Er ... no ...
It's a tale of ignorance on behalf of the policeman (or very poor sarcasm on his part, more likely).

I think a little someone is being tired crosspatch.
( Je suis un vagabond is an unfunny, up your own arse middle class knob, Fri 19 Mar 2010, 12:27, 1 reply)

How is it?
What common knowledge is this policeman lacking here?
Do you even know what the word "ignorant" means?
( Moon Girl Technologies horrendous beanbag, Fri 19 Mar 2010, 12:36, closed)

that 80 in a 70mph zone is illegal? maybe?
what a stupid policeman!
(__, Fri 19 Mar 2010, 12:38, closed)

If he was a mile up the road doing 70 then the PC has got to do more than that to catch up, perhaps 80?

Doesn't mean the driver was speeding.
(jono_h, Fri 19 Mar 2010, 12:59, closed)

"over eighty"
90 is still over eighty.
(likeajackhammer, Fri 19 Mar 2010, 13:04, closed)

*reads maths book*
100 is over eighty too
(likeajackhammer, Fri 19 Mar 2010, 13:05, closed)

if they had to do over 80 to catch up with him,
it's because he was doing 80.
( Moon Girl Technologies horrendous beanbag, Fri 19 Mar 2010, 13:05, closed)

or they wanted to catch up sooner

( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Fri 19 Mar 2010, 14:34, closed)

Oh dear.
Either the policeman is ignorant of the fact that 80mph is faster than 70mph, or he knew full well that the story teller was lying, and in order to display this said "Are you sure? Because we had to do over eighty just to catch up with you." in order to be sarcastic.

Ignorant means "like iron".
( Je suis un vagabond is an unfunny, up your own arse middle class knob, Fri 19 Mar 2010, 13:26, closed)

How in the world could you imagine the policeman didn't know 80mph was faster than 70mph?
Of course it is, that was the point. He pulled the guy over for speeding. Which is to say, going faster than 70mph.
( Moon Girl Technologies horrendous beanbag, Fri 19 Mar 2010, 13:37, closed)

In which case, as I said earlier
He was being (very poorly) sarcastic.
( Je suis un vagabond is an unfunny, up your own arse middle class knob, Fri 19 Mar 2010, 13:38, closed)

I admire you
for your perseverence in the face of this sort of thing.
( Mockingbird Practitioner of SCIENCE, Mon 22 Mar 2010, 10:10, closed)