Driver gets ticket for flashing lights

[specelec]

A lot of people have had questions about doing this, and here is a recent news story about what can happen.

washingtonpost.com

[hockey005]

freedom of speech man i hate the flashing lights bs

[9500ier]

I had never heard of (nor seen) someone flashing back in gratitude. That is interesting about the adjective vs. verb opinion. I need to re-read the FL statutes.

[JDS]

Ticketing people for warning other drivers is seriously creepy Stasi-like behavior. It sets a REALLY bad precedent.

[snoopyc4]

Thats just wrong

[Stealth Stalker]

Pulling them over for it = Right

Writing tickets for it = Wrong

[noTe]

I was pulled over a long time ago for doing this on a side road. LEO was coming up behind me and my friend ahead of me was speeding.

I explained to the LEO that my friend was ahead of me and I wanted him to slow down because I was following him back to the highway due to not being from that side of town.

He let me go without any ticket.... lol.

[MEM-TEK]

I might have messed up on my number ordering, but here the response that I posted to the article:

This is an absolute riot for several reasons:

First, the second driver merely flashing his lights back at the other driver was obviously conveying, "thanks" which is an act of speech and is protected by our First Amendment.

Second, the obvious intent of the law regarding flashing lights is that only police and other emergency vehicles may be equipped with flashing lights.

Third, the claim that simply and momentarily flashing one's lights to indicate the presence of law enforcement in no way actually interferes with any type of police investigation since no interference occurred with the operation of any type of police speed measurement technology.

Fifth, and this is the really ludicrous point regarding a possible interference with a police investigation charge is that:

Sixth, law enforcement agencies across the nation claim that speed enforcement is all about saving lives, when instead most of us realize that the primary motivation is revenue. After all, revenue from speeding tickets is a 35 billion dollar a year industry for local governments and insurance companies. Thats right -- BILLION, not million.

Seventh, if highway safety was law enforcement's primary motivating factor for speeding tickets, then law enforcement would encourage motorists to notifiy other motorists to slow down for greater highway safety.

Eighth, if highway safety was law enforcement's primary goal, then law enforcement officers and legislators alike would encourage motorists to use radar detectors since the only function which a radar detector provides is to notify the driver when law enforcement is actively enforcing speed limits. In short, a radar detector is nothing but a warning device which warns a driver when a police officer has his radar gun turned on.

Ninth, if highway safety was law enforcement's primary goal, then law enforcement would leave their radar guns turned on all of the time. This would let motorists with radar detectors know that law enforcement is present in the general area. When those motorists, using radar detectors, slow down then most likely all other nearby motorists would slow down too and obey the posted speed limit.

And, finally, number Ten! Law enforcement in many locales can NOT deny, especially in these trying economic times, that more pressure is being put upon them to generate revenue to make up for local government budget shortfalls. Quota systems are still in effect. The only thing which has changed is that law enforcement agencies no longer use the word "quota" in any of their internal memos.

There you have it.

-- Captain Insano

[primehifi]

Fourth?

[Lucky225]

Fourth?

That's the amendment number violated daily