A little pea
Out on patrol one day, sat at the front of a queue at traffic lights, i see a guy on his mobile phone* come to a halt directly infront of me, as he's turning right. I can't really justify doing a u-turn to stop him as i was on the way to a higher priority job, so decided to give him a little shock.

I turned my siren and lights on for about 2 seconds, at which point he sees me just as he's setting off, panics and drops his phone - out of his open window! It smashed on the floor and most likely driven over several times by following traffic.

It may not have been professional, but i laughed all the way to my next job.

*one of my pet hates, along with children without seat belts.
( Another_tragic_case wished he hadn't eaten all the cake, Mon 9 May 2011, 11:08, 10 replies)

Totally agree! I wrote this back in December of 2009
I was waiting at a bus stop near my place of work at the end of the road, near a roundabout. A woman drove past, going about 10mph, window down, on her mobile. I shouted "Get off you phone idiot!" for it angered me so. She turned her head to face me and shouted "Mind your own fucking business!" before driving in to the back of the car in front which had now stopped at the roundabout. I laughed. He got out and wasn't fucking happy. I laughed. As she sat with a very shocked look on her face she said right in front of the guy "I've just had a crash I'm going to have to call you back" The guy called the police. I laughed and my bus arrived, I left the scene still chuckling.
( Peej, Mon 9 May 2011, 11:28, closed)

I have always silently hoped this on driving telephonists.
Maybe I should shout more.
(spleenspleenspleen coffeeflavouredsugarcoatednicotine, Mon 9 May 2011, 20:21, closed)

But isn't it a policemans duty
to enforce the law with fairness and consistency? How can you have pet hates?

Just out of curiosity though, if you see someone up to no good but aren't in a position to stop them, can you get their reg number and issue them with a ticket anyway?
(username failed moderation, Mon 9 May 2011, 12:03, closed)

Whilst i do get the gist of your comment...
... I don't believe i've ever actually gone out-of-my-way to stop someone using their phone, or whose children aren't wearing seatbelts - unfortunately, so many people commit these offences, i don't need to.

As i don't set the punishments for such acts (i.e. fines/court appearances), the fact that i don't like people doing it is quite irrelevant.

In reply to the second bit - certain offences are very hard to prove without additional evidence - such as using the mobile. If i stopped someone on the phone, i could caution them and carry out a simple interview at the side of the road to add to my weight of evidence, and ascertain their potential defence - such as 'I wasn't on the phone, you idiot', to which i would then sieze the phone and have it examined to identify whether they were or not.

Other wise it becomes their word against mine, and contrary to what many people think, the word of a police officer on oath, in a court of law, is not taken as any form of proof, or held in any higher regard as that of the defendant.

Saying that, when i do stop people, i would always prefer to give them some 'friendly advice', rather than do the hours of paperwork required for the fine/summons.

Unless they're uncivil, disrespectful (of the law, not me (i've been called every name under the sun, so one more doesn't make a difference)), or are using the phone WHILST children are in the car... That changes things...
( Another_tragic_case wished he hadn't eaten all the cake, Wed 11 May 2011, 10:02, closed)

Fair enough
Then I reckon you're doing a good job.
(username failed moderation, Thu 12 May 2011, 8:23, closed)

ever used your police radio
in the car while driving?
( parsley, Mon 9 May 2011, 14:24, closed)

Would imagine the much higher standard to which police are taught to drive covers this
and when not to do so.
(sarcastic fringehead feet of clay, buns of steel, head of lettuce, Mon 9 May 2011, 19:01, closed)

everyday, all the time - there is a little stalk with a button on the end of it just behind the indicator stalk that you push to talk, and the replies come out of the car speakers - the wonders of modern technology eh?
(Titanix, Mon 9 May 2011, 19:46, closed)

I've wondered for ages how they did that when watching Traffic Cops...
( notmyrealname, Tue 10 May 2011, 20:39, closed)

And using 'Push-to-talk' handheld radios whilst driving is perfectly legal.

(Sir Itchalot has a very self-referential signature, Tue 10 May 2011, 18:55, closed)