Flashing headlights gang initiation myth... or fact?

[SRH]

I am absolutely not one to get suckered into urban myths, but my mum phoned me on Friday to warn me that this weekend gangs would be carrying out initiations along these lines:

"Police have warned people not to flash their headlights at other motorists driving without their lights on because gangs are driving round with their car lights off and when this happens they will chase you and shoot you!"

I repeatedly told my mum this was an urban myth (just type it into Google for mythbusting answers) and she insisted that her friend's son-in-law, who is a policeman, had told her this was rumoured to be happening this weekend and that gangs are drawing on the urban myth to cause havoc.

I think it's utter cr@p... but she's insisting it's true.

Any ABers who are police officers who could clear this up for me... and tell my mum, once again, that I'm right?

[SRH]

Ha ha! You can't win nowadays - be a good citizen and get shot or don't tip someone off and risk them having an accident. I feel like I'm being mean to my mum, but I absolutely hate it when people tell me urban myths as if they are true. One of my friends keeps forwarding me those emails that say "if you forward this to a million people, such and such a charity will get a 1p donation". Arrrrgggghhhhh! It's just the modern version of chain letters. People are so gullible!

[spudqueen]

Why on earth would someone chase and then shoot you just because you've flashed your headlights at them? If they wanted to shoot someone they could just choose a random car. Sounds a bit stupid to me.

[Gromit]

Needless to say, this Urban Legend originated in the States, a land populated by gullible idiots.

http://www.snopes.com/horrors/madmen/lightsout .asp

I understand that the Police are so desperate to recruit these days, that anyone with a GCSE in 'IT' can easily get a job. That is why when the police take the average yob to court, they invariably get outsmarted. Maybe your mums friend's son-in-law has a GCSE in IT.

[SRH]

Thanks Red! Thought I was being pretty reasonable and sceptical.

My mum's a lovely (if a bit innocent) 60-something woman and I hate feeling like I'm being mean to her. It's weird, I guess, that this person you look up to and believe throughout your childhood turns out to be a tad guillable.

I know I'm right, but I'd like to have a bit of proof before telling my mum she's wrong! On the other hand, after all these reponses, I might be better keeping my mouth shut! I'm just concerned that she's telling all her elderly friend about the 'gang-land maniacs' roaming the country roads of Lancashire! ;)

[garybfsl]

It's interesting because this is the plot to the film Death Sentence released last year and starring Kevin Bacon.

Someone is confusing fiction with fact.

[Whickerman]

also in the film Urban Legends.

[fairkatrina]

it is an old urban legend, but it's possible that kids are imitating it (not sure about the shooting bit though...) so perhaps you're both right?

[jno]

I don't know of any evidence that it's been imitated, fairkatrina. Are there any links?

[StevenD]

Urban legend. I first heard this one at work about 10 years ago.