Headlight flashing faces test as free speech in FL

[BoberFett]

If the objective is to reduce speed, flashing lights achieves that. The effective presence an officer has on reducing speed is extended.

The police state, however, doesn't care about the practical benefits. All they see is a threat to their secrecy. Well f' them. I say our country's public servants require transparency.

:thumbsup:

 

[BoberFett]

So this initiative to criminalize light flashing is insane. It's a good thing our second amendment rights protect us from such behavior. Oh, wait . . .

Only Perknose could turn this into a second amendment issue.

***Good thing we have people like him protecting the forum from trolls.***

The first sentence is okay, but referring to moderators in this manner (demarked by the *** that I added) is a mod call-out which is explicitly against the rules, and will generally earn the poster vacation time. -Admin DrPizza

 

[dmcowen674]

Well just like recording audio or video of an officer endangers their safety and is a felony in some states so is flashing the lights.

Clearly this person must be imprisoned for such a heinous offense.

 

[zsdersw]

I don't know what has happened to the people down here, maybe it's all the transplants from the last few years, but five years ago the average speed in between cities was about 85-90, last weekend going only 75-80 I wasn't passed by anyone, and passed several clusters of cars until I hit the Louisiana border. Lots of those slow pokes were in the left lane with no intention of moving, acting as if there wasn't another car on the road.

http://www.leftlanedrivers.org/

I got the "Slower Traffic --->" decal for my car. It's been more effective than I thought it would be.

 

[SparkyJJO]

Only times I ever flash my lights are to signal merging traffic that they can come over (semi truck for example), or when some guy has his brights in blinding the crap out of everyone as a reminder to turn the darn things off, or at any one of the jerks who puts those HID kits in their stock reflector housings.

I never flash my lights to warn of a cop ahead. That's stupid. If the person wants to break the law, he's fully aware of the consequences of doing so. I'm not going to aid someone in breaking the law, no matter how trivial it might be.

 

[HomerJS]

The whole purpose of speed traps is to get people to slow down to the speed determined to be safe for the road.

Flashing headlights gets people to slow down to the speed determined to be safe for the road.

Same exact result: safer driving.

Why are you opposed to encouraging safer driving? Are you hurt that judges won't have as much ticket revenue to put into their retirement accounts?

The purpose of speed traps is revenue

The purpose of open/visible police presence on the side of road is to get people to slow down

 

[Craig234]

The purpose of speed traps is revenue

The purpose of open/visible police presence on the side of road is to get people to slow down

I don't buy that 'the purpose of speed traps is revenue'. I'll buy that sometimes it is; others it's for safety; there can be both motives.

What if officers were doing a prostitution sting, or a bait car, or a drug buying sting, and someone started warning everyone in the area to prevent them doing it?

At what point is it 'interfering with a police operation' and a crime?

I think the people who want to warn others of a 'speed trap', to the extent they ignore the issue of safety the tickets help with, are idiots. It reminds me of the sympathy a lot more people used to have for drunk drivers, treating it like some big joke. It's misplaced sympathy with people who put others' safety at risk illegally.

The issue, however, is whether this is 'free speech'. Arguably, it is 'speech', it's communicating a message the same as if they held up a 'cop ahead' sign.

I'm tempted to say 'it's wrong to warn the speeders, but it's free speech'. But that 'interfering with police operations' is an issue, too.

This is one of those times it'd be hard as a Supreme Court Justice weighing the different interests. I have a hard time explaining why the flashing light warning is any different than yelling about "it's a bait car!", why the latter 'seems' more prosecutable. When in doubt, which I am, err with free speech, but I don't feel great about this position to say 'protect the right to interfere with the speed enforcement'.

Let's make the issue moot, by requiring devices attached to all cars with GPS's and speed trackers that report all illegal speeding automatically. Happy now?

 

[xj0hnx]

I don't buy that 'the purpose of speed traps is revenue'. I'll buy that sometimes it is; others it's for safety; there can be both motives.

It is NOTHING but a revenue generating tactic, it has NOTHING to do with safety. If they were out for safety, they would just cruise the highways at the speed limit, them hiding to bust speeders isn't doing anything to make the road safer. Once they pull someone over there's no longer anything keeping others from speeding as it would if they were cruising with traffic.

