'Standards' - blues / 'twos' / driving ?

Capri · 10-11-2014 12:48am #1

After hearing the feeble siren on Pearse St's Transits and some of the lighting on the older cars I got to wondering are there any measurable 'standards' here like the Home Office spec for UK patrol cars

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/jaguar/xf/33825/police-spec-xf-goes-duty

Based on the 3.0-litre diesel powered Jaguar XF S, the police have made a number of modifications to bring the cars up to full crime fighting spec.

As well as the reflective livery, cars get a roof-mounted light bar which contains 3,600 blue flashing lights. There are additional LEDs in the front grille, in the sides of both bumpers and blue and red flashing lights are integrated in the rear light clusters.

A Home Office-specification electronics 'Police pack' powers the lights and all the extra electronic equipment in the car.

Maybe our 'Irish standard' wiring caused the fires recently

And as for driving, is the driving course up to the UK standard either ?

Little CuChulainn · 10-11-2014 9:57pm

Capri wrote: »

After hearing the feeble siren on Pearse St's Transits and some of the lighting on the older cars I got to wondering are there any measurable 'standards' here

I'd imagine it's lowest bidder wins.

Terrontress · 11-11-2014 12:18am

I'd wonder why the Home Office need to get involved in approving the power system.

Capri · 11-11-2014 2:31am

Terrontress wrote: »

I'd wonder why the Home Office need to get involved in approving the power system.

Home Office is sort of like our Depts. of Justice / Enviroment regarding specs.

coach23 · 11-11-2014 9:27am

Capri wrote: »

After hearing the feeble siren on Pearse St's Transits and some of the lighting on the older cars I got to wondering are there any measurable 'standards' here like the Home Office spec for UK patrol cars

Maybe our 'Irish standard' wiring caused the fires recently

And as for driving, is the driving course up to the UK standard either ?

The driving course is based on the british standard roadcraft system of car control

Terrontress · 11-11-2014 9:28am

Capri wrote: »

Home Office is sort of like our Depts. of Justice / Enviroment regarding specs.

I can maybe understand if they have influence on the lights used, but surely it would be massively wasteful if a new battery pack or generator is released to market and has to be passed by the Home Office before it can be used.

11-11-2014 12:09pm

Terrontress wrote: »

I can maybe understand if they have influence on the lights used, but surely it would be massively wasteful if a new battery pack or generator is released to market and has to be passed by the Home Office before it can be used.

It's to do with a nationwide standard. Obviously here we are one force but the UK has loads. the home office sets a standard so the BMW's, Audi's etc have the same spec levels. Same applies to other vehicles in the fleet.

FGR · 12-11-2014 5:05pm

The big issue here is the lack of response driver training in general. As for the cars themselves, well; the inspectorate can answer that one.

12-11-2014 7:25pm

FGR wrote: »

The big issue here is the lack of response driver training in general.

Is it really a big issue, though? I mean in all fairness, i'd imagine a lot of 'emergency' driving is cop-on, common sense and using caution (blind bends, junctions etc.).

I'd imagine I'd be capable of getting a patrol car on blues through a town in one piece and at a decent pace, much the same as any Garda would (with or without a driving course under their belt).

Reason I say it is because it seems like it's not something that's really causing any issues. I'd hazard a guess that the vast majority or Gardai are driving without much in the way of specialist driving training in regards to emergency driving, yet we're not really seeing patrol cars being slammed into walls or onto footpaths, that often. They seem to be able to get by as they are?

(I'm all for people, gardai and otherwise, wanting to better themselves, but I just think that these kind of things shouldn't necessarily be mandatory, which is clearly the way it's going to be going in the future, I'm sure).

Little CuChulainn · 12-11-2014 9:52pm

There's certainly a strong case to be made for a middle ground until more training is done. The current situation of having Gardaí driving a car and not being allowed use the lights to pull someone over is simply farcical.

D Trent · 19-11-2014 8:35pm

''THEY have to get to the scene of an accident as soon as possible, however a new programme aims to make sure frontline emergency workers get their safely.

It is hoped the new Emergency Services Driving Standard (ESDS) will cut down on the number of collisions on the country's roads and make gardai, ambulance drivers and other frontline workers more aware of risks.

The standard, devised by the Road Safety Authority (RSA) along with gardai, the defence forces, civil defence, coast guard, ambulance drivers and fire fighters, will be the first of its kind in Europe.

The new ESDS aims to reduce the risks associated with driving emergency service vehicles, to ensure patients and passengers are safe and comfortable and to ensure road safety best practice is employed when responding to an emergency.''
http://m.independent.ie/irish-news/news/999-services-to-get-skilled-driver-training-30756484.html

19-11-2014 10:40pm

Does it cover education of the public on what to do when they eventually notice the blue lights and sirens behind them or approaching them?

flazio · 20-11-2014 1:35am

foreign wrote: »

Does it cover education of the public on what to do when they eventually notice the blue lights and sirens behind them or approaching them?

