Traffic Blues - RTE1 - May 31st

djtechnics1210 · 09-06-2009 3:57pm

I couldnt feel less more protected everyday i work

djtechnics1210 · 09-06-2009 3:59pm

Well i can honestly say that the only thing we'll see pulled in anger on traffic blues is a ticket book or maybe if viewers are very very lucky............. a handbrake.

Hooch · 09-06-2009 4:04pm

djtechnics1210 wrote: »

Well i can honestly say that the only thing we'll see pulled in anger on traffic blues is a ticket book or maybe if viewers are very very lucky............. a handbrake.

What are you saying......we havint even seen the FCPS handheld come out yet.

*finger wagging* now dont do that again. Its wery wery bad you know!!!

Mutz · 09-06-2009 4:05pm

djtechnics1210 wrote: »

Well i can honestly say that the only thing we'll see pulled in anger on traffic blues is a ticket book or maybe if viewers are very very lucky............. a handbrake.

LOL - its a very weak program if you ask me:

"Next week - a man gets arrested for drink driving!" - So thats one per episode so! :rolleyes: Variety people please!

djtechnics1210 · 09-06-2009 4:17pm

This week on traffic blues.......
A speeding motorist is caught with a WMD in his NI registered car that is clearly falling apart

And after a chase lasting for 16 counties...................
The driver gave his name as Mr Osama Bin Laden and he was given a ticket for breaking one of 287 red lights.... which Mr Bin Laden was asked nicely to pay, even though he wont cause he will never be in the south again

Mr Bin Laden was given a chance in relation to the other offences as hes never been in trouble before.

I Hate Traffic Blues :mad:

Hooch · 09-06-2009 4:19pm

djtechnics1210 wrote: »

This week on traffic blues.......
A speeding motorist is caught with a WMD in his NI registered car that is clearly falling apart

And after a chase lasting for 16 counties...................
Mr Bin Laden was given a ticket for breaking one of 287 red lights.... which Mr Bin Laden was asked nicely to pay, even though he wont cause he will never be in the south again

I Hate Traffic Blues :mad:

I cant stop the laughter!!!!!!!!!!!:D:D:D:D My sides hurt!!!

also......i hate traffic blues too:mad:

Fighting Irish · 09-06-2009 4:42pm

lol

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCBaJEvW2Js

kippy · 09-06-2009 5:35pm

nice guy always wrote: »

Road wars is based in the UK which isnt that far from Irish crime rates.

Ever have a knife pulled on you?? Im sure you'll find plenty members here that have.

I've had a knife pulled on me once. Not a very pleasant experience, I have to admit.

Hooch · 09-06-2009 5:39pm

kippy wrote: »

I've had a knife pulled on me once. Not a very pleasant experience, I have to admit.

Try that serveral times a year....and still come to work with a smile and a massive paycut.:)

kippy · 09-06-2009 6:23pm

nice guy always wrote: »

Try that serveral times a year....and still come to work with a smile and a massive paycut.:)

Several times a year? Seriously? Surely that cant be indicitive of the average member of the service?

Where are you based?

donvito99 · 09-06-2009 6:25pm

Terrontress wrote: »

I thought they could spend a minute or so in a station detailing calls coming in. Maybe have a guard explain the controls on his car, the special equipment in the boot.

+1, absolutely know education about what the Garda use etc.

And is that not the whole ethos of the programme anyways.

Irish_polizei · 09-06-2009 7:40pm

djtechnics1210 wrote: »

Well i can honestly say that the only thing we'll see pulled in anger on traffic blues is a ticket book or maybe if viewers are very very lucky............. a handbrake.

haha

Fighting Irish · 10-06-2009 12:16am

But yeah fair fooks to the gardai in this country

Hooch · 10-06-2009 3:07am

kippy wrote: »

Several times a year? Seriously? Surely that cant be indicitive of the average member of the service?

Where are you based?

