This morning we saw an interesting catch by a traffic cop. It’s a long weekend here and there are lots of cops around. Just south of where we live is a longish 80km/h section (usual open road limit is 100km/h). It’s slower because there are several sneaky corners interspersed with tempting straight sections. Our car has a speed limiter on it and we make use of that to keep to the limits. This morning Mrs was driving with the limiter on, and a car behind tailgating ‘cos he wanted to go faster, which is not unusual through there.

We passed a cop parked on the side of the road, no doubt with radar on etc (also not unusual through there). The tailgater pulled back when he saw the cop, of course, and we both passed him looking quite sedate.

Mrs noticed the cop pull out just after we passed and checked her speed just in case, it was fine. Once we were around the next corner the tailgater passed us. Shortly after that the cop passed us at speed. We wondered why. He didn’t have his lights flashing and we made irreverent jokes about him being late for his tea break etc.

A little later we found him with his flashers on stopped behind the tailgater and with his pad out etc. Well, we knew the tailgater wanted to go faster than us, and so it seems did the cop. Presumably the cop had spotted him tailgating before he had a chance to pull back.

One smart cop. I wonder how often they use that trick?