The Canadian Press
BRANDON, Man.—A Manitoba driver who thought it was OK to play Pokémon Go on her cellphone while she was behind the wheel has learned an expensive lesson about when and where she can enjoy the popular game.
The 21-year-old Carberry woman has been fined $203.80 by the RCMP for using a hand-held electronic device while driving.
Sgt. Robert Cyrenne said in an e-mail that the woman was observed yesterday afternoon nearly causing a head-on collision in the parking lot of a Brandon-area gas station.
Cyrenne said she admitted to playing the game but didn’t think it was illegal to use a cellphone in a parking lot.
He noted the Highway Traffic Act also applies to those same lots.
Cyrenne believes it’s the first reported traffic incident involving Pokémon Go in the Manitoba RCMP jurisdiction.
He did have a word to the wise for aspiring Pokémon trainers on a quest to catch ’em all.
“If you need to catch Pokémon, walking while being aware of your surroundings is always the best option,” Cyrenne wrote.
