Anyone who has driven for a few years has probably experienced a friendly flash of high beams during a night-time drive. The gesture can mean many things. It could mean: “Put on your headlights, bonehead!” It can mean trouble ahead. Or more, commonly, it can mean: “Slow down, there’s a speed trap ahead!”

The debate about warning drivers of impending speeding doom heated up this week with the story of a Toronto-area man who fought the law. He won.

One Saturday morning last year, Brad Diamond flashed his high beams at oncoming traffic. It was a gesture to warn other drivers of a police speed trap. It ended up costing him $110.

Diamond thought something wasn’t right, and he did some research. Turns out there was no law on the books that makes it illegal to warn other drivers of a speed trap. Ontario isn’t the only place. Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, British Columbia and Newfoundland and Labrador have no laws that would make it illegal to flash the high beams as a courtesy.

Diamond fought the ticket in court, and police finally had to admit there was no formal law. Other drivers have taken their fight to the Supreme Court of Alberta. In the United States, the top court in Pennsylvania has dealt with the issue.

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