Road Courtesy
 

So I'm driving through the country roads out by Mt. Rainier, WA this morning. The speed limit is ridiculously low and WA cops are pretty Nazi, so I've got my radar detector out. As I approach a bend in the road, my radar detector goes off, so I begin to slow down. Just as I begin to round the corner, a Jeep Grand Cherokee comes the other way and flashes me three times. Sure enough, just around the corner is a cop parked on the side of the road looking for speeders.

Now, I was quite amazed by this actually. You see, I heard one person back when I first got my license tell me that they like to flash people to warn them a cop is coming, and I've done it ever since. But this is the first time anybody's ever done it for me, and of the dozens of times I've brought this up with others, not a single one of them does it either. I wish I could remember who it was that originally told me, but I can't.

This event has done much to boost my hope that there are other observant, considerate drivers out there. (You know, the kind that will notice when a car behind them at a stoplight wants to take a free right but doesn't have room, so they pull forward a few feet to let them by.) Anybody else do this?

Re: Road Courtesy
 

Yes, I do that. I've also moved into the left lane when approaching a stoplight when I can see the guy behind me is turning right.

I always thought the lights-blinking to warn about a cop was a Massachusetts thing, because I've never seen it anywhere else. When I lived in St. Louis I once had a car about a half mile ahead of me pull over because I was blinking my lights to warn oncoming cars.

Inconsiderate, stupid, obnoxious, oblivious drivers outnumber us about 1,000,000 to 1. If they drive you as crazy as they do me, I suggest you never visit Los Angeles.

Re: Road Courtesy
 

Warning other drivers is a crime & if you get caught doing it you goin' DOWN boy!

P.S.: There are speed regulations & cops for a reason... you pay taxes to pay the cops and then sabotage their work?

Re: Road Courtesy
 

Go away.

Re: Road Courtesy
 

I've done it and seen others do the headlight flash in upstate NY too.

Re: Road Courtesy
 

You know it makes sense. Go back to your 4-monitors.

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Yes, I do it (used to live in St. Louis, too). Its pretty rare I see someone reciprocate, though.

And a friend of mine has told me that he saw someone get pulled over for doing this, fwiw.

Re: Road Courtesy
 

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cops for a reason...

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and yet we still have left lane bandits and untold numbers of donk drivers.

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I do it whenever I can.

Re: Road Courtesy
 

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And a friend of mine has told me that he saw someone get pulled over for doing this, fwiw.

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unlikely.

Re: Road Courtesy
 

I live in St. Louis, and have been saved many times by the flashing light people. Maybe it's cause I speed so much.

My biggest beef - people who like to enforce the speed limit in the passing lane, or people who match speeds on a two lane road, blocking everyone else behind them.

I'm a big believer in using the left lane to let people make a right. Glad to hear there are others (although apparently not is St. Louis).

-Arbogast

Re: Road Courtesy
 

Used to be common practice in the UK too, but human roadside speed traps are pretty rare now with the advent of those infernal cameras...

Re: Road Courtesy
 

The practice of pulling people over for flashing high-beams is not uncommon in Wisconsin. Then again, high-beam flashing is a very common practice for motorists. We don't just do it to alert people to cops...we do it any time a driver should pay extra attention to the road (accident ahead, deer spottings, junk in the road, etc.)

I'd say the weeks I've either flashed or been flashed slightly outnumber the weeks I haven't flashed or been been flashed.

Re: Road Courtesy
 

i do this too, when appropriate. generally when i'm driving though i just want a machine gun turret to "flash" at other drivers.

Re: Road Courtesy
 

People in the Ozarks will nearly always flash for a speed trap.

Of course, they also wave to other drivers and all kinds of goofy, friendly stuff.

Re: Road Courtesy
 

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Used to be common practice in the UK too, but human roadside speed traps are pretty rare now with the advent of those infernal cameras...

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Do speed cameras actually bother you? They are SO easy to spot, there is a huge yellow box which you can see from hundreds of feet away, and there are white lines on the road.

The only reason you wouldn't see a speed camera ahead would be if it was around a corner and you really shouldn't be speeding around corners if you don't know the area.

You can really only get flashed if you're not looking at the road and that actually is dangerous. And even then, half of the cameras don't work anyway.

Re: Road Courtesy
 

I do this sometimes, but I don't use high beams. I just turn the headlights on and off 3 or 4 times. Am I doing it wrong?

Re: Road Courtesy
 

Depends whether you'd rather be gunned down by a gang, or kill a helpless squirrel.

Re: Road Courtesy
 

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And a friend of mine has told me that he saw someone get pulled over for doing this, fwiw.

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unlikely.

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Many states tried to do this on under many different laws. It was appealed and found to be a free speach right. Thus OP's friend probably did get pulled over but it is no longer illegal (it might still be on the books in some states but there is precendent if you really want to fight it)

Re: Road Courtesy
 

I wouldn't say you're doing it wrong - I'm sure they get the point the same. Unless of course it's at night, I'd rather flash high beams than turn my lights off for a split second.

Does anybody else find it strange that someone from the UK is trying to tell us what we should and shouldn't encourage in our legas system? MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS.

Re: Road Courtesy
 

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Warning other drivers is a crime & if you get caught doing it you goin' DOWN boy!

P.S.: There are speed regulations & cops for a reason... you pay taxes to pay the cops and then sabotage their work?

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You are a douchebag.

Re: Road Courtesy
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Warning other drivers is a crime & if you get caught doing it you goin' DOWN boy!

P.S.: There are speed regulations & cops for a reason... you pay taxes to pay the cops and then sabotage their work?

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You are a douchebag.

