Alex Reid

A RCMP Officer in Chilliwack, B.C., used a clever disguise last weekend to catch people driving while talking on their cell phones.

RCMP Const. Bryan Martell donned the clothing of someone who might wait by the intersection meridian to panhandle for money with a cardboard sign. His sign though, didn’t ask for money, per se. His sign read:  ”Hello, my name is Constable Martell. If you’re on your cellphone right now, you are about to get a ticket.”

The RCMP say they handed over nearly 4500 tickets for ”illegal use of electronic devices” – driving while on the phone – last month, and it’s something they’re going to continue to enforce. Using humour though has proven to help the message so far.

“Giving people tickets, people usually aren’t happy about it in any case, but in this, I think people found the humour in it partly, so they were less angry than they usually are getting a ticket,” Martell said.