OT - Highway Patrol question

[Chongo94]

I was driving on Aledo road today when an oncoming truck gave me the flashing brights letting me know a DPS guy was up ahead. Sure enough, the patrolman had already gotten someone when I came up on him.

Now when I grew up, I was told that signaling someone to let them know a cop was around was against the law. Was that or is that true? I mean what would be the actual charge for something like that? Was someone just pulling my leg all these years?

 

[tcudoc]

I was driving on Aledo road today when an oncoming truck gave me the flashing brights letting me know a DPS guy was up ahead. Sure enough, the patrolman had already gotten someone when I came up on him.

Now when I grew up I was told that signaling someone and letting them know a cop was around was against the law. Was that or is that true? I mean what would be the actual charge for something like that? Was someone just pulling my leg all these years?

I had always heard the same thing. I always wondered how they could enforce that. I have always planned what my answer would be if a cop pulled me over for that. It seems like they would have to prove intent. I would just say I accidentally hit the lever. How could they prove differently?

 

[Paint It Purple]

I believe this is and has been judged to be a "free speech" issue. If you wish to communicate to a fellow driver some information, such as there is a wreck over the hill, or a cow in the road ahead, or a DPS trooper ahead; it is your free speech right to do so.

 

[Pharm Frog]

I was cited for that outside Sterling City back in 1991 or 1992. Can’t recall what it was for but Judge Steib dismissed it and lit up the highway patrolman. Said that he should share some of his salary with me because I was assisting his efforts in making the roadways safer.

In other news my father was pulled over by a deputy sheriff who told him it was illegal to flash your lights. Did not ticket him. He called my brother in law (retired DPS) who told him it is not against the law.

 

[YA]

I do this all the time. Most folks in DFW don't know what it means. East Texas and West Texas folks know and will even acknowledge your gesture.

It is a free speech issue. With that said, I always just ride the break a little to mask any issues. But with most folks having running daylights on their vehicles the issue is likely moot anyway.

 

[Billy Clyde]

It's a fairly recent Supreme Court decision. Decided within the last 2-3 years, as PIP mentioned rooted in speech. Used to be considered illegal lots of places, but no more.

 

[Chongo94]

I was cited for that outside Sterling City back in 1991 or 1992. Can’t recall what it was for but Judge Steib dismissed it and lit up the highway patrolman. Said that he should share some of his salary with me because I was assisting his efforts in making the roadways safer.

In other news my father was pulled over by a deputy sheriff who told him it was illegal to flash your lights. Did not ticket him. He called my brother in law (retired DPS) who told him it is not against the law.

Not surprised it was in Sterling City. DPS used to be lethal down there and around Mertzon and Eden.

 

[Chongo94]

It's a fairly recent Supreme Court decision. Decided within the last 2-3 years, as PIP mentioned rooted in speech. Used to be considered illegal lots of places, but no more.

Had no idea it was in the news so recently!
Well I’m gonna pull a @YA and just start doing it more often then. I do it, but am very selective as to when and where I signal the other drivers.

 

[Billy Clyde]

Had no idea it was in the news so recently!
Well I’m gonna pull a @YA and just start doing it more often then. I do it, but am very selective as to when and where I signal the other drivers.

Yeah that's my posture as well... Just because they can't charge you with THAT anymore, doesn't mean they can't find something else if you cause them to want to... I doubt if many of us could drive for more than a short distance with one of those in our rearview without doing something wrong.

 

[Paint It Purple]

Not surprised it was in Sterling City. DPS used to be lethal down there and around Mertzon and Eden.

You are running some remote trails right there. Not too long ago it was even more remote and sparse of other drivers. Kinda nuts now, with the drilling between Sterling City and Midland. I run that road once a month. Got pulled over in Carlsbad (TX) by DPS once, but he let me go. Watch out for the deer in the Springtime. Cheers!

 

[Chongo94]

You are running some remote trails right there. Not too long ago it was even more remote and sparse of other drivers. Kinda nuts now, with the drilling between Sterling City and Midland. I run that road once a month. Got pulled over in Carlsbad (TX) by DPS once, but he let me go. Watch out for the deer in the Springtime. Cheers!

Grew up in Angelo and dated some girls around the general area. Got to be on a last name basis with the DPS out of Mertzon sadly.
Knew the DPS officer in Eden at the time so that helped.

I bet it is. I haven’t made that Sterling to Midland run in a while so I’m sure it’s crazy. Definitely always used to slow down at Carlsbad and around the state school there.

 

[Billy Clyde]

Been a good while since I saw that opinion, but it was a memorable one because of the unusual common-sense reasoning. The Court said, in essence, "Wait, you (police) say you are out there trying to slow people down, and the effect of the defendant's actions in flashing his lights is to slow people down, so [ What the heck? ] is the problem here?" lol.

 

[Pharm Frog]

Not surprised it was in Sterling City. DPS used to be lethal down there and around Mertzon and Eden.

Ben Burch. Ticketed me three times, Mrs Pharm (when we were dating) twice, my FIL once.

 

[Eight]

 

[Land Frog]

Believe it was decided flipping the bird to a cop was free speech as well.

Just because you can doesn't mean you should.

 

[SnoSki]

Believe it was decided flipping the bird to a cop was free speech as well.

Just because you can doesn't mean you should.

I remember an officer telling my friends and I once that doing so could be considered assault. Not sure if he was BSing but I’m not really that type of guy so it hasn’t mattered

 

[hometown frog]

I guess tagging cop spots on Waze would be considered illegal too?

 

[Pharm Frog]

Grew up in Angelo and dated some girls around the general area. Got to be on a last name basis with the DPS out of Mertzon sadly.
Knew the DPS officer in Eden at the time so that helped.

I bet it is. I haven’t made that Sterling to Midland run in a while so I’m sure it’s crazy. Definitely always used to slow down at Carlsbad and around the state school there.

Got pulled over by a sheriff in Concho County on the Millersview/Doole highway on the way back to Angelo from Brownwood when I was a puppy drug rep. I was listening to Rush Limbaugh on a delayed feed on a station out of San Antonio that was coming in clear. He asked me what station I was picking it up on and then asked if I could “keep it below 90mph” in the future and he let me go.

 

[Chongo94]

Got pulled over by a sheriff in Concho County on the Millersview/Doole highway on the way back to Angelo from Brownwood when I was a puppy drug rep. I was listening to Rush Limbaugh on a delayed feed on a station out of San Antonio that was coming in clear. He asked me what station I was picking it up on and then asked if I could “keep it below 90mph” in the future and he let me go.

Haha, been pulled over on that same highway myself. I fly down it! It’s amazing to me how sparsely used it seems to be. Luckily, I only got a warning as well.