I WAS having a yak with an old radio friend the other day. Chris works at a Perth radio station and we catch up from time to time.

“As if I’ve got time for that! I’m almost late for work!”

Chris carried on as though his civil liberties had been violated, asking the officers why they “didn’t have something more constructive to do”.

He blew into the machine, produced his licence and before long was on his way.

By coincidence, I’d been pulled over, too, on the same day. It was 3.45 on a Tuesday morning. I was on my way to work and the lights started flashing behind me on the GDE just past Ginninderra Drive.

As one who spends a lot of time on the road in the dead of night, it makes me smile when I get pulled over, especially at 3.45am, because it’s such a positive, I feel safer. Yes, it might make me a bit later for work, but I’d prefer to see police being vigilant and doing their best to make the road safer.

I got picked up one morning at the end of my street. Running late for work, I realised I’d left my laptop at home. So I did the U-turn at the Isabella Drive roundabout and headed back to Bonython to get it.

When I re-appeared on the same streets, three minutes later, the police – who were on a routine patrol in my suburb – thought it suspicious enough to turn on the blue lights and pull me over.

Why?

Just to make sure I hadn’t stolen the car, wasn’t drunk and to find out why I’d doubled back earlier and then come back a second time.

Yes, it made me later for work, but I’ll be so happy the day they do the same thing and find it’s some mongrel who’s stolen my car in the dead of night!

When you see the blue lights flashing in Canberra, be happy that these men and women are doing their job properly.