Onlookers and online users have expressed support for a traffic police officer who was abused by a woman on a busy Hong Kong road on Sunday (Nov 13), reported the South China Morning Post.

A video of the incident surfaced on local media on Monday and went viral, attracting almost 200,000 views.

The three-minute clip showed the woman verbally abusing the officer after her vehicle was stopped and she was issued a penalty for making an illegal U-turn on Des Voeux Road West.

The irate female passenger hurried the officer, claiming she was rushing to get to Queen Mary Hospital.

"Writing a few words took an hour. Are you crazy? Do you need me to teach you?" she said.

"B**tard... you waste taxpayers' money. How much money do you earn a month?

"(You) deserve to be a (junior) cop for the rest of your life. Pauper!" she said as the car drove off.

Onlookers and online spectators expressed condemnation at the woman's behaviour and showed support for the traffic police officer.

"Don't worry sir. We all can testify for you," one onlooker said in the video footage.

"Thank goodness she wasn't dealing with American cops. HK cops are too lenient," a Facebook user Samuel Mui commented.

Some, however, gave her the benefit of the doubt.

"What if she really is in a hurry and her family is dying? Why waste an hour on it?" user Justin Lo wrote.

The Junior Police Officers' Association commended the senior constable for his calm demeanour during the incident.

"He followed the guidelines and performed excellent while exercising his duty at the time of the incident," association chairman Joe Chan Cho-kwong said.

He added that people shouting abuse at police could be arrested for obstructing an officer in the execution of their duties, if they did not stop after a warning.