Traffic in a ''quite'' country area!! This is normal....its just the public doesnt hear about it. Any proactive member comes up against this every year. An a member is injuried more often than the public is aware either!

bk · 10-06-2009 3:33am

Just to point out one difference between Road Wars and Traffic Blues. In Traffic Blues they are following regular members of the traffic corps, while in Road Wars they are following members of the roads proactive policing unit.

Basically they are a specialist unit and their primary task is to target and investigate car thieves, burglars who use cars, drug dealers who use cars, etc.

They still look out for extremely bad incidents of driving, but it isn't their primary focus, so that is why they get some more interesting footage, that and more in car cameras.

BTW in the latest series, they have BMW 3 and 5 series cars, I'd imagine you guys wouldn't mind some of them

djtechnics1210 · 10-06-2009 3:35am

Some AGS units have BMW 3 and 5 series cars

deadwood · 10-06-2009 10:24am

Terrontress wrote: »

Maybe have a guard explain the controls on his car, the special equipment in the boot.

"So, here'd be a few of the controls in de ve-hickle, or as we like to call it, the car, *hee, hee*.

That there is the steering wheel. Then there's the lights - just pull it and the headlights go near....far....near...far, cool eh?

What, move on? OK so. This here is the siren. Not much call for it, to be honest, it upsets the cattle.

And that's it.

Now, the boot. Well you can see some of the specialist equipment we require. Here's one welly I kept from the searches we did in Ballinamore for Don Tidey. I think the other one is in the branch car. Then there's some white powder all over the carpet nobody can identify and believe me, we tried - (*winks at camera*) all over the place. That's standard in most patrol car boots. There's a county council traffic cone.

Spare wha? Oh, is that what that hole is? I thought it was for stopping the pizza sliding around the place.

And all that specialist equipment is interwoven with a roll of crime scene tape.

So, as you can see, folks, we have a lot more equipment on board than your bog-standard family saloon, kind of.

Oh, hello mammy."

cushtac · 10-06-2009 1:16pm

kippy wrote: »

Several times a year? Seriously? Surely that cant be indicitive of the average member of the service?

Where are you based?

A Garda has a 20% chance of being seriously injured while on duty during the course of his/her career, with the definition of a serious injury being one that requires hospitalisation.

Gardaí are threatened with weapons on a regular basis, something the public don't realise.

kippy · 10-06-2009 3:13pm

cushtac wrote: »

A Garda has a 20% chance of being seriously injured while on duty during the course of his/her career, with the definition of a serious injury being one that requires hospitalisation.

Gardaí are threatened with weapons on a regular basis, something the public don't realise.

I aint denying it, however, how often would a garda based in a rural area be threatened with a knife (or gun)?
I honestly can't believe that it is as common place as being mentioned here.

timmywex · 10-06-2009 4:11pm

kippy wrote: »

I aint denying it, however, how often would a garda based in a rural area be threatened with a knife (or gun)?
I honestly can't believe that it is as common place as being mentioned here.

I doubt it as much but when smoething does happen theres no one else for miles and chances are no radio either so the **** hits the fan then

TheNog · 10-06-2009 4:11pm

Stekelly wrote: »

Considering the amount of horrendous driving I've seen durign the course of my daily driving this week alone* the Gards must really go out of their way to avoid seeing offences, either that or they dont want to have to wear out their pens issueing fines and points.

Stekelly your comment above can be considered either trolling or you are taking this very much to heart.

Please dont make any more comments like this. It does not contribute to a discussion

Turner · 10-06-2009 4:24pm

kippy wrote: »

Several times a year? Seriously? Surely that cant be indicitive of the average member of the service?

Where are you based?

It happens alot including syringes, sticks, chains, slash hooks and swords.

Although it hasnt happened to me yet a few of the Gardai I know have had guns pulled on them.

