I was talking on the phone while driving. Guilty. However, while at a red light a cop in plain clothes came up to me and told me to pull over to the bus stop. I had know idea who this dude was and said as much. He flashed a badge and said "Victoria Police" and walked to the curb. I drove away wondering if he actually was a cop, thinking he probably was but continued on.
What should I do now?
As I type this, I'm wondering if you've already been contacted by the officer.
Here's the law:
Failing to stop and state name
73 (1) A peace officer may require the driver of a motor vehicle to stop and the driver of a motor vehicle, when signalled or requested to stop by a peace officer who is readily identifiable as a peace officer, must immediately come to a safe stop.
(2) When requested by a peace officer, the driver of a motor vehicle or the person in charge of a motor vehicle on a highway must state correctly his or her name and address and the name and address of the owner of the motor vehicle.
(3) A person who contravenes subsection (1) or (2) commits an offence and is liable to a fine of not less than $100 and not more than $2 000 or to imprisonment for not less than 7 days and not more than 6 months, or to both.
The police officer you speak of has identified himself as a peace officer, both verbally and by showing official identification. This is becoming more common these days as innovative methods of distracted driving enforcement are used. It is also possible that an off duty officer has decided to deal with the situation. Either way, you are still obligated to obey.
You may have decided to pull over as indicated, locked your doors, partially opened your window and asked to see the associated ID card that goes with the badge. They generally have a picture of the officer along with their name and the police force identity. Since you do have a phone handy, you could also explain politely that you are worried and want to confirm that the officer is truly a police officer and not somone trying to take advantage with false ID. Ask for the telephone number of the police detachment that they work from and call them. Doing some or all of this is not out of the question, nor unreasonable. However, being a polite as possible during the encounter will prevent misunderstanding.
Now, on to what you should do. You could keep quiet and hope that it all goes away, or you could contact the police force, explain your concern at the time and tell them that you have considered it, decided that you were incorrect and want to deal with the issue. If you choose the former, you might be lucky enough that nothing ever happens. If you choose the latter, you might only receive the ticket for distracted driving and not that ticket and an additional charge for failing to obey police direction. It's up to you to weigh your chances and make the decision.
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