Interesting court case in Florida. Outcome will be interesting. Ever flashed your lights to tell another driver about a patrol car running radar? I have.

 

http://content.usatoday.net/dist/custom/gci/InsidePage.aspx?cId=cincinnati&sParam=50458176.story

I flash my lights for other drivers from time to time...but honestly I've also done it because there were deer close to the road.

 

I was always told it was illegal, never sure if that was true or not.

I've never flashed my lights to warn of a police officer... I've flashed to warn of a wreck or stopped traffic, just to alert the driver to slow down or possibly look for another route.

I've always been told it's against the law to do so.....:idunno:

I've flashed my lights to warn others about accidents/stopped traffic ahead as well as cops with their radar guns out. Makes sense that they can ticket you for flashing them though, really. Kindof a jerk move, on their part, but that seems to be a common characteristic when it comes to the cops who spend their days sitting in a car trying to make a bad day for the everyday people.

I thought it states in the traffic book that your are to flash your lights if an oncoming car has their brights on to let them know to turn them off.

This is one of my pet peeves. Why would you warn someone who could end up killing someone else because they're stupid and want to drive faster than the speed limit? I'm not talking about 5-10 MPH over, I'm talking about the clowns who think they're NASCAR or Formula One drivers going 20+ over the speed limit.

They are prosecuting this as "obstruction of a law enforcement operation," or some such despotically broad language. I never flash my lights, but there shouldn't be anything illegal about warning your fellow citizens.

How do you prove want you were flashing your lights at?

The courts in Fla. have rule it is not illegal.

If the intent of radar guns is to improve the safety on the roads by having drivers drive slower;then flashing lights at motorist, in effect, makes people slow down and makes the roads "safer."

 

Really what this is all about is revenue.

Unless the state says there is some bad result that can happen as a result of one's headlights being flashed there is ZERO chance this isn't a Freedom of Speech violation. If the reason for the ticket was because they were mad that fewer cars would be zipping by then one could say they would also write a ticket for shouting "police ahead" or holding up a sign that says "Speed trap ahead."

 

So, is there a potential hazardous result that could occur with the day-time flashing of headlights to warn motorists?

Unless the state says there is some bad result that can happen as a result of one's headlights being flashed there is ZERO chance this isn't a Freedom of Speech violation. If the reason for the ticket was because they were mad that fewer cars would be zipping by then one could say they would also write a ticket for shouting "police ahead" or holding up a sign that says "Speed trap ahead."

 

So, is there a potential hazardous result that could occur with the day-time flashing of headlights to warn motorists?

I-65 need a billboard when you cross into IN letting you know whether or not they are preying on out-of-towners that day.

I've never flashed my lights to warn of a police officer... I've flashed to warn of a wreck or stopped traffic, just to alert the driver to slow down or possibly look for another route.

 

Agreed, traffic hazards such as a wreck, deer or what not but that's it.

I've always been against the practice of flashing your lights to warn oncoming cars because you never know who you are warning. The police may be sitting there looking for a stolen car, a kidnapped child, a bank robber, a drunk driver, someone who was reported to be in that area. To me, it seems you are interfering in police business whether or not it's just a speed trap.

Interesting court case in Florida. Outcome will be interesting. Ever flashed your lights to tell another driver about a patrol car running radar? I have.

 

http://content.usatoday.net/dist/custom/gci/InsidePage.aspx?cId=cincinnati&sParam=50458176.story

 

I have too, but I didn't know it was against the law.