Flashing your lights to warn of speed trap is LEGAL FREE SPEECH!

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gregpurcell

Greg Purcell
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I also believe the police can ticket you if you were to walk down the street and drop quarters into parking meters that are running low on time.
 
"If you're at the gas station on the corner and someone says 'Hey be careful over there, there's a speed trap,' that's protected speech. You can't be ticketed for that. This is no different," Tony Rothert, an attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union, told Fox 2.

A federal judge has ruled that you can't be ticketed for that. Read more:
http://autos.aol.com/article/warning-drivers-of-speed-traps-with-flashing-headlights-is-free/

read about a judge throwing a ticket for a warning by flashing a few years ago.. maybe that was a local judge and it finally went federal..
 
Of course it won't prevent the cops from giving you a ticket for any other infractions that he can find while having you pulled over for flashing!! Can't tell you how many times I got pulled over in my town for that pesky license plate light on my old 71 dodge truck! Finally told the cop to just write me a ticket so I could fight it proper, as it didnt have one and was never gonna get one!! Heck, what are those spotlights for anyway?? If you can't see a license plate with one of those puppy's shining on it, maybe you shouldn't be a cop!!

I think its called "probable cause"!!!......
 
Of course it won't prevent the cops from giving you a ticket for any other infractions that he can find while having you pulled over for flashing!! Can't tell you how many times I got pulled over in my town for that pesky license plate light on my old 71 dodge truck! Finally told the cop to just write me a ticket so I could fight it proper, as it didnt have one and was never gonna get one!! Heck, what are those spotlights for anyway?? If you can't see a license plate with one of those puppy's shining on it, maybe you shouldn't be a cop!!

I think its called "probable cause"!!!......

Pulling someone over for a reason that isn't illegal aka a "Terry Stop" is illegal in order to find other things that may be "illegal".
 
Pulling someone over for a reason that isn't illegal aka a "Terry Stop" is illegal in order to find other things that may be "illegal".



It might be illegal, but it's like any other ticket...........how much money do you have, and how much are you willing to spend to prove a point? Even though no judge, and no persecutor would ever admit this, this IS the way things work, and the cops are at the top of the food chain.
 
A few years back I had a new '07 truck and at night had an oncoming car flash his brights at me. I didn't have my brights on but hit the brights for just a second to show him my dims were on. Well it was a MI state trooper. He did a quick U turn and lit me up. After the license and insurance check was over he asked me if I knew why he pulled me over. I said I had no idea and he asked me if I was trying to blind him. Of course I said no I just was showing you that I didn't have my brights on. He told me "flashing" brights is against the law. I said why did you do it to me? He handed me my stuff back and told me to think twice before I do it again. I'm an old guy and for as long as I can remember people always flashed their brights to let the other driver know they were being offensive.
 
Years ago, I "didn't" get stopped.

I'm going up this hill in my beat up FJ-40. Back in those days I had "landing lights" (4537s) I also tried to be careful with blinding people, and resolved to "give them 3 chances"

Again of me, going up this hill are THREE other cars. A car is approaching, brights on. The first car flashed his lights. The second car flashed his lights. The THIRD car flashed his lights. "Well," I said, "that was three chances." So I flashed the landing lights.

The approaching car STILL did not dim, and as he went by me, this was a STATE COP.
 
Can we change the "signal" to girls flashing their chests instead of flashing lights????
 
Cops can stop you for nearly anything, these days.

My mom was stopped because a cop liked her car. She was kinda pissed, but let it slide.

Every ticket I've ever been given, I've taken to court and had it tossed.

I think it has to do with dumb luck. Good luck taking out bad.

The last time I was pulled over and cited, the cop asked if I knew why he pulled me over. I said no. He told me that one taillight on the truck I was driving was slightly different in color. I asked if they were both still red. He said yes. He then said that he didn't like that I had a keg of beer in the back and I looked suspicious.

I said that the keg was strapped down and I was sober and of age. He asked where I was taking it and after I told him that I was headed back to my house, I said he could stop by after work and have a beer, if he was thirsty. He said that if it weren't falling under a bribe situation, he'd be awful tempted after laughing. He still cited me, because my insurance card had worn out in my wallet and he couldn't get a number off of it that he needed to clear his computer, but was nice enough to give me the name of the D.A. to talk to, so I didn't have to show up to court to get it removed.
 
I was pulled over for a retired af plate frame could not believe it. I also have a disabled military plate. The trooper showed me the reg in the PA code book and if any part of the plate is covered it is illegal.
 
