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Unreasonable Garda for Traffic Offence

  • 17-01-2014 10:06pm
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 7


    Hi all,

    I was pulled over today on the motorway for "driving recklessly" by a Garda. I was driving past a slip road at 120 km/h and approaching a slower car driving around 110 when a black ford mondeo came speeding down the slip road. There was a decent gap between me and the car in front so I slowed down to let the mondeo in, but the mondeo didnt merge in with the traffic, they also weren't using indicators. So I eventually moved into the overtaking lane to over take the other car and then the mondeo pulled onto the motorway and in behind me in the over taking lane. The mondeo sped up then and began tailgating me so I slowed down slightly but was still finishing overtaking the other car. Just as I was about to pass the other car the mondeo began flashing their headlamps, while still dangerously tailgating, so close their headlamps weren't even visible above my rear windscreen. So I tapped my brakes just to put on the lights to get him to back off, which he did, and I finished overtaking.
    So the mondeo followed me for a while then I saw the blue lights from the mondeo >:( Turned out it was an undercover Garda.
    He pulled me over cause I braked when he was so close to me. I said I did it because he was tailgating and wanted him to back off, might not have been the best thing to do though, but he said that it wasnt tailgating and that tailgating is doing it for like a mile. He also complained about me not letting him in from the slip road, but I have the right of way and its his responsibility to merge, which he failed to do.
    Now if he had of used his sirens in the first place, because he was actually on a call, I would have moved out of his way no problem, but I thought it was just some impatient fecker dying to get home from work as it was 6pm.
    I got a €60 fine and 2 penalty points which I just agreed to pay cause its probably not worth the effort to protest.
    Does anyone think the Garda acted reasonably? I do admit, braking wasnt the best thing but tailgating can be quite irritating at times so I acted on impulse.


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Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 4,279 ✭✭✭The Bishop Basher


    You've summed it up yourself pretty well. You shouldn't have hit the brakes and had you just got out of the way you'd be €60 up and 2 points lighter.

    That said, if it happened exactly as you said, the cop sounds like a complete tosser on a power trip.

    Feck all point taking on a Garda in court though so you saved yourself a lot of hassle taking the fine and the points.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,890 ✭✭✭tomdempsey200


    I had the unmarked car pull me over a while back
    I thought it was some cowboy trying to rob me or drive me off the road

    they'd want to make it clearer that it is actually a garda car when stopping you


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,289 ✭✭✭sawdoubters


    try going to your local garda station
    I would fight it as you don't want points


    Any driver accumulating 12 penalty points within any given three-year period will be automatically disqualified from driving for six months


    Penalty points remain on the licence for a period of three years

    what exactly were you charged with


  • Registered Users Posts: 7 KingDH


    Ive been driving for 5 years and this is the first time ever getting pulled over by a Garda, im usually a good driver. But he said it was driving dangerously, I havnt received the letter yet for the fine so I dont know exactly what the definate offence is.


  • Registered Users Posts: 17,371 ✭✭✭✭Zillah


    Why on Earth would you hit the brakes when someone is too close to you? Is it just pure spite? He shouldn't have been driving too close to you but hitting the brakes was idiotic.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 2,344 ✭✭✭NUTLEY BOY


    I would not take that **** from Gardai. Although OPs driving was imperfect the Garda conduct was boorish in their driving. If they had your driving on camera and preserved the evidence they also have their own driving on record ! I would waste no time dealing with the lout you met but would just ring the Garda Ombudsman and complain about the unreasonable conduct which was also provocative. The driver sounds like he needs to be spoken to. Withdrawl of the penalty would seem like an equitable disposal of the matter.


  • Registered Users Posts: 402 ✭✭seb65


    Def complain. It's never your legal responsibility to worry about people behind you on the road - though it's good defensive driving to do so anyway.

    I've never heard of taping on the breaks as a dangerous driving offence, especially when the person complaining was someone behind you, complaining because they were following so close they might have hit you.

    Flashing the high beams on and off for no valid reason is absolutely distracting and dangerous driving.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,344 ✭✭✭NUTLEY BOY


    Conceptually, tapping brakes can be a dangerous act - much depends on the evidence of a particular case.
    Generally, it is bad driving practice.


  • Registered Users Posts: 7 KingDH


    Zillah wrote: »
    Why on Earth would you hit the brakes when someone is too close to you? Is it just pure spite? He shouldn't have been driving too close to you but hitting the brakes was idiotic.

    You make it sound like I jammed on the brakes. I only pressed it enough to not slow me down but to bring up the lights. But what if I actually had to brake? i was overtaking another car that could have swerved towards me so it would have been my dangerous driving for braking cause there was an undercover Garda behind me?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,737 ✭✭✭Bepolite


    I'd have said I thought I saw something out of the corner of my eye, where you not within stopping distance guard?

