March 1, 2015

Random Scandal Sheet for Sunday 3/1/15

What southern Florida is talking about this week:

... flashing our lights to warn others about speed traps -- and specifically, how it's legal free speech to do just that.

Which, as a concept, isn't too new seeing as how judges have upheld it as such for the last few years across the country.

However, last month and in this state, a set of lawsuits dating back to 2011 were finally resolved from a father-son combo who sued the Florida Highway Patrol and the Seminole County Sheriff based on claims that they aggressively ticketed citizens who clued in other citizens that they were about to enter a trap via the tried and true communication of flashing of the lights to oncoming traffic.

Interestingly enough, the lawsuits themselves didn't result in any money for the 2900 drivers who got ticketed between 2005 an 2010 ... but the attention to the issue that came from the filing of the suits led to a change in policy at the FHP and a state law was rewritten to clarify that the flashing of the lights was an explicit right of communication.

What was not decided in the ruling?  Whether it's safe to flash your lights at oncoming traffic who have forgotten to turn on their lights after dark (as urban legend says that gang members will shoot you if you do)!

THE FLORIDA CASES EXPLAINED:
http://campbelllawobserver.com/2015/02/and-the-courts-said-let-there-be-light/

AS DECIDED IN ST LOUIS ABOUT A YEAR AGO:
http://www.autoblog.com/2014/02/04/judge-rules-flashing-headlights-speed-traps-legal-video/

AN ATTEMPT TO CATALOG ALL SPEED TRAPS EVERYWHERE (BWA-HA-HA):
http://www.speedtrap.org/

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