Man arrested for warning drivers of speed trap

[Hum]

A Frisco, Texas, man now faces trial following an arrest last October for holding up a sign warning drivers they were about to enter a speed trap, KHOU.com reports.

Police say they spotted Ron Martin standing on the center median of a six-lane roadway, holding a sign that read "Police ahead," according to MyFoxDFW.com.

In the arrest report, police officer Thomas Mrozinski wrote that he became wise to Martin's ruse when he saw drivers "waving at us." This wasn't the first time Martin had held up a sign to warn drivers about the fuzz's presence.

Martin, who made his first court appearance on Wednesday, told WFAA he was trying to do the same thing as the police by "reminding people that there is a limit here" and that people should slow down.

So what exactly was he arrested for? The Dallas Observer reports that police cited him for holding a sign on public property.

Martin is a Frisco homeowner with a family. He paints signs for a living. He says he just wants to help make the roads safer, and he argues that his homemade signs are more effective at doing that than speed traps.

Martin has reported the police for what he sees as unsafe practices, including hiding behind signs and not using their lights. "I just feel like it was a little bit unsafe, not only for citizens, but for police officers having to do their job," he told MyFoxDFW.com.

The Dallas Observer reports that "most states, Texas included, don't have laws that specifically prohibit people from giving other motorists the heads-up that a cop with a radar gun is hiding behind the bushes."

source & video

[The Evil Overlord]

The Dallas Observer reports that "most states, Texas included, don't have laws that specifically prohibit people from giving other motorists the heads-up that a cop with a radar gun is hiding behind the bushes."

Sounds pretty clear cut to me

[Nick H. Supervisor]

And the question gets raised again, what are speed traps for? Are they designed to make drivers slow down in areas where there are frequent accidents, or is it another way to get funding?

If it's the former, this man has helped the situation by alerting people to the speed trap, causing them to slow down. But given the police reasoning for arresting him, I think they believe it is for funding. Pity.

[neo1911]

Need to watch Moar Boston Legal.

[The Evil Overlord]

Need to watch Moar Boston Legal.

Happy Birthday :D :sorcerer:  :pint:  :present:  :cake:

[riahc3]

Hello,

Its illegal here to warn other drivers of speed traps with flashing headlights for example. I find that so ironic that they can hide, causing a distraction and we cant do anything...

[McKay]

Sounds pretty clear cut to me

 

The sad thing is they'll probably reword it to "interfering with Police work" or something. E.g it's illegal to be punished twice for the same crime, but here in the RAF, if we get in trouble with the Police, we get punished a 2nd time for "bring the air force into disrepute" thus sidestepping the law.

[The Evil Overlord]

The sad thing is they'll probably reword it to "interfering with Police work" or something. E.g it's illegal to be punished twice for the same crime, but here in the RAF, if we get in trouble with the Police, we get punished a 2nd time for "bring the air force into disrepute" thus sidestepping the law.

Biggest problem I have with speedtraps is the fact that I've caught some of them hiding, one instance, coming back from West Bromwich, I caught a police speedtrap set up, where they were hiding blatantly behind a wall, and the radar gun was barely visible, (In a truck with a higher vantage point I could just about see it, was pulled over, but my Tacho confirmed I was doing 30mph in a 40 zone so I was ok) But I argued about their set up, their response was they're wearing high visibility jackets, like people are going to see high viz jackets when the person wearing them is tucked away, and hidden from view until you're almost on top of them.

<rant over>

[Dick Montage]

most states, Texas included, don't have laws that specifically prohibit people from giving other motorists the heads-up that a cop with a radar gun is hiding behind the bushes

 

Specific is the key word here.  There is no law that specifically says I can't kill someone with an otter-tooth.  However a more general law of "murder" can be applied.  In the case above, the more general law of "interfering with police activity" would be applied.

[DaveGreen93]

Happy Birthday :D :sorcerer:  :pint:  :present:  :cake:

 

So that's what that background means. I've had my suspicions!

[Hum]

Courts are just ###### that they lose money from the fines. :rolleyes:

[cork1958]

"The Dallas Observer reports that police cited him for holding a sign on public property"

 

Huh? Holding a sign on PUBLIC property, is illegal?! Private property sure, but WTF?!

[DocM]

If he were holding the sign on his own property along the street it's legal, but the median of a divided highway is part of the right-of-way and NOT legal. Not different than marching with a sign while in the street itself.

[spenser.d]

Sucks for that guy.

The police here in Madison actually publicize ahead of time when and where they're sending out their TEST units (Traffic Enforcement & Safety Team) so if you listen to local radio or read local news you can usually find out where they'll be during the rest of the week.

[MorganX]

Perhaps the solution is to stop speeding and endangering others. How about helping out the law abiding citizens by pointing out speeders to the coppers instead of pointing out coppers to the speeders?

[exotoxic]

police cited him for holding a sign on public property

 

The fact that he was warning drivers of a sped trap means nothing, if he was committing a crime then why would they not arrest him??

[xendrome]

His attorney will just claim Freedom of Expression/Speech, guy in Florida got off the same way. It's a valid claim.

[Rippleman]

Why would anyone want to encourage speeding?

[Torolol]

Why would anyone want to encourage speeding?

because that means the enforcers could extract money from such speeders?

[ozgeek]

Hello,

Its illegal here to warn other drivers of speed traps with flashing headlights for example. I find that so ironic that they can hide, causing a distraction and we cant do anything...

 

Same here in Queensland. Yet some people do it as a way of aussies helping mates.

[Rippleman]

because that means the enforcers could extract money from such speeders?

 

Do you just say you think police encourage speeding?