Blinking Lights

[jeneric]

Just a little question here. First, we live in Pennsylvania. I was pulled over on New Years Eve with my wife and twins. On our way home from dinner, I went to run the rear windshield wiper on my wife's vehicle and accidentally turned the lights off for a brief second. The vehicle coming the other way happened to be a police officer who pulled me over. Now just prior to my blinking, we had passed a hidden police officer so this officer thought I was warning other drivers. Anyways, he looked at my info and license and let me go with no ticket, no problems, and I appreciate that. Now my question is, what if there were deer by the road or something serious like that. My inclination now is to not warn other drivers for fear that I am going to be pulled over each time I do that. I use to be a firefighter in my younger days and I have always appreciated people warning other drivers when there was a wreck or other hazards. I am now wondering if I should ever warn other drivers. Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Eric

[TPDHellhound]

Just a little question here. First, we live in Pennsylvania. I was pulled over on New Years Eve with my wife and twins. On our way home from dinner, I went to run the rear windshield wiper on my wife's vehicle and accidentally turned the lights off for a brief second. The vehicle coming the other way happened to be a police officer who pulled me over. Now just prior to my blinking, we had passed a hidden police officer so this officer thought I was warning other drivers. Anyways, he looked at my info and license and let me go with no ticket, no problems, and I appreciate that. Now my question is, what if there were deer by the road or something serious like that. My inclination now is to not warn other drivers for fear that I am going to be pulled over each time I do that. I use to be a firefighter in my younger days and I have always appreciated people warning other drivers when there was a wreck or other hazards. I am now wondering if I should ever warn other drivers. Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Eric

You're stuck on warning the drivers, when the reason you were stopped was because you flashed your lights. This is illegal in most, if not all, states. It's dangerous and distracting to other drivers. If you're in need for help, then flash away... you're trying to distract other drivers at that point. But in the described situation it's not appropriate.

And let be honest for just one second... don't you find it a bit ironic that you fell into a sequence of events that caused you to get stopped???

1) It was New Years Eve
2) You happened to notice a "hidden" patrol officer on the side of the road.
3) At that moment you chose to clean your "rear" windshield.
4) And you accidentally flashed (or "blinked") your lights at an oncoming car.

Come on! Be a man and own up to it!! You tried to warn oncoming traffic to a police officer. Congratulations!! You may have save the next guy from a ticket... but how many drunks did you warned in the process by placing your own family in danger!?!?!

Why do people think that cops are gullible?

[jeneric]

You're stuck on warning the drivers, when the reason you were stopped was because you flashed your lights. This is illegal in most, if not all, states. It's dangerous and distracting to other drivers. If you're in need for help, then flash away... you're trying to distract other drivers at that point. But in the described situation it's not appropriate.

And let be honest for just one second... don't you find it a bit ironic that you fell into a sequence of events that caused you to get stopped???

1) It was New Years Eve
2) You happened to notice a "hidden" patrol officer on the side of the road.
3) At that moment you chose to clean your "rear" windshield.
4) And you accidentally flashed (or "blinked") your lights at an oncoming car.

Come on! Be a man and own up to it!! You tried to warn oncoming traffic to a police officer. Congratulations!! You may have save the next guy from a ticket... but how many drunks did you warned in the process by placing your own family in danger!?!?!

Why do people think that cops are gullible?

TPDHellhound, thanks for the reply.
I can understand why you would think that but that is not the case that I was warning other drivers. The place where the officer was was a common area where he will sit. I know the officer and have chatted with him before. I would not flash anyone to warn about him being there.

I understand that it was New Years eve, I cleaned my rear view window because it was raining and we had just pulled out from dinner.

I dont think cops are at all gullible being as I have been friends with police officers for as long as I can remember.

I would admit to it if that was the case of me warning other drivers.

I understand that what you are saying that it is illegal to flash lights period. I guess that if there was a hazard in the road ahead of me, I would want to be forwarned before coming up on it. Thanks again for the reply

Eric

[TX-LEO]

Just a little question here. First, we live in Pennsylvania. I was pulled over on New Years Eve with my wife and twins. On our way home from dinner, I went to run the rear windshield wiper on my wife's vehicle and accidentally turned the lights off for a brief second. Eric

You could be cited for fail to display headlights, since you turned them off.


The Officers P.C. was legit, and he was fishing for a drunk, I don't think you should be worried about it as much as you seem.

[jeneric]

You could be cited for fail to display headlights, since you turned them off.


The Officers P.C. was legit, and he was fishing for a drunk, I don't think you should be worried about it as much as you seem.

Thanks TX-LEO, I know he was legit and I have no problem with the stop at all. Not worried at all about it. I guess it just seemed like people use to blink their lights alot more when I was younger to warn them about wrecks, deer, ect. In my case, it was not being familiar with my wifes vehicle.

Its just after the stop, I started thinking about when I was younger. It just seemed acceptable then. I was in public safety for 14 years as a firefighter and if I was not at the hall, we often would blink our lights on the way back to the station. No one was ever stopped then but in retrospect, it was probably because the officers were going to the call or knew where we were going. TX-LEO, thanks for your reply. :cool:

[jeneric]

Thanks DCLaw

[jeneric]

All in all, I've learned my lesson ; I wont be blinking at no one

This brings up 2 more questions if you guys/gals dont mind:

1) Here in PA, there is always construction so we have to have our lights on when in work areas or we get fined. I think that might be a secondary fine but not entirely sure. Being as our lights are on, does the law still hold true as far as turning them off and on, ect.

2) second question, I have had a state police officer flash his lights at me in a parking lot a few years ago to let me get a parking spot so that he could pull out. Does the law apply to parking lots as well?

