Not for the first time, a driver in Germany has landed himself in hot water - and received a hefty fine - after making a rather rude hand gesture to a speed camera. 

Speed camera insult lands driver hefty fine

The district court in Passau in Bavaria slapped a 5.000-euro fine on the 53-year-old driver after he pointed his middle finger in the direction of two police officers operating a speedometer last August. 

The case, which was described by the regional court as “no trivial offence”, has dragged on for almost nine months, before finally concluding in a court hearing at the end of May. 

The man was not caught speeding himself, but was flashed when he was overtaken by a car exceeding the speed limit on the autobahn near the Donautal Ost service station. When police analysed the photo, they noticed the offending finger and filed a criminal complaint. 

At first, the driver tried to object to the penalty order, but after several months of proceedings he accepted the charges and was sentenced to 50 so-called unit fines of 100 euros each, resulting in a total fine of 5.000 euros. He also wrote a letter to the two police officers, in which he apologised and said he regretted the incident. 

Showing middle finger to other road users is a criminal offence

It may seem silly, but insulting speed cameras, police officers, or even other drivers, can get you into a great deal of trouble in Germany. The Criminal Code states that showing the middle finger to another road user while driving is a criminal offence, punishable by a prison sentence of up to one year, or a fine. 

In August 2020, another driver in Bavaria was handed down a 4.000-euro fine and had his driving licence confiscated for one month after he flipped off a speed camera.