Speed trap, flashing headlights offence?

jazzy

I watched a motoring program over the weekend and discovered that it was now an offence to flash your head lights to warn other motorists of speed traps!
Can any one confirm if this is true?

burbs_2

jazzy wrote:

I watched a motoring program over the weekend and discovered that it was now an offence to flash your head lights to warn other motorists of speed traps!
Can any one confirm if this is true?

I have heard this before as well. I would guess that it is true, they wouldnt want to risk losing any revenue. I cant see how they can police it though and i dont think it will make the slightest bit of difference to people doing it

moonrakerz

What about the people (councils ?) who put up the speed camera signs ?

Happy_saver_4

jazzy wrote:

I watched a motoring program over the weekend and discovered that it was now an offence to flash your head lights to warn other motorists of speed traps!
Can any one confirm if this is true?

Who says you're warning other motorists?

Perhaps you were carrying out a safety check to see if your lights were working and the dash-board high beam light was operational.

What speed trap; officer?

balsingh

Happy_saver wrote:

Who says you're warning other motorists?

Perhaps you were carrying out a safety check to see if your lights were working and the dash-board high beam light was operational.

What speed trap; officer?

Or maybe you are just flashing them to tell them soem leaves have fallen into the road (albeit near a speedtrap).

Twopints

There is a case going to the House of Lords on appeal. A driver who warned other motorists was done for obstruction, found not guilty but now it's gone to appeal - see Here

Also, I think there is legislation going through which makes the use of speed trap detectors illegal.

waster_2

ts_aly2000 wrote:

Maybe you're just been blinded by a speed camera facing you that a driver on the other side of the road set off and you've switched on your high beam so you can see where you're going.

Those speed camera flashes are flippin bright and enough to stun you for a few seconds. Most dangerous and ill-thought out.

There is a camera near where I live that has had to be turned off. Apparently you do not need planning consent to erect these legalised highwaymen!!! A camera was erected in a street that has residential properties. One of the properties is occupied by a lady who suffers from photo sensitive epilepsy. If she has her curtains open and the camera flashes it has the potential to trigger her epilepsy. So, for the time being, the Safety (joke!!!) Camera Partnership concerned has reluctantly disabled this camera. Just proves they do not give a sh*t about anything except revenue generation else otherwise they would consult and inform before erecting their legalised robbing machines. They make the recent £50m+ Kent Securicor blagging seem as if it was executed by kiddies!!!

jazzy

I think that if I was stopped for this offence. I would just say I knew the driver and was just saying hello!

rdwarr

It goes to show that, regardless of how many children are killed on our roads, speeding is still not considered a crime in the same league as drunk driving. If you saw somebody burgling a house you wouldn't warn him if the police were coming, so why should an offence that kills far more people than housebreaking be treated differently?

Amba_Gambla

AFAIK it always has been illegal....

digp

It may amount to the offence of "obstruct pc":

Obstructing a police officer - section 89(2) Police Act 1996
(Archbold 28-6)

The offence of obstructing a police officer is committed when a person:-

wilfully obstructs
a constable in the execution of his duty, or
a person assisting a constable in the execution of the constable's duty.
It is a summary only offence carrying a maximum penalty of one month's imprisonment and/or a level 3 fine.

A person obstructs a constable if he prevents him from carrying out his duties or makes it more difficult for him to do so.

The obstruction must be 'wilful', meaning the accused must act (or refuse to act) deliberately, knowing and intending his act will obstruct the constable: (Lunt v DPP [1993] Crim.L.R.534). The motive for the act is irrelevant.

Many instances of obstruction relate to a physical and violent obstruction of an officer in, for example, a public order or arrest situation. This standard only deals with conduct which can amount to an obstruction in the context of an interference with public justice.

Examples of the type of conduct which may constitute the offence of obstructing a police officer include:-

Warning a landlord that the police are to investigate after hours drinking;
warning that a police search of premises is to occur;
giving a warning to other motorists of a police speed trap ahead;
a motorist or 'shoplifter' who persists in giving a false name and address;
a witness giving a false name and address;
a partner who falsely claiming that he/she was driving at the time of the accident but relenting before the breathalyser procedure is frustrated;
an occupier inhibiting the proper execution of a search warrant (if the warrant has been issued under the Misuse of Drugs Act, see also s 23 of that Act);
refusing to admit constables into a house when there is a right of entry under s.4(7) of the road Traffic Act 1988 (arrest for driving etc while unfit through drink or drugs).
Regard must be had to the factors outlined in General Charging Principles, above in this chapter and Charging Practice for Public Justice Offences, above in this chapter, which identify conduct too serious to charge as an obstruction, then consideration should be given to charges of assisting an offender, or perverting the course of justice. refer to Misrepresentation as to identity, elsewhere in this chapter.