Harassed by Police Officer off Duty

LMelbournedriver on 02/05/2025 - 13:28
Last edited 02/05/2025 - 16:18 by 1 other user

First time poster. Today I was driving down Punt Road (Melbourne) was back to back traffic around 12 pm. The traffic wasn’t moving so I zoned out a bit. Guy behind me in a Ford Ranger starts beeping. I look in front of me and the space is around 1 meter.

Anyway, two minutes later same thing happened again. No traffic lights missed still in traffic guy in front of me just creeped up a couple of metres. This guy honks again then I see him hop off from his Ranger.

Thinking he was a nutcase I lock my doors. He then pulls up a badge quickly and starts yelling. Get off your phone you f***wit and concentrate on the road. I didn’t even have my phone on me as he looked into my car. I couldn’t really see his badge as he put it away fast enough and hopped back into his vehicle before I got to tell him anything.

I thought that was ridiculous behaviour. I got his number plate. Would it be worth reporting that behaviour?

I also saw him do some dodgy driving (changing lanes right after traffic lights where there are no lines. Cutting people off. he wasn’t in a police car though and had what looked like his wife who was shoving chips down her mouth.

Poll Options

  • 709
    Report
  • 24
    Let it go
  • 39
    You are a fwit
Automotive

Comments

  • barge-in hunter on 02/05/2025 - 13:33
    +18

    So… I have to ask:

    "Get off your phone you f****wit and concentrate on the road." I didn’t even have my phone on me as he looked into my car.

    You were on your phone, right? Just not specifically when he looked into your car?

    Also - are you sure it was a police badge? Could have been for something else.

    • [Deactivated] on 02/05/2025 - 13:35
      +11

      Nah, it's usually someone eating a sandwich and they think it's a phone. There is a youtube video on this.

      • creesy on 05/05/2025 - 21:07
        +3

        Eating a sandwich whilst driving is also illegal though lol

        • Liger Zero on 08/05/2025 - 07:41

          Is it really?

          • creesy on 08/05/2025 - 23:06

            @Liger Zero: Can fall under careless driving would have to be a grumpy cop to fine you for it

    • Melbournedriver on 02/05/2025 - 13:46
      +13

      Nah I wasn’t on my phone was just staring at the Richmond training ground.

      I was connected to CarPlay just maps on.

      • barge-in hunter on 02/05/2025 - 13:51

        Good to hear you weren't on your phone at least - in fairness, most distracted drivers are. Definitely not excusing the guys' behaviour though

        • Randolph Duke on 03/05/2025 - 12:17
          +40

          Have to ask, you constantly post saying people are wasting their time here when they have questions. Aren’t you wasting your time if there’s nothing in the forums for you?

          • rumblytangara on 03/05/2025 - 12:53
            +5

            @Randolph Duke: If he's just here for consistent downvotes, the guy's a winner by a mile.

            • JIMB0 on 05/05/2025 - 10:33

              @rumblytangara: I don't he's after down votes, he keeps changing user names to try avoid it.

              • rumblytangara on 05/05/2025 - 11:35

                @JIMB0: Is there a way to track username changes?

                • JIMB0 on 05/05/2025 - 11:59

                  @rumblytangara: You can save their profile page if you want, but the content/style and pattern of their posts usually gives it away.

                  • rumblytangara on 05/05/2025 - 12:07

                    @JIMB0: There are so many generically dimwit and information-empty posts on OzB that the less notable ones all blur into the same persona. It's only the really 'special' profiles that I remember.

                    • JIMB0 on 05/05/2025 - 12:14
                      +1

                      @rumblytangara: We should compile a list. Notable ones of the top of my head are slavoz, amazingone/HeWhoknows/Dr Phill and Alan C (who posted absolute nonsense).

                      Muppet detector used to go by a different name, what gave it away were his nonsensical wanna be lawyer replies.

                      • Muppet Detector on 05/05/2025 - 15:45
                        +1

                        @JIMB0:

                        Muppet detector used to go by a different name, what gave it away were his nonsensical wanna be lawyer replies.

                        Was nucleus accumbens.

                        Same account, nothing nefarious. Not in stealth mode.