Thanks

[smcc360]

...I have had a state police officer flash his lights at me in a parking lot a few years ago to let me get a parking spot so that he could pull out. Does the law apply to parking lots as well?

Yes, the law absolutely applies to parking lots, and I'm shocked and disgusted that you were subjected to such treatment by the officer. Yeah, it's nice to get a parking spot, but sometimes the cost to our essential liberties is just too high.

Did you check to see whether or not the officer was wiping his *** with a copy of the Bill of Rights when he did it? I'll bet he was!

[jeneric]

Yes, the law absolutely applies to parking lots, and I'm shocked and disgusted that you were subjected to such treatment by the officer. Yeah, it's nice to get a parking spot, but sometimes the cost to our essential liberties is just too high.

Did you check to see whether or not the officer was wiping his *** with a copy of the Bill of Rights when he did it? I'll bet he was!

I am not sure how to read that if it was sarcasm or not but anyways, thanks for the answer. I wasn't questioning that officer but just wondering about other civilians in the lot itself.

Thanks,
Eric

[michiganstud]

Why do people question an officers actions after a stop WHEN THEY DIDN'T GET A TICKET???
Be happy and motor on.

[Curt581]

Why do people question an officers actions after a stop WHEN THEY DIDN'T GET A TICKET???
Be happy and motor on.

Simple.

The driver you give a warning to, will be the one to complain the loudest. That complaint will be sustained, because if you'd really had a reason to stop, you'd have written the tag, right? Conversely, if you write the tag, the complaint will be seen as nothing more than sour grapes.

As a corollary, the driver you give a reduced citation to (like writing for 14 mph over instead of 25 over), will be the one most likely to hire an attorney and take that reduced citation to trial.

The answer? Don't bother stopping the car if you're not going to write. Write the tag for what you saw. Give no "warnings", written or verbal.

[RO56]

You could be cited for fail to display headlights, since you turned them off.

Here in MI, we've got both covered. Turning them off and on:

257.684 Head lamps; lighting, distance, height.

Sec. 684.

(a) Every vehicle upon a highway within this state at any time from a half hour after sunset to a half hour before sunrise and at any other time when there is not sufficient light to render clearly discernible persons and vehicles on the highway at a distance of 500 feet ahead shall display lighted lamps and illuminating devices as hereinafter respectively required for different classes of vehicles, subject to exceptions with respect to parked vehicles as hereinafter stated. When lighted lamps and illuminated devices are required by law no vehicle shall be operated upon any highway of this state with only the parking lights illuminated on the front of the vehicle.

And flashing your high beams to warn the oncoming driver:

57.700 Multiple-beam road lighting equipment; oncoming traffic; intensity.

Sec. 700.

(a) Whenever a motor vehicle is being operated on a highway or shoulder adjacent thereto during the times specified in section 684, the driver shall use a distribution of light, or composite beam, directed high enough and of sufficient intensity to reveal persons and vehicles at a safe distance in advance of the vehicle, subject to the following requirements and limitations:

(b) Whenever the driver of a vehicle approaches an oncoming vehicle within 500 feet, such driver shall use a distribution of light or composite beam so aimed that the glaring rays are not projected into the eyes of the oncoming driver.

[jeneric]

Michigan and Curt, No sour grapes here, I understand exactly why he did it. All I was wanting to know was/is there a law about blinking headlights. The second aside that i had was just our of curiousity. I am sorry if the LEO's here on the board take my question the wrong away, it was not meant to question his authority or sour grapes. Just some questions thats all. If the people would rather that i didn't post, I will just leave. Oh and by the way RO56, thanks for your answer too. I did appreciate all the post as they were very informative. In my law enforcement training that I had, lights were never part of what we went over.

Thanks,
Eric

[Hop]

Let me try to get my perspective out here on the question I read

Now my question is, what if there were deer by the road or something serious like that.

If it were a deer or something serious, I would extend you the courtesy you already received

But let me throw something out here that you may not have thought about... What if there was a seriously drunk driver on the same road and it was he, rather than you that turned the lights on and off. Would you want the officer to stop that person and check on things before you met him on a two-lane road? Or would you rather the officer assume that it was nothing and let him go?

Here is another fact: We as officers are bound by that silly constitution thing that our founding fathers thought up and scribbled with a crayon years ago. Currently the BEST tool we have to get serious criminals off the street is the dreaded by the public, traffic stop. In my twelve years working I have arrested several murderers and rapists on outstanding warrants this way. I've also been able to piece together burglary rings and taken about 600 lbs of drugs off the street. I've arrested nearly 400 drunk drivers and had quite a few laughs with citizens.

I know that it was an inconvenience to you, but looking with basic traffic safety set aside, the traffic stop has been the best tool I've been able to use during my tenure to keep the public safe...

When I was a training officer I also posed the question to my rookies: Would you be comfortable not stopping that car if your wife and kids were the next car to come up on it. If the answer was no, I made them initiate the traffic stop and trust their good ol hinky button!

Take care!

[mcsap]

Yes, the law absolutely applies to parking lots, and I'm shocked and disgusted that you were subjected to such treatment by the officer. Yeah, it's nice to get a parking spot, but sometimes the cost to our essential liberties is just too high.

Did you check to see whether or not the officer was wiping his *** with a copy of the Bill of Rights when he did it? I'll bet he was!

Actually , in PA , only SERIOUS traffic violations can be charged on a parking lot ( otherwise known as a trafficway). Exp. plates, inspection , no insurance , no lights ( unless intentionally trying to hide being located) etc cannot be charged.

DUI , DUS , Reckless Driving and hit and run are the few charges that can legally be brought on a parking lot in PA.