Vehicle Gallery - Discussion Thread

Hogzy · 28-09-2012 11:21pm

kub wrote: »

I had no idea that the AGS fleet was so bad until I was speaking with a chap from one of the main dealers which service a lot of their fleet in the local division.
He as telling me that on average cars come in every 3/4 weeks, they are literally plastered together and that the money spent on repairing them is nobodys' business.
He thought there are two budgets, one for maintenance and the other for purchasing, so he reckoned that if a bit of thought was used, a new car could be purchased every 3 months instead of putting good money into running repairs on cars which should not be really used for police work.

Well at least that particular dealers service dept is busy.

No matter how much milleage they do, they should be able to get at LEAST a year and a half out of a car. Otherwise they need to be driving tanks.

kub · 28-09-2012 11:53pm

Hogzy wrote: »

No matter how much milleage they do, they should be able to get at LEAST a year and a half out of a car. Otherwise they need to be driving tanks.

This was not a Toyota garage, I am not saying Toyota's are perfect. This guy was talking about cars with over 250,000 km on them, so need I say more as to what make they are.

Sorry i might be causing confusion, I do not mean that cars should be replaced every 3 months. Just consider how many cars have been taken off the road over the last while because they have over 300k on them. So instead of spending the bones of 2k on repairing cars with over 200,000 km on them every few months, just put the money aside for a new vehicle.
I am not sure though if this will work at this stage considering the amount of cars that are gone from the fleet.

Strumms · 29-09-2012 8:30pm

coming from a member of the public I gots a question.... Not a million miles away from me up in Finglas a good few years ago a young Guard was killed in a traffic accident while persuing another car. From what I recall (I am open to correction) the subsequent inquiry found that one of the main contributing factors if not THE factor was that he was basicially driving an old heap of **** unmarked patrol car which several defects and afterwards several policy changes were made in terms of condition that was acceptable in the fleet. Considering the usage, strains and milage etc that is put on any Garda car, would they not have a certain standard now say equal to or higher than the NCT and to keep that vehicle to that standard until it comes uneconimicly viable to do so and if so what is the standard after all these are not some run of the mill family cars they need to be fit for a certain purpose ? I'm just wondering because say my 5 year old civialian mondeo vs the equilivent in the Garda fleet which will have much more milage, wear and tear on all mechanical aspects. Basicially the angle I'm coming from is for guys going out doing that job deserve the best and at the very least 'up to it' cars and whatever equipment. Any thoughts from the professionals ? care to offer an insight ?

kub · 29-09-2012 10:55pm

Strumms I agree with you, God help any Garda involved in an RTA in one of the classic patrol cars with silly mileage on them. I am surprised that the GRA have not brought this concern up.
I know that the greatest two words that have ever been invented either to/or not, something is/not done, are the words 'Health & Safety'.....surely these apply in AGS.

guttenberg · 02-10-2012 10:13pm

Just looking at KKV's brilliant photos from Salou. Is it only the police that have blue lights? Is the Ambulance lights a different colour just to differentiate that it's an ambulance or do they not have the same emergency light privileges that the police have?

03-10-2012 5:51pm

guttenberg wrote: »

Just looking at KKV's brilliant photos from Salou. Is it only the police that have blue lights? Is the Ambulance lights a different colour just to differentiate that it's an ambulance or do they not have the same emergency light privileges that the police have?

While I personally don't really know much at all about the Spanish emergency services, I can only say that I have seen only ambulances in Salou/Lanzarote/Reus, etc. with amber (and sometimes amber + red) lights. I haven't seen any with blue lights (though a Google image search reveals that there are some).

Perhaps it's a tiered system? Amber lights are for local and non-life-threatening issues and blue for emergency calls?

I'm fairly sure I seen a Fire jeep passing by one of the days, which also had amber. That said, I've seen only blue on Police and Civil Guard stuff.

I wouldn't mind knowing more about this kind of thing myself.

One thing I will say though, is that all of the Police cars I seen look the same - Pristine. They all look like they've just had their decals put on the day before and are fresh out of a car wash. Not a dent, tear, scrape or bump on any of them (not that I'm saying they don't exist, but they seem much harder to find).

And their livery is quite elaborate, for what it is, too.

The state of a lot of Garda cars in comparison is shocking (not that I blame the Gardaí, obviously, but more the lack of money to fix this sort of stuff).

