Funny Things that 'Foreigners' Do -

[chrisr]

Originally Posted by Wotname

It is not illegal to turn your headlights (low beam) on or off during the daylight hours in Australia - or at least it wasn't a few years back; maybe something has changed recently or in some state. In fact it was encouraged for awhile.

Do you have any details?

i expect they are talking abt flashing high beam, which is illegal these days (too many folk avoiding speeding tickets i guess)

cheers,

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by double u

same here

And where might that be?

So you can't turn your headlights (low beam) on or off during daylight hours where you are.

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by chrisr

i expect they are talking abt flashing high beam, which is illegal these days (too many folk avoiding speeding tickets i guess)

cheers,

I believe this is true however turning low beam on and off even repeatedly is not illegal (yet) in Australia - AFAIK.

[double u]

here in the forests they will get you for something...never mind which beam you flashed...

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by double u

here in the forests they will get you for something...never mind which beam you flashed...

They must be using the "Ways and Means" act

[double u]

exactly, zhey hafe wayz...
but: very popular here: people ring the radio stations if they see one & they broadcast the speedtraps

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by double u

exactly, zhey hafe wayz...
but: very popular here: people ring the radio stations if they see one & they broadcast the speedtraps

Finding innovative ways to help your fellow citizens to obey the law is a good thing and such efforts should be encouraged .

[bobnlesley]

Originally Posted by gamayun

...the roundabout at the Arc de Triomphe. All I could do was gun it, look for the correct street to exit...

Many years ago I rode a motorcycle up the Champs Elysees and around the Arc de T at about 17:15 on a Friday evening; I'll accept that it wasn't the best passage plan that I've ever put together. I did OK, even getting back off on the correct road, but the bike following us, ridden by something of a novice stopped, close to the inside of the mayhem and was too frightened to re-start and pull back into the traffic flows running just inches away to either side of them. I got back onto the Arc and as I approached the stationary bike and with much horn blowing and gesturing to the cars around me, I too came to a stop just behind them and with my bike angled across the traffic to our immediate right. I'd estimate I was stationary for <10 seconds, whilst the other bike got themselves moving once again but the fall out was incredible: The car immediately astern stopped, which stopped the two behind him, the three behind those, then 5 or 6.... The cacophony of blowing horns from the mega-jam behind was unbelievable, whilst the road ahead of us and back onto the street which we wanted was virtually deserted, though we did have to slalom our way around several rapidly approaching policemen who didn't appear to be best pleased.

[bobnlesley]

As a Brit, I still think the weirdest thing the majority of foreigners do is drive on the right side of the road, which is obviously the wrong side, with the left side being the right side. Actually, it's not too difficult to cope with if you follow the advice that I give to anyone who is concerned about driving abroad for the first time: Get some practice on roads that you're familiar with, so during the preceding week, whilst on your local roads drive on the right hand side and with that experience under your belt, you'll find driving in mainland Europe much easier to adjust to.

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by Wotname

I am interested to know the rationale behind the 'but be careful not to be cought doing it'.

Why would this be problem?

Official Explanation...you are aiding other drivers in violating the law.

Reality...you are taking money out of the state coffers. If everyone slows down before the speed trap, they don't hand out any tickets and the police department doesn't make money.

Going on about helping other citizens follow the law doesn't hold up as you presumably don't do it unless there is a police officer just up the road.

[double u]

"As a Brit, I still think the weirdest thing the MAJORITY of foreigners do..."
doesn't this tell you something?

[Franziska]

Because if you are cought warning others you have to pay too...

Originally Posted by Wotname

I am interested to know the rationale behind the 'but be careful not to be cought doing it'.

Why would this be problem?

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by valhalla360

Official Explanation...you are aiding other drivers in violating the law.

Reality...you are taking money out of the state coffers. If everyone slows down before the speed trap, they don't hand out any tickets and the police department doesn't make money.

Going on about helping other citizens follow the law doesn't hold up as you presumably don't do it unless there is a police officer just up the road.

I understand the concept of taking money out of the state coffers and why that would get up the nose of the state.

The official explanation zero sense - it is not even rational. In reality, the other driver slows down which is complying with the law. Which is exactly what the police say they are doing by fining a speeding driver. The official intent of the fine is to make the driver to drive slower. Yes, the real intent is to fill the coffers!


Your last point suggests the practice is legal the if the police aren't nearby but is illegal when they are. I have never heard of any other action that only becomes illegal when police are nearby! Is this really written into the legislation anywhere?

To be clear, if there is something written into "road rules" that make flashing your headlights to warn other drivers that they might speeding then yes, the practice becomes illegal and although I have never seen it written, I have assume such a "rule" exists somewhere because it seems to be a widely view. Yet I have never met anyone fined for doing it.

As previously mentioned, it is illegal to use high beam during daylight hours in Australia or so I have been told. Low beam is legal. Dunno about other countries!

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by Franziska

Because if you are cought warning others you have to pay too...

OK, but what is the charge?

I am not disputing what you say, I am trying to understand what law has been broken in your country.

Or in any country for that matter?

[Wotname]

It is a quiet day here so I had time to research trivia .

In Australia there is no law preventing the use headlights to warn of police speed 'traps'. There are laws preventing the use of high beam under certain circumstances and there is a law which prohibits the use of headlights which may dazzle oncoming traffic.

https://www.criminaldefencelawyers.c...lice-presence/

The take away is the prudent driver could use low beam without breaking any laws. Note, the design of low beam lighting is such that 'dazzling' is minimised.

In the USA, the laws are more interesting. It seems federally the right to flash your headlights is protected. From Wikipedia

In the United States, although the legality of headlight flashing varies from state to state, a federal court ruled that flashing headlights was a constitutionally protected form of speech, issuing an injunction prohibiting a police department from citing or prosecuting drivers who flash their lights to warn of radar and speed traps.[30][31] On 23 April 2019, another court ruled that headlight flashing may be protected by the First Amendment.[32] Two state circuit courts have also ruled that headlight flashing is protected activity.[32]

On a state level, it's complicated!!!!

Se more here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Headlight_flashing