Im based in inner city dublin and im not traffic corps.

snaring · 10-06-2009 5:58pm

vulcan57 wrote: »

He maybe only 17 but he had already broken the law with the speeding incident for which he should have had a warning. We were all young, but at what age does the law kick in? He was breaking the law by not having L plates, he was breaking the law by not having a qualified driver with him. At the end of the day he was breaking the law by driving that car. Whats the point of laws if they are not enforced? Makes a farce of them. A gard has to operate with in the law and that must be frustrating, but when laws are broken then they should do their job. If the laws of the road were applied like roadwars then the roads of Ireland would be far safer places! I am not Garda bashing as such because in general the gards do a good job, and I wouldn't do it for love or money. Like I said if that lad had killed or injured someone on his way home I think the excuse of "he's only 17 and he is entitled to a warning" would not go down well with the relatives of the victim. Warn him by all means but get him off the road untill he is legally in a situation to drive.

You must appreciate that the garda at the side of the road has no say in whether the youth is prosecuted or not even if he has had his warning. that gard must still refer the matter to the national juvenile office and if they decided that he was to be prosecuted then and only then it can be done. even if the youth has had ten warnings the garda must get sanction from national juvenile office to prosecute him. of course if the kid went down the road and killed someone the gard would be dragged over some serious hot coals but he would be able to answer any enquiry cause in reality he covered his ass. if he took the car and prosecuted the kid he would be deemed to have infringed the kids civil rights and the little s***e would end up in a very fancy motor paid for by the claim against AGS. it would make a man dizzy. The big problem is that the gard at the side of the road is the cold face of policing and its problems while the law makers never have to deal with the tragedy that occurs on the road. irish law is way too complex

Roadrat · 10-06-2009 7:18pm

deadwood wrote: »

"So, here'd be a few of the controls in de ve-hickle, or as we like to call it, the car, *hee, hee*.

That there is the steering wheel. Then there's the lights - just pull it and the headlights go near....far....near...far, cool eh?

What, move on? OK so. This here is the siren. Not much call for it, to be honest, it upsets the cattle.

And that's it.

Now, the boot. Well you can see some of the specialist equipment we require. Here's one welly I kept from the searches we did in Ballinamore for Don Tidey. I think the other one is in the branch car. Then there's some white powder all over the carpet nobody can identify and believe me, we tried - (*winks at camera*) all over the place. That's standard in most patrol car boots. There's a county council traffic cone.

Spare wha? Oh, is that what that hole is? I thought it was for stopping the pizza sliding around the place.

And all that specialist equipment is interwoven with a roll of crime scene tape.

So, as you can see, folks, we have a lot more equipment on board than your bog-standard family saloon, kind of.

Oh, hello mammy."

Dead Wood.How apt.

shakin · 11-06-2009 1:42pm

seen both episode twice, and while its not exactly exciting tv, its not supposed to be. its a documentary in fairnes and the reason the gardai here are slating it is because its work for them! for us with an interest its good tv and while it could be imroved in a lot of areas its not a bad start.

donvito99 · 11-06-2009 6:34pm

Gotta love the Guard on the M50 with the tash!

There is one similarity with road wars though, the Guards were driving a vectra.

deadwood · 11-06-2009 10:49pm

Roadrat wrote: »

Dead Wood.How apt.

MMmmmmm....

Wood.

djtechnics1210 · 14-06-2009 5:54pm

I Cant wait for another brilliant show tonight :rolleyes:

DubMedic · 14-06-2009 5:57pm

dj, can you guess what's coming up tonight?.

They hinted at it last week but i never would have guessed.

Coming up next week on Traffic Blooos , a Drunk driver is arrested.

Shocker! VCR Record button at the ready :eek:.

.

Guy:Incognito · 14-06-2009 9:12pm

Posted this on the thread in commuting & transport by mistake.

The guy stopped in the Carina that was impounded was probably kicking himself after watching last weeks show, He should have gotten himself a set of Czech plates and an accent like the guy on the motorbike.He'd have been sent on his way.

