Flashing lights to show speed trap.

Why would't you warn someone if they might need to slow down for a speed trap? Surely that's crime prevention. (Though I did once get pulled over by the police in Richmond park for flashing as a warning. I told them I was flashing at a friend to say hello. They couldn't prove otherwise)

Germanshepherdsmum

StoneofDestiny

Flashing gets them to slow down - job done.

No it's not. Job done would be getting a fine/points on their licence/losing their licence and maybe their livelihood. That might make them see sense, someone alerting them never will.

Wow - you'd actually rather someone lost their job than warn them of a speed trap?

Would you rather they continued to speed with impunity, possibly costing somebody their life someday?

For a first offence it wouldn't mean losing their job. If they were caught speeding several times then it really is their own fault. If a job requires a clean license then people shouldn't break the law.

Its against the law to flash and warn people of speed cameras,if people are speeding and caught well thats their fault, why should they be warned.Its important to flash to others if there is danger on the road, thats another story.

Yes Paperbackwriter. If they lost their job it would be because they lost their licence, either because they already had points on it or because they were very seriously over the speed limit and perhaps under the influence too. People have to be given the correct punishment in the hope it will deter them in future and maybe save lives. Not only that, I could get a criminal conviction for warning them and when I was working as a lawyer that would have been the end of my career so no way would I warn of a speed trap even now I’m retired.

I pointed out a mobile speed camera to DH the other day and instantly regretted it. I need him to learn!

A speed camera van loves sitting on the main road near to where I live and I used to flash cars before moving here. I don't bother now because I see the speed of some drivers while I'm out walking the dog along it and some deserve to get fined.

It is not an offence to warn other drivers of a speed camera by flashing your lights. A motorist was prosecuted for obstructing a police officer in the execution of his duty for doing this. The case against him was dismissed as the Crown would have to prove the warned driver was actually speeding and the flashing driver actually caused him to slow down. Impossible to show

I don’t flash people. We do have the speed van periodically in our village - we’ve a 30mph limit but it’s rare for drivers to adhere to it sadly.

The police should be spending there time trying to sort out the anti social behaviour that seems to be increasing lately

You do realise there are different sections in the police service? The Road Traffic Policing Unit will only be involved with very specific anti social behaviour.

My driving instructor always said that flashing your headlights at another car means nothing officially. We can interpret it as meaning "Thank you" or "please pull out in front of me" or "you idiot for pulling out in front of me" or, indeed, "Speed trap ahead" but the onus is still on you to observe traffic, road conditions, speed limits etc.

Most people flash up here.l agree with Kim19. Money making exercise.

I like the signs that flash up your speed; everyone immediately slows down, which is surely the intention. I wish there were more, rather than traps to catch motorists out. Most people don't intend to break the speed limit, but it is difficult on roads where the speed limit changes from 30 to 40 back to 30 on a country road of five miles.

Our current car beeps at you if you go 1 mile over the speed limit. Any more than that and a voice tells you want the speed limit is - except it doesn’t always get it right and tells you it’30 when it’s actually 40. I then have a conversation with it!

Yes, our satnav beeps annoyingly when going along a certain section of motorway because she thinks we have left the motorway.

Last year in England, it became a criminal offence to warn other motorists of police carrying out
checks for people speeding. The Department of Transport says that flashing your headlights to warn
of a speed camera or a roadside police speed check is in breach of the highway code. Conviction
comes from a breach of section 89 of the Police Act 1996 which says it is an offence to "wilfully
obstruct a constable in the execution of his/her duty

I think the maximum penalty is £1000.

I had a car barrelling towards me, clearly ( honestly, no question) doing well over the speed limit.
I flashed my lights and he gave me the thumbs up.
I had many miles of enjoyment, thinking of him crawling along country lanes looking for a non existent speed camera ?

Sounds like some of you might be eligible for £1,000 fine!

Sue, why would you be angry at your village having a speed camera.
i would be pleased if my village had that.

those people who believe in being able to speed without repercussions, can you explain why.
i don't understand it.
no one in my family ever held with speeding.
someone i knew said if he was driving my car he would drive it as fast as possible; that always did that to test a car's limits.
i realised that we were completely different tribes and i distanced myself. no point talking to people like that.

There is a stretch of road where the police often park on the grass verge and catch numerous drivers. Most locals know about it, but I sometimes warn people who are coming to my house to be wary of it. I also cautioned my GC about it when they passed their tests and got their own cars. Despite this several have received tickets, including my GD.
I would never flash my lights to warn other drivers, though. Some people have to learn the hard way not to speed.

I flash.

Being married to ex cop I KNOW that it is an offence of obstruction to warn of police activities in this manner and anyway , if someone's speeding, let them get caught it's no joke when's collision occurs and someone's hurt or worse cos drivers used to belting along!

Elvis58

Most people flash up here.l agree with Kim19. Money making exercise.

Well you're completely wrong! Police keep NIL income from traffic fines! And safety is always the motivation with mobile units, speed fixed cameras controlled by councils are moneymakers unfortunately and are often I. An area where speeding is usually controlled by double parking/narrow roads etc most income comes from teeny racers after hours so win-win eh? As there are almost nil traffic cars on our roads anymore due to tresemme getting rid of over 20k police jobs, we need something or do we want a wild west situation?