In Poland, drivers are now being fined for flashing their headlights to warn other drivers about police presence ahead. Offenders are identified using drones, and then a second patrol unit intercepts them. They are then issued a fine and receive penalty points.

[u/GhostOfNihilist]

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[u/BlueRunner305]

Luckily here in the US the supreme Court ruled thisnis protected by first amendment right ..they cannot stop you or fine you for flashing your lights warning others of upcoming speed trap

[u/ElwoodJD → u/BlueRunner305]

Hell we have whole apps built around it now

[u/Candid-Patient-6841 → u/ElwoodJD]

I am convinced cops mark themselves on wayz just so people slow down and they don’t have to pull anyone over. Easier to nap that way

[u/purplewitch54154 → u/Candid-Patient-6841]

Yeah the cops in my area do that too but they never actually pull anyone over. I’ve seen people run red lights in front of the police and they didn’t do anything about it. But then you’ll see 3 cops cars pulled over all talking to a single homeless person

[u/person1234man → u/purplewitch54154]

In Michigan you have not only drive above the speed limit, but also be on your phone and weaving in and out of traffic before they pull you over.

Or just be black and driving through livonia

[u/Chudpaladin → u/person1234man]

Depends where in Michigan. In the UP they pulled me over for going 65 in a 55. Stinkers don’t know how crazy it is on 96 and 94

[u/Average_Scaper → u/Chudpaladin]

That's where you messed up. 9 you're fine, 10 you're mine.

Serious note though, 61-62 is kind of the sweet spot. No point in spending your vacation on the side of the road spending $$ unless.....

[u/Ghost_with_no_name → u/person1234man]

Holy shit, a Livonia reference outside of r/Michigan

[u/SaveLansingParks → u/Ghost_with_no_name]

Oop, I'm sorry sir, we don't look kindly at that. Licence and registration, please.

[u/Murky-Relation481 → u/person1234man]

First time I went to Detroit for work some people from the customer took me out on the weekend to see the sights since I'd never been, this was early 2022 or so. They drove down Trumbull and we just rolled through a red light where a cop was sitting in a store parking lot and they were like "yah in this neighborhood if you stopped at the red he'd probably pull you over". I was like "... weird."

[u/deathender → u/Murky-Relation481]

Everything about Detroit is weird. I went there with my friends to shoot a music video in the early 00's and we drove back across the border shaking. We were followed and stalked. They only left us alone, when they found out we were Russian. Pretty scary place in some areas of the city.

[u/Candid-Patient-6841 → u/purplewitch54154]

I was on a fairly long drive and looked over at the navigation and I saw 6 “police spotted” on the highway about a mile to a half a mile apart and I was like that’s weird why are there so many sitting on the highway.

Get to the first no cop there, second one wasn’t there either. There wasn’t cops sitting at any of them except the last one. It made me think, maybe he is marking himself and just kinda posting up.

[u/nemesis7878 → u/Candid-Patient-6841]

The way I see it is the cop sets up in the first location, gets pinged on maps, pulls someone over so they end up further down the highway and then sets up there. Someone passes by and pings the new location. Rinse and repeat. Not sure how many "no" reports are required before the marker gets removed from the map though so the old locations could stay for a while.

One of the reasons why I remain a bit more vigilant when passing a reported cop that is no longer there.

[u/Acceptable_Golf_8623 → u/nemesis7878]

I feel this explanation is way more logical

[u/Important-Ad4500 → u/Candid-Patient-6841]

That's because people tag them sequentially...they see the cop from a distance, tag them but it registers that they are half a mile up the road. Someone else sees the cop half a mile away, but by the time they get their phone unlocked and tag the spot, they're a distance beyond...

[u/Round_Bound_Mound → u/purplewitch54154]

Police officers are famously lazy.

[u/Xlbowlofpho → u/Candid-Patient-6841]

Here is Tampa, FL they have patrol cars to turn their cruise light on (not flashing, just dimly lit red and blue light) just to let people know to slow down. Very effective deterrence imho.

[u/Candid-Patient-6841 → u/Xlbowlofpho]

I’m in New England and cops are different from state to state. I think it was Connecticut recently made a law that cops have to keep their lights on all the time or on the highway not flashing but the same thing you described. Made it easier to avoid them lol

[u/Xlbowlofpho → u/Candid-Patient-6841]

Yeah. People are gonna speed anyway when opportunity come so why just not have light on most of the time while patrolling the area. Not to mention they can just put a speed camera instead of using drones and a group of patrol cars. This is just showing off.