                        Thinking about changing to "My Favourite Poster" next year.

                      • Randolph Duke on 05/05/2025 - 15:47

                        @JIMB0:

                        amazingone/HeWhoknows/Dr Phil

                        That makes a lot more sense.

                      • Charmoffensive on 05/05/2025 - 16:11

                        @JIMB0: jv is definitely top of that list. there was an old poster frugal_rock who got his account banned for being frequently the most toxic person on earth.

                        • JIMB0 on 05/05/2025 - 18:29

                          @Charmoffensive: I actually find some of jv's comments to be rather amusing at times.

                          • Charmoffensive on 06/05/2025 - 23:46
                            -2

                            @JIMB0: I'd find his trolling more amusing and less pathetic if he didn't report all your posts to the mods if you call him out and he's losing the argument. It's the difference between a larrikin and a 12 year old edgelord.

                            • JIMB0 on 08/05/2025 - 06:56
                              +1

                              @Charmoffensive: Ah, I never realised he's the sort of bloke that can dish it up but not take it. If I ever I got one on him I was just ignored, didn't know he was a dobber! I'm not surprised though, seems typical for an avid LNP supporter.

                              • Charmoffensive on 08/05/2025 - 10:22
                                +1

                                @JIMB0: He even went through like 2 months of my post history over the space of a week and negged all my comments, then replied to my most recent comment with "How can you call me a troll when all of your comments have negatives on them?". Yeah jv, they all have exactly 1 negative on them all of a sudden, wonder where that came from?

              • Muppet Detector on 05/05/2025 - 17:01

                @JIMB0:

                don't he's after down votes, he keeps changing user names to try avoid it.

                So, you award your votes to a post based on who wrote them regardless of what they actually say?

                If you were awarding your votes based on the content of the post, why does it matter what name is used to author the posts?

                • rumblytangara on 05/05/2025 - 17:14
                  +1

                  @Muppet Detector:

                  don't he's after down votes, he keeps changing user names to try avoid it.

                  I suspect that was just a typo for "I doubt he's after downvotes"

                • JIMB0 on 05/05/2025 - 18:37

                  @Muppet Detector: It doesn't matter to me what name is on the post. I go on the content and will generally downvote when people post misinformation. That said, it’s funny how often I’ll read a comment, get déjà vu, and a bit of digging confirms it’s the same person under a new alias.

      • p1 ama on 03/05/2025 - 20:24
        +1

        Nah I wasn’t on my phone was just staring at the Richmond training ground.

        In other words, not concentrating on the road?

        Behaviour of the supposed police officer aside, it seems like you zoned out twice in a few minutes, and even after someone had already honked you - "a couple of meters" as in your story is a gap of a few car lengths.

        When people do not react quickly to the car in front moving and take their sweet time, it causes further traffic congestion. Even if you were taking a few seconds longer than you were supposed to, just imagine adding that up - if everyone was zoning out like you, traffic would be chaos.

        • Melbournedriver on 03/05/2025 - 20:33
          +3

          Yeah alright mate. Traffic was there regardless of what I did. Traffic light was red regardless of what I did.

          It’s not like I was at a green light and I missed it.

          The fact that the guy got out of his car came to mine said his BS and went back to his car and we were still not moving says everything about the situation

          • Charmoffensive on 05/05/2025 - 16:13
            -1

            @Melbournedriver:

            It’s not like I was at a green light and I missed it.

            You're right, but the thing is you wouldn't know if it is green if you're zoning out. It's not good to zone out while driving, period.

    • Melbournedriver on 02/05/2025 - 13:50
      +9

      I thought he was coming to have a fight to be fair. So when he rocked up pulled a leather thing from his pocket and flashed a badge. Looked like vicpol from the colours ( blueish) I couldn’t really stare at it as he shoved it up his ass quite quickly

      • CandyMan on 03/05/2025 - 12:12
        +5

        It could have been a $2 badge off Temu

    • joka on 02/05/2025 - 13:54
      +37

      It was most likely a Paw Patrol badge.

      • Poor Ass on 02/05/2025 - 22:59
        +5

        I think the officer's name was Chase

        • kenshin824 on 03/05/2025 - 19:35

          Damn, he sure was on the case!

