h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

> A report has revealed that two traffic patrol officers from North Berwick
> were involved in an unusual incident whilst checking for speeding motorists
> on the A1 road between Oldhamstocks and Grantshouse.
>
> Last May, they were using a hand-held radar device to trap unwary motorists
> on the Edinburgh to London trunk road. One of the unnamed officers used the
> device to check the speed of an approaching vehicle, and was surprised to
> find that his target had registered a speed in excess of 300 miles per hour.
>
> The > £5000 machine then seized up and could not be re-set by the bemused
> PC's. The radar had in fact latched on to a NATO Tornado aircraft in the
> North Sea, which was taking part in a simulated low-flying exercise over the
> Borders and Southern Scotland. Following a complaint by Sir William
> Sutherland, Chief Constable of the Lothian & Borders Police force to the RAF
> liaison office, it was revealed that the officers had a lucky escape - the
> tactical computer on board the aircraft not only detected and jammed the
> "hostile" radar equipment, but had automatically armed a Sidewinder
> air-to-ground missile ready to neutralise the perceived threat. Luckily the
> Dutch pilot was alerted to the missile status and was able to override the
> automatic protection system before the missile launched.
>
> The Police have so far declined to comment, although it is understood that
> officers will be advised to point their radar guns inland in future.