If you are on a North Carolina public highway, don’t call the police officer that pulls you over a “dickhead” or a “fucking asshole” unless you’re looking for a cheap place to sleep for the night—jail. A North Carolina law prohibiting “profane” or “indecent” language on public highways does not violate the First Amendment, a federal judge ruled recently in the case of an intoxicated individual who yelled at police officers.

Highway profanity lands partygoers in jail

North Huntingdon police Sgt. Duane Kucera concedes he took a “little egg on the face” when he erected 19 mph signs on two township streets a year ago and inadvertently violated state and federal regulations requiring speed limits in 5 mph increments. Even though the 20 mph signs are back up on Mockingbird Lane in front of Norwin Intermediate School and on Biddle Avenue In Westmoreland City, Kucera thinks motorists got the message to slow down. He’s had no speeding complaints in more than a year.

Traffic codes nix North Huntingdon’s 19 mph limit