I was pulled over for a retired af plate frame could not believe it. I also have a disabled military plate. The trooper showed me the reg in the PA code book and if any part of the plate is covered it is illegal.

That's what I would call probable cause! They pull you over for something "technically" illegal (but very insignificant) and hope that you're in the "percentage" that's DUI, suspended, high, a fugitive, or any other larger infraction they can then charge you with!! BS!!!!
 
It might be illegal, but it's like any other ticket...........how much money do you have, and how much are you willing to spend to prove a point? Even though no judge, and no persecutor would ever admit this, this IS the way things work, and the cops are at the top of the food chain.

And are you willing to risk having your house torched, your head smashed, your children killed, and/or your wife raped?
 
Here it is legal to flash. Somebody had the balls to take it to court about a year and a half ago and won. Now a days it's just all about the money. Most of these cops just have big ego's. They forgot they are civil servant employees.
 
I once went to a hardware store in Royal Oak, MI and there were parking meters in the parking lot. I pay for a half hour, and go in. Well, got to looking around a little more than I had planned (I love hardware stores & parts stores!). I end up running 10 - 15 minutes late, and when I come out, there it is, a parking ticket and the meter maid only 3 or 4 cars past me.

This sucks! Well, I keep spare change in my ashtray, so I took all of my quarters and jumped about 5 cars ahead of the meter maid and started putting a quarter in every expired meter. (They are supposed to be able to ticket you for doing this if you're caught...) Luckily she didn't catch me, and I saved about a dozen people a parking ticket.

Why isn't it legal to be a "good citizen" and help someone out?


But I also liked the fact that for every quarter that I spent, the city lost $10 fine. They hit my pocket book, so I hit theirs. (Not to mention a quarter investment for a ten dollar payout is good turnover).
 
Oh, I forgot the best part of the story, The trooper thought I was on drugs. I hate to take asprin. I have Persian gulf syndrome (vertigo 24 7, and severe numbness on my left side) He was giving me the dui type checkout at 0930 on a wed. I almost fell over. My daughter was in the car and he was being such an *** I told him to bring me down and give me a blood test so we can get over this. He issued a formal warning for the plate frame that I ripped off while he was writing it. Gotta love it!
 
about the only time I flash my brights is if the car in front of me is too darn slow


[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rqhjyws5QpI"]Taxi 2 - YouTube[/ame]
 
I don't pull over for people who do that.... :finga:

That makes no sense. There are only three possible reasons for not yielding to a faster or more aggressive driver; ego, poor driving habits (ie:road hog), or just stupidity? None are very flattering, but, one is the obvious cause.

Actually, if you read your driver's manual, many states have a law that requires you to allow a car to pass. "Failure to yield" can get you a ticket. Besides that, it's simply courteous driving.

I usually drive at about 10 over the posted limit, on limited access highways, and rural roads, and about 5 miles over the limit elsewhere. I come across driver who refuse to yield, all the time. I will usually get around them eventually, and they're gone. Done, and out of my life. I don't let them upset me, but I do make sure my dash camera is on and recording their attempts to block me from passing, just in case anything happens.
It also records date and time (I'm looking at a dash camera set that has a GPS in it, and also records location and speed).

Also: Ever notice signs posted on the road side the read "Keep right except to pass", or "Slower traffic keep right"? These are signs that, when obeyed, will cause you to save yourself from a bruised ego, and possibly even a traffic accident, not to mention road rage from everyone around you.

It has nothing to do with "Right of way", either. In fact, when my kids were learning to drive, I used to tell them that when driving,"...there is no such thing as right of way, that's only a legal term, and does nothing to keep you safe or accident free. It merely assists in determining which party in an accident was more wrong".

I clock about 55,000 miles a year in driving tome, mostly in a pick up. I've found that when your in the position of having a faster, or more aggressive, driver who wishes to pass you, and to do so requires that you move to the next lane, at least momentarily, let him. What's the big deal?

Even your ego will get over it in just a few minutes, and, unless you are stupid enough to escalate the moment into something memorable, you probably wont even remember it happened by the time you get to where your going.
 
That makes no sense. There are only three possible reasons for not yielding to a faster or more aggressive driver; ego, poor driving habits (ie:road hog), or just stupidity? None are very flattering, but, one is the obvious cause.

