When van driver Lawrence Harvey threatened another motorist in a bout of "road rage" his luck was out.
It transpired his victim was an off-duty police officer and now Harvey has been landed with a £3,000 bill.
Bristol Crown Court heard Harvey grabbed a rusty metal pole after shouting at PC Benjamin Spence following a driving incident in Station Road, Staple Hill.
The officer reported the encounter and when police pulled Harvey over they found he had a black-handled axe and a silver baseball bat in his vehicle.
Father-of-three Harvey, 36, of Gloucester Road in Staple Hill, pleaded guilty to possessing an offensive weapon on December 8 last year.
Judge Julian Lambert handed him a four month jail term suspended for two years.
He told Harvey: "You have children and you are a family man.
"I have absolutely no idea what got into you that day.
"You threatened another motorist with a weapon.
"Threatening someone with a weapon is utterly outrageous."
The judge ordered Harvey to pay £1,000 compensation, a £1,500 fine and £500 costs to be paid in that order.
He added: "If you come back before me you are lost."
Gregory Gordon, prosecuting, said after an incident on the road Harvey verbally abused PC Spence, held the pole aloft and told him: "What the f*** are you going to do?"
The court heard the off-duty officer feared for his life and felt other drivers would have equally been shocked.
The officer identified himself as a policeman before Harvey drove off at speed.
He told police he heard a horn, the officer swore at him and "in a moment of madness" he went to scare him and shut him up.
Alistair Haggerty, defending, said his client was remorseful and disappointed by his behaviour.
Mr Haggerty told the court: "It was a very brief incident.
"He has seen the officer since and apologised."