[u/J0k350nm3 → u/Candid-Patient-6841]

... and it actually accomplishes crime prevention and encourages safer driving behaviors. It's exactly what good police that are unmotivated by arrest numbers and ticket revenue would do.

[u/DBDude → u/Candid-Patient-6841]

That’s not a bad thing. German cities have speed camera boxes all over, but at least in mine they only had a few cameras and rotated them. You couldn’t tell the box was empty until you were very close. The point wasn’t revenue, but to get drivers to slow down.

[u/tankerkiller125real → u/Candid-Patient-6841]

I've spoken with the Sherriff in two counties; they encourage their deputies to do that exact thing.

The Sherriff at least has other things generally more important than traffic (no dedicated traffic patrol) so when things are slow, they do traffic, but the primary goal is just to get traffic to slow down, they won't even pull over speeders unless they're going excessive and show no signs of hitting the brakes to slow down when they pass the deputy.

The state highway patrol on the other hand will ticket the living crap out of everybody, but they also still mark themselves because again, their primary job is just getting traffic slowed to the speed limit.

[u/Appropriate_Tap9132 → u/Candid-Patient-6841]

If they are, then good. I think it's better for cops to discourage speeding with an obvious presence than to allow people to speed and pull them over after the fact.

[u/diskorekt → u/Candid-Patient-6841]

The cops in our area watch wayze and when they get marked, they just move somewhere else.

[u/OnlyZubi → u/ElwoodJD]

There is an app like that in poland too, flashing the lights is not needed

[u/ThereHasToBeMore1387 → u/[deleted]]

I know we all want instant justice when something stupid happens, but this is why you don't argue the ticket with the cop on the side of the road. You can beat the rap, but you can't beat the ride. The cop can fuck up your day with near impunity, but right there on the ticket are instructions that will guarantee you your day in court.

[u/kingofbladder → u/ThereHasToBeMore1387]

I know the video he's talking about. The driver wasn't arguing about the ticket. He only chuckled when the shitty police officer made a patronizing comment. At which point the big boy's feelings got hurt and he arrested the driver. The driver was cooperating throughout the whole interaction.

[u/SugarBeefs → u/kingofbladder]

Considering it's the USA, I imagine that was quickly followed by a (very justified) law suit.

edit: quick google tells me that a judge denied the deputy's claim to qualified immunity because the deputy violated the man's constitutional rights, and as such can be held personally liable.

Yeah, deputy's fucked. Will probably get fired too.

[u/ThereHasToBeMore1387 → u/kingofbladder]

I know the video too. You're right, but that's where the 'you can beat the rap, but you can't beat the ride' becomes important. If a cop wants to be a dick, there is literally nothing you can do to stop it in the moment. You can only, hopefully, be alive after the fact and have the means to fight it through the legal system.

[u/PyroIsSpai → u/ThereHasToBeMore1387]

If a cop wants to be a dick, there is literally nothing you can do to stop it in the moment.

There should be.

[u/rhinosb → u/ThereHasToBeMore1387]

There has to be eventually law that takes up this slack. Too many of those corrupt asshats know they in the wrong but use the system against you anyway. At some point they are going to have to close the gap where police have to have verbalized RAS before a stop takes place. This crap where they are constantly allowed to change it after the fact just to screw you is ridiculous and complete and utter corruption.

[u/PyroIsSpai → u/ThereHasToBeMore1387]

There really needs to be lawful scenarios where police are compelled to eat shit and stand down deferentially whether or not they like it. Public enforced.

It’s a matter of culture and principle. No one nor any authority should be considered situationally absolute as a matter of course.

[u/Dramatic-Tackle5159 → u/[deleted]]

What a ridiculous waste of time, money, and resources spent for some bitch of a cop's tender ego.

[u/DuckTalesOohOoh → u/[deleted]]

You might beat the rap, but you won't beat the ride.

[u/Fakuris → u/BlueRunner305]

In the Netherlands you can get fined because you can only flash your lights when there is danger ahead. Apps to track police controls and speed camera's are fully legal though.

[u/avidpenguinwatcher → u/Fakuris]

In the US, we consider the presence of cops to be imminent danger

[u/Fakuris → u/avidpenguinwatcher]

Fair enough 😅

[u/AwDuck → u/Fakuris]

"I thought I saw wildlife in the hedgerow and I wanted to warn other drivers it may bolt" "It looked like there was detritus in the oncoming lane and I wanted fellow drivers to be warned" "There was a car behind me that was driving erratically and wanted to give a heads up"

edit for comedy option: "There was a police car that looked like it was preparing to lurch into traffic and thought I should let people know to expect a sudden obstacle"

[u/Eiiiights → u/BlueRunner305]

Correct, they just make a different excuse to stop you.

