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What's Normal? - Do you flash your lights to warn other drivers of police? (1 Viewer)

Do you flash your lights to warn other drivers of police?

  • Yes

    Votes: 54 34.4%

  • No

    Votes: 103 65.6%
  • Total voters
    157
Nope. But I’ll do it when someone is driving like an ***. Let them think there’s a cop or at least get their attention.
 
  • Like
Reactions: SWC
Yes, but that's because I tend to speed myself. It's helped me a time or two when someone else does it.

Somehow, I've avoided a ticket for the last 5-7 years. Averaged a ticket every other year for most of life prior to that. It gets expensive.
 
I voted no but I use to as well.

Nowadays I run Waze in my truck even if I'm driving local just to get the Police notifications.
 
In The Zone said:
I voted no but I use to as well.

Nowadays I run Waze in my truck even if I'm driving local just to get the Police notifications.
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Same here. I actually hadn't thought about flashing my lights for a while and then just figured it was because of Waze. Not my problem if people aren't smart enough to use Waze to get them through a long drive.

We had a 3.5-hour drive yesterday and my wife semi-scolded me for passing the Mercedes that was sporting a radar detector. Pfffft.......that ancient thing? HA! I don't need that, I got Waze baby!!!

It's 90 MPH here on out and I AM GOOD! See ya loser.
 
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I do - but far less than before. I never do it on the highway or on roads where people generally drive a little crazy anymore. That's on you at that point. Some areas I drive regularly will put cops in areas where the speed limit drops rapidly. I'll flash around those areas because I grew up in a town like that - they ticket for revenue, not safety.
 
Not sure why it should ever be illegal.

Isn't the point of speed traps to get people to slow down? If the drivers are doing it to each other and the primary goal is achieved, why the ire? Makes it look like they are doing it to collect fines, not enforce the law and protect the public.
 
Yes, I do this pretty frequently. I know it's illegal, and that makes me more inclined to flash my lights as a matter of principle, because I see this as a straightforward first amendment issue. Also it feels good to warn fellow motorists that there is a speed trap coming up. So I have two mutually-reinforcing reasons for doing this.
 
Dezbelief said:
STEADYMOBBIN 22 said:
2) I think it’s a fineable offense.
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I thought I read several years ago about a case going all the way to the Supreme Court and flashing your lights to warn other drivers of police ahead is covered under freedom of speech.
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Correct. A cop might still pull you over and may try and give you a ticket for it, but it'll almost certainly get thrown out. Doesn't mean they won't stop you and try and find something else, but the actual flashing of the lights isn't fineable.
 
Growing up, my buddy's house was on this stretch of road that was a long straightaway, and it was pretty tough to not speed. Definitely our high school drag race location. The local cops would set up to catch speeders, across from my buddy's house, so my buddy always knew when a cop was there. His older brother handed down a little hustle to us: One of us would post up before the straightaway. with a sign that said RADAR. The other one would go to the bend after the straightaway, and would accept tips with another sign.

We used to clean up. Two hours kept us in candy and soda for days.
 
massraider said:
Growing up, my buddy's house was on this stretch of road that was a long straightaway, and it was pretty tough to not speed. Definitely our high school drag race location. The local cops would set up to catch speeders, across from my buddy's house, so my buddy always knew when a cop was there. His older brother handed down a little hustle to us: One of us would post up before the straightaway. with a sign that said RADAR. The other one would go to the bend after the straightaway, and would accept tips with another sign.

We used to clean up. Two hours kept us in candy and soda for days.
Click to expand...
There are some kids on my street that do that. Now they use Venmo on the sign.
 
Ron Swanson said:
massraider said:
Growing up, my buddy's house was on this stretch of road that was a long straightaway, and it was pretty tough to not speed. Definitely our high school drag race location. The local cops would set up to catch speeders, across from my buddy's house, so my buddy always knew when a cop was there. His older brother handed down a little hustle to us: One of us would post up before the straightaway. with a sign that said RADAR. The other one would go to the bend after the straightaway, and would accept tips with another sign.

We used to clean up. Two hours kept us in candy and soda for days.
Click to expand...
There are some kids on my street that do that. Now they use Venmo on the sign.
Click to expand...
Tell you what, EVERYONE over-tips in this scenario, :ROFLMAO: :moneybag:
 
What bothers me is that after radar guns came out lots of places passed speed trap laws that police routinely ignore now but are still on the books. One law in Texas requires police to have on at least their parking lights when using a radar gun at night. I also wonder if the old laws about radar guns also apply to the lasers cops are using now.
 
