Werner Heisenberg was out, driving his car. He was stopped by the police.
‘Do you know how fast you were going, sir?’ asked the officer.
‘No. But I do know where I am.’
Answer too clever by half , but I hadn't realised what a clever question that is - until it happened (once & only once) to me.
In the days when such a thing was still possible I was enjoying a carefree drive down Maida Vale, the section with long curves, & tall trees to the right, just coming up to the turn for Lords cricket ground.
A Panda car overtook, signalled left. I assumed he (all police drivers were male in those days) was going to turn.
He was signalling me to stop - which I, fortunately, managed to do without crashing into him.
He addressed the Heisenberg question to the chastened young lady I had turned into.
Answer 'Yes' & you admit to speeding.
Answer 'No' & you admit to driving without due care & attention.
That the Heisenberg answer would not have occurred to me is not significant - I would not have dared to use it.
I decided it was preferable to admit to knowing what I was doing.
And the policeman let me off with a warning not to do it again.
Links
The Uncertainty Principle
Police car UK
Related post
A failure of legal argument
The Uncertainty Principle
Police car UK
Related post
A failure of legal argument
