Flashing your high beams - Freedom of Speech?

**jmur5074** · 10-13-11, 09:26 PM

Erich Campbell thought he was being helpful. The Florida Highway patrolman thought he was being obnoxious and disrespectful and gave him a $101 fine.
“I couldn’t believe it,” said Campbell as he paced next to Veterans Highway in Tampa, Fla.

“I was in complete disbelief.”

Campbell’s crime?

He flashed his headlights to alert oncoming cars after passing that patrolman’s speed trap.
“It’s something I do,” he explained. "I don’t think it should be against the law."
In December 2009, the patrolman was set up on the southbound side of Route 589 near the Tampa International Airport. In a recording of the stop, the officer told Campbell he had seen his lights flashing. “It’s illegal,” he said before giving him a ticket that read “improper flashing of high-beams.”

Read more: Taking Liberties: Bright Lights, Big Trouble | Fox News

**pgg** · 10-13-11, 10:00 PM

If people don't want a speeding ticket there is something very simple that they can do...

Wait for it.....

Still waiting....

DON'T SPEED

This has been a public service announcement

**Cidp24** · 10-13-11, 10:25 PM

You can always stop them and ask if they have a short in their headlights because they keep flashing bright and dim. Tell them they might want to get that looked at.

**jmur5074** · 10-13-11, 10:34 PM

I don't think law enforcement should argue their point from a stance of "he's interfering with us catching speeders."

I think a better argument would be that flashing your high beams within a certain distance of oncoming vehicles is DANGEROUS because you may blind the other drivers. I for one question whether I have night blindness because when I have someone coming at me, even when their lights are "dimmed" I can't see a damn thing. When they're brights are on, it's 100x worse.

In MN you can't activate your brights within 1,000' of an oncoming vehicle. Consider that statute to solve this problem. And if the guy isn't breaking that law, then oh well, let him do it.

**Rhino** · 10-13-11, 10:34 PM

His argument is pretty weak. In my state you can flash your lights during the day, but if they pull this stuff at night it is enforceable. I've never really noticed a difference. Even when I know drivers are warning people coming the other way, there's always idiots who don't slow down.

**MacLean** · 10-14-11, 01:39 AM

It's actually protected speech here.

Who cares? They slow down, you win.

At night, I suppose you could write for it. Why? Waste of time. Speeding tickets are more effective.

**Odd** · 10-14-11, 05:32 AM

Erich Campbell thought he was being helpful.

This would be a much better story if it started off with an Erica flashing her highbeams, but wishes/horses..

During the day, fine, free speech. At night I have no sympathy for anyone who gets a ticket. Agree it's not a particularly good use of resources then either. Like JMur I have enough problems with lowbeams (and think people with HIDs and self leveling lights should be flogged in the public square, but again, wishes) and can see it being a legitimate, if small, attention distraction for those who aren't being blinded.