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Federal judge rules drivers allowed to flash headlights to warn of speed traps
Foxnews.com ^ | February 05, 2014

Posted on 02/07/2014 11:56:13 AM PST by US Navy Vet

A federal judge in Missouri ruled this week held that drivers have a First Amendment right to flash their headlights to warn other motorists of nearby police and speed traps.

The order by U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey in St. Louis on Monday stems from a lawsuit filed by Ellisville resident Michael Elli. In 2012, Elli flashed his headlights to warn oncoming vehicles of a radar set up by police in the town of Ellisville.

A flash of headlights is a common way motorists communicate to oncoming drivers of either a dangerous situation or the presence of police — in essence, a warning to slow down.

(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Government; US: Missouri
KEYWORDS: firstamendment; flashheadlights; flashingheadlights; speedtraps
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1 posted on 02/07/2014 11:56:13 AM PST by US Navy Vet
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To: US Navy Vet

what’s the signal/warning of anal exams ahead?


2 posted on 02/07/2014 11:58:24 AM PST by TurboZamboni (Marx smelled bad and lived with his parents .)
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To: US Navy Vet

Good.


3 posted on 02/07/2014 12:00:17 PM PST by WayneS (Respect the 2nd Amendment; Repeal the 16th (and 17th))
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To: US Navy Vet

I can’t imagine under what possible doctrine this could have been prohibited unless it were creating some kind of immediate traffic hazard. Course they never let stuff like that stop then.


4 posted on 02/07/2014 12:00:25 PM PST by Still Thinking (Freedom is NOT a loophole!)
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To: US Navy Vet
Looks like he was nominated by George W. Bush
(just throwing it out there because others rush to post the opposite)
5 posted on 02/07/2014 12:02:06 PM PST by 1rudeboy
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To: US Navy Vet
Good! I've always considered it my civic duty to flash warnings of speed traps.


6 posted on 02/07/2014 12:02:58 PM PST by Daffynition ("If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right." ~ Henry Ford)
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To: TurboZamboni
what’s the signal/warning of anal exams ahead?

When the Government starts saying "We must all sacrifice a little for the common good".


7 posted on 02/07/2014 12:04:46 PM PST by canuck_conservative
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To: US Navy Vet

Political speech is the most protected speech under the 1st amendment. Flashing your lights is simply a form of speech, discussing how tax dollars are being spent.


8 posted on 02/07/2014 12:05:53 PM PST by muir_redwoods (When I first read it, " Atlas Shrugged" was fiction)
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To: US Navy Vet

That doesn’t mean they won’t try to charge you for something else.


9 posted on 02/07/2014 12:13:09 PM PST by unixfox (Abolish Slavery, Repeal the 16th Amendment)
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To: muir_redwoods
Relying on the kindness of others .....is iffy at best.

I like The National Speed Trap Exchange and *Gasbuddy* when I have a roadtrip planned.

A K40 radar detector and laser jamming gizmo is a nice backup. Works flawlessly. [Last 2 speeding tickets I had...the officer said he found my speed by *clocking* me on his speedometer....pretty much negates the K40]

10 posted on 02/07/2014 12:18:32 PM PST by Daffynition ("If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right." ~ Henry Ford)
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To: US Navy Vet

This was a no brainer.


11 posted on 02/07/2014 12:25:56 PM PST by cuban leaf
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To: US Navy Vet

You should be able to txt, put a sign on your car, send smokesignals, teletype or flash your lights.

It’s no different than semaphore.


12 posted on 02/07/2014 12:49:32 PM PST by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously-you won't live through it anyway-Enjoy Yourself ala Louis Prima)
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To: Daffynition

No one did that when I was driving the Porsche 2 years ago.

Got a ticket.

I framed it.

Next up is renting a Lambo to get another one...


13 posted on 02/07/2014 12:58:23 PM PST by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously-you won't live through it anyway-Enjoy Yourself ala Louis Prima)
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To: Daffynition

Can you PM me the laser diffuser you use?

Last I checked they cost $800+


14 posted on 02/07/2014 1:00:11 PM PST by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously-you won't live through it anyway-Enjoy Yourself ala Louis Prima)
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To: US Navy Vet

If flashing lights slow traffic then mission accomplished. Who
can complain? I live close to I 80 near Colfax, CA. Back when the
state had funds for airplane coverage and I was heading to Sac
I could see the plane ahead picking off drivers going down
Applegate grade. I would look for out of staters, get their attention
and point up, up, up. The savvy ones made it without CHP greetings. The
ones who thought I was a looney Californian didn’t faire so well.


15 posted on 02/07/2014 1:02:32 PM PST by Sivad (NorCal red turf)
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To: US Navy Vet
Ellisville City Attorney George Restovich said the city changed the policy after the case went to court and no longer pulls over people for flashing headlights.

Well I for one am pleased to hear this, that policy inhibited quite a few civic minded women.......oh wait. :)

16 posted on 02/07/2014 1:35:07 PM PST by Mastador1 (I'll take a bad dog over a good politician any day!)
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To: Mastador1

Placemarker


17 posted on 02/07/2014 1:36:41 PM PST by aMorePerfectUnion
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To: Vendome
Can you PM me the laser diffuser you use?

I wants me one of those cell phone jammers. Illegal here but I've read that they are common in Japan.

18 posted on 02/07/2014 1:36:51 PM PST by Graybeard58 (_.. ._. .. _. _._ __ ___ ._. . ___ ..._ ._ ._.. _ .. _. .)
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To: TurboZamboni

what’s the signal/warning of anal exams ahead?
___

Just plain flashing, I’d guess.


19 posted on 02/07/2014 2:03:52 PM PST by lakecumberlandvet (Appeasement never works.)
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To: US Navy Vet

One wishes this one didn’t make it to court, for a judge to decide it, but I do recall in the 1980s when DUI road blocks became all the rage in law enforcement & they flat out arrested a guy & charged him with “obstruction of justice” in New Jersey for holding standing on the side of the road & holding up a sign that read “DUI stop ahead” as a warning.
You’d think the police would come up with something more clever & constructive such as “loitering” or “protesting without a permit” or something. But “obstructing justice” before the fact? You’d think the police would think of something such as “inappropriate use of high beams causing a traffic hazard” or something of that sort, so as not to end up getting spanked by a judge.


20 posted on 02/07/2014 2:23:33 PM PST by Beowulf9
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