[u/Sonoran_Ghosts_81 → u/Eiiiights]

lol, right. If a pig wants to fuck with you, they’ve got plenty of excuses to use.

[u/Scrounger_HT → u/BlueRunner305]

they still do, court just throws it out so you're still punished by having to go.

[u/Gumboot-Coffee]

I thought I saw a hazard on the road, and I was doing my civic duty to warn other drivers.

What was the hazard?

Highway robbers!

[u/Character-Book5924 → u/Gumboot-Coffee]

Well there was increased police presence so it is a foregone conclusion that something was up, it is better that everyone slows down for safety.

[u/hungry4nuns → u/Gumboot-Coffee]

What about when a car is driving towards you with high beams on, how do you alert them that you literally cannot see anything?

[u/ned78 → u/Gumboot-Coffee]

"I was saying hi to my Uncle Piotr driving the other way, haven't seen him in ages. What speed trap anyway? There was a speed trap? Kurwa ..."

[u/Tykero]

If only they could put this much effort into actual crime.

[u/jack2bip → u/Tykero]

I was told the police welcome stuff like this.. slowing down traffic without enforcement? that's a win! same with all the no-u turn signs on the interstate.. it slows down traffic without a police presence, which they (should) see as a positive thing

[u/Intrepid4444444 → u/jack2bip]

Yes unless their goal is to collect money.

[u/smilingmike415 → u/Intrepid4444444]

…or to punish instead of reducing crime through influence.

[u/tommyd2 → u/smilingmike415]

Nope. They have only two goals, collect money or bump the stats. They don't give a shit about actual crime.

[u/Mr_strelac → u/Intrepid4444444]

This has nothing to do with the law or money.

It is simply about teaching the plebs that they must not, under any circumstances, do anything independently without state interference.

It isn't even the police's job to enforce the law; they only do that when they don't need to protect the ruling class—which is their true purpose.

[u/WhydYouKillMeDogJack → u/Mr_strelac]

Imagine they shook off the chains of the Soviet Union just to have a surveillance state doing shit like this instead

[u/twirling-upward → u/WhydYouKillMeDogJack]

“Surveillance state”. Chief they are speeding like hell over there. The most common cause of death(except the mental health one) before 40 is car accidents.

[u/Reeyous → u/twirling-upward]

Is having people warning others about the police a bad thing if making people slow down is the goal? If I see someone flashing their headlights, I'm slowing down regardless of how fast I was going or what might be ahead... It could be wildlife or people on the road, an accident ahead, no matter what it's risky to go even the speed limit if something could be in the way ahead.

[u/PuzzleheadedLayer755 → u/twirling-upward]

Dude they’re giving tickets for flashing headlights and warning oncoming traffic of danger so they can slow down, what the fuck are you talking about?

[u/Embarrassed_Fan_5723 → u/Intrepid4444444]

It’s against misconception on the money thing. Most agencies write tickets on state ordinances of speeding, running stop signs etc. the departments get like 2% of that in my state. The rest goes to the state and the court and covers the cost of all that. A $300 citation would only yield about $6. That money can only be used for things like computers or training. It cannot be used for things like guns or bullets. What you are referring to is called policing for profit and generally involves ticket quotas which are constitutionally illegal

[u/adancingbear → u/Embarrassed_Fan_5723]

In Texas they had to cap small towns speeding ticket revenue to 30% of total budget or it goes to the state. But the small towns just increased their total budget to keep getting their bag

[u/Responsible-Stage-93 → u/Embarrassed_Fan_5723]

Well it doesn’t work like that in Poland - here police is being told how much ticket they should give per month and if they give not enough they they are scolded for not doing their job, lol

They’re pretty useless anyway and pretty much everyone is speeding and even you will report it with a video proof they will not do anything about it - I know because I send one after I was nearly rammed by a fucking city bus and they did nothing with it because they were „unable to find the driver” (which is logged)

[u/Melquiades-the-Gypsy → u/Embarrassed_Fan_5723]

What's any of that got to do with Poland?

[u/Embarrassed_Fan_5723 → u/Melquiades-the-Gypsy]

I was responding to someone else’s comment that was also not about Poland.

