Driver is fined £100 after pulling over for just 26 seconds when he had a sudden sneezing fit

• Steven Savage, 37, halted to wait until sneezes stopped but was given £100 fine
• He pulled over on James Watson Road, Norwich, fearing he may case an accident
• The engineer carried on with his drive but received a letter ten days afterwards
• Mr Savage has 14 days to accept the fine but says he is appealing out of principle

A driver was fined £100 after pulling over for just 26 seconds when he had a sudden sneezing fit.

Steven Savage, 37, an engineer from Attleborough, Norfolk, is appealing against the ticket, branding it as 'ridiculous'.

While sneezing, he pulled over on James Watson Road near Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, fearing he could not see and might cause an accident.

He halted for just 26 seconds until the sneezes stopped, but he was handed a £100 fine.

He said: 'When you're having a sneezing fit the wise thing to do is pull over and let it finish - you don't feel fully in control when you're sneezing and it is dangerous to drive.'

After the sneezes stropped, he carried on with his drive to the Bob Champion Research and Education Centre to pick up his girlfriend.

The 37-year-old added: 'I thought no more of it until ten days later when I received a letter demanding the £100.'

The fine was from National Parking Enforcement Ltd, who manage the road and captured his car's number plates on camera.

Mr Savage has appealed but has not had a response yet.

He said: 'To be honest I'm a bit blasé about the fine. It is annoying and it does create a bit of stress but these companies don't scare me.

'I think it is a bit of a scandal that they try and do it in the first place.

'As the road is close to the hospital there could be patients visiting who are briefly dropped off to receive treatment and then suddenly slapped with a huge fine.

'That is really what shocked me the most and I think it is outrageous.' 

He has a 14 day window to accept the fine and pay a reduced fee of £60 but said he is appealing out of principle.

Mr Savage added: 'I know lots of people who have been fined for waiting for a few seconds and it is just unfair. It is fair enough if it is the council, but companies shouldn't be allowed to get away with it.'

National Parking Enforcement Ltd have been contacted for comment.