Is it against the law to flash your lights to inform of speed traps

[Cycling Dan]

Note:Sorry if its in the wrong area, I dont know where stuff goes these days but I suspect its in the wrong place

This is promoted by a video I watched in the USA regarding this and thought this is rather interesting and the logic behind the video seems stupid supported by ever dumber laws. In the USA a high court judge said that it was not vs the law and therefor drivers could not be ticketed for it. As doing so(ticket drivers) was breaking the first amendment which was effectively the right to communicate with other drivers in this case. Now I think this is BS but that's not what I'm getting at here. Now we don't have the constitution but would this be legal or illegal here, UK I mean.

Personally I think you should be liable to be ticketed as you are in turn helping people to speed and get away with it so one could argue that's encouraging or assisting a crime. Now I know speeding is a traffic offence but a quick read I think this is included. Maybe someone can clear that up. The law reads "believing that the offence will be committed and that the act will encourage or assist its commission"
I would like to think we are not as backwards as the Americans regarding this and all issues but you never know.
I'm all I bloody hope so answering the question.
Link to video if anyone is interested, I couldn't watch it all but skipped to main bits.

View: http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=d68_1371690630
I think most of the people in the comment section are farkwits however they could all be american and american police don't have a great track record. Non the less farkwits all the same.

 

[classic33]

I do know that if you flash your lights to inform a driver of a speed trap & you are seen doing so. You will end up being fined, quite possibly more than the driver would have been fined.
Warning a driver I knew, of a Garda checkpoint, by moving my right arm up & down, slowed him down but got me stopped about 100 yards further on. I just said that I was indicating to traffic behind my inyention to slow down or stop. Uncertain over the signal used he checked over the radio & was informed my signal was genuine. But I was sent on my way with a warning.

 

[Cycling Dan]

I do know that if you flash your lights to inform a driver of a speed trap & you are seen doing so. You will end up being fined, quite possibly more than the driver would have been fined.
Warning a driver I knew, of a Garda checkpoint, by moving my right arm up & down, slowed him down but got me stopped about 100 yards further on. I just said that I was indicating to traffic behind my inyention to slow down or stop. Uncertain over the signal used he checked over the radio & was informed my signal was genuine. But I was sent on my way with a warning.

This on a bike? If not i'm surprised the officer didn't call you out on that "signal". Are brake lights not the way to inform people you are braking?

 

[classic33]

This on a bike? If not i'm surprised the officer didn't call you out on that "signal". Are brake lights not the way to inform people you are braking?

This on a bicycle. They treat people warning others of their checkpoints seriously.
They were at the bottom of a hill, just after a change in the speed limit. I was partway up, and I thought out of sight of the checkpoint.

 

[TheDoctor]

I've heard of someone getting prosecuted for that locally. He tried the defence that he was encouraging people to adhere to the law as regards speed limits, but the court was unconvinced by the merits of this argument. 'Obstructing the Police' IIRC.

 

[Cycling Dan]

This on a bicycle. They treat people warning others of their checkpoints seriously.
They were at the bottom of a hill, just after a change in the speed limit. I was partway up, and I thought out of sight of the checkpoint.

I get the last but it was on a bike correct, if so I understand(signal to slow down).
If not shame on you.

 

[vernon]

Folk have been successfully prosecuted for warning motorists of the presence of speed traps.

Plenty of links here

 

[classic33]

I get the last but it was on a bike correct, if so I understand.
If not shame on you.

I was on a bicycle, warning an oncoming driver that I knew about the checkpoint.

 

[billy1561]

Trap is the operative word. Just a way of trapping people into being fined for going over the speed limit which the majority of us do if truth be told. Can't see how this aids 'safety'

 

[Cycling Dan]

Trap is the operative word. Just a way of trapping people into being fined for going over the speed limit which the majority of us do if truth be told. Can't see how this aids 'safety'

I'm no expert but I think the idea being if you catch people and fine them it makes them less likely to do it or do it less than before originally. Its not full proof but the best way to make someone stop something is hit them where it hurts and that's there pocket. You cant go killing their family or beating them up which I would imagine being much more effective(as preferred by the mafia and loan sharks regarding people who cross them.(As in driver crossing law which is police(im not being clear(fark it))).

 

[TheDoctor]

Trap is the operative word. Just a way of trapping people into being fined for going over the speed limit which the majority of us do if truth be told. Can't see how this aids 'safety'

Speak for yourself.
Speeding fines are maybe a tax on stupidity, but the solution is freely available...

 

[Cycling Dan]

I was on a bicycle, warning an oncoming driver that I knew about the checkpoint.

 

[billy1561]

Speak for yourself.
Speeding fines are maybe a tax on stupidity, but the solution is freely available...

And you have never ever gone above the speed limit. Riiiiight.

 

[Cycling Dan]

Well after seeing the links of such, I can confirm I am glad we are not as backwards as the Americans.

 

[Cycling Dan]

And you have never ever gone above the speed limit. Riiiiight.

As you put it everyone speeds at some point. Although dont bitch and cry when you get caught. The speed limit is there for a reason and a reason built on bodies.
In no way would I tolerate someone trying to help another one break the law. I don't see it as acceptable. Sure people are going to speed but if you're stupid enough to do it you can face the consequences. No one forced you to speed.