[u/SissyFreeLove → u/Embarrassed_Fan_5723]

Have you looked around recently? "Constitutionally illegal"? It's being blatantly violated and rubber stamped by SCOTUS in the US.

[u/emotionless-robot → u/jack2bip]

The town over from where I grew up, the police parked an old police cruiser in the median just inside the city limits. They had a mannequin dressed in a police uniform holding a radar gun. It was very effective at slowing down non-locals. Which was the goal because this was a very small town on a major highway. They weren't looking for revenue. They were looking to keep their town safe.

[u/humdinger44 → u/emotionless-robot]

Florida seems to do it a lot. Park a cruiser in the median and maybe move/remove it every few days

[u/crazykentucky → u/[deleted]]

That’s the opposite. People flashing their lights requires no police intrusion at all

[u/Starfall0 → u/jack2bip]

Imagine wanting to actually stop crime and being content with crime prevention. Obviously if there's not enough crime they need to make new laws to incriminate new things they can fill their quota books out with! They're crime fighters how can you have crime fighters if you have no crime?

If only effectiveness didn't dictate how much money they can spend...

[u/bigrivertea → u/jack2bip]

Can't let a pesky thing like a cure for the problem get in the way when their is punishment to hyper fixate on.

[u/Embarrassed_Fan_5723 → u/jack2bip]

This is factual. It’s like parking an unmanned patrol car in a manner to appear they are monitoring traffic. If the goal is to slow people down and reduce crashes they have accomplished it

[u/thedirtymeanie → u/Tykero]

They don't care for crime they care for money. The only reason they take care of crime at all is because it generates profits (fines and fees). When it comes down to them actually doing their job and putting their lives on the line, only a small minority of them will actually go the extra mile or km in this case. I salute and support those few who are actually heros. For most of them it appears to be a power Trip and should be heavily regulated in every country on earth.

[u/YouArentReallyThere → u/thedirtymeanie]

In the US the Supreme Court has ruled that safety is a personal responsibility and the police have no duty to care…meaning they can choose not to respond at all and face no legal repercussions for it. That legally puts all ‘Law Enforcement’ squarely into the revenue generation column

[u/HorrorFlow3r → u/YouArentReallyThere]

Firefighters are the real heroes

[u/platypus_boi → u/thedirtymeanie]

Yep this is the fact of the matter.

I received a photo radar ticket in the mail earlier this month and the radar was not automatic it was within a police cruiser. They didn’t pull me over for speeding they just sent me a fine in the mail. No attempt to try to correct any behaviour in the moment.

On the ticket you can see this was the 11th ticket printed by the officer and it was 9am. It’s for money, nothing to do with enforcing laws.

I would have happily been pulled over vs getting a bill in my mail.

[u/justtobeherenotsure → u/thedirtymeanie]

You don't always need to 'put your life on the line' to do your job as a pollice officer...

[u/einzweidreihorn → u/justtobeherenotsure]

99,9% of them never do. But that doesn't stop them from telling everyone how they do so every day and deserve respect for it and reeeee lmfao

[u/Merouxsis → u/einzweidreihorn]

For real, you can look at statistics online and police aren't even in the top 10 most dangerous jobs in the US. I mean, look at ulvade. Who'da'thunk, if you just don't do your job you can just avoid danger 🤷🏾‍♂️

[u/TheAmina2GS → u/einzweidreihorn]

They're taught that everyone is out to get them, so they think their every waking moment is a risk.

[u/South_Buy_3175 → u/Tykero]

Because solving actual crime is time-consuming, difficult and doesn’t earn much money.

Setting up elaborate ways to fleece good-natured citizens pays far better and is much easier.

[u/_urat_ → u/Tykero]

But they do. Say what you want about the Polish police, but they are doing well when it comes to combatting crime. You can see a huge improvement compared to what was 20 or even 10 years ago.

Although this regulation is actually quite ridiculous.

[u/rysio300 → u/_urat_]

where i live in poland the crime rate is just going up nonstop and the police has quite literally given me a warning for ex. when i called them because someone was literally getting beaten. it didn't help that they arrived an hour later.

also one of my old neighbours purposefully damaged my sibling's bike in such a way that she could have literally died if she rode it, police still didn't care.

someone also impersonated my mother in a 112 call, police DIDN'T CARE AND ALMOST TRIED TO FINE MY MOTHER INSTEAD.

so no, they really don't combat crime well.

[u/_urat_ → u/rysio300]

I am sorry for your situation, but you have to understand that it's just one person's anecdote. We need to look at the bigger picture.

