Stories
Slash Boxes
Comments

SoylentNews is people

posted by janrinok on Tuesday May 07 2019, @09:24PM   Printer-friendly
from the coming-down-firmly-on-the-fence dept.

Submitted via IRC for Fnord666

Law enforcement officers tend to frown on citizens interfering with their revenue generation. This has led to a number of First Amendment lawsuits from people arrested for warning others about [check notes] the existence of police officers in the vicinity.

One citizen was told as much when he was arrested for holding up a sign reading "Cops Ahead." One cop kept on script, referring to the man's actions as "interfering with an investigation." It wasn't an investigation. It was a distracted driving sting. The cop actually hauling him to the station was more to the point, telling the man he was arresting him for "interfering with our livelihood." First Amendment violation or felony interference with a business model? Why not both?

A lawsuit was filed in 2018 seeking a declaration that honking a car's horn is protected expression. And, all the way back in 2011, a class action lawsuit was filed over citations and arrests for flashing headlights to warn drivers of unseen officers.

A federal judge has decided -- albeit not very firmly -- that at least one of these actions is protected by the First Amendment. Wisconsin Magistrate Judge Stephen Crocker says flashing your headlights to warn drivers of speed traps is expressive speech -- something cops would be better off not trying to punish. (via Volokh Conspiracy)

Source: https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20190502/05382642129/federal-judge-says-flashing-headlights-to-warn-drivers-hidden-cops-might-be-protected-speech.shtml


Original Submission

 
This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.
Display Options Threshold/Breakthrough Mark All as Read Mark All as Unread
The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.
  • (Score: 3, Interesting) by istartedi on Tuesday May 07 2019, @10:00PM (2 children)

    by istartedi (123) on Tuesday May 07 2019, @10:00PM (#840467) Journal

    It can mean several things. I'll flash it to make them think about their headlights--high beams on or driving without headlights. I'll also flash it to warn of *any* danger ahead: deer and other wildlife, police activity, etc.

    --
    Appended to the end of comments you post. Max: 120 chars.
    Starting Score:    1  point
    Moderation   +1  
       Interesting=1, Total=1
    Extra 'Interesting' Modifier   0  
    Karma-Bonus Modifier   +1  

    Total Score:   3  
  • (Score: 5, Informative) by Immerman on Tuesday May 07 2019, @11:59PM

    by Immerman (3985) on Tuesday May 07 2019, @11:59PM (#840527)

    Indeed. As someone above said "check yourself", or alternatively "pay attention". Doesn't much matter what it is - if driving on the usual mental autopilot poses a danger to you or others in the imminent future, a warning is an expression of basic human decency.

    And speed traps are an unjustified danger. If speed limits were set reasonably for safe driving in normal conditions, instead of typically being set for bad weather, or distracted driver in minivan full of kids, or pure unabashed revenue generation, then I would consider warning other drivers to be bad form. Just as I'd consider warning someone driving at legitimately dangerous speeds. But for the vast majority of people pacing themselves to road conditions rather than speed limits? Just a bit of courtesy.

  • (Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Wednesday May 08 2019, @02:59AM

    by Runaway1956 (2926) Subscriber Badge on Wednesday May 08 2019, @02:59AM (#840602) Journal

    Ditto. The conundrum: you've driven past a hazard, such as a broke down truck partially blocking the road. You flash the first five or ten cars you meet, and in the meantime, you've passed three intersections. How long does it remain "useful" to warn oncoming drivers of a hazard ahead? And, how long will those drivers remember the warning? At some point, I stop warning people, even if I'm half sure they'll drive directly to the hazard area.