Do you flash your headlights...

[GoEagles]

Do you flash your headlights to warn other cars that there is a speed camera/booze bus up ahead?

I've seen a few people flash a few times in the city, but have found that usually in the country people seem to want to warn other motorists.

I've spoken to some people who always 'flash' because they have the government to raise any extra revenue from speeding fines - while others think that people shouldn't flash and that if you speed you should cop the penalty sweet.

What do we think?

 

[P_D]

I think it's illegal?

And no... I don't... because that person speeding could end up killing a family member or friend...

A bit of a drastic though... but the cops are needed for a reason, and need to do their jobs...

 

[Ripper]

Originally posted by GoEagles
Do you flash your headlights to warn other cars that there is a speed camera/booze bus up ahead?

I've seen a few people flash a few times in the city, but have found that usually in the country people seem to want to warn other motorists.

I've spoken to some people who always 'flash' because they have the government to raise any extra revenue from speeding fines - while others think that people shouldn't flash and that if you speed you should cop the penalty sweet.

What do we think?

If the purpose of camera's is to make people slow down then it has the same effect earlier if someone flashes you hence it is safer to flash someone.

I personally think that the speed factor is overrated and would like to see the breakdown of all fatalities cuased by speed. I.E. I believe a substantial portion are as the result of stupidity of young bloke doing 200Km and hitting something or the result of stolen cars.

Emphasising maximum speed's actually gives people a false sense of security when they should be driving more to the conditions. I.E. It is far safer on the freway at 130KM on a fine day than 100Kmh on a wet night.

Instead of speed kills etc being ramed down our throats with the resultant camera controls far more emphasis should be put on driving to the conditions.

 

[Mooster]

I always give a light-squirt warning to my fellow motorists.

Houses are being broken into, drugs are being sold, banks are being robbed, women are being r*ped, children are being kidnapped, cars are being stolen, Mooster is roaming free. And where are the cops? Sitting for hours in a hiding spot along the side of the road generating revenue at our (further) expense.

Cops should be patrolling the streets looking for suspicious activity indicative of serious crime. Not hiding, looking for motorists taking small liberties with the speed limit.

Flashing your lights doesn't cause more speeding. As a matter of fact, it always slows speeders down. Problem solved, and there is no fine involved. It might even cause the speeders to think about their 'close call' and drive slower in the future. If not, getting a speeding fine isn't going to help much either.

If the cops have no speeding tickets to dish out, they'll start doing their damned jobs. Driving around looking for the real bad guys.

Flash your lights today. Nay! Flash your lights everyday!

Peace & together we can win,

 

[NICK THE PIE MAN]

Yep I do.

 

[Uncle Steve]

While I agree with the sentiment about coppers being deployed to tackle serious crimes instead of servicing the cash-cow cameras, I don't flash my lights at other drivers. Bottom line is, you shouldn't be speeding. You get caught, then you cough up. Get caught a few times and you might learn a lesson.

Better to raise money by milking it from young testosterone-fuelled drag racer wannabes, than through raising my taxes!

 

[Milkman]

I flash, and it seems that most other people around Freo are flashers too.

 

[Mooster]

Originally posted by Uncle Steve

Better to raise money by milking it from young testosterone-fuelled drag racer wannabes, than through raising my taxes!

Interesting point about the taxes. I work closely with the police when I'm on the job, but when I'm off duty, I hate the nazis with a passion.

My last ticket was a page torn straight from an Orwellian nightmare. There was some construction being done at a large five lane intersection. The light indicating a left turn (Aussies think of it as a right turn instead) had been disabled, and it was unclear when the turn could be made. Traffic was backed up. I was first in line, and when the general green signal was made, there was no oncoming traffic. I hung my left turn. It was a very confusing situation.

Waiting in ambush for me to do this very thing were no less than three 1-2-3 motorcycle cops. One of them flagged me over, and started writing a ticket. This fascist even started giving me a lecture about how my action could have caused an accident. Bull****. I said, "If the intersection is that dangerous, why aren't one of you three out controlling the dangerous intersection rather than waiting here to hand out tickets?" He told me to tell it to the judge.

What a bunch of ****. So there is the allocation of resources. Three cops getting paid $45,000 a year, riding $60,000 Harley Davidsons and dressed in jackboots like the Gestapo, waiting in ambush to raise funds in order to justify their own existence. The charter of the police is to serve and protect the public. They could have fullfilled that role instead by simply sending one cop with a small whistle to control traffic at the disabled light.