The crime rate in Poland is dropping (source) and the trust in police is growing (source).

[u/Abject_Screen3249 → u/Tykero]

Police around the world take the easiest route to policing. Big tough men "protecting" citizens. Police are just a legal means to taking money from citizens and protecting the rich and famous. Real police work requires actual hard work. Most are just cosplaying in a uniform.

[u/StopTheMeta2 → u/Tykero]

I might be wrong here, but having fines be treared as a business by the police might have been a bad idea. Just my guess tho.

[u/Historical_Body6255 → u/Tykero]

Poland is really safe actually.

[u/InfluentialFairy → u/Historical_Body6255]

Is this why they're finding reasons to fine people?

[u/Few_Prize3810 → u/InfluentialFairy]

Yeah there’s not a lot of big crime do they need to look busy

[u/IllllIIlIllIllllIlll → u/InfluentialFairy]

It's the same in Switzerland. One of the safest countries, so cops are fining us for random bullshit.

They place speed traps specifically where it generates the most income (on straight roads with perfect visibility, no sidewalk, no crossings), not where it prevents the most accidents. Because they don't care about road safety, they care about money.

When a yield sign which had been here for 20 years is replaced by a stop sign for no good reason (because again: perfect visibility), they will be there on the very first day where they are legally allowed to do so to fine anyone who doesn't stop, even if they crossed it at just 1km/h and there was absolutely nobody in sight 200m down the road.

[u/Kashwookie → u/Historical_Body6255]

not if you’re gay, lol

[u/No_Zucchini7810 → u/Tykero]

You want the police to start doing crime?

[u/SexiestPanda → u/Tykero]

Speeding is a crime though

[u/DeadlyDamo]

They tried that in Ireland. The guy’s defence in court was that he wasn’t flashing them to warn them about the speed check ahead. He was flashing them to slow down because they were going too fast. The case was dismissed.

[u/edmMayhem → u/DeadlyDamo]

Ya and us Irish wave at everyone in the countryside. Could easily say it was our friends dog/2nd cousin twice removed we were waving at.

Edit: meant flight flashing isntead of wave in last bit.

[u/Ghost_Turd]

There goes that whole "speed traps aren't about money, they're about getting people to slow down and drive safely" argument.

[u/No_Slice5991 → u/Ghost_Turd]

That’s in Poland. In the U.S., flashing your lights in this matter is considered 1st Amendment protected speech,

[u/justausername_420 → u/Ghost_Turd]

Bad cops, no pączki for you

[u/talldata]

Which law are they supposedly breaking tho?

[u/RemnantsOfFlight → u/talldata]

Also, how can you prove they weren't just fiddling with their lights? Whole thing seems pretty stupid.

[u/RemnantsOfFlight → u/[deleted]]

One weird trick polish cops HATE!

[u/AdelMonCatcher → u/RemnantsOfFlight]

I was scaring away a small bird on the road

[u/Spirited-Sorbet-2775 → u/RemnantsOfFlight]

Not even that. Most cars have the windshield cleaner on the right and the highbeams on the left. Sorry officer I confused the stalks.

[u/_urat_ → u/talldata]

The art. 51 of the Traffic Law, which talks about when you can use driving lights.

But it's a stupid rule. For example if you flash the lights to warn an upcoming car that it doesn't have lights turned on, according to this law you should also be fined for that. Even though what you did is good and could save lives.

[u/Lil_Ms_Anthropic → u/_urat_]

Some folks do that to warn people of deer near the road too. There's all sorts of reasons

[u/Outrageous-Pilot-621 → u/Lil_Ms_Anthropic]

One time I was driving at night and soemone flashed their lights at me.

I slowed down thinking there is police ahead.

It was a drunk guy lying on the corner in complete darkness. I barely dodged him even after slowing down to below speed limit earlier.

They basically saved his life and my car. Now they would get fined, I suppose.

[u/Thick_Potato_1769 → u/Outrageous-Pilot-621]

Dude in my area its the same way. Its almost never cops and usually a road hazard.

[u/makerofshoes → u/Lil_Ms_Anthropic]

Yah it’s basically just a reminder to “watch out” 🤷‍♂️

[u/Bluebubblybasin → u/_urat_]

Wtf????

[u/Apart_Ad_9778 → u/talldata]

Improper use of headlights.

There is no law specifically forbidding it but police says it is "improper use of headlights". There is a way out of it if you get caught by police. The law says the driver can use a horn or lights to warn other drivers of a danger ahead. The driver then refuses the ticket and then the case goes to court where the driver says something like that: " I saw a cat on the street and I was trying to warn the other drivers of the danger."

