Rude driver spotted on his phone gives undercover cops the finger

Avon and Somerset Police Roads Policing teams had been on patrol in an unmarked vehicle when they spotted the driver on his phone.

When the man realised he was being filmed he rudely gestured to the other car before realising it was a team of police in an unmarked vehicle.

The footage was taken by officers travelling in an unmarked vehicle while they conducted mobile phone enforcement. The careless motorist can be seen in the clip with his phone to his ear as the police drive up alongside him.

Once the offender realised he was being filmed, he puts the phone down and stuck his middle finger up.

Police say his defiant reaction shows the “total disregard” some drivers have for the law.

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!"

In another recent incident, a foul-mouthed driver was reported for swearing at officers who had pulled him over.

Leicestershire Police officers had been taking part in Operation Tramlines, where they used an unmarked lorry to monitor motorways to catch out drivers breaking the law.

The Roads Policing Unit had been posting their findings to Twitter, with one driver caught out verbally insulting police officers and cutting 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!"