Police officers in the Dorset Police No Excuse team are always on the lookout for illegal driving while out on patrol.
They often stop motorists suspected of a motoring offence and allow them to at least explain why they may have broken the law.
While there is no excuse for driving without insurance, hence the team's namesake, some can offer some ridiculous reasons why they have committed a driving offence.
Here are some of the most ridiculous excuses given by drivers to police officers in Dorset.
Speeding Audi driver caught over 100mph claims ‘passenger needed a wee’
An Audi driver stopped for travelling at 101mph said he was in a rush because his passenger "needed a wee."
Officers stopped two speeding Audi drivers on the A35 over the recent Bank Holiday weekend. One driver was caught driving at 97mph, while another was captured travelling at 101mph.
Police say the driver caught speeding at 101mph claimed he was travelling so fast because his 'male passenger needed a wee'.
But police were unsure of his story because he had just driven past a service station.
The driver was one of a number stopped by officers from the Dorset Police No Excuse team during patrols in the Poole and Purbeck areas.
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Driver told police her texting was ‘important’
A driver on her phone at a set of traffic lights told police it was “important” before driving away with her phone still in her hand in February.
Officers from the Dorset Police No Excuse team saw the woman in Castle Lane West, Bournemouth in a white Fiat Punto.
They caught the driver’s attention with their blue lights and asked her ‘politely’ to put the phone down when the driver said ‘it’s important’ and carried on texting.
No Excuse team said: “While in the area of Castle Lane West, Bournemouth, outside Bournemouth hospital, at the traffic lights heading towards Christchurch we pulled alongside the vehicle at a red traffic signal where we spotted a 62-year-old female driver texting away.
“To grab the driver’s attention, we illuminated our blue lights and siren where we asked politely for her to put the phone down, to which she replied, ‘it’s important’ and put the window up and carried on texting, we captured a picture at that moment.
“The lights turned green, she moved off with the phone in her hand - we stopped her further down the road to which she was very apologetic, it wasn’t important and admitted texting away.
“The driver received a ticket for using a phone whilst driving, six points and £200 fine.”
'Why are you holding an iron out the car window? Passenger: 'To cool it down obviously'
When approached by the police about why an iron was in such an unusual place, they were told it was to cool it down. Police officers were not impressed.
A spokesman said at the time: "The mobile ironing service - you stand outside and they drive past and iron anything for you.
"On first view, we thought these were legs hanging out the window, when we stopped to ask why they were hanging an iron out the window - they were cooling it down.
"We offered words of advice suggesting to keep the iron in the car or wait until it’s cooled down before driving."
Speeding driver was ‘in a hurry to view a house’
A BMW driver was caught speeding, after overtaking an unmarked police car at 105mph.
The driver sped past police on the A35 Puddletown Bypass in October 2020 and was promptly pulled over by police.
A police officer said that the driver claimed he was ‘in a hurry to view a house’. Officers were having none of it and issued him summons to appear in court.
Dorset Police's No Excuse road safety team said: "The driver was in a hurry to view a house.
"Would he have seen it if he was driving slower? Yes, maybe.
"Would he have arrived quicker and safer if he was driving slower? Yes.
"Would he not be waiting for a court hearing date if he was driving slower? Yes.
"Was it worth it? No."
'Honest' driver admits he hasn't paid vehicle tax on BMW for a year
An “honest driver” was fined after he admitted to police officers that he had not taxed his BMW for a year.
Police officers say they came across a vehicle, which they had been aware for some time, in Christchurch on Monday, December 14, 2020.
The BMW X3 was discovered to have an expired MOT certificate and had not been taxed since November 30, 2019.
The driver admitted to police officers that he “simply couldn’t afford to run the vehicle” and knew he would eventually get caught.
A spokesman for Dorset Police No Excuse said: “The vehicle below was reported to us as there were some issues regarding documents.
“The vehicle had been on our radar but we were never in the right place, today we were.
“The vehicle showed no insurance, MOT expired on December 7 and the tax was November 30, 2019.
“The honest driver admitted he simply couldn’t afford to run the vehicle and stated it was a matter of time before being caught.
“The driver received a ticket for the offences.”
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