It's bananas! Motorist astonished after being fined for eating in car

A motorist says she was astonished when a policeman pulled her over and fined her £100 for eating a banana in a traffic jam.

45 year-old Elsa Harris from Christchurch in Dorset, says she had already half-peeled the fruit before she set off to work but took the chance to lower a piece of skin further while her car was stationary.

But a police officer in an unmarked car pulled in front of her Volkswagen, bringing it to a stop.

Miss Harris says she was shocked when she was accused of momentarily not being in control of her vehicle by taking both hands off the wheel to see to the banana.

She was given the fine and the option of three penalty points on her license or paying for a driver awareness course.

Miss Harris said, "I was dumbfounded. I was horrified that he gave me a ticket...It's the most expensive banana I've ever had in my life."Miss Harris went on to say, "I had already peeled it and started driving. Then when I stopped at a roundabout I pulled down a little bit of banana skin momentarily and carried on eating and driving...Unbeknown to me, there was an unmarked police car that followed me all the way down the dual carriageway and then pulled in front of me and slammed its brakes on. It caused confusion with other drivers and people were beeping...

"I wondered what on earth was going on and wondered if it was something coming along and he was warning me.

"When the officer got out he was really angry from the offset, but I was still completely unaware I had done anything wrong.

"The officer said I was driving without my hands on the wheel and that I was a danger to other drivers.

"I couldn't believe it. He put me in the back of his car like a criminal and told me what a danger I was.

"He gave me a docket and fined me £100 and treated me in a very dismissive and rude fashion. Understandably, it is illegal to take both hands off the wheel but I don't think I was a danger to anybody.

"I have never been in trouble with the police before and a warning should have sufficed."

"You get drink drivers, people texting and eating while they speed along. Surely, me eating a banana in a traffic jam is not that important."

Eating while driving is not a specific offence. However, anyone distracted behind the wheel or failing to operate their vehicle correctly because they are eating could be committing an offence of driving without due care and attention, or not being in proper control of a vehicle.

A Dorset Police spokesman said: "We are unable to comment on specific cases that are still within the judicial process.

"If a person has been reported for a driving offence that they do not feel they are guilty of, the matter will be referred to the magistrates' court for a decision."