          • lethalmoney on 04/05/2025 - 00:24
            +2

            @kenshin824: No horn too big, no car gap too small, off duty copper is on a roll

        • WaterMark on 05/05/2025 - 11:14

          OP should of yelped for help!

    • RTX9090Ti on 04/05/2025 - 07:17
      +2

      Maybe its just a plumber or sparky badge, suits the Ford Ranger well.

    • bluebo on 04/05/2025 - 13:51
      +2

      if OP was on his phone he would definitely get booked

    • tenpercent on 02/05/2025 - 14:08
      +4

      I'm not spending a day in court challenging

      They don't want to either. More than likely they'll just drop it because it's not in the public interest to pursue.

    • Jackson on 03/05/2025 - 11:00
      +14

      You should challenge every one of these. It happens because people don't challenge them

    • vlahka on 03/05/2025 - 21:24

      I got a $190 fine the other month for supposedly doing 46km in a 40km school zone, which I know I wasnt. The photo on the paper of my car was zoomed in so you couldnt tell where I was. The only thing was a house with a blue fence and a pole in front of it. I live on that road. Theres no blue fence anywhere. I asked them for a better picture and they said thats the only one. Glorious.

    • RTX9090Ti on 04/05/2025 - 07:18

      Suits well he lost, glad that majority voted well, unlike trumpets.

    • Ifndefx on 04/05/2025 - 07:37

      Is jaywalking really not allowed ? I do it all the time.

      Thought it was only in the movies or something where it's not allowed.

      • [Deactivated] on 04/05/2025 - 11:27
        -7

        Yeah, jaywalking shouldn't be a crime at all, but it's not worth it for me to challenge.

        I probably make $1,000 in just a few minutes whilst trading futures.

        Net effect is up, but you can just as easily lose $10,000 in a few minutes such as during a London trading session when President Xi retaliated.

        • 2025 on 04/05/2025 - 11:42
          +8

          Yeah, jaywalking shouldn't be a crime at all, but it's not worth it for me to challenge.
          I probably make $1,000 in just a few minutes whilst trading futures.
          Net effect is up, but you can just as easily lose $10,000 in a few minutes such as during a London trading session when President Xi retaliated.

          Weird flex but ok

          So in other words, you lost the opportunity to make several thousands of dollars while making these comments? Ahahah

      • Muppet Detector on 05/05/2025 - 11:50
        +1

        I got done for jaywalking at the top of Queen Street Mall Qld about thirty years ago.

      • Cheap Gamer on 06/05/2025 - 14:37

        Happens all the time in Sydney. The cops regularly stake out city intersections for jaywalkers, and they even make a day of it by inviting along the media.

  • altomic on 02/05/2025 - 13:36
    +51

    What was your crime?
    Thinking about a succulent chinese meal?

    • Gottaloveabargain on 03/05/2025 - 10:48
      +1

      A succulent beef wellington from the mother in law?

      • RTX9090Ti on 04/05/2025 - 07:18

        With mushrooms.

        • Chandler on 05/05/2025 - 08:19

          You make Beef Wellingtons without mushrooms?!

          Gordon Ramsey: where's the lamb sauce (profanity) mushrooms!

  • Bruceflix on 02/05/2025 - 13:40
    -3

    changing lanes right after traffic lights where there are no lines

    If there are no lines how do you change lanes? having lines is the very definition of lanes

    • Melbournedriver on 02/05/2025 - 13:51
      +3

      It’s when two lanes go right and he cut off the other car in the intersection.

      • Bruceflix on 02/05/2025 - 13:53
        -6

        so the "other car" tried to overtake on the inside?
        Wrong car at fault

      • 2025 on 05/05/2025 - 19:27

        Except that there aren't any of these two lane right turns on Punt Road near the oval.

  • spackbace on 02/05/2025 - 13:40
    +15

    Were you just waitin for a mate?

  • Fredfloresjr on 02/05/2025 - 13:40
    +1

    New account. Surely a troll post.

  • playerzer2 on 02/05/2025 - 13:42
    +2

    Were you on your phone?.
    It sure pisses me off when the twit in front of me is head-down in his phone in traffic, and fails to take off.