It's a small thing, I know, but I think most people subconsciously take the Police in a country like Spain a lot more seriously when they see the tougher looking uniform, gun holster on the utility belt, and spotless police vehicles.

Mind you, I suppose it's not the most economical way of spending. I'd rather my local station had 10 cars with ripped livery and bumps than 5 cars in (aesthetically) immaculate condition.

searescue · 04-10-2012 1:02am

Wiki;

In Spain, the law allows only the Cuerpo Nacional de Policía, Guardia Civil, Policía Local and autonomous law-enforcement agencies to use blue lights, so in contrast with convention in Europe, civil defence, ambulances (Ambulancia) and fire engines (Bomberos) have to use yellow/amber lights (the only other color authorized, in contrast to convention in which these color lights are used to denote slow vehicles). However some Autonomous Communities have allowed other colors, such as blue, red or white (the latter two of which is used by SAMUR in Madrid), which however, would be technically illegal to use throughout Spain. However, also yellow/amber lights are used in wide-load trucks and their accompanying vehicles.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergency_vehicle_lighting#Europe

10-10-2012 1:44am

Wasn't gonna post this in the gallery thread (I'll stay away for a short while, as I've practically taken over it lately) but here's a (terribly poor) video of the SJA jeep on the beach (and before anyone attempts to watch it, it's just the jeep sitting still with the lights on, there's no action stuff of it driving on the beach or anything, and the camera's shaking all over the place due to the wind).

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=472005249506261&notif_t=video_comment

Mr Simpson · 10-10-2012 2:19am

If you have more photos, please post them there. Its nice to see new photos and nobody else seems to be posting any. Don't worry about having a few consecutive posts, everyone here loves to see your photos.

10-10-2012 2:52pm

mmcn90 wrote: »

If you have more photos, please post them there. Its nice to see new photos and nobody else seems to be posting any. Don't worry about having a few consecutive posts, everyone here loves to see your photos.

What he said.

10-10-2012 9:54pm

Well seen as ye guys don't seem to mind, I've thrown another two in the thread. Think there's only another 2-3 to come after that, though.

EDIT: I appreciate the positive feedback, too, by the way. Thanks!

kub · 14-10-2012 7:19pm

As from the picture threads https://us.v-cdn.net/6034073/uploads/attachments/407190/224416.jpg

I for one think this may be a good idea, just consider the advantages, throw the drunk into the back into a box, if he vomits, hose it out afterwards.
Also I am sure these vans are cheaper than cars, so more vehicles for less money. Also I reckon the van would probably go as quick as a patrol car anyway considering they probably have the same engines.

source · 14-10-2012 8:13pm

kub wrote: »

As from the picture threads https://us.v-cdn.net/6034073/uploads/attachments/407190/224416.jpg

I for one think this may be a good idea, just consider the advantages, throw the drunk into the back into a box, if he vomits, hose it out afterwards.
Also I am sure these vans are cheaper than cars, so more vehicles for less money. Also I reckon the van would probably go as quick as a patrol car anyway considering they probably have the same engines.

I've been saying AGS should get vans like this for years. Massive step in the right direction. Transits are to big and sluggish for policing, this is the perfect middle ground for prisoner transport/patrol.

An Udaras · 14-10-2012 8:49pm

The Airport Police Service stationed in Dublin have been using the Ford Transit Connects since 2008. Senior Gardai from the Transport Section in the depot have in the past been giving a demonstration of the Connects that are in police use.

The APS have both general purpose & prisioner containment models in its fleet.

I believe the Gardai where impressed by them.

Ford transit Dublin airport police by Nick 999, on Flickr

Zambia · 14-10-2012 10:26pm

You mean this

This is the Divisional Van ("The Divvie") each station will have at least one accompanied by Standard cars etc.

The system works very well.

15-10-2012 7:53am

kub wrote: »

As from the picture threads https://us.v-cdn.net/6034073/uploads/attachments/407190/224416.jpg

I for one think this may be a good idea, just consider the advantages, throw the drunk into the back into a box, if he vomits, hose it out afterwards.
Also I am sure these vans are cheaper than cars, so more vehicles for less money. Also I reckon the van would probably go as quick as a patrol car anyway considering they probably have the same engines.

