And anyway, added the spokesman, Hefetz still had his two hands on the steering wheel, balancing the offending object between his shoulder and ear.

Yes, Hefetz does have a hearing problem. But today's car speakerphones, especially the sophisticated ones with an external antenna fitted into senior police officers' vehicles, are loud enough to awaken the dead. Most cellular phones can also be fitted with a personal earphone.

Hefetz, realizing he was in an awkward situation, immediately announced that he would write himself a ticket and pay the fine.