’s a teenager or a senior citizen.
“I’m sorry I did it. But who doesn’t make mistakes but to punish me by taking my car,” said Hamilton.
“Leaving us on the side of the road,” she said.
Hamilton is now disputing the towing of her vehicle, and all the costs that came with it, claiming she didn’t deserve to be treated that way.
Skye Ryan