Whats the story with the woman with the 5 kids in the back?Is it common practice to send these people on their way? I would have thought seeing as its a fairly significant safety issue she shouldnt be allowed continue?

Points and a fine wont stop the kids being killed in a crash half a mile up the road.

demanufactured · 14-06-2009 10:27pm

THE INTOXILIZER!!!!
THE ALCHOTEST MACHINE!!!!!

ROFLMFAO!!!!!

TheNog · 15-06-2009 12:03am

demanufactured wrote: »

THE INTOXILIZER!!!!
THE ALCHOTEST MACHINE!!!!!

ROFLMFAO!!!!!

I dont get it

DCTF · 15-06-2009 10:23am

demanufactured wrote: »

THE INTOXILIZER!!!!
THE ALCHOTEST MACHINE!!!!!

ROFLMFAO!!!!!

Lion Intoxilyzer
Evidential breath test machine located in the Garda Station gives a printout / reciept of the test results for use in court

images%5Cproducts%5CDSAT1.jpg

Dräger Alcotest
The Dräger Alcotest 6810 is a hand-held instrument for quick and accurate breath alcohol analysis at the roadside.

So as theNog says your point is???

McCrack · 15-06-2009 1:05pm

I watched the second showing of this (last week) and two things struck me. I'm wearing my lawyer hat here..

Firstly the NI driver speeding and overtaking dangerously. He was arrested under S.53 RTA 1961 for dangerous driving. The Garda arrested him because he couldn't verify his identity. S53 doesn't provide for arrest in this circumstance, it only provides for arrest without warrant when death or serious bodily harm to another person is caused.

Secondly the locked driver arrested for S49 who had the slash hook in his car. It said he was charged with possession of an offensive weapon...but he never took it out of his car so my understanding is he couldn't satisfy the requirement of having an offensive weapon in a public place.
A private car is not a public place.

Am I completely off the mark here?

DCTF · 15-06-2009 1:31pm

McCrack wrote: »

I watched the second showing of this (last week) and two things struck me. I'm wearing my lawyer hat here..

Firstly the NI driver speeding and overtaking dangerously. He was arrested under S.53 RTA 1961 for dangerous driving. The Garda arrested him because he couldn't verify his identity. S53 doesn't provide for arrest in this circumstance, it only provides for arrest without warrant when death or serious bodily harm to another person is caused.

Secondly the locked driver arrested for S49 who had the slash hook in his car. It said he was charged with possession of an offensive weapon...but he never took it out of his car so my understanding is he couldn't satisfy the requirement of having an offensive weapon in a public place.
A private car is not a public place.

Am I completely off the mark here?

For the first instance you gave the offence was Dangerous Driving contrary to Section 53 of the RTA 1961.

However because of the situation with the accused being a foreign national and having no way to verify his identity he was arrested under Section 107 of the same act to ascertain his identity; where a member of the Garda Síochána alleges to a person using a mechanically propelled vehicle that the member suspects that such person has committed a specified offence under this Act, the member may demand of such person his name and address and may, if such person refuses or fails to give his name and address or gives a name or address which the member has reasonable grounds for believing to be false or misleading, arrest such person without warrant.

I'm assuming that this is the power used.

Trojan911 · 15-06-2009 1:33pm

McCrack wrote: »

Secondly the locked driver arrested for S49 who had the slash hook in his car. It said he was charged with possession of an offensive weapon...but he never took it out of his car so my understanding is he couldn't satisfy the requirement of having an offensive weapon in a public place.
A private car is not a public place.

Am I completely off the mark here?

Didn't watch the show, however, my understanding of it is he is in a public place if he is driving on a public road unless his vehicle is his place of abode.

Had something similar when working in London, where the driver was arrested & charged with Drink Drive & also charged with having a kitchen knife in his car at the time (Points & Blades).