What if officers were doing a prostitution sting, or a bait car, or a drug buying sting, and someone started warning everyone in the area to prevent them doing it?

You can't seriously be comparing speeding to prostitution, or car theft?

 

[LTC8K6]

I have pretty much given up on flashing my lights. It's a waste of my time, and it only wears out the switch. People are oblivious. They drive like they are in their living room watching Oprah. I just work my way around them and go on about my business.

Even for speed traps, it's clear from the blank looks that the drivers have no clue why I am flashing my lights.

What if officers were doing a prostitution sting, or a bait car, or a drug buying sting, and someone started warning everyone in the area to prevent them doing it?

Everybody in the area does send out a warning. Only the densest dolts still manage to get arrested.

 

[xj0hnx]

I have pretty much given up on flashing my lights. It's a waste of my time, and it only wears out the switch. People are oblivious. They drive like they are in their living room watching Oprah. I just work my way around them and go on about my business.

So true. It seems to have gotten dramatically worse in the last decade. It is mind boggling the way so many people are so are off in their little world, and so inconsiderate, and oblivious to everyone else on the road. the biggest problem by far is cell phones though, imo the ticket for using a cell phone while operating a vehicle should be akin to driving without insurance, or DUI.

 

[zsdersw]

Of all the risks to safety that occur when driving, speed is among the least. What matters a lot more than speed is a myriad of conditions: road, traffic, weather, vehicle, presence of pedestrians... all of those things play a much bigger role in determining what speed is "safe" than what the posted speed limit is.

Many people are a bigger threat to safety at 65mph on the freeway than others are at 80-90mph. Why? It almost always boils down to them not paying attention or their vehicle isn't suited for that speed, either by design or poor maintenance.

If I had a dime for every person I've seen pulled over for speeding on a clear day with dry roads and light traffic I'd be rich. If I had a dime for every person I've seen pulled over for not having their headlights on in dense fog or around town at night I'd be poor.

 

[DrPizza]

Too bad there isn't an app for the iphone so that you could send a text to everyone nearby who are driving.

 

[Fenixgoon]

I don't buy that 'the purpose of speed traps is revenue'. I'll buy that sometimes it is; others it's for safety; there can be both motives.

What if officers were doing a prostitution sting, or a bait car, or a drug buying sting, and someone started warning everyone in the area to prevent them doing it?

At what point is it 'interfering with a police operation' and a crime?

I think the people who want to warn others of a 'speed trap', to the extent they ignore the issue of safety the tickets help with, are idiots. It reminds me of the sympathy a lot more people used to have for drunk drivers, treating it like some big joke. It's misplaced sympathy with people who put others' safety at risk illegally.

The issue, however, is whether this is 'free speech'. Arguably, it is 'speech', it's communicating a message the same as if they held up a 'cop ahead' sign.

I'm tempted to say 'it's wrong to warn the speeders, but it's free speech'. But that 'interfering with police operations' is an issue, too.

This is one of those times it'd be hard as a Supreme Court Justice weighing the different interests. I have a hard time explaining why the flashing light warning is any different than yelling about "it's a bait car!", why the latter 'seems' more prosecutable. When in doubt, which I am, err with free speech, but I don't feel great about this position to say 'protect the right to interfere with the speed enforcement'.

Let's make the issue moot, by requiring devices attached to all cars with GPS's and speed trackers that report all illegal speeding automatically. Happy now?

i do, for the most part.

just about anywhere i go, police cars typically disrupt the flow of traffic. if everyone is moving at similar speeds and maintaining sufficient distance between cars, there really isn't much a risk (assuming you are not in a residential area, etc.).

i also just got a fine from a speed camera. it's setup on a downhill section of road, and was active at 230am in the morning when there was barely anyone else on the road with me. the only thing that will do is make me avoid that section of road.

and of course, redlight cameras are the most egregious offenders, with numerous reports of municipalities shortening yellow-light times in order to increase the number of red light camera tickets. luckily i live in a relatively rural area with none around.

now if you happen to be moving well above what the rest of traffic is, sure, cops should pull your ass over. but every time i see a speed trap, traffic tends to slam on the brakes in order to slow down to the speed limit.