    Then I'd probably have ended up down the station but hey ho... :pac:

    Another thing I would have checked is his dash cam, if he had one.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 85 ✭✭crafty dodger


    Garda traffic corps a law unto themselves!

    Do they have a dashcam to observe what happened?
    Surely you can have access to this if they have charged you in the wrong

    probably not
    gestapo tactics always work best for these guys


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,601 ✭✭✭cerastes


    Had the same thing with a Garda car, few years back, so think it was a mondeo, unmarked, driving up my arse on the M50, couldn't move out of the way, flashing the headlights like lunatics, they put on some other lights, I think they were in the windscreen but we were in fast moving traffic and I wasnt spending time looking rearwards, I was indicating out of the way but I could go nowhere as there was no where for me to go even though I was already overtaking traffic, eventually I found a space and moved in, they tore on, on their way somewhere,
    but it was dickish behaviour and could have caused an accident, dash cam with rear camera, have one but its unreliable, good when it works, on the look out for a good one, maybe two.


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,039 ✭✭✭Hilly Bill


    Zillah wrote: »
    Why on Earth would you hit the brakes when someone is too close to you? Is it just pure spite? He shouldn't have been driving too close to you but hitting the brakes was idiotic.


    Why? You have a right to use the brakes its standard procedure when driving . You dont have to give a reason to the car behind as to why you braked. The car behind should be leaving a decent gap in the first place and being fined for tapping the brakes is spiteful in itself .
    Going by the OP , i would appeal any fine given on such a flimsy excuse.


  • Registered Users Posts: 11,907 ✭✭✭✭Kristopherus


    KingDH wrote: »
    Ive been driving for 5 years and this is the first time ever getting pulled over by a Garda, im usually a good driver. But he said it was driving dangerously, I havnt received the letter yet for the fine so I dont know exactly what the definate offence is.

    You really should have put on your hazards rather than tapp the brake lights. And FWIW it was he who was doing the dangerous driving by tailing you.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,601 ✭✭✭cerastes


    Sounds like a good reason to have a dashcam with an additional rearview camera, any decent makes with that available? cheap makes have them alright, Ive got one in a drawer.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,482 ✭✭✭JG009


    Should have jammed on, that'll learn him!
    Is it not the responsibility of the driver to keep a safe distance from the car in front? If was the other way around, this is exactly what you'd be told. You rear ended him, no if buts or ands, you should have kept your distance.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,521 ✭✭✭ardle1


    There is no way you should have slowed down the first time, you where in the middle off overtaking the third vehicle, that's where you made the mistake.... And by the sounds of it, it all went downhill from there...


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 21,730 ✭✭✭✭Fred Swanson


    This post has been deleted.


  • Registered Users Posts: 891 ✭✭✭angeline


    'Acting on impulse' while driving a car at speed is not a safe way of driving to put it mildly.


  • Registered Users Posts: 77 ✭✭Pogmothone


    You should have said to the Garda "Only fools break the two second rule"


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  • Registered Users Posts: 17,371 ✭✭✭✭Zillah


    Hilly Bill wrote: »
    Why? You have a right to use the brakes its standard procedure when driving . You dont have to give a reason to the car behind as to why you braked. The car behind should be leaving a decent gap in the first place and being fined for tapping the brakes is spiteful in itself .
    Going by the OP , i would appeal any fine given on such a flimsy excuse.

    This is such a bizarre way to think. He has the right to press his accelerator too, that doesn't mean it's responsible driving to press it when there is a car stopped in front of him.

    Both drivers were in the wrong. Hitting your brakes to spite someone behind you on a motorway is pointless and idiotic.


  • Subscribers Posts: 16,550 ✭✭✭✭copacetic


    Hilly Bill wrote: »
    Why? You have a right to use the brakes its standard procedure when driving . You dont have to give a reason to the car behind as to why you braked. The car behind should be leaving a decent gap in the first place and being fined for tapping the brakes is spiteful in itself .
    Going by the OP , i would appeal any fine given on such a flimsy excuse.

    Heh,that's what the chancers who deliberately cause accidents say in their insurance claims. The mind boggles at people who deliberately try to cause accidents or force erratic behaviour from other drivers. Never mind how bad the other driver is.

    It is likely the OP has minimised what he actually did, reading it from the other drivers point of view, he blocked him from merging (because be could). He then slowed down deliberately to hold him up while in the middle of an overtake, then he tapped the breaks when he was quite close. All while probably thinking he was the big man and can do whatever the feck he wants. All in front of an unmarked but often the exact car used by the guards. If that's not reckless driving I done know what is.

    I'd say he got exactly what he deserved when the blue lights came on. The defence of, I can do whatever the feck I want on the road won't stand up I'd imagine.


