Perverting the course of justice

[sigma]

I can buy a map or electronic device that will inform me or warn me of speed cameras. The police or council authorities can put up signs warning of speed cameras but if I indicate to oncoming traffic that a speed camera is in operation i can be prosecuted for perverting the course of justice. How can I be liable when I'm doing no more than what maps signs etc. do.

[hc4361]

As far as I know neither maps nor electronic devices that are legal to use in the UK warn of mobile speed cameras or police stood roadside with speed guns.

[Fullofsorrow]

Sorry to chime in sigma. Just how do these devices that warn you of speed camera's work? Are they like a satnav in which speed camera locations have been uploaded and so know where they are and beeps when you're coming up to one?

[ummmm]

Just drive within the speed limit. It's not hard to do...

[RATTER15]

I think some sat navs also warn of speed cameras, I know when I download driving routs from sites like AA, multimap, google etc, they sometimes have speed camera warnings on them.

[RATTER15]

ummmmm, its really hard to do. Ive had points on my licence since I passed my test over 30 years ago, the only reason i have a clean license now is my dearest Carakeel does all the driving, well most of it, and she gives me a hard time if I go over the limit when im driving! :-(

[jackthehat]

I think Sigma is asking why there have been incidents of motorists being prosecuted for alerting on-coming road-users (by way of flashing headlamps, etc) that they are approaching a 'speed-trap', when there are many other ways that these 'speed-traps' are brought to our attention.

I've read about such convictions, but I'm not quite sure what case the prosecution has made in each case.

[buildersmate]

I just keep seeing so many of my friends going the opposite way, soon after passing a camera myself. And I do like to give them a 'wave' with my lights, your Honour.

[sigma]

The devices use sat nav with down loaded locations

I wasn't talking about speeding

Jackthehat (I hope that's not THE Jackthehat) was the only one who interpreted the question correctly.

[joko]

i suppose flashing your lights at strangers could cause alarm ... if a driver flashes at me i would not think oh how kind they are warning me of a speed 'trap'...id be concerned that something was wrong, and begin to check mirrors etc

what a weird thing to do...

[jackthehat]

It was always a sort of 'unspoken courtesy of the road', long before there were such things as speed cameras.
Not weird at all..........in fact suddenly finding yourself in a 'speed trap' (or anywhere near a police car, actually) would cause you to loudly question the parentage of any on-coming drivers who had failed to alert you to the fact that Mr. Plod was nearby........

[bobjugs12]

A nice guy in a 306 saved me from 3 points a couple of weeks back by flashing me. He was my hero for the rest of the day

[jno]

AA staff always used to salute as cars with an AA badge drove by... if they didn't, it was a warning that there was a cop ahead. But that is giving a warning by doing nothing at all, and so legal.

But I would have thought flashing your lights at a speeding driver to tell him to slow down was very public spirited, whether there's a speed trap ahead or not.

[bobjugs12]

The thing with somebody flashing at you is that it alerts you to a hazrd. When confronted with a hazard the inital reaction should be to slow down anyway,

[joggerjayne]

You can't be (successfully) prosecuted.

Why not?

Because you are NOT warning other cars of the presence of a speed camera ...

... you are warning them that they are entering an area in which they should drive more slowly ...

(which is the supposed justification for speed cameras)

So, you are not "perverting the course of justice" ...

You are HELPING the Police to achieve their stated aim of reducing traffic speed.

And that, Your Worships, is the case for the Defence. In my submission, there is no case to answer, and the case should be dismissed with costs for the Defence.

[ABerrant]

There is a distinction to be made between "speed traps" i.e. mobile, temporary, non-indicated sites (as mentioned by hc4361) and those camera sites which are signed and posted online by authorities and included on SatNav POIs etc. How can an indicated site be a "trap"?

In the case of the first type, a form of 'sting' operation, flashing a warning to oncoming traffic would not meet the threshold for 'perverting the course of justice' but could easily fall within 'obstructing a constable in the execution of his duty'.

[buildersmate]

From which we must conclude that the purpose of an officer in his duty is to raise the maximum revenue and not reduce the hazard?

[Count-A-Strong]

ratter - i used to drive around 30,000 miles a year and did this for about 10 years. I've been driving for 26 years and have NEVER had any points. Just do what ummm says and be sensible.

[ChuckFickens]

I've flashed a car coming the other way to warn of a police speed check only to spot just as it got level to me I'd just flashed a police car!!!

Oppps!

(don't know if they turned round or not, I didn't stick about to find out)

[paddywak]

some years ago, when I was on afternoon shift, I always saw a mate going home off days and he ALWAYS flashed his lights to say hello as we passed. One day we passed, he flashed and I drove through a speed trap and got 3 points and a £20 fine, when I saw him later he was surprised I'd got caught as he'd flashed to warn me.