Schmucks.

Peace,

 

[Captain Sensible]

I fully sympathise with your point Mooster but isnt that comparing apples with oranges? You got pinged for an illegal turn which is different to speeding.


It depends on what sort of mood I'm in whether or not I flash.

 

[Portmanteau]

So... Mooster... did you tell it to the judge?

 

[EssJayW]

I do it when there are no police around. I just like being a smart ass.

 

[KiNgCliVe26]

Speed camera's are a disgrace and nuthing more than revenue raisers. I always flash my lights to warn people of camera's and radars.

If they really wanted people to slow down there would be massive warning speed camera ahead signs before you even get near the camera.

This would make motorists decrease there speed more, as they would slow down before the camera and aren't speeding where as they would be speeding until the camera while theres no warning sign.

 

[Milkman]

Originally posted by KiNgCliVe26
If they really wanted people to slow down there would be massive warning speed camera ahead signs before you even get near the camera.

That's how it's done in the UK on the major highways, but their signs actually stipulate exactly how many metres ahead the cameras are. It's completely pointless, and needless to say they all drive like maniacs.

 

[Bomber Spirit]

Originally posted by KiNgCliVe26
If they really wanted people to slow down there would be massive warning speed camera ahead signs before you even get near the camera.

They have them in NSW.

 

[Streaker]

I flash if I think a car is speeding, when there are no cameras around.

If there is a camera around I don't flash.

 

[coxon]

Originally posted by Bomber Spirit
They have them in NSW.

yes.. for speed cameras/red light cameras...

no signs for mobile speed cameras / hairdryers..

yes.. i flash...

 

[eagleskickass]

Originally posted by KiNgCliVe26


If they really wanted people to slow down there would be massive warning speed camera ahead signs before you even get near the camera.

And then instead everywhere there isnt a sign u speed like crazy cause u know u wont get caught. Least if u dont know where they are SOME people MIGHT be cautious, if u know where they are u just slow down where it is, and throw caution to the wind otherwise.

 

[Desredandwhite]

I actually think there should be signs EVERYWHERE, to make people paranoid. Plus coppers should be ringing up radio stations and reporting non-existant cameras.

If they were serious about PREVENTING speeding, instead of catching people at it, that's what they'd be doing.

I don't speed anyway, so I don't care

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

Originally posted by Desredandwhite
I actually think there should be signs EVERYWHERE, to make people paranoid. Plus coppers should be ringing up radio stations and reporting non-existant cameras.

If they were serious about PREVENTING speeding, instead of catching people at it, that's what they'd be doing.

Everytime I leave Queensland, there are signs everywhere in Northern NSW warning of radar traps and cameras and airborne cameras and ... well you get the point. I can tell you that those signs jolt me back to reality quicker than anything if I am starting to creep over.

 

[carn_the_nmfc]

No but my uncle does whenever he sees me walking the dog.

 

[Bluey]

OK let's leave that one alone...


I do even though I know one guy who was caught doing it and fined. Oh well, one bloke takes the hit for a few dozen others. Luck of the draw.

I agree with Mooster. If I was warning people about a road block set up to catch an escaped rapist then I could see it being a problem. I'm actually doing society a service by making it less profitable for the police to tax motorists when they should be working on reducing the response time to burglary reports - less than six hours would be a start.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

Originally posted by Bluey
OK let's leave that one alone...

It's agonising letting that one slide by though.

 

[pazza]

I do, but, it doesn't happen often.

 

[Mooster]

Originally posted by localyokel
I fully sympathise with your point Mooster but isnt that comparing apples with oranges? You got pinged for an illegal turn which is different to speeding.

Nah. I'm comparing oranges to tangerines to oranges.

It's still overkill in a traffic control situation. Same as hiding away and blasting radar all over. It's still a failure to serve the public in favor of generating revenue.

It would be like an exterminator inspecting a house and not reporting a termite problem. Then coming back later when the infestation is worse, so his treatment bill is higher AND contracting repairs to the house to his brother-in-law who owns the lumberyard. That's what it's like.

You know that song 'Tangerine' from Led Zeppelin III? It's playing in my head right now.

Peace,

 

[pav_is_god]

Yep, I do, just so I can get one over the man (hey, it's safer then tax evasion)!