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Don't pay attention to Laramani. He's from the UK and is a little fckhead. It is not illegal to flash drivers here.

Re: Road Courtesy
 

I learned about this from my pops. I find I really only have the opportunity to do this on road trips where there are long stretches of nothing. When I spot Smokey hiding in the bushes I'll try and warn others. I've had truckers flash back thanking me, but I really can't remember anyone doing this for me. I don't have a radar detector, but have learned several tactics through the years to keep from getting caught. My dad lives about 50 miles from Mt. St. Helens and flashing gets used much more in those winding mountain roads of WA.

Re: Road Courtesy
 

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You know it makes sense. Go back to your 4-monitors.

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Great just what OOT needs... another troll

Re: Road Courtesy
 

No, don't really have a problem with them from a traffic control point of view, they're only enforcing an existing law, after all... I just find the concept mildly unpleasant, can't really explain why - feels a bit "1984" or something, I guess.

Re: Road Courtesy
 

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Warning other drivers is a crime

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I vaguely remember reading that there was a court case involving this. IIRC, it was ruled that it is covered by freedom of speech and is, therefore, legal and constitutional. Anyone know the details?

Re: Road Courtesy
 

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Yes, I do that. I've also moved into the left lane when approaching a stoplight when I can see the guy behind me is turning right.

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I'm glad there are other. I've found in the last five years or so that I've become a much better driver, staying right on the freeway unless I'm passing, etc. I never understand the unnecessary lane changes that I see a lot. If it's midnight and the highway is practically empty why do people make lane changes? Is it boredom?

Re: Road Courtesy
 

I do it and have had it done for me. I like it.

b

Re: Road Courtesy
 

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People in the Ozarks will nearly always flash for a speed trap.

Of course, they also wave to other drivers and all kinds of goofy, friendly stuff.

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This is very true. That or we rev our engines if we drive big loud trucks (most of us do).

Do you live in the Ozarks or just visit?

Re: Road Courtesy
 

I do it when I remember, I used to be better about it. Both times when I was flashed and I thought someone was doing it for me, it just turned out to be deer in the road.

Someday it will happen though...

Re: Road Courtesy
 

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I don't have a radar detector, but have learned several tactics through the years to keep from getting caught.

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such as? help your fellow OOTers out.

Re: Road Courtesy
 

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Does anybody else find it strange that someone from the UK is trying to tell us what we should and shouldn't encourage in our legas system? MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS.

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Don't you like when people talk about things as if they were an expert, when they really are completely wrong in so many ways...

Re: Road Courtesy
 

Interesting, this is something I have always done (I use a radar detector). But I also flash when someone is going too slow and I want them to speed up so I can pass. Is that not a common practice as well? Is there a specific # of times we are supposed to flash?

TT [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

Re: Road Courtesy
 

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This event has done much to boost my hope that there are other observant, considerate drivers out there.

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In WA? Not likely.

Re: Road Courtesy
 

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Warning other drivers is a crime

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I vaguely remember reading that there was a court case involving this. IIRC, it was ruled that it is covered by freedom of speech and is, therefore, legal and constitutional. Anyone know the details?

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Yes. This was a court case in one of the circuit courts, (Alabama IIRC). They ruled it was considered freedom of speech. Although this wasn't a SCOTUS case, so it doesn't necessarily apply to all other judisictions I would be exctremely surprised to see other courts uphold a fine for warning motorists given the precident.

Re: Road Courtesy
 

[ QUOTE ]
Interesting, this is something I have always done (I use a radar detector). But I also flash when someone is going too slow and I want them to speed up so I can pass. Is that not a common practice as well? Is there a specific # of times we are supposed to flash?

TT [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

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AFAIK there is no specific code for this. If you come zooming up behind someone and flash the meaning is pretty clear. Likewise if you are oncoming. I get flashed pretty regularly in a few areas. (Western MA)

Where I live, I flash anybody that looks like a local if there's a speed trap. Tourists I leave to the cops.

NT

Re: Road Courtesy
 

i flash at people too, i'm currently stationed in alabama =(

Re: Road Courtesy
 

And I thought this thread was going to be about getting road-head [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

I saw someone do that to me once and I couldn't figure out why, until I saw a cop a little ways ahead. I now also flash my brights to warn people. I've seen others do it a couple times here in LV.

Re: Road Courtesy
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Warning other drivers is a crime

[/ QUOTE ]

I vaguely remember reading that there was a court case involving this. IIRC, it was ruled that it is covered by freedom of speech and is, therefore, legal and constitutional. Anyone know the details?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes. This was a court case in one of the circuit courts, (Alabama IIRC). They ruled it was considered freedom of speech. Although this wasn't a SCOTUS case, so it doesn't necessarily apply to all other judisictions I would be exctremely surprised to see other courts uphold a fine for warning motorists given the precident.

[/ QUOTE ]

Check This Out

Also

High Beam Violation

Re: Road Courtesy
 

Very rarely. If you can't avoid speed traps on your own you deserve your ticket. Also around here people flash their lights to signal passing vehicles that they're clear to move back to the right. I don't understand this and I've never seen it until I started driving around here (mid south) but it pisses me off. People flash all the time and I slow down cause I think there's a cop, but there never is.

Speaking of road courtesy, what does everyone do if there is congestion on a highway and an empty merge lane? If you're travelling in the merge lane do you move to the end of the lane and then merge or stop and make an effort to get in as soon as you can? I'm asking because where I'm from, you're liable to get shot if you're blocking a perfectly good open lane, but around here I hear people crying about people who "wait till the last second" and in fact this appears to be illegal in TN.