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Police arrest flasher
Posted: Tue Jan 04, 2011 9:29 pm
by Gob
A driver prosecuted for flashing his headlights to warn motorists of a mobile police speed gun has defended his actions as his "civic duty".
Michael Thompson, 64, was pulled over by officers in Grimsby in July after warning several oncoming cars.
He was fined £175 and ordered to pay £250 costs after being found guilty of wilfully obstructing a police officer in the course of her duties.
Thompson said: "I flashed motorists to warn them of a hazard."
Thompson, of Augustine Avenue, Grimsby, was also ordered to pay a £15 victim surcharge at the hearing at Grimsby Magistrates' Court.
'Right and lawful'
He said he was "very surprised" when he was pulled over by police.
"I explained I was doing my civic duty and the court found me guilty and I now have a criminal record."
He added: "I believe that speed traps cause vehicles to brake harshly at times.
"I stand by what I did. What I did was right and lawful.
"I believe it is a total waste of police time. The court time is now at a premium and this case took the best part of a day. It is a total waste of public money."
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has defended its decision to prosecute.
A CPS spokeswoman said: "Cost is not a consideration in our decision to prosecute.
"When a file is provided to the CPS from the police, it is our duty to decide whether it presents a realistic prospect of conviction and whether a prosecution is in the public interest.
"In accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors a prosecution was deemed appropriate."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-humber-12115179
Re: Police arrest flasher
Posted: Tue Jan 04, 2011 10:51 pm
by SisterMaryFellatio
FFS, Show me a driver that dosn't flash oncoming motorists and i will show you a very uptight twat!
I have and always will warn other drivers that theres a speed camera nowt more than revenue raising!
Re: Police arrest flasher
Posted: Tue Jan 04, 2011 11:08 pm
by Sean
So the police would rather that cars were speeding rather than slow down for any reason...
...and yet they say that these traps are not cash cows?
Re: Police arrest flasher
Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2011 3:11 am
by Jarlaxle
SisterMaryFellatio wrote:FFS, Show me a driver that dosn't flash oncoming motorists and i will show you a very uptight twat!
Some trucking companies will FIRE a driver caught doing that!
Re: Police arrest flasher
Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2011 3:12 am
by The Hen
Greater change occurs to a drivers behaviour is they are financially penalised for their misdemeanor ... or so the logic goes.
Police and RTAs do not want people to alter they behaviour for the few seconds it takes them to pass the speed trap, they would prefer that the behaviour was altered altogether and speeding eliminated ... or so the logic continues to go.
Re: Police arrest flasher
Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2011 11:43 am
by Crackpot
"Logic" implies a well thought out an counterbalanced process. Speed traps are wishful thinking with monetary gain.
CAse in point. The last time I was ticketed I was told the reason I hadn't been caught in so long wasn't that my driving had improved but I had learned how to speed "better".
Of course It didn't help that upon being pulled over I agreed that I deserved and likely needed to be pulled over.
Re: Police arrest flasher
Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 12:26 am
by BoSoxGal
I only flash my lights at people who are too stupid to put theirs on in low light conditions (early morning, late evening) or in weather that requires wipers, which should also require lights.
I also flash my lights if I've just passed a deer or dog very close to the road, to alert them to slow down in their approach to the same hazard.
I think half the people think I'm alerting them to the presence of a cop up ahead.
Re: Police arrest flasher
Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 6:44 pm
by Miles
weather that requires wipers, which should also require lights.
Pa. has just such a law they don't, however, enforce all that much. I guess the police have an aversion to water.
Re: Police arrest flasher
Posted: Mon Jan 31, 2011 4:23 pm
by oldr_n_wsr
New York has that law also, and enforces it about as frequently as they enforce the cell phone laws (aka never).