    • Melbournedriver on 02/05/2025 - 13:48
      +6

      Nah I wasn’t on my phone. I get what you mean though I get annoyed sometimes when this happens and you miss a traffic light.

      No traffic lights were missed in this incident.

      Net time lost/gained was 0 whether I creeped up to the guy in front of me or not

    • GregRust on 03/05/2025 - 14:30

      Then speeds through the amber light and you get stuck at the red.

  • MS Paint on 02/05/2025 - 13:42
    +6

    Dang! I was convinced this was going to be a Pam post going by the title

    • Muppet Detector on 02/05/2025 - 16:07
      +1

      New account. Might be Pam incognito.

      Keep engaging with her. She might get confused swapping between accounts and accidentally post with her Pam account.

      Then it'll be on for young and old.

    • rumblytangara on 02/05/2025 - 18:50

      Who was this Pam person legend that keeps getting brought up? Must've been some good drama before I became aware of this forum.

      • MS Paint on 02/05/2025 - 19:27
        +4

        enjoy

        • rumblytangara on 02/05/2025 - 19:54
          +2

          Ugh, thanks but I shouldn't have asked. Now my brain hurtz :(

  • mapax on 02/05/2025 - 13:43
    +1

    dodgy driving (changing lanes right after traffic lights where there are no lines

    That’s not illegal in Victoria

  • GordonD on 02/05/2025 - 13:54

    Did he claim to be a police officer, or just show you some sort of badge that you assumed was a police one?

    If he didn't claim to be a police officer, what offence did he commit?

    • Melbournedriver on 02/05/2025 - 14:17
      -1

      He just branded a badge in a leather wallet (designed for the badge)

      Guy was pretty confrontational in the middle of traffic.

      • Loopholio on 03/05/2025 - 18:49

        Could be someone pretending to be a police officer. I wouldn't know what a local police badge looks like.

        If you captured the encounter on dashcam do share.

        • RTX9090Ti on 04/05/2025 - 07:21
          +1

          never seen off duty on Ford Ranger yelling his a** off, they normally turned on their off duty car flashing lights as seen in the youtube dashcam channel.

    • Cheap Gamer on 06/05/2025 - 14:33

      It's illegal to impersonate or say you're a police officer. It's not illegal to flash a phony badge. Remember the Chaser APEC stunt? The guy could possibly be charged with intimidation if the cops get enough complaints.

  • joka on 02/05/2025 - 13:55
    +4

    I am guessing this happened in Melbourne.

  • Bruceflix on 02/05/2025 - 13:55
    +7

    OP, even with the dumbing down of the police force, guy was probably not a cop and flashed a fake badge. Report it.
    Nothing illegal aboput leaving a couple of meter gap between cars at an intersection. That's generally preferred.

    • Poor Ass on 02/05/2025 - 23:03

      Those people then go on to become those couple metres behind the stop line and the sensor doesn't get triggered

  • beltdrive on 02/05/2025 - 14:00
    +18

    average ford ranger driver. worst drivers on the road

  • Benoffie on 02/05/2025 - 14:01
    +4

    Police officers are always on. As in, they are always Authorised Officers underthe law, they just may not be on duty. But not being on duty doesn't remove their authority. Hope that makes sense?

    Following that, it makes it a double edged sword. They have standards to uphold all the time. Assuming that behaviour is correct AND you have evidence, then report it.

    But be aware of the process. This isnt some ICAC level of abuse of power and questions will be asked, assuming the individual was an officer, why they approached you. And if they state you were seen obstructing traffic due to being on your phone and verbally cautioned….

    Sometimes, just accept there's nothing good going to come from this for you.

    But ofc, it could just be an ahole who flashed a business card.

    • Melbournedriver on 02/05/2025 - 14:12

      I think that’s the hard bit getting proof.

      There isn’t any recording or anything just my word vs his.

      • Benoffie on 02/05/2025 - 14:13

        Youve got the plate and you were at lights so it may be caught on traffic cameras.

        Not saying dont report. Just know you may hear nothing back 🤷‍♀️

      • rumblytangara on 02/05/2025 - 14:15

        Not that it helps now, but front and rear dashcams, with audio recording turned on.