The Traffic Law article is very vogue on that as it describes only when and how to use headlights. There is nothing about what you are not allowed to do.

Flashing headlights is a very very popular way of warning others about road patrol ahead, especially if the patrol has a speed radar.

[u/NightBawk → u/Apart_Ad_9778]

Huh. And here I've been doing it to try telling people to turn on their lights because it's dark and they're driving stealth mode like an idiot who wants to cause a crash.

[u/cookie-ninja → u/NightBawk]

That's also a good use. Again general warning of dangers 

[u/Apolon6]

- the guy in front was cutting the line

• there was an animal on the side of the road
  
• thought my lights werent working
  
• my hand slipped
  
• the guy in front had his full lights on

Many examples could happend

[u/Ok_Buddy_9087 → u/[deleted]]

Probably don’t have to.

[u/Odd_Philosopher_2736 → u/Ok_Buddy_9087]

I think this is the point. If the circumstances are met - you are guilty

[u/Barkinsons]

This is so petty lmao

[u/nocapnonerf → u/Barkinsons]

Just another easy cash grab

[u/YatesScoresinthebath → u/nocapnonerf]

Im a UK police sgt and this still angers me lol.

Id rather people flash if I'm pulled over, I want people to be slowing down if I'm walking around a dark road or helping someone.

It's scary when people blast past you at 50mph

[u/whoneedskollege → u/Barkinsons]

I've always wondered if this is true in the US though. I do this all the time to warn drivers but I try to make sure I'm not within view of the cop with the radar and half expect to get pulled over.

[u/ihadagoodone → u/whoneedskollege]

it's considered free speech in the US. It's been through the courts already.

[u/Adarsh_aws123]

good job fighting real crime !!

[u/mowtowcow]

In the US, flashing your lights isnt illegal as it's literally impossible to prove warning other drivers is what you were doing. It's also protected under free speech if that is what you were doing. The only way you get a ticket for it is if it's during conditions that would affect someone's ability to drive. So, flashing your high beams at someone within 500 ft at night, blinding them temporarily. Otherwise, cops cant do anything here.

[u/Adamthegrape → u/mowtowcow]

The stupid part is that police presence on the highways is meant to ensure people follow the speed limit and drive safe. Having folks spot an officer and warn drivers just spreads this kms down the road In Either direction. People are making one officers presence vastly more efficient.

Making this illegal means they are prioritizing punitive measures and ticketing over public safety.

[u/mowtowcow → u/Adamthegrape]

True! Never thought about it like that. Like the area arpund the cop makes people slow down and the flashing lights makes that area bigger. That's an interesting thought! Thank you for that! Like a wifi extender 🤣

[u/im_lazy_as_fuck → u/Adamthegrape]

Making this illegal means they are prioritizing punitive measures and ticketing over public safety.

Not only that, but you're also stripping away one of the few things citizens have available to them to protect themselves from police abusing their authority. I mean, America is in a pretty bad place right now admittedly, but imagine how much worse it would be if citizens didn't have the right to warn their neighbours and yell when ice officers were in the vicinity.

[u/AshundertheOlivetree]

Such a waste of resources and evidence they don’t have much to do.

[u/nthensome]

I'm very happy to see law enforcement coordinating to get this kind of criminal scum off the streets.

Next up: kid's lemonade stands operating without a permit

[u/Ancient-Emu-8293 → u/nthensome]

Little Kolja should have filed his taxes.

[u/RemnantsOfFlight → u/nthensome]

Don't forget tax evasion.

[u/6-foot-under → u/nthensome]

No, Karenski has that covered

[u/XasiAlDena]

Yes, let's punish people for trying to help out their fellow citizen. This is how we will build a happier and more cohesive community.

[u/Hungry-Yam-145]

I would think proof is difficult. "You flashed you lights to warn other" " Did I, prove it", " I flashed my lights by accident, prove I didn't" end of case.

[u/afops → u/Hungry-Yam-145]

You don't need to prove it. So long as the fine is for incorrect headlight use, and they can fine people even if they claim it was accidental, it will work.

It's not "to warn others" that would be the fine. It's for "flashing headlights on the road".

[u/QuinceDaPence → u/afops]

Ain't the purpose of the light flasher lever to warn drivers of a hazard? It would seem 'police prescense near the roadway' is a hazard.

If the cops/firedepartment were cleaning up an accident, wouldn't you want drivers to flash to slow others down and have their heads up?

