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Pumpernickel or cell phone? Court saves driver from punishment!
A driver in Herford successfully denied in court that she had used a cell phone while driving, but rather a pumpernickel.
Pumpernickel or cell phone? Court saves driver from punishment!
What a strange case from the Herford district! In the summer of 2025, a driver was speeding at 90 km/h on a country road near Rödinghausen, even though only 70 km/h was allowed. But what's really exciting in this story is that the speed camera photo showed a dark, rectangular object in her hand, which made the responsible authorities sit up and take notice and suspected it was a cell phone. But the driver had a completely different explanation for the picture - she claimed it was pumpernickel breakfast bread. This unlikely defense ultimately led to an astonishing court verdict.
As the Herford district court decided, it could not be proven that the woman was actually holding a cell phone in her hand. Instead, only speeding was punished. The woman now has to pay an incredible 60 euros for driving too fast. However, if she had been convicted of using a cell phone, it would not only have resulted in a higher fine of 100 euros, but also a point in Flensburg - not to mention the legal consequences. The Highway Code prohibits holding or using electronic devices while driving, and this regulation covers everything from cell phones to tablets to touchscreen e-cigarettes. WDR also reports that the authority is taking this regulation very seriously.
A breakfast for freedom?
How did this spectacular process even come about? The accusation that the driver had used a cell phone while driving was based solely on the speed camera photo. According to auto motor und sport, the woman was on the way to work and was simply having breakfast - with a pumpernickel sandwich in her hand. The fact that a court took this argument seriously and followed the driver's account shows that even the strangest defenses must require compelling evidence.
The ruling is a further indication that the legal framework for traffic offenses is not always as clear as it seems. Especially when it comes to proving cell phone use or similar offenses. For example, the Cologne Higher Regional Court has already decided that e-cigarettes can also fall under the usage regulations. This ruling could potentially impact future cases.
An impressive case that shows that even in traffic, a good argument sometimes counts more than a faded speed camera photo. However, imagine how often other drivers in similar situations get away with it because their lunch break isn't caught by a speed camera!