        • Melbournedriver on 02/05/2025 - 14:18

          Would’ve been handy.

          Then again thinking now what would I gain if this goes my way anyway?

          • rumblytangara on 02/05/2025 - 15:01
            +4

            @Melbournedriver: If you were going to pursue it, you can demonstrate that traffic wasn't moving, his license plate, and the verbal interaction with unwarranted aggression and you confirming that you were not on a phone. So there's no "he said, she said" argument.

            Or an "This all being recorded you know, maybe you want to head back to your car and stop hassling me"

            But overall, this isn't a thing worth pursuing.

        • Woody982 on 03/05/2025 - 09:59

          Would need a third, in cab camera to confirm they weren't on the phone.

  • JIMB0 on 02/05/2025 - 14:30
    +3

    Just report it and move on. You'll never hear back, he probably does it to a lot of people and but if enough complain something may be done.

    • GordonD on 02/05/2025 - 18:42
      +1

      he probably does it to a lot of people

      If he behaves that way, based on nothing more than a bit of a gap opening up in traffic, its likely he does it a lot. If he is a cop, that's an anger management problem that makes him unsuitable for the job. If he's not a cop that's probably why he's got a fake police-looking badge, and doesn't flash it long enough for people to read what it says.

  • Protractor on 02/05/2025 - 14:39
    -5

    Of course this happened. Same thing happened to me back in 'Frisco in 1973. I gave the guy my unwanted cat and he backed off.
    Back then we never used imaginary phones in imaginary scenarios.

    • tenpercent on 02/05/2025 - 14:40
      +1

      I gave the guy my unwanted cat and he backed off.

      Is that slang for something?

      • Protractor on 02/05/2025 - 15:03

        Yes.But it's true meaning is a secret.

  • Meho2026 on 02/05/2025 - 14:43

    Its totally unacceptable harassment but you're best to let it go.
    Hes obviously unprofessional but in reality, most likely unhinged.
    If you report him, its only going to be your word against his so there wont be any evidence for him to face any discipline. Plus, it means one way or another, he is going to be able to figure out who you are and once he knows that, you are wide open to all sorts of harassment and potentially bogus accusations.

    Always bear in mind that modern day police officers are selected due to their personality and ability to follow orders. The system is set up for them to be officers who enforce the law and not apply their individual judgement to a given situation.
    While in theory they are required to be held accountable for their interactions with the public, this doesn't always play out in theory because of the imbalance in power.

    People who are critical thinkers, questioning, challenging and able to understand the uniqueness of specific situations are generally not chosen to be police officers so you cant be under any illusion that you are dealing with an organisation that is going to apply fairness to your individual situation.

    To a degree, the overall situation may improve with the advancement of AI and the replacement of human officers with robots. However that could be shortlived if a cyborg officer is developed with human qualites like Robocop.

    • MS Paint on 02/05/2025 - 14:52

      Are you in politics?

    • Fredfloresjr on 02/05/2025 - 14:59

      Liam Neeson is that you?

      • Protractor on 02/05/2025 - 15:04

        Can't be Liam Neeson if you got to the last line without either falling asleep or wanting to slam ice picks in your ears and eyes.

    • Muppet Detector on 02/05/2025 - 16:26

      So, tell me how you feel about police officers in 25 words or less.

    • 2025 on 03/05/2025 - 11:59
      -1

      To a degree, the overall situation may improve with the advancement of AI and the replacement of human officers drivers with robots

      Fixed it

      If a robot car failed to notice a whole car in front of it moving, it would be taken in for diagnostics.

    • greatlamp on 04/05/2025 - 22:44
      +1

      Not sure what AI is going to solve. The AI isn't going to be rude to you but it won't apply any individual discretion.

      The AI cop would have probably charged OP with an offence for failing to control their vehicle after performing an alcohol and drug test. Letting small things go is what humans do when they apply their own discretion and don't enforce the rules strictly.

  • Protractor on 02/05/2025 - 14:59
    +1

    Rego please

  • jv on 02/05/2025 - 15:35
    +1

    Harassed by Police Officer off Duty

    This recently happened to me too.

    Did it look like this bloke?

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