Free Republic

Washington - It's OK to flip the middle finger in Texas, even if it angers a fellow driver. The state's Third Court of Appeals ruled recently that the "bird" signal was not an "immediate breach of the peace", as had been found in a lower court, the Houston Chronicle reported this week. The case involved Robert Lee Coggin, an impatient Austin driver who tailgated another driver until he pulled into the slower lane. Coggin pulled around to pass and allegedly gestured with his "impudent finger", court documents said. The slower driver, John Pastrano, a county jailer, promptly filed a complaint...

Using the hand signal rooted in ancient times and popularly known today as "shooting the bird" may be rude, but it's not necessarily disorderly conduct, a Texas appeals court has ruled. At issue for the 3rd Court of Appeals in Austin was whether Robert Lee Coggin incited "an immediate breach of the peace" when he allegedly gestured at a motorist with his raised middle finger two years ago as the former Lockhart resident tailgated a slow-moving vehicle in the left lane of U.S. 183. Coggin was charged under an obscure state law that says "a person commits an offense if...

A Texas court has ruled that the use of the middle finger does not constitute a breach of peace, even when used in anger. The state's third Court of Appeals ruled recently that the signal was not an "immediate breach of the peace", as had been found in a lower court, The Houston Chronicle reported today. The case involved Robert Lee Coggin, an impatient Austin driver who tailgated another driver until he pulled into the slower lane. Coggin pulled around to pass and allegedly gestured with his "impudent finger", court documents said. The slower driver, John Pastrano, a county jailer,...