Re: Do you ever warn people of a cop ahead when driving?

Posted by nbc188

Posted by stephanief

I am confused

if you are in front of someone and see a cop on the side of the road, what good is flashing your lights going to do for the people behind you?

I know I am not understanding this correctly, can someone clue me in?

It's to alert the drivers on the other side of the road (oncoming traffic), not those going the same direction as you.

Re: Do you ever warn people of a cop ahead when driving?

Posted by nbc188

Posted by stephanief

I am confused

if you are in front of someone and see a cop on the side of the road, what good is flashing your lights going to do for the people behind you?

I know I am not understanding this correctly, can someone clue me in?

It's to alert the drivers on the other side of the road (oncoming traffic), not those going the same direction as you.

Re: Do you ever warn people of a cop ahead when driving?

Posted by Ophelia

Posted by nbc188

Posted by stephanief

I am confused

if you are in front of someone and see a cop on the side of the road, what good is flashing your lights going to do for the people behind you?

I know I am not understanding this correctly, can someone clue me in?

It's to alert the drivers on the other side of the road (oncoming traffic), not those going the same direction as you.

I don't think I would ever do this.

it seems so unsafe...I would never know if the jackoff I just had slow down to avoid getting caught didn't speed up again and cause an accident..or hit a deer..or whatever.

everyone knows speeding is wrong. everyone knows if you do it there is a chance to get caught. You play, you pay. simple as that.

Re: Do you ever warn people of a cop ahead when driving?

i always do flash my brights when there is a cop up ahead for oncoming traffic


I also had a flash my brights to warn oncoming traffic on the Wantagh that there was a disabled vehicle stopped in the right lane.

I think when people see flashing lights they know to slow down, i didnt want anyone to slam into the stopped van in the right lane

Re: Do you ever warn people of a cop ahead when driving?

I've flashed























My headlights






















on my car

Re: Do you ever warn people of a cop ahead when driving?

No, because I didn't know that was a signal. If I saw someone flash their lights at me, I don't think I would KNOW that was a warning of a cop ahead.

Re: Do you ever warn people of a cop ahead when driving?

Re: Do you ever warn people of a cop ahead when driving?

I do it pretty frequently & notice a lot more of it out of state then in NY...

Re: Do you ever warn people of a cop ahead when driving?

Posted by Kara

Nope. If someone is driving dangerously, I want them to get pulled over. The roads are dangerous enough as it is.

I do remember doing it once in high school because I thought it was the cool thing to do. I happened to mention this to my parents and got quite a talking to!

Re: Do you ever warn people of a cop ahead when driving?

Posted by melijane

Posted by Kara

Nope. If someone is driving dangerously, I want them to get pulled over. The roads are dangerous enough as it is.

I do remember doing it once in high school because I thought it was the cool thing to do. I happened to mention this to my parents and got quite a talking to!

I learned this from my Dad! I do it but not to someone that is driving crazy(excessive speed, weaving in and out of traffic) Just regular people

Re: Do you ever warn people of a cop ahead when driving?

Yes, I've done it. More so when driving upstate on open highways. I haven't done it much on LI, and although I can't recall the last time I did it, I have done it.

Re: Do you ever warn people of a cop ahead when driving?

I used to, all the time.

Then I worked with a girl who was one of those "nothing is ever my fault" kind of people.

We were both driving each of our cars on 95 in Connecticut, came over a rise, and a cop was standing on the side with a radar gun. I looked down and I was going 5 mph over the speed limit. (the limit was 65 in that area)

In the rearview mirror, I see him run to his car and I thought OMG that's it. I'm getting pulled over. I saw lights and then eventually, I didn't see them anymore.

I found out later, the girl I worked with was pulled over. And got a ticket for 73 in a 65.

She would NOT shut up about it. Every excuse in the world why it wasn't fair, how I was going just as fast, how she was going to pull as many strings as possible to get out of it.

All I kept saying was, "WERE YOU SPEEDING? CASE CLOSED." I got one speeding ticket before and you know what? IT WAS MY FAULT. Doesn't matter what anyone else does. Sucks to be you, deal with it!

Ever since then, I don't flash to warn people. Unless a cop has already pulled someone over, for safety reasons. Or there's an accident. Or a disabled car in the lane.

But... I will flash my brights on Ocean Parkway or by schools for no reason whatsoever. To just get people to slow down and be cautious for a few miles. HAH.

Message edited 8/7/2008 1:03:42 PM.

Re: Do you ever warn people of a cop ahead when driving?

OK - I picked other - there's always an other

I used to do it on occassion and you can call me stupid b/c I know it is - but since all that stuff came out a few years back about gang initiations and flashing brights and stuff - I stopped doing it. I'm sure it's an urban myth, but I stopped anyway.

Re: Do you ever warn people of a cop ahead when driving?

i never do it.

my dad does though!

Re: Do you ever warn people of a cop ahead when driving?

Posted by mrswask

OK - I picked other - there's always an other

I used to do it on occassion and you can call me stupid b/c I know it is - but since all that stuff came out a few years back about gang initiations and flashing brights and stuff - I stopped doing it. I'm sure it's an urban myth, but I stopped anyway.

Re: Do you ever warn people of a cop ahead when driving?

I have never heard of that nor would I do it. Laws are laws for a reason so if a cop has to pull someone over, so be it.

Re: Do you ever warn people of a cop ahead when driving?

i've never but i've seen this out of state

Re: Do you ever warn people of a cop ahead when driving?

Yes, I do, or have.

I also have had ppl on the other side warn me and it worked.

Re: Do you ever warn people of a cop ahead when driving?

Interesting - I've never even heard of this or seen it while driving. I live in NYC though, so maybe it's not used as commonly here?

Re: Do you ever warn people of a cop ahead when driving?

I don't. My aunt got a ticket for doing it upstate. They had a cop waiting to give tickets for people that did this. Atleast she wasn't the only one.

Re: Do you ever warn people of a cop ahead when driving?

Re: Do you ever warn people of a cop ahead when driving?

So interesting you post this because I had no clue ppl flash other ppl to warn them about a cop nearby. I found out a few weeks ago when my DH flashed this guy after we were talking about a bunch of cops parked nearby. And I asked him why he did and he told me its to warn them. I never had knew about that warning, and I ve been driving for years

I dont think I would do it.

Re: Do you ever warn people of a cop ahead when driving?

I never knew about the warning. The only time I ever flash my lights is if it's dark out and someone doesn't have THEIR lights on and I try to get their attention so they stop being dangerous and put their headlights on...

Re: Do you ever warn people of a cop ahead when driving?

No - my college roomate did that once, and she ended up messing up some sort of sting operation the police had set up and she got ARRESTED!

Re: Do you ever warn people of a cop ahead when driving?

Posted by mpetretti

Posted by HeatherRose

i have plenty of times, I do it to pay it fwd, since other drivers do it to me

SAME HERE!