Long before I was a driver, if an approaching car flashed its lights you knew there was an accident or a patrolman ahead. I think the practice was started by truckers.
It all started with the local law enforcement hiding behind a bill board. And then, “THE WHAMMIE”, ‘Do you happen to remember the ‘Whammie’? Maybe it is too old for some of you who read. But it was two rubber air hoses stretched across the road, hooked up to a meter beside a patrol car and it registered the speed of a car between the two hoses. If you were speeding, the patrolman dropped everything, and took off after you.
(The whammie looked like this traffic counter but the hoses were about 50’ apart.)
Funny story (not haha) of a whammie set up by the NCHP, just outside Charlotte. Most drivers had the same automatic reactions when seeing a whammie, they slowed down. One lady got so excited she swerved and hit her brakes, rolling the car over as it crossed the black air hoses. Her speed registered 45mph in a 55mph, and totaled her car.
Now it is the warnings of Radar traps, or communities that target speeders. Local policemen who stalk the interstates for tickets for the city. Shucks they can sit on the Interstate and write tickets all day for 10mph over the limit.
They should be driving in high crime areas showing a presence, and leaving the Interstates to the Highway Patrol, but that doesn’t bring in local revenue..
(I have no problem with Lawtey nor Waldo, both give out a tremendous amt of tickets, but you are warned, ”SPEEDLIMITS STRICKLY ENFORCED”)
So over the years the blinking lights have continued saying ‘warning speed check or danger ahead.’ Many tickets have been given out to the cars who have blinked their lights, finally that has been challenged in court.
A federal judge has ruled blinking your head lights is free speech, and not an offense. I am glad of the ruling.
Speeding tickets are nothing to laugh about. At one time you paid a fine and that was it. Now, wow, you pay the fine and the insurance company gets in on it and raises your premium and you haven’t cost them a dime.
Anyway it is good to flash your lights to warn oncoming traffic of a speed trap ahead or an accident.
Nite Shipslog
PS:
I have no problems with announced speed traps.
I honestly SELDOM speed.
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Is this doublejeepardy?
The little Crosley was neat, this is actually a pickup..
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10 comments:
I used to flash my lights as a warning but stopped because I thought it was against the law now to do so. I didn't realize we are ok to do so once more. I think it is a good way to warn others to slow down for whatever reason. I have often turned my lights on and off to let another know they forgot to turn their headlights on. I know I've forgotten my self and appreciated having someone let me know. Curtesy on the road seems to be a thing of the past but it is always appreciated.
John tickles me how he slams on his brakes when he sees a lawman. It makes him look guilty as sin even if he isn't. People down here used to thank you for moving over to the shoulder to let them pass but more and more or not doing it anymore. Used to in classes to lower our insurance they would say it is against the law to drive on the shoulder but with the oil traffic we have to let the trucks pass or get run over. I don't know it the law has been changed or if they just look the other way.
«Louis» thanks you for your visits and comments while he hasn't been able to reciprocate because of moving... He'll stop back by later and catch up on reading your always entertaining blog! :-)
The Church of the Nativity is «Louis'» inSPIREd Sunday post this week. This happens to be the parish attended by "Dr. Mc" of The Friday Funnies fame!
I'm in favor of warning another driver of a hidden police car checking for speeds.
Here in Florida, we have cameras at most intersections taking pictures of cars and their license plates. Then they get a ticket in the mail.
Sometimes going thru a yellow light is not good enough for those cameras. People have faught the outcome in court for going thru a red light when in fact the light was still yellow.
I don't recall ever flashing my lights, but have had people do it to me. I think it's a nice thing to do for most time they're letting you know there's an accident a head. Another time we were coming from Dothan and between here and Enterprise a highway patrol meeting us flashed his blue light on me, only once. Grover said okay now you are speeding and he will turn around and ticket you. He keep going thank goodness. I don't think I was speeding not much anyway. Lol. Take care. Jean
I don't flash my lights, but would if there was an opportunity to do so. I had to laugh about the police hiding behind bill boards and such; hubby got such a traffic ticket about 3 weeks ago, they called it "code enforcement" but I called it "way to get city revenue". He didn't see the sign where you were supposed to stop at red near the train tracks and went ahead of the tracks instead of behind them. Sure enough 3 police cars were around the corner, out of view, and one directed him to pull over where he got a ticket. Still waiting to see what the fine might be for that and if he can go to traffic school so it won't show up on his DMV record. We live right by a speed trap; in fact the police use our street to pull the people over. At times they have had 4 police cars and 2 motorcycle cops working it. And they are constantly writing tickets the times they are there. I'm sure the city has them do it a lot when they are trying to meet budget :)
betty
That use to be a thing flashing
lights to warn people. I knew
some had gotten tickets but didn't
know it had been challenged in court and it was OK now.
I was stopped by a Policeman
on Harley Ave. doing 35 in a 20 zone. I had just moved here and I
told him I was a newcomer and was not familiar with the Town. He said welcome and just be careful and let me go. Thank goodness he let me go and said be careful. I have never had a ticket.
Never heard of a whammy - I do know those rubber hoses across the street - what to measure how traveled a road is?
I thought it was illegal to blink your lights - so I am excited to know it is not!
Sandie
I thought flashing lights was illegal too. So you won't catch me doing it anytime soon.
I have been saved by flashing lights quite a few times. And yes, I have flashed mine.
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