another attempt at stabilizing features/signs_up.feature

app/assets/javascripts/widgets/flash-messages.js

@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
     };
 
     this.render = function(result) {
-      self.flashMessages().removeClass("expose").hide();
+      self.flashMessages().removeClass("expose").remove();
 
       $("<div/>", {
         id: result.success ? "flash_notice" : "flash_error"

features/step_definitions/custom_web_steps.rb

@@ -278,11 +278,11 @@ Then /^I should not see ajax loader on deletion link place$/ do
 end
 
 Then /^I should see a flash message indicating success$/ do
-  flash_message_success?
+  flash_message_success?.should be_true
 end
 
 Then /^I should see a flash message indicating failure$/ do
-  flash_message_failure?
+  flash_message_failure?.should be_true
 end
 
 Then /^I should see a flash message containing "(.+)"$/ do |text|

features/support/application_cuke_helpers.rb

@@ -1,19 +1,20 @@
 module ApplicationCukeHelpers
   def flash_message_success?
-    flash_message("notice").visible?
+    flash_message(selector: "notice").visible?
   end
 
   def flash_message_failure?
-    flash_message("error").visible?
+    flash_message(selector: "error").visible?
   end
 
   def flash_message_containing?(text)
-    flash_message.should have_content(text)
+    flash_message(text: text).should be_visible
   end
 
-  def flash_message(selector=".message")
-    selector = "#flash_#{selector}" unless selector == ".message"
-    find(selector, match: :first)
+  def flash_message(opts={})
+    selector = opts.delete(:selector)
+    selector &&= "#flash_#{selector}"
+    find(selector || '.message', {match: :first}.merge(opts))
   end
 end