I'd refer people to this video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btRHvQEIkcU

Capri · 20-11-2014 10:11am

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Does it cover education of the public on what to do when they eventually notice the blue lights and sirens behind them or approaching them?

Saw a private ambulance trying to bulldoze his way through heavy traffic while there was an empty bus lane on his left! Sometimes 'reading the road ahead 'is more effective than blues n twos? An Irish test? What's wrong with the UK Roadcraft course?

20-11-2014 1:13pm

Capri wrote: »

Saw a private ambulance trying to bulldoze his way through heavy traffic while there was an empty bus lane on his left! Sometimes 'reading the road ahead 'is more effective than blues n twos? An Irish test? What's wrong with the UK Roadcraft course?

Roadcraft is part of it.

http://www.rsa.ie/en/RSA/Professional-Drivers/ESDS/

Capri · 10-12-2014 12:18am

Emergency Services Driving Standard (ESDS) v's CPD1/2 - any real difference or is the ESDS classroom v's CPD1/2 on the job training - can't see Garda cars going around with L plates like the Army 'L' trucks

Capri · 30-12-2014 7:18pm

Vehicle standards

1) New Insignias, supplied kitted out (and guaranteed) by Opel / Vauxhall , or base models bought and fitted out up in the Park :rolleyes: ??

2) Seeing a Scania fire truck today - excellent wig-wags, blues and siren / truck horn but some of the Merc ambulances seem lacking in the wig-wags and siren dept (the 07 ones mainly ), not to mention Pearse St's Transits v's other ones going around, so do the fire trucks come complete v's ambulances and Garda vehicles being fitted out in this country ?

D Trent · 30-12-2014 7:20pm

Capri wrote: »

Vehicle standards

1) New Insignias, supplied kitted out (and guaranteed) by Opel / Vauxhall , or base models bought and fitted out up in the Park :rolleyes: ??

2) Seeing a Scania fire truck today - excellent wig-wags, blues and siren / truck horn but some of the Merc ambulances seem lacking in the wig-wags and siren dept (the 07 ones mainly ), not to mention Pearse St's Transits v's other ones going around, so do the fire trucks come complete v's ambulances and Garda vehicles being fitted out in this country ?

2.
No fire appliances are engineered at either Sidhean Teo in Connemara or Brownes in the North

sjb25 · 30-12-2014 8:20pm

Capri wrote: »

Vehicle standards

1) New Insignias, supplied kitted out (and guaranteed) by Opel / Vauxhall , or base models bought and fitted out up in the Park :rolleyes: ??

2) Seeing a Scania fire truck today - excellent wig-wags, blues and siren / truck horn but some of the Merc ambulances seem lacking in the wig-wags and siren dept (the 07 ones mainly ), not to mention Pearse St's Transits v's other ones going around, so do the fire trucks come complete v's ambulances and Garda vehicles being fitted out in this country ?

Most ambulances are built in wilker now in Offaly them06 07s are prob from WAS in Germany a lot the lads hate these the newer merc and ford ambulances are wilker mutch better with lighting and sirens etc

apc · 31-12-2014 11:47am

D Trent wrote: »

2.
No fire appliances are engineered at either Sidhean Teo in Connemara or Brownes in the North

Browns gone out of business. Sidhean Teo (build Quality not great) and HPMP in Carlow who use plastic bodies from Strongs in the UK are the only Fire appliance builders in Ireland.

Sidhean seem to use a common package for lights and sirens that can be set up for customers needs

Capri · 01-01-2015 10:32am

British and German Insignia specs, no mention on German one of engines

https://www.vauxhallfleet.co.uk/pdf/specialvehicles/Police_InsigniaSportsTourer_VK14YKM.pdf

http://www.opel.de/selbststaendige-grosskunden/fahrzeugpalette/spezialfahrzeuge/polizei.html

http://www.opel.de/content/dam/Opel/Europe/germany/nscwebsite/de/02_Fleet/03_Fahrzeugpalette/Spezialfahrzeuge/Katalog_Opel_Einsatzfahrzeuge_2014.pdf

250 bhp petrol / 195bhp diesel

A big problem would be drivers getting such good machinery - remember the Mondeo 3.0 Zetec S on the south side , it seemed to be a 'personal' one assigned to just one member who polished it and treated it like his own - it was always gleaming, but as a Quartermaster General from the Army told me , the lads treat the equipment like ****e, except in battle when a breakdown/wrecking something could mean life or death :eek:

Wonder if any of the bean counters ever go to shows to see whats on offer

Capri · 01-01-2015 10:58am

Driving standards German drivers seem to know what to do

Indonesian bus drivers don't give a XXXX

Russian chase - Focus police car v's Skyline GTR end in ........ ($$$ :rolleyes: )

'Standards' - blues / 'twos' / driving ?

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