However he claimed he was of no fixed abode and he slept rough in his car. The knife charge was dropped in court later, as his vehicle was deemed his place of abode.

Laws may slighly differ here though.

Our man in Havana · 15-06-2009 1:51pm

If that was the case, I could not drive down to my local hardware store and purchase a slashook. Would you not need the element of intent?

maglite · 15-06-2009 1:56pm

Is an Offensive weapon not just a curcumstace of where it is at the time and the percieved or possible intent of use?

A Scew driver in my jeans on sat night in tiwn would eb anoffensive weapon.
But my Glock 9mm in my bag on the way to go shooting at a range would not be an offensive weapon.

Hooch · 15-06-2009 2:00pm

McCrack wrote: »

I watched the second showing of this (last week) and two things struck me. I'm wearing my lawyer hat here..

Firstly the NI driver speeding and overtaking dangerously. He was arrested under S.53 RTA 1961 for dangerous driving. The Garda arrested him because he couldn't verify his identity. S53 doesn't provide for arrest in this circumstance, it only provides for arrest without warrant when death or serious bodily harm to another person is caused.

Secondly the locked driver arrested for S49 who had the slash hook in his car. It said he was charged with possession of an offensive weapon...but he never took it out of his car so my understanding is he couldn't satisfy the requirement of having an offensive weapon in a public place.
A private car is not a public place.

Am I completely off the mark here?

There is a power of arrest for Section 53 where no injury etc was occured. Cant find it on irish statute but i'll get me law book out for it. Its a common arrest around the country. No power of detention (serious harm or death has Section 4 detention) but arrest for purpose of charging, name address etc etc. As I say McCrack I cant back it up now but i'll try dig it out for you.

In relation to Sec 9(1) offensive weapons Act, most iof not all judges accept that in this act a public place is your vehicle (not like some RTA offences:rolleyes:).

Trojan made a good point there, one was recently thrown out in Cork when the driver gave evidence that he lived in his car and sop it was his abode and a private place. This is another one that is convicted all over the country. Reasonable defence was inserted in the act to cover the likes of someone going to work as a chef or going fishing etc.

Hooch · 15-06-2009 2:03pm

Bond-007 wrote: »

If that was the case, I could not drive down to my local hardware store and purchase a slashook. Would you not need the element of intent?

maglite wrote: »

Is an Offensive weapon not just a curcumstace of where it is at the time and the percieved or possible intent of use?

A Scew driver in my jeans on sat night in tiwn would eb anoffensive weapon.
But my Glock 9mm in my bag on the way to go shooting at a range would not be an offensive weapon.

As stated above a defence was added to the act (Section 9(3)....as you say a stanley knife at 2am would be taken as offensive where as at 2pm its someone cutting carpet.

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/1990/en/act/pub/0012/sec0009.html

McCrack · 15-06-2009 2:27pm

I'm still not convinced on the NI registered car. It seems to be really stretching it to arrest under S107 assuming the driver gave a name/address and the Garda did not have reasonable grounds for believing them to be false.

I mean not carrying identification is not an arrestable offence by itself.

The public place one, again going by it's normal everyday meaning and the legislation does indicate what a public place is:

(8) In this section "public place" includes any highway and any other premises or place to which at the material time the public have or are permitted to have access, whether on payment or otherwise, and includes any club premises and any train, vessel or vehicle used for the carriage of persons for reward.

I'd be seriously questioning the arrest/charge on this basis alone.

currythis · 15-06-2009 3:05pm

On a lighter note,the female garda in donegal was pretty decent,y'know for a gard!

Our man in Havana · 15-06-2009 3:26pm

Do members of AGS get dicked around much by lorry drivers taking their breaks at very convenient (for them) moments/places?
I would be assuming that he could make the Gardaí go away by use of his stalling tactic i.e. a more urgent call would come thru whilst he is waiting?

Also is it true you can only get them for overloading if they are within a certain distance of a weighbridge?

