Ticketed for flashing headlights?

[Lt. Staplic]

I am specifically referring to situations in which there is a large volume of traffic in both lanes, a situation where at high speeds (yes legal ones) it could be difficult to find space for everyone in the appropriate lane between the time the cop is spotted and the time you must be in the other lane. Giving them warning before that increases the time gap allowing for further maneuvering.

Again I would like to point out that just because flashing my lights has less of a lasting effect than a LEO's methods that doesn't mean that what I did is against the law.

[Deepcrush]

You alerted a criminal to law enforcement activities with the intent of aiding them in avoiding prosecution. It wouldn't be much for a DA to charge you with Aiding and Abetting of Criminal Evasion.

Again, breaking the law or helping someone break the law is against the law.

[Lt. Staplic]

with the intent of aiding them in avoiding prosecution.

Prove it. Beyond a reasonable doubt. I've already provided you with several scenarios which have me flashing lights without the intent of aiding them in avoiding prosecution. In addition to that to be aiding them in breaking the law you would have to know that there was in fact a violation of the law in progress. in which case the two seem to be removed from each other, if I really did help them avoid the law then there is no evidence that a law had been broken. If they do find a speeder, then apparently I didn't do anything to stop him getting caught as he did in fact get caught.

[Deepcrush]

Prove it.

You just admitted to it in your last post. Also, they don't need to surpass doubt to issue you a ticket for being an idiot. They write it on a sheet of paper and hand you the bill. Pay it or go to jail for a few weeks, its up to you.

[Mikey]

In the final analysis: if so, then why did a court of law - you know, the folks charged with interpreting the law, as opposed to LE officers - strike down the practice?

[Reliant121]

I'm still not quite understanding. Deep, you're saying that its a criminal offense to tell someone not to break the law? Does it really matter if its "not break the law in front of the speed trap"? Surely any reduction in their speed is an improvement.

[stitch626]

Seriously, if I see someone speeding to the point I can tell going the other way, I want them to slow down for my safety, I don't care where a speed trap might be.

[Deepcrush]

@mikey - because the safety of people who care nothing for their own safety isnt worth the time and expense of protecting. The people who enforce the law don't want to have to work with anymore risk in their lives then need be. If the civis decide they'd rather abandon traffic stops, cops will be happy to go along with it. The cost of lives to police due to traffic stops is something that every LEO I've ever worked with or talked to would love to get out of.

@reliant - it wouldn't be a problem if the point was to convince someone not to break a law. The problem is that by the point of the OP they have already broken the law and all you're doing is helping them get away with it.

@stitch - even if we pretend that someone running at ramming speed down the freeway will magically care about what you think so long as It gets them you of a ticket. Afterwards they just speed back up past the traffic stop.