 

[alkemyst]

It is NOTHING but a revenue generating tactic, it has NOTHING to do with safety. If they were out for safety, they would just cruise the highways at the speed limit, them hiding to bust speeders isn't doing anything to make the road safer. Once they pull someone over there's no longer anything keeping others from speeding as it would if they were cruising with traffic.



You can't seriously be comparing speeding to prostitution, or car theft?

It depends, I will say it's mostly revenue though as well...esp down here we have speed traps set up on merge ramps. A cop hides behind the retaining wall...radars oncoming traffic (not those merging though, the traffic that will pass by)...at the end of the merge is where 3-5 cops just wait on both sides of the road and pull people over left and right.

The problem is those that are trying to merge dont know what to do, those driving by are serving over...there are tons of near misses and offroad driving. I call the FHP everytime and complain. I doubt it helps, but screw them.

 

[Orignal Earl]

Around here, you can call into the local radio station and report the speed trap.
They announce the location of the traps all the time.

 

[child of wonder]

Speeding is directly comparable to stealing and raping.

No because stealing and rape costs the police money... they have to investigate, pursue suspects, send the case to court, blah, blah, blah.

They would rather focus on getting that sweet, sweet ticket money. Oh yeah...

 

[child of wonder]

i do, for the most part.

just about anywhere i go, police cars typically disrupt the flow of traffic. if everyone is moving at similar speeds and maintaining sufficient distance between cars, there really isn't much a risk (assuming you are not in a residential area, etc.).

i also just got a fine from a speed camera. it's setup on a downhill section of road, and was active at 230am in the morning when there was barely anyone else on the road with me. the only thing that will do is make me avoid that section of road.

and of course, redlight cameras are the most egregious offenders, with numerous reports of municipalities shortening yellow-light times in order to increase the number of red light camera tickets. luckily i live in a relatively rural area with none around.

now if you happen to be moving well above what the rest of traffic is, sure, cops should pull your ass over. but every time i see a speed trap, traffic tends to slam on the brakes in order to slow down to the speed limit.

It's gets very frustrating to be on my way to work in the morning and suddenly the flow of traffic comes to almost a grinding halt. After 20 minutes of creeping along at 10-20mph I come to discover that the cause of the slow down is because Highway Patrol has pulled someone over for speeding up ahead.

Now we'll all be late to work because my state can't budget worth a shit, wastes the huge amount of tax money it already gets from us, so has to make sure cops are out pulling people over in record numbers to increase revenue. It's disgusting.

 

[dullard]

The purpose of open/visible police presence on the side of road is to get people to slow down

I just said that in your quote. Did you quote the wrong person?

The flashing lights gets people to slow down. Perfect, now everyone is happy!

 

[zsdersw]

Exceeding the speed limit is yet another victimless crime the prosecution and prevention of which is something we as a country waste far too many public resources on.

 

[Howard]

God damn it, I keep reading "Headlight flashing feces".

 

[Lemon law]

How is blinking lights considered "speech".

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Have you ever taken a course in Physics? Assuming you have not, the speed of light is about 186,280 miles per second, Converting that into miles per hour yields over 670 million miles per hour. Now if that is not an excuse for the cops to puill you over, we might as well not have a speed limit.

 

[Darwin333]

Let's make the issue moot, by requiring devices attached to all cars with GPS's and speed trackers that report all illegal speeding automatically. Happy now?

Sadly I am not sure if you are serious or not.

 

[a777pilot]

Every year in this country we kill around 40,000 on the roads. This is no big deal. So go ahead speed. Go ahead drink or do drugs and drive. It's your right. If an innocent child dies, who cares, they should have gotten out of the way .

 

[SparkyJJO]

I've been told that I am a severe "road hazard" since I don't speed. That can clog traffic and/or cause someone to get rear ended because they had to slow down because of me.

Well, if others weren't breaking the law in the first place and were driving the speed limit, we wouldn't have these "risks" now would we?

 

[bfdd]

i always flash my lights if someone doesnt have their lights on. Will I get in trouble now?

I've had a cop do that to me, he should have gave himself a ticket.