Texting, Talking Drivers Caught in Police Sting

A sting to catch Bethesda-area drivers texting while on the road left some drivers fuming, according to reports.

Montgomery County Police conducted the crackdown on distracted drivers Tuesday morning at

River Road and Goldsboro Road. Police focused on pulling over drivers who were distracted by either texting while driving or using their hands to use a phone while driving.

An officer disguised as the panhandler notified others further down the road of those drivers holding cell phones or making illegal moves. His handwritten signed warned that he wasn’t homeless, but was a police officer instead taking part in the sting.

On the department’s Facebook page Mike Lynch wrote: “The only thing worse than glancing at your phone for a quick second, is trying to read a 17 word cardboard sign...Thanks for the huge back up on river road.”

Added Facebook user Josh Roberts: “So you caused a traffic jam during rush hour and then robbed the people who had to call in to work to say that they’ll be late? Or the people who grabbed their phone to kill time while sitting stopped in traffic?”

Drivers who hold a cell phone – even if they’re not texting – violate Montgomery County traffic laws, reports WUSA. Some drivers stuck in the morning traffic jam grabbed their phones to let work colleagues or family members know they were running late – and then came to the notice of police.

The department said it wanted to remind drivers that driving while distracted is dangerous and frequently is a contributing factor to some collisions.

• Using Hands to use Phone while Driving: 31 traffic citations and 9 warnings
• Texting While Driving: 4 citations and 4 warnings
• Driving on Shoulder: 17 citations and 7 warnings
• Negligent Driving: 1 citation
• Driving without a License: 1 citation and 2 warnings
• Failure to Display Registration: 1 citation
• Displaying a License Plate Cover: 1 citation

»Screenshot of undercover officer at Montgomery County traffic sting, from WUSA