Is It Illegal to Flip Off a Cop in New Jersey?

When's the last time you flipped somebody the bird?

This is 1000% not an uncommon thing in New Jersey, as we can be a ... let's say, "expressive" variety of people. We can be as proficient in the art of foul four-letter words as Joe Pesci.

Get our free mobile app

And while we're driving on the New Jersey roads, we may be tempted to throw our middle fingers up to that jerk who cut us off, or the ding-dong who decides to tailgate you when you're already driving 80 mph.

But would you ever flip off a cop? 

I think we can all agree that it's not a wise choice. No one wants to get in trouble with the law and have nasty words with a police officer. Least of all to end up in a pair of cuffs!

Which brings us to our question: Is it illegal to flip off a cop in New Jersey?

No, it is not illegal. Your right to flip a cop the bird falls under your constitutional rights and your rights protected by the First Amendment (aka free speech). You can even say "F*** off" or "F*** you", and you're still within your rights.

However, if that ballsy flipped bird extends to making a threat towards a police officer... that's a different story! According to CarAndDriver.com:

Should you make a threat, no matter how thinly veiled, to an officer at any point, you can be pulled over. In these cases—and remember, a traffic stop is a temporary form of arrest—you risk being arrested for real.

So to put things simply; It's stupid and disrespectful, but no, you cannot get arrested and you cannot get fined for flipping off a cop in New Jersey.

But just because you can, doesn't mean you should.