When I was first learning to drive here in Texas, I was told that it was illegal to flash your lights to warn oncoming traffic that there was a hidden traffic cop up ahead. My friend said that this was not true, giving the explanation that “we as citizens always have the right to know that we are being monitored, unless specific, special permission has been granted” or something like that. The only other time I can think of being surreptitiously monitored by the police off the top of my head is when plain clothes police are mingling with the big crowds during festivals and stuff like that. So is it illegal to warn your average joe driving down the highway or your average joe walking around the big festival that they are presently being monitored by the police?
I have no idea if it is illegal or not to flash lights as a warning to others but I must admit that I take a perverse pleasure in helping to diminish the tickets given by a cop who is hiding out at his favorite “fishing hole”.
If done during the daylight hours I can see no valid reason why this should not be allowed. They are MY lights and I will turn them on ond off as I see fit.
During night time when lights are required, flashing your brights at an oncoming car is a citable offense in my state. I know this because I have been pulled over for “flashing” an oncoming cop who forgot to dim his lights. Forget the fact that if the situation had been reversed, he could have pulled me over for failing to dim MY brights…
At night, the only other option for warning others that I can concieve would be to quickly turn your lights off and back on very quickly as you would to warn a driver that he needs to turn on his lights. For obvious reasons, this is not recommended.
The statutues that cover this generally fall under the interfering with the duties of an officer. I was in traffic court helping someone a few weeks ago. There were about 10 folks in there to contest tickets they received for notifying other drivers that there were police officers on patrol. The judge reduced all but one to non moving violations but they all were told not to do it again. One kid tried to argue constitutional law with the judge and he lost.
Your Honor,I flash my lights at every car I pass for the sake of highway safety.
Note that under the Patriot Act, federal agents have the power to review library records to see who’s checked out what, and the librarians are prohibited from telling you if your file’s been accessed.
Not related to the whole flashing-your-headlights-to-warn-people question, but I thought I’d share this interesting story out of Springfield, IL.
A few months back, the local PD set up one of those stings where they send you an invitation in the mail to some function of some kind. Thing is, all the recipients of these invitations are wanted for outstanding warrants, so when they show up at the appointed place, they’re cuffed and booked, etc.
Well, on the day of the big sting, the girlfriend of one of the warrantees (is that the right word?) was made by her boyfriend to wait in the car while he went in to claim whatever it was his invitation promised him. She got wise when she saw, through the rear-view mirror, her boyfriend leaving the place in cuffs through a side door.
So, the well-meaning gf took it upon herself to warn everyone approaching the building that it was a police sting :eek:! A few people heeded her warnings and high-tailed it out of there before the local PD got wise. She was arrested. :wally
No clue what they charged her with. Obstruction of justice, maybe?
If you want to pay to register and search the archives, you can find the story at the State Journal-Register Website.
IANAL, but I’d guess the girl in HeyHomie’s post is in more trouble than someone flashing their headlights. The people the police were trying to catch in that case had already commited their crimes, been arrested, and had outstanding warrants. So the girl was essentially making herself an accessory after tha fact in whatever crimes they had been charged with; if they accumulated the charges against her, she could conceivably end up facing more time than any of the individuals she warned.
To me the police should be doing the radar zones in a clear and unubstucted view, and allow radio stations to broadcast the locations ,which would allow motorists to reduce to legal speed.
Should the police have their vehicle in a obscure or hidden location then its fair game in my opinion to warn oncoming vehicles.
Declan