Do roadblock warnings endanger motorists?

NarrowBandFtw said:
They set it up to be as hidden as possible, else there would be adequate time to make a u-turn and get the hell out of there ... regardless, they can't possibly hope to prove the person flashing lights was intentionally obstructing justice vs warning people to slow down.

I've noticed on a recent holiday road trip the number of good Samaritans flashing lights have dropped dramatically compared to the norm though.
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ive notices this as well. people hardly flash any more
 
NarrowBandFtw said:
They set it up to be as hidden as possible, else there would be adequate time to make a u-turn and get the hell out of there ... regardless, they can't possibly hope to prove the person flashing lights was intentionally obstructing justice vs warning people to slow down.

I've noticed on a recent holiday road trip the number of good Samaritans flashing lights have dropped dramatically compared to the norm though.
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Largely because of threats from the law enforcement lot that it could be seen as a criminal offence (even though that statement is factually incorrect)...
 
The police in South Africa do typically set up roadblocks so they cannot be seen from a distance. They do this deliberately to prevent people taking an alternate route.

I seem to recall that the clowns in Cape Town were setting up roadblocks on major roads during peak traffic, causing massive delays.

Normal people have legitimate reasons for not wanting to have to go through a roadblock. One is the unnecessary delay. Another that is relevant in South Africa is that the police have been given excessive search and harassment powers that apply only at roadblocks and bypass normal protections.

The lawyer makes a completely legitimate argument that a warning could keep a drunk individual off the roads entirely.

SaiyanZ said:
So this is about flashing lights at people warning them about a road block. How does someone warn another to obey the law by flashing their lights?
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The statement was in reference to the previous paragraph. So no this is not about flashing lights to warn people about a roadblock.
 
ArtyLoop said:
Rather, 99.9% of those roadblocks are to target soft targets for bribes..
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This ^. I think the roadblock warnings are invaluable as a way to avoid some overzealous small man syndrome pig who wants a bribe.
 
noxibox said:
The police in South Africa do typically set up roadblocks so they cannot be seen from a distance. They do this deliberately to prevent people taking an alternate route.
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Also a safety hazard, especially on highways. Which is ironic considering their so-called concern for the safety of motorists...
 
Worst example of a roadblock was on one of the main roads to Kruger from JHB the day before Christmas - spent 2 hours waiting to go through while the idiot Police examined one car at a time while a whole lot of them sat around.
 
Cray said:
Worst example of a roadblock was on one of the main roads to Kruger from JHB the day before Christmas - spent 2 hours waiting to go through while the idiot Police examined one car at a time while a whole lot of them sat around.
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They love to do that over Christmas time.

When I used to live in Gauteng they stopped us once like that, eventually I told them I am leaving. They wanted a bribe.
Pretended to look for stuff in my car but it's all about the bribe
 
ArtyLoop said:
Rather, 99.9% of those roadblocks are to target soft targets for bribes..
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Yeah, the same as the traffic cop sitting in his car in a quiet leafy suburb on a Saturday mid day, waiting for an old lady to roll across a stop street.

Revenue.
 
There are three spots on my 22km route home that they will sit at without fail. The one, is a double lane section of road, on a nice, but very slight and long decline. The speed limit is 60km p/h here, but it's so easy to hit 80 without even touching your petrol. Every single day, I make a point of staying at 60km/ph and without fail, I get overtaken by multiple cars. It's the perfect place to farm for fines.

Yet, in my neighborhood on the closest main road, there have been multiple accidents that ended up with deaths, and I have seen plenty drunk drivers late at night on it, and not a single road block there.

Policing should be done to improve the safety of the roads and not for revenue.

But, I do agree. We shouldn't flash other users to warn them or report road blocks / cameras if they are not causing congestion. It's counter productive.
 
Road blocks are useless. Seems to have gotten worse in Joburg since the DA took over. Yesterday my wife was stuck in a one hour road block just before home, this was late at night.
 
Some clarity - there is a difference between a JMPD and a SAPS roadblock.

JMPD only ever check for expired license or outstanding fines (fines are a waste of their & our time, with COJ being on AARTO it means JMPD have zero authority regarding outstanding fines, so anyone who pays at one of these mobile revenue collection centres is an idiot). I will, without fail, warn people about these every single time. They serve no purpose other than revenue generation.
The same goes for JMPD speed traps. The supposed purpose of speed traps is to force people to slow down on dangerous sections of road where there is a high likelihood of serious accidents taking place. All locations have to be approved by the prosecuting authority. Another joke - ever seen them trapping in a dangerous place? Me neither. Take the dip over the river between Lonehill & Leeukop prison. Narrow road, not in great condition, no safe verge, 80km/h zone on a steep downhill. Numerous accidents, many fatalities. Never seen a single speed trap there. R55 south woodmead by world of golf. 80km/h zone, wide, newly surfaced 4 lane dual carriageway with clear verges on both sides. Trap there weekly.
Bunch of cnuts.

SAPS roadblocks are welcome, as they actually (well, mostly) check for criminals, stolen vehicles, illegal firearms & drunk drivers. I never warn anyone about those.
 
f2wohf said:
In some European countries, this functionality is blocked on Waze.
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In others it is legal to tell you exactly where they are trapping for speed. Fixed insert after the traffic on radio is where, up to the exact mile marker, the cameras/cops are.

EDIT: and Waze also tells you where a camera was reported. I have not seen a roadblock here, so cannot comment on that.
 
ToxicBunny said:
Largely because of threats from the law enforcement lot that it could be seen as a criminal offence (even though that statement is factually incorrect)...
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Would law enforcement not be happy with people warning others not to speed?
 
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Slootvreter said:
Would law enforcement not be happy with people warning others not to speed?
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I've seen more than a few reports from Metro senior officials all over the country where they are threatening motorists with criminal charges if they do it (even though legally there is nothing the police can do)
 
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