Is this another regional thing? I'm out west and don't think I've ever been flashed, nor have I ever thought to do it. SF Bay Area drivers are very aggressive and selfish for the most part though.
 
Also, where I come from, flashing your headlights at people used to be associated with some sort of gang initiation thing. So like, you flash your headlights, you might get shot. May or not be urban legend.
 
Scoresman said:
Also, where I come from, flashing your headlights at people used to be associated with some sort of gang initiation thing. So like, you flash your headlights, you might get shot. May or not be urban legend.
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I live in the rural part of the upper Midwest, so I think I'm probably safe here.
 
Scoresman said:
Also, where I come from, flashing your headlights at people used to be associated with some sort of gang initiation thing. So like, you flash your headlights, you might get shot. May or not be urban legend.
Click to expand...
Thats only if the other car had their lights off.....

Do you even Crip, bro?
 
I always do this as I feel it's just common courtesy. As someone above said, it then serves the purpose of the speed trap without someone paying out the nose for a ticket. I have found that it is far less frequent coming back the other way these days. I can't remember the last time someone did this for me.

For those saying the cop can pull you over for doing this I am wondering the logistics of this. Typically when I participate in this activity the cop is way behind me (and typically stopped) so how would they have any idea what I am doing with my brights? A quick flip a couple times isn't going to do anything to trigger the cop in most cases. I have never even thought about a cop coming after me for that.
 
belljr said:
Scoresman said:
Also, where I come from, flashing your headlights at people used to be associated with some sort of gang initiation thing. So like, you flash your headlights, you might get shot. May or not be urban legend.
Click to expand...
Thats only if the other car had their lights off.....

Do you even Crip, bro?
Click to expand...
True, but its funny how many people I know are scared to flash their lights for any reason because of this.

It's moot here in Oregon. Pretty sure the police here are still not enforcing traffic violations, so nobody cares if a cop is around.
 
Jayrod said:
Dezbelief said:
STEADYMOBBIN 22 said:
2) I think it’s a fineable offense.
Click to expand...
I thought I read several years ago about a case going all the way to the Supreme Court and flashing your lights to warn other drivers of police ahead is covered under freedom of speech.
Click to expand...
The wikipedia link above says as much.
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Unless I'm reading it errantly, the link says it went to the federal court (likely the district that Missouri is in). As such, that's not a Supreme Court decision and therefore not binding on all states. In my state, I could definitely see an obstruction of justice charge or a violation of the traffic code.
 
Jayrod said:
Yes, but that's because I tend to speed myself. It's helped me a time or two when someone else does it.

Somehow, I've avoided a ticket for the last 5-7 years. Averaged a ticket every other year for most of life prior to that. It gets expensive.
Click to expand...
I don’t, though I like your logic.

I also am a frequent offender, in part because I think unchanging speed limits in the face of improved auto technology are a farce. I‘ve accepted tickets and higher insurance premiums as part of my cost of living, though like you, I’ve had a several year ticketless stretch.
 
Dezbelief said:
What bothers me is that after radar guns came out lots of places passed speed trap laws that police routinely ignore now but are still on the books. One law in Texas requires police to have on at least their parking lights when using a radar gun at night. I also wonder if the old laws about radar guns also apply to the lasers cops are using now.
Click to expand...
I bet ~90% of speeding tickets are primarily for revenue. Watch how cops drive when their blues aren’t flashing. Almost all of them speed, if they can get around the traffic charade created by everyone slowing down, when they notice a police car on the roadway.

Also, I really hate homeowners who install blue yard lights.

Lastly, anyone have personal experience being pulled over/ticketed for light flashing? Seems extremely unlikely.
 
I voted yes. I Used to do it much more frequently but will still do it if I notice in time, especially if I notice the police being sneaky and no lights on.
 
Sand said:
gianmarco said:
Correct. A cop might still pull you over and may try and give you a ticket for it, but it'll almost certainly get thrown out. Doesn't mean they won't stop you and try and find something else, but the actual flashing of the lights isn't fineable.
Click to expand...
The process is the punishment. We see this time and time again with government.
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Aside from revenue, the obnoxiously slow process is the secondary goal of tickets imo. Just run my plates, give me the ticket and let me resume speeding, please.
 
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