Might be as quick but won't handle the same. Which is a pity as stations will get these as their only car.

Also, Finglas got one on trial earlier this year so it obviously went well.

15-10-2012 4:02pm

They seem like a good idea, but I don't think I'd be in favour of them replacing normal cars. I think there's a lot to be said for having a normal 4 door saloon as a significant part of your fleet.

I do think these would be good to replace the prisoner vans that are used, but the issue there, unfortunately, would be that I'd imagine these don't like quite as intimidating as the larger Transit vans. This looks a lot like the CSI vans that AGS use.

kub · 15-10-2012 5:34pm

foreign wrote: »

Also, Finglas got one on trial earlier this year so it obviously went well.

Why did they need to put one on trial? They already have dozens of them on the fleet, granted not as patrol vehicles but certainly as forensic and traffic corp cone vans.

So its not as if they were new to them.

Mr Simpson · 15-10-2012 8:06pm

Handling etc, would be completely changed because of the prisoner cage in the back, I'd imagine thats why they had to trial them.

15-10-2012 8:16pm

kub wrote: »

Why did they need to put one on trial? They already have dozens of them on the fleet, granted not as patrol vehicles but certainly as forensic and traffic corp cone vans.

So its not as if they were new to them.

No Connects in the fleet before this year that I've seen. SOC and Traffic vans were Citroen Berlingos.

Mr Simpson · 15-10-2012 8:17pm

I think there were a couple of dog vans, I've definitely seen 1 or 2 before.

kub · 15-10-2012 8:39pm

foreign wrote: »

No Connects in the fleet before this year that I've seen. SOC and Traffic vans were Citroen Berlingos.

Plenty of them down around Cork, but then that is not where decisions are made.

CharlieCroker · 15-10-2012 8:46pm

Our SOC vans are Connects. Driven them before the job. If they're the 110bhp, they'll be fine but if they're the 75bhp, they'll be slower than the 1.4 Focus.

Ideally would be a long wheel base, 110bhp crewcab with a cage and rear seats like the airport police ones. Can't see that happening though.

Mister Jingles · 15-10-2012 11:25pm

foreign wrote: »

Might be as quick but won't handle the same. Which is a pity as stations will get these as their only car.

Also, Finglas got one on trial earlier this year so it obviously went well.

Spent most of its time in Cabra anyway.

Zambia · 17-10-2012 8:50am

CharlieCroker wrote: »

Our SOC vans are Connects. Driven them before the job. If they're the 110bhp, they'll be fine but if they're the 75bhp, they'll be slower than the 1.4 Focus.

Ideally would be a long wheel base, 110bhp crewcab with a cage and rear seats like the airport police ones. Can't see that happening though.

I have driven a Berlingo it handled like a Shopping trolley I would hope the connect is better.

If it is going to be used at any speed I would suggest attaching springs to the left and right sides to bounce it back up after cornering.

If you had the choice the Isuzu dmax with a cage on it would be a far better choice.

Seeing as a 3 Litre Ute from here is not an option.

CharlieCroker · 17-10-2012 3:09pm

Having driven both a connect and a d-max everyday in a previous job, I'd take the connect EVERY time. D-max is a pig!

Zambia · 17-10-2012 9:32pm

CharlieCroker wrote: »

Having driven both a connect and a d-max everyday in a previous job, I'd take the connect EVERY time. D-max is a pig!

It's a bit of a battle of the pigs then. The Vito is another good cage truck I suppose a Renault traffic or the Opel equivalent could do.

Mr Simpson · 17-10-2012 10:28pm

Zambia wrote: »

It's a bit of a battle of the pigs then. The Vito is another good cage truck I suppose a Renault traffic or the Opel equivalent could do.

The traffic, Vivaro and Vito are all similar sizes to the normal transit, not much point if you're looking to go smaller like they have with the connects.

goldie fish · 17-10-2012 11:14pm

mmcn90 wrote: »

The traffic, Vivaro and Vito are all similar sizes to the normal transit, not much point if you're looking to go smaller like they have with the connects.

You can't compare a vito and a transit when it comes to handling.

Zambia · 18-10-2012 12:31am

goldie fish wrote: »

You can't compare a vito and a transit when it comes to handling.

Plus a Vito is a pure babe magnet.

Vehicle Gallery - Discussion Thread

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