Unlicensed cooker’s bizarre excuse

The clip was shared on Twitter by the CookerWatch account, which is dedicated to “observing, mocking and calling out conspiracy theorists for amusement and education”.

In the video, the cop can be heard patiently explaining to the motorist that because they are unlicensed, they will be issued with a temporary permit – in addition to a $220 infringement notice – which will give them until midday that day to reach their destination.

Sovereign citizens, also known as “cookers” in Australia, typically believe they are exempt from the law and do not have to pay taxes, fines or carry driver’s licences.

However, the man refused to co-operate and tell the officer where he was heading and what time he would be finished.

“You need a permit to drive from here, where would you like that permit to be to?” the officer begins.

“I dunno. I’ve gotta go to work, I work everywhere,” the man replies.

“What time do you finish work? Unless you tell me where you need to go and what time sir, I can’t give you this permit,” the police officer continues.

“I don’t really need a permit but whatever,” the man falsely claims.

“You don’t have a licence, I’ve got to give you a permit,” the officer replies.

After asking what the permit is for, and being informed – again – that it’s to allow him to go to work that day – the driver comes up with an utterly bizarre excuse.

“I’m not driving, I’m operating private property. Clearly someone didn’t get the memo,” he said.

The officer then attempts to resolve the situation, saying: “To stop us standing here going around in circles like juveniles, what I’m going to do is give you a permit to drive until 12pm today, OK?”

“That allows you to get the vehicle from here legally to wherever you need to go and do whatever you need to do, as long as you’re home by 12pm, so by noon today, this permit will cover you, OK?

“So there are two things here for you. your infringement notice for driving whilst unlicensed, $220 as explained … secondly, your permit to drive.

“Since you won’t converse with me in a logical and reasonable way, I’ve given you until midday to get the vehicle to whatever you need to do, and then be home. If you aren’t off the road, driving the vehicle by midday, then you need a licence.”

The officer then attempts to hand over the documentation, which the motorists refuses to take.

“I don’t want it. I didn’t understand that. You dropped that there, I didn’t accept it. I don’t want it,” he repeats.

The officer explains again that the documents must be accepted in order for the man to drive, but he again insists he doesn’t want it.

The officer eventually simply throws the papers through the car window, and asks if the man understands the situation.

“I don’t understand anything,” he said, with the cop replying: “OK sir, in that case have a safe trip from here”.

However, the interaction then suddenly takes an abusive turn as the motorist prepares to drive away from the scene.

“Why do you have that gun … why don’t you go and solve a f***ing crime? Instead of standing here fining people?” he says.

“You don’t have a licence,” the officer explains yet again.

“You don’t deserve that badge. All we ever hear on the radio is that youth crime’s f***ed, everything’s f***ed, right, and what do you do? You’re standing here fining people who go to work, who pay your f***ing wages. You f***ing dog.”

The incident is just the latest in a string of similar cases involving unlicensed sovereign citizens refusing to co-operate with police after being pulled over.

Last month, fellow sovereign citizen Helen Delaney and her passenger Luke Simpson were filmed during a traffic stop in Coffs Harbour, with the woman also using the bizarre claim that she and her passenger were not driving – but “travelling”.

After a lengthy argument, a police officer eventually broke the car window before unlocking the door and pulling Ms Delaney from the vehicle, while copping a foul-mouthed spray from the passenger filming the ordeal.

Earlier in January, video footage also captured the moment an unhinged – and unlicensed – Australian sovereign citizen was dragged from her car after an embarrassing showdown with police officers in the Gold Coast.