Vehicle Gallery - Discussion Thread

Deleted User wrote: »

Can I ask what the difference is (genuine question)? They both seem somewhat similar in regards to screen size/amount of wording/content they can display?

I drove behind the RSU one before in daylight and it had 'Garda Armed Response Unit' (or something to that affect) scrolling on it and it was easily seen.

In that case they were in front of me in traffic though. Not the same situation as encountering a lane closure on a motorway, obviously (although I thought the Isuzu D-Max with it's big roof sign was intended for those purposes?).

I mean their use. Could be the same units in them. But I don't find them suitable for use. Now obviously if it's going to be an ongoing closure then they would have better equipment, like the M50 concessions vehicles or even the NRA incident response vans. But the visibility is just too poor for daytime, and as you can see from the pic that I've posted they went backwards with the blue lights compared to what was fitted to the Avensis and the later Connects and Focus'.

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Well, can I ask, unless I'm picking you up wrong somewhere along the way, are we not in agreement with each other? (that the RSU lightbar serves the same function, but is much more modern looking)?

Not really. The RSU May as well be advertising the daily specials in the local convenience store. The scrolling bar is just stupid.

So, just to add a bit of back story, as obviously I'd been whinging about the Gardai only two or three posts prior to putting up some new shots of their latest gear.


Pretty much, they wanted me to pop down to the Station, as the Gardai are playing a game of football against a Local Youth Team, in aid of "A Chance For Alice" (A local, known, charity set up to benefit a young child).

Whilst on the phone to me, to ask would I do the photos for them, I said I absolutely would, no problem at all, but also asked about the Hyundai (now, I want to stress, I made it clear that I didn't care if I never seen the Hyundai again, I'd still do their group photos to promote the game).


So she said she'd ask about it and see what she could do. Today, I arrived at the station and did their group photos and, as I was finished, I was saying my goodbyes when she said they had a new Hyundai, which was currently not in service, as it had only arrived at the station that day (about an hour before I arrived I'd been told).

So I wandered around and the Sergeant over the ComPol in the Drogheda station gave it a quick hose off (To get rid of the minor dirt that had gotten onto it from the lads presumably giving it a test drive or two).

After this, he brought it to a different car park across from the station (at my request) to isolate it a bit more. After taking a handful of photos, the Sgt. remarked that it'd have been good to get the two of them together. I agreed it would have been a nice touch, so out came the phone and he rang the lads that were out patrolling in the other Hyundai.

About 2 minutes later the other car was with us and I had both on blues. I got about 10 minutes with both cars and did two or three different 'poses' (for want of a better word) before letting the other lads head off to do their other bits. Was surprised they came down in the first place. Just wish I'd known and I'd have prepared a bit more.

After they'd left I got one or two quick interior photos of the new Hyundai, and thanked the Sgt. for his time.

I took a quick shot of the Gardai together and told them I'd email it on along with some car photos (obviously I wont put photos of the lads themselves up here).


So I have to say, they were really quite sound and went far above any expectations I had of them. Very surprised. They also weren't rushing me or 'tutting' at every request, so I don't know what to make of the situation at all. My usual impression is that they don't want the hassle of people shooting their stuff, but then after spending 5 minutes doing some quick group shots, they give me about 20 minutes with their cars, and even clean one off for me (I know the new car being there is more a case of good timing, but still).


So, if any of the Drogheda lads are reading this (I'm sure they know who the ComPol Sgt. is) it's much appreciated that you gave up your time and a sincere thank you to the Community Gardai today, and to the other two lads who came out to us for a few shots of both cars.



Just don't leave it so long next time.. :mad: be an awful shame if anything happened to those cars.. say you're going down a hill and the brakes suddenly don't work..



(joking, of course! :pac: Haha. )

Absolutely, Fullback, but I should be honest and say my interior photos aren't the best, as I'd no wide-angle with me. So they're only basic enough dashboard/seat shots. But I'll get them up in 5 mins.

What's PTT out of curiousity? Push to talk? If so, is the one that's lower down not a bit of a pain in the hole and a bit of a distraction?


Also, completely unrelatedly, but when the two lads arrived in the second patrol car, I was asking if they'd like to jump in for a photo with the cars and they jokingly said no, but let me do some faceless shots (the photo of the back of the Garda beside the car).

One Garda joked that the other Garda (who's in the photo) should be proud to jump in cos he lost 5 stone recently. Now I don't know if he was just joking or whatever the case may have been, but it sounded like a genuine comment, and it really added a lot of humanity to the two chaps, I have to say.

It's a small thing, I know, and probably not something most would pick up on, but I like when little things like that are said and you get to see beyond the uniform a little bit. Small reminder that they're just everyday Joe Soaps like the rest of us at the end of the day, with their own personal struggles and problems and have their own good and bad days.

source wrote: »

Is my memory failing me or did some of the avensis have ptt on the wheel?

Yup, in the Mode button. Actually handy as you can keep both hands on the wheel while using it.

foreign wrote: »

In an emergency situation turning the wheel I wouldn't be taking one hand off reaching for the stalk or fiddling with the dash.

I've obviously never used one of these, but are they actually press to talk, or is there a 'constant' mode? (ie, press lightly to talk, and release to stop, press hard to turn on constant). Like a kind of a 'double click' kinda situation?


Can't imagine it'd be much fun driving at high speeds with your hand halfway across the dash (unless you've a passenger to do it of course).