[/I]I clock about 55,000 miles a year in driving tome, mostly in a pick up. I've found that when your in the position of having a faster or more aggressive driver who wishes to pass you, and to do so requires that you move to the next lane, at least momentarily, let him. What's the big deal?

Even your ego will get over it in just a few minutes, and, unless you are stupid enough to escalate the moment into something memorable, you probably wont even remember it happened by the time you get to where your going.



It's ego.


If I'm driving the speed limit or 5 over in the left lane, and someone comes up behind me, I will pull over into the right lane as soon as it's clear. I do not speed up to accomodate these people. I have found that if I move over for them before passing the slow vehicle, then before you know it 3, 4, 5 or more cars get behind him and won't let you in. I finish what I need to accomplish in the left lane and then get over.

When on my trip to Detroit on I-94 east starting at mile 41 in the right lane, the road is worn and it creates a bad harmonic vibration on my suspension, so I then drive in the left lane until the right lane smooths out. If I see someone that I think will pass quickly, then I will let them by and then go back in the left lane until I am past that "rough stretch".

I also don't yield right of way to people with their hands next to their head talking on a cell phone. HANG UP AND PAY ATTENTION! If you are waiting to turn out of a parking lot, not talking on the cell phone, and have a signal on so I know were you are going; I will stop and let you in (especially if I'm waiting at a red light - it won't delay me). If I see that you are talking on the cell phone, then I won't let you in. If you pull up behind me and I see you talking on the cell phone in my rearview mirror, I won't pull over, just stay in my lane at the same speed until you go around me. Too many of these idiots are too busy talking, they keep following behind me for miles even if it is clear to go around. PROOF that they are not paying attention to what's happening around them! They are clueless. My grandfather had a good saying that fits these people - "Wake up and die right!" And he died long before cell phones.

I don't like to talk on my cell while driving. It is a distraction. I know that I can't pay attention as well when I'm talking on the cell, than when I'm not. Especially with my hand up to my ear creating a blind spot. And for the times that I may have to talk, I have a blue tooth radio that I can use my cell phone hands free, but I do still like to keep it short for the distraction issue. I don't appreciate other drivers talking on the phone putting me at risk. You see it all the time about people getting killed running off the road while talking or especially texting. They are more dangerous than drunk drivers. At least the drunk is looking through beer goggles, the cell phone user is not even looking!

I do get a kick out of the guys that lean when talking on the cell phone. Why can't they just sit straight up and then put the phone to their ear? No, they have to lean over to the side that they are holding the phone up on. They lean toward the center of the car while talking with their right hands. Most of them don't even realize it.


Now if you are arrogant enough to come up behind me, ride my @ss and flash your lights; then I stay in that lane maintaining my same speed until you can get a chance to get around me. (I won't try to change lanes to block you) What makes YOU so special that I have to move out of YOUR way? You don't own the road, and I'm not obliged to let you by to keep speeding and endangering others.... If you just come up behind me and keep a safe following distance and not flash the brights, I will pull over as soon as I am passed the obstacles that I am passing.


Also, when I am in the left lane, and a truck signals to move in front of me, I will even hit my brakes and slow down until the back of their truck is clear of me and then flash my brights twice to signal them that it's ok to move over. As soon as they get by the slower vehicle in the right lane, they will move back over and let me by. I respect the truckers, they are trying to make their living. Those things are huge and difficult to handle, especially with a-holes in cars trying to speed by them if they think the truck will change lanes. The truckers don't appreciate those guys either, they make it more difficult for them to drive. That's one reason that I prefer to take road trips at night. It's usually me and the truckers with a few cars passing once in a while. I get along with the truckers. My friend from high school's dad was a trucker. He taught me some routes to save me some time. Truckers are no different from us, they just have to drive those big machines to make a living, cut them a little slack and let them in if you can. They are just keeping a roof over their heads and food on the table for their families just like anyone else.


I've logged close to the amount of miles that you have. My first 98 pickup truck, I drove it from 72k to 92k before getting t-boned, had it 1 1/2 years. Replaced it with another identical truck and drove it from 90k to 117k in 1 1/2 years. Picked up an Impala with 50k and it now is at 114k in 2 1/2 years. I had a Grand Prix that I bought with 155k to 192k in 3 years. Also drive a Buick Century from 90k to 138k, owning it for 3 years.
That is only five of my cars and a little over 3 years of driving. I've driven over 1000 miles in under 24 hours on some of my road trips. I've averaged around 50k miles for the last few years myself.
 
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