[u/afops → u/QuinceDaPence]

Yep. You would never be fined for flashing the lights because there's a deer on the road. Selective enforcing of that flashing law? Yes.

[u/Goudinho99 → u/Hungry-Yam-145]

Do you bite your thumb at me, sir?

[u/TheMilkmansFather → u/Goudinho99]

No, sir, I do not bite my thumb at you, sir, but I
bite my thumb, sir.

[u/protocol_smoke → u/Hungry-Yam-145]

You can definitely defend this with relatively low expenses. "warn about the cops? i was greeting a friend!". But then again, it would take time and money.

[u/MOTUkraken → u/Hungry-Yam-145]

Well this is Poland and not the USA. So I don't know about their exact laws.

[u/gewqk]

So I'm assuming that they'll quickly pull over anyone who is driving with no headlights on at night and other drivers won't have to flash to warn that driver?

[u/Pteraxii]

What's the specific crime they're committing by alerting others to the presence of police?

[u/Shaz0r94 → u/Pteraxii]

Not polish but i think something similar wont be allowed in germany here cause in residental areas you arent technically allowed to flash lights or honk at other drivers to signal something, only when it is regarding a dangerous situation and well that isnt the case here

[u/Pope_Squirrely]

Fines are a permission slip saying something is legal for a price. Fines only hurt those that can’t pay.

[u/ItsCoopah]

Are they doing this for safety, or for increased revenue generation? Id argue warning people of police up ahead forces oncoming traffic to drive more safely.

[u/Salt-Detective1337 → u/ItsCoopah]

Neither. They are doing it because nothing pisses a cop off more than people not cowing to their authority.

[u/Daetok_Lochannis → u/ItsCoopah]

Revenue generation of course. If people are warned to drive safely around police they can't fleece them.

[u/alphabeast18 → u/ItsCoopah]

A pig is a pig regardless of nationality. Its gonna roll around in mud no matter what language the farmer speaks.

[u/Napoli_98]

What if i say I was just testing my lights?

[u/fastbikkel → u/Napoli_98]

Yeah they need to bring evidence you did it to inform others.

Same with police raiding your home to find the growroom with your tomatoes.
Let them prove it was for pot.

[u/New_Relative379 → u/Napoli_98]

Exactly, they can't prove you were warning other drivers. If I flash my lights in my driveway is that a crime?

[u/Dewdrop06 → u/New_Relative379]

This reminds me of a case I saw where the guy quoted the law when confronted by a cop. The law said no flashing lights (noun) and he was flashing his lights (verb). He won the case but it was quite interesting. Flashing lights (noun) is of course reserved for emergency vehicles and are illegal. But flashing your lights (verb) is completely legal. But I'd advise to rather not get into a dispute about this and check the law if it applies to you and where you're from.

[u/OrganicAd5536 → u/Dewdrop06]

For anyone curious, the video was almost certainly "Arrested for Laughing at a Cop" by Audit the Audit on YouTube.

[u/swift-autoformatter → u/Napoli_98]

Or it was about that deer/rabbit lurking in the bushes I saw was about to run straight through the road?

[u/Healthy_Turnip7352 → u/Napoli_98]

if it was USA, then you would just get fined for testing your lights.

you can be missing a right arm and be fined for holding a phone with your missing right hand.

they just steal your money whenever they want.

[u/Billytherex → u/Healthy_Turnip7352]

If it were the US you wouldn’t have this problem because this exact scenario has been found to be protected speech in numerous courts in the US. At the absolute worst, if some power-tripping cop gave you a ticket it would just be thrown out in court.

[u/sarcasticorange → u/Healthy_Turnip7352]

you can be missing a right arm and be fined for holding a phone with your missing right hand.

No, you can't. You can be issued a ticket by an idiot and it will be dismissed just like what occurred in the case where this happened.

[u/SnowyOranges → u/Healthy_Turnip7352]

Actually, in the USA the supreme court ruled that flashing your lights to warn another driver about a speed trap was protected under the first amendment.

[u/dcunningninja]

Thats stupid. People are getting fine for helping each other out. Sounds counter intuitive for a society.

[u/BreadAgreeable9632]

I was driving the other day and an oncoming car flashed their headlights at the car infront of me. Thinking there were cops ahead I slowed a bit too and then as the car that flashed passed me I saw they were the cops...

[u/Zer0PointSingularity]

So its just back to honking I guess.