DubMedic · 15-06-2009 3:32pm

Last night's Traffic Blues is now available on RTE Player.

http://www.rte.ie/player/#

.

timmywex · 15-06-2009 4:50pm

Was just listening to the joe duffy show there, and from reading the thread in motors;

I think the main thing is the lack of legal knowledge of the ordinary public, they all scream for cars to be seized and the likes, but as has been pointed out here, nothing can be done from a legal point of view.

People constantly comparing to uk/ni aswell and why wasnt this and that done. I think it shows the level of giving out and the likes.

People dont know the law re jlo's, nor the seizure powers. Rte really should have done a better job to explain what happened (be it refered to jlo/prosecution pending etc)

SV · 15-06-2009 6:14pm

So what abouts the one with the overloaded car?
Surely they have the power to stop that car from moving anywhere whilst it is overloaded?

Trojan911 · 15-06-2009 6:25pm

Bond-007 wrote: »

If that was the case, I could not drive down to my local hardware store and purchase a slashook. Would you not need the element of intent?

No problem going in and buying the slashook and then taking it home for it's designated purpose (over 18 etc).

Wrapped up in store bag & receipt in hand and heading home = no issues.

Hidden in your coat walking downtown long after shops are shut = issues.

Say I get stopped and my car is searched, all above board etc, and the officer pulls a baseball bat from the boot. He/She would be well justified in questioning me about its presence and my intentions. As there is just the bat it wouldn't look to good for me.

Now say there is a proper base ball & catching mitt next to the bat then the officer would still be justified in asking me about these items but the gravity of suspicion would be less due to the set being complete i.e, "Yes officer, I was playing ball with my son in the park today. We do this often"

It's all about justification.

Hooch · 15-06-2009 7:37pm

Bond-007 wrote: »

Do members of AGS get dicked around much by lorry drivers taking their breaks at very convenient (for them) moments/places?
I would be assuming that he could make the Gardaí go away by use of his stalling tactic i.e. a more urgent call would come thru whilst he is waiting?

Also is it true you can only get them for overloading if they are within a certain distance of a weighbridge?

No we dont to be honest. Get hassle a lot when the driver is the owner but never refused to come to weight bridge before. That member should have made the demand for the driver to accompany her, not wait for his meal break. Drivers have madatory rest periods......but dont have to be taken to the exact minute I.E. cannot pull into hard shoulder of a motorway to stop at the exact minute, they must wait for a designated rest area.

25km is max we can demand a truck to come to weigh bridge.

15-06-2009 7:44pm

nice guy always wrote: »

No we dont to be honest. Get hassle a lot when the driver is the owner but never refused to come to weight bridge before. That member should have made the demand for the driver to accompany her, not wait for his meal break. Drivers have madatory rest periods......but dont have to be taken to the exact minute I.E. cannot pull into hard shoulder of a motorway to stop at the exact minute, they must wait for a designated rest area.

25km is max we can demand a truck to come to weigh bridge.

Could she have examined his tacograph and see if he was due his break? I know the demand over-rules this but might have got another offence of him. The road transport unit up here wouldn't have stopped with the weight. they would have been all over the truck.

Hooch · 15-06-2009 7:48pm

foreign wrote: »

Could she have examined his tacograph and see if he was due his break? I know the demand over-rules this but might have got another offence of him. The road transport unit up here wouldn't have stopped with the weight. they would have been all over the truck.

Problem is foreign, and is very apparant from the series, that alot of the Traffic members have very little knowledge of the RTA, and mostly Road Transport legislation. Im not the be all and end all of trucks but I know my few offences and stick to what I know. That way I cant be wrong!

I wouldnt be suprised it she didnt know the first thing about the tacho!!!

*and yes your right the tacho would show the hours he was driving and in fact can be sent to mapping in dublin to calcuate the exact road he travelled based on speed etc!!! Tachographs have a huge amount of info on them*

Traffic Blues - RTE1 - May 31st

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