No fine for Ford's cellphone driving

Toronto Police will not be pursuing reports that Mayor Rob Ford was talking on his cellphone while driving, an official said Wednesday.

No charges have been pursued against other motorists who admitted after-the-fact to driving while talking on the phone and equal treatment will be given to the mayor, said Toronto police spokesman Mark Pugash.

"We haven't had a case where we felt it was necessary or appropriate to take the matter any further," Pugash said.

"There are some logistical problems with doing it after the fact, but if it was a situation where we felt it was appropriate we'd certainly consider it."

The mayor denied Tuesday a post on Facebook which gained a lot of media attention in the city that said he gave a woman the finger while he was driving in the city's downtown last Friday.

Ottilie Mason said the mayor made the gesture to her and her daughter after she told him to stop talking on his cellphone when he was behind the wheel and gave him the thumbs down.

His press secretary, Adrienne Batra, told several media organizations he was talking on his cellphone at the time the incident took place.

But she denied the mayor made any rude gestures. A statement from the mayor said it was a misunderstanding, although he has refused to speak publicly about it.

Police will not be pursuing charges in part because of the force's limited resources, Pugash said.

Ironically, Ford is currently in the midst of a review of the city's expenditures which police Chief Bill Blair has warned could lead to a further reduction in the number of police officers available.

The penalty if caught talking on a cellphone while behind the wheel of a vehicle in Ontario is $155 fine.