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,182 ✭✭✭bobbyss


    There are always two sides to every story.

    1. However, I had always thought that the car behind is responsible for an accident if it bumps the car in front. Therefore it always should be at a safe braking distance behind -there is some formula for that I believe. Was the police car obeying that rule?

    2. If the police car was not within this safe braking distance-is it not culpable?

    3.Is there any camera evidence the police car had on board that you could request to inspect?

    4. If you are driving a car at a regular speed and a car behind wants to pass you out you can safely change lanes to let it do so. Is it illegal for a following car (a police car too? ) to flash lights/beep horn to demand you let it through?


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 10,256 Mod ✭✭✭✭Borderfox


    I had an undercover car follow me (so closely I couldn't see anything below the windscreen) for approximately 3 miles before I pulled over to let him past and he then put on the blue lights. He said he pulled me over for moving off without looking in my mirrors (I had looked)

    No explanation for following so close even when I questioned his dangerous driving. He left it at that then. Very strange behaviour, seems to be common from reports in the thread though


  • Registered Users Posts: 458 ✭✭REXER


    bobbyss wrote: »
    There are always two sides to every story.

    1. However, I had always thought that the car behind is responsible for an accident if it bumps the car in front. Therefore it always should be at a safe braking distance behind -there is some formula for that I believe. Was the police car obeying that rule?

    2. If the police car was not within this safe braking distance-is it not culpable?

    3.Is there any camera evidence the police car had on board that you could request to inspect?

    4. If you are driving a car at a regular speed and a car behind wants to pass you out you can safely change lanes to let it do so. Is it illegal for a following car (a police car too? ) to flash lights/beep horn to demand you let it through?


    No, just stupid!


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,182 ✭✭✭bobbyss


    REXER wrote: »
    [/B]

    No, just stupid!

    It is not illegal to do that??? I doubt that very much.


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,039 ✭✭✭Hilly Bill


    copacetic wrote: »
    Heh,that's what the chancers who deliberately cause accidents say in their insurance claims. The mind boggles at people who deliberately try to cause accidents or force erratic behaviour from other drivers. Never mind how bad the other driver is.

    It is likely the OP has minimised what he actually did, reading it from the other drivers point of view, he blocked him from merging (because be could). He then slowed down deliberately to hold him up while in the middle of an overtake, then he tapped the breaks when he was quite close. All while probably thinking he was the big man and can do whatever the feck he wants. All in front of an unmarked but often the exact car used by the guards. If that's not reckless driving I done know what is.

    I'd say he got exactly what he deserved when the blue lights came on. The defence of, I can do whatever the feck I want on the road won't stand up I'd imagine.
    There is a difference between braking and slaming on your brakes to cause an accident.
    How can you read it from the other drivers point of view when he hasnt posted it.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,737 ✭✭✭Bepolite


    Been fecking paranoid that every mondeo that's followed me around over the last few days is a gung ho traffic cop! Thanks OP :P


  • Registered Users Posts: 7 KingDH


    copacetic wrote: »
    Heh,that's what the chancers who deliberately cause accidents say in their insurance claims. The mind boggles at people who deliberately try to cause accidents or force erratic behaviour from other drivers. Never mind how bad the other driver is.

    It is likely the OP has minimised what he actually did, reading it from the other drivers point of view, he blocked him from merging (because be could). He then slowed down deliberately to hold him up while in the middle of an overtake, then he tapped the breaks when he was quite close. All while probably thinking he was the big man and can do whatever the feck he wants. All in front of an unmarked but often the exact car used by the guards. If that's not reckless driving I done know what is.

    I'd say he got exactly what he deserved when the blue lights came on. The defence of, I can do whatever the feck I want on the road won't stand up I'd imagine.

    No I have given the exact details of what happened and I admit that pressing the brake pedal is a risky move. However you say that I blocked him from merging? How and why would I do that. I have the right of way, the traffic on the slip road has to match their speed to the flow of traffic, I am in no way obliged to move over but I did slow down to let him in between the car in front and my own but he failed to merge plus he didnt use his signals. I did slow down when overtaking the other car but not enough so that I could not finish over taking, is there something wrong with that? And like I said before, what if I actually had to brake with that Garda so close behind me? Who is at fault then? Not me, he is.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 981 ✭✭✭The Royal Scam


    KingDH wrote: »
    I have the right of way, the traffic on the slip road has to match their speed to the flow of traffic, I am in no way obliged to move over but I did slow down to let him in between the car in front a

    This says a lot to me. Talking about your right of way and how you are not obliged, to me is what got you into this mess before the tapping of the brakes.
    These kind of simple common courtesies are gone from too many motorists in Ireland.
    You should have put this thread into the Motors forum. The way things are
    going they would go round in circles for 10,000 posts on the in's and out's of this.


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