After being caught on his phone while at the wheel, a driver allegedly responded with his middle finger – with no idea that he was swearing at a team of undercover police officers. While the mortified motorist quickly realised his mistake, it was already too late.
Police said the driver was aware he was being filmed but was not aware it was by officers on patrol.
The footage was captured by officers who were out conducting mobile phone enforcement in an unmarked vehicle.
As they pulled alongside the driver, he could be seen speaking on the phone. The officer in the car can be heard saying: “Oh dear…”
When he realised he was being filmed, he appears to hit back with a raised middle finger.
The police officer was heard laughing at his brazen response before telling her colleagues: “We’ve got one for you.”
Police argued his response showed the “total disregard” held by people for road safety.
Avon and Somerset Police Roads Policing teams said on Twitter: “Officers conducting mobile phone enforcement in an unmarked vehicle observed this driver on his phone. His reaction, before noticing that the person recording him was a Police Officer, shows the total disregard some people have for the law & road safety!”
The video of the man has been viewed over 120,000 times.
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The incident follows another viral video in which a foul-mouthed driver who had been pulled over by officers got a telling-off and was reported after swearing at them.
Leicestershire Police officers had been taking part in Operation Tramlines, where they use an unmarked lorry to patrol motorways in the region to catch out drivers breaking the law.
The Roads Policing Unit had been posting their findings to Twitter for several days.
One driver, in particular, got a shout-out after a four-letter verbal volley at police officers, when they pulled alongside a motorist who cut them off to get to a junction on the motorway.
Officers said at the time: “#OpTramline again today. If you cut up the unmarked HGV in order to dive off at a junction we’ll want to speak to you. When we pull alongside you to speak to you, it’s a poor decision to tell us to **** off not realising who we are!”
