Dear Editor,
I feel I must share this experience with other readers.
I drove down to Armação de Pêra on Wednesday March 6 at about 8.45 in the morning to get my newspaper, which I do most mornings.
I got back in the car and had driven about 600 yards round the corner past the Holiday Inn when I heard a siren.
I looked in my rear view mirror and saw the police car which was clearly indicating for me to pull over, which I did.
I put my window down and the officer asked if it was a rental car. I said no, I had bought it four years ago when I moved out here to live.
He asked me for my documents which I showed him and everything was ok. He then asked if I knew why I had been stopped. I said ‘no, I have no idea’.
He then informed me that I was to be fined for using my cellphone while driving and he would go and see how much the fine was. I said that is impossible as I have left my phone at home as I only nipped out for a paper. ‘No,’ he said, ‘you were definitetly on your phone and when you saw us you put it straight down’.
At that point I got out of my car. I asked him if he was based at Armação police station, he said he was. I suggested we drove down there and while I was reporting him to his station commander for what I call police harassment, they could search my car and me for this cellphone.
After consulting his colleague, he came back to me and said, ‘it’s ok you can go’.
Can you imagine what the outcome would have been had I got my mobile with me – my word against theirs and we all know the answer to that.
Is this how low the police will go to get some money in? I find it absolutely disgraceful.
Steve Smith
By email