[u/yyzda32 → u/Zer0PointSingularity]

There's gotta be other waze to do this

[u/nthensome]

Fuck that

[u/SarynScreams → u/[deleted]]

Any and every instituion seeks to reinforce and perpetuate itself, especially governments.

[u/StreetSmartsGaming]

Thats a crazy amount of resources wasted for nonsense.

[u/j0x7be]

The local police has done this in Norway as well, because it's illegal to use lights to signal in such a manner unless it's to prevent an emergency. It's legal to report a police checkpoint, but not legal to use your high beams in that situation. They always have a way to get you!

[u/Legitimate_Command82 → u/j0x7be]

Emergency flashers: Allow me to introduce myself.

[u/ANiceDent]

You could fight that so easily in court ?

I seen a deer 40 ft behind in the woods you guys didn’t see it ?

[u/bigwhimp8]

In rural areas in the US this is to tell people there’s either a cop or a deer ahead and either way it means slow down I guess

[u/fastbikkel]

And here we have "flitsmeister", an app that shows all known spots.
And it's legal because it does prevent people from speeding it seems.
This is the goal so even the cops dont mind.

[u/SilviuCT → u/fastbikkel]

We have Waze and they are planning to ban it.

[u/BeginningValue1358]

How do they prove it.

[u/Cultural_Simple3842 → u/BeginningValue1358]

Yeah good point…I often see people flash their high beams just before using their signal.

[u/selenashroud]

But there are multiple different and perfectly legal reasons to flash your lights. Asking for the right-of-way , signalling an emergency in your car, or just to signal drivers to yield/pull over.

What's next penalizing people for signalling when a woman is in labor in the car? 😩

[u/Critical_Bee_9591]

The Polish always had a propensity for totalitarianism. First it was Right, then it was Left, and now it's Right again.

[u/Sea-Chart2558]

Because the goal isn't to slow people down, it's to harm and punish citizens with traps by hidden pigs. 

[u/Brilliant_Coach9877]

So they are being punished for getting people to drive slower 

[u/snqqq → u/Brilliant_Coach9877]

To drive slower because there are speed camera, not because it's safer. If the driver is about to lose his driving license due to too many points, he'll be more careful in general. 

[u/Mia_46 → u/Brilliant_Coach9877]

that's why the cops are there, people who don't follow the limit should be fined and punished, too many people die because some people ignore the rules that are there for a good reason, persnoally i think the punishment for speeding should be more severe

[u/FinzClortho]

in the US this is considered freedom of speech. Does Poland not have freedom of speech? are words illegal?

[u/UnluckyZiomek → u/FinzClortho]

In Poland we have freedom of speech obviously, but no warranty of freedom after speech

[u/BreezeTempest → u/FinzClortho]

In Denmark you are only legally allowed to use flashing headlights to warn of danger or preventing an accident.

I’m guessing more countries have similar laws.

Freedom of speech is an unusual take, but maybe it’s an American thing.

[u/Ham_Stroker_Ejacula → u/BreezeTempest]

But that is a danger

Danger to your wallet!

[u/Byproduct → u/BreezeTempest]

Sure, but the whole "monitoring you via drones so you don't warn other people of police" thing sounds properly dystopian 1984

[u/Dear-Examination-507 → u/BreezeTempest]

In America we have this thing called Fuck the Police

[u/Drag0n_TamerAK → u/Dear-Examination-507]

I ain’t no snitch unless I’m snitching on the Feds

[u/BagOnuts → u/BreezeTempest]

How is it an unusual take? Would it also be illegal to stick your head out the window and tell “there is a cop up the road!”? That’s what flashing your lights is.

[u/nutitoo → u/FinzClortho]

It's not legal to flash lights unless its to signal an emergency 

[u/Filip-R → u/nutitoo]

I flash to warn people they don't have their headlights on 🤷

[u/chrisekz → u/FinzClortho]

They arent fined for signaling police, they are fined for wrong use of flashing lights.

[u/StanBlaok → u/FinzClortho]

There ain’t no freedom of speech here buddy. People every fucking day getting arrested for opening their mouths ever since oompa came along

[u/ShiningRedDwarf → u/StanBlaok]

Being charged and being convicted are two entirely different things.

This is a pretty famous case where the cop became irate due to the driver doing this exact same thing

The charges were later dropped and a §1983 civil case was filed. The judge rejected claims of qualified immunity and allowed the case to continue. I think they settled though.

[u/KebabGud → u/StanBlaok]

"I don't want a datacenter in my neighbourhood"
Straigh to jail.