[POGAN]

Another road policing op, the GC said every Resouce will be used, so ok fair enough go safe out same as every day, garda gatso van out same as every day. Problem is that less traffic on the ground couple reasons
1, less members in traffic corp
2, lack of traffic cars and bikes, I think I have seen 1 new bike for 2011 none for 3 years before



Gardaí to crack down on speeding

A high-profile Garda campaign to get motorists to curb their speed will be held this weekend.

Operation Slow Down will target driver behaviour and attempt to get road users to stick to appropriate speed limits.

From 7am on Friday, a 24-hour high visibility campaign will be held to raise awareness of the dangers of excessive speed.

A total of 96 people have been killed in road crashes so far this year, with 25 in June.

Another 97,000 drivers were detected for speeding offences.

Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan said a speed limit is not a target.

“What we are dealing with here is people’s lives,” he said. “We are forever asking people to co-operate with us on a variety of issues, particularly around crime prevention and reduction. But road traffic accidents and reducing fatalities are just as important.”

Launching the operation with the Road Safety Authority (RSA), the commissioner warned gardaí will be using all available manpower and technology in their arsenal during the operation.

RSA chief executive Noel Brett said the death toll in June was catastrophic. “That level of carnage was not seen in almost two years,” he added. “I’m also concerned about the number of pedestrian and cyclist fatalities which show a marked increase on this time last year.”

Statistics show Friday and Saturday are the most dangerous days on the road and July and August the peak time for crashes.

Gardai said a 1 per cent reduction in speed will also lead to a 4 per cent drop in fatal collisions, they added.

Gda Derek Cloughley, of the Road Safety Unit, said if a driver travelling at 100km/h slowed down to 90km/h it would add just six minutes to a journey. “What are you going to do in six minutes, make a cup of tea?” he asked. “But by reducing your speed by 10km/h, it significantly increases your chances of surving

[goldie fish]

Derek makes tea very slowly...

[cocoshovel]

Originally Posted by goldie fish

Derek makes tea very slowly...

He makes a good cup you mean.

[Pappa Charlie]

Unfortunately, I think the satistics are starting to turn in the wrong direction again as many members expected, depletion of resources is starting to be reflected in road deaths and it will only get worse. What can you expect when traffic cars are being taken to give to district HQ's as replacement cars and traffic members are being put back on regular units. Operation slowdown is a result of operation rundown!

[POGAN]

Originally Posted by Pappa Charlie

Unfortunately, I think the satistics are starting to turn in the wrong direction again as many members expected, depletion of resources is starting to be reflected in road deaths and it will only get worse. What can you expect when traffic cars are being taken to give to district HQ's as replacement cars and traffic members are being put back on regular units. Operation slowdown is a result of operation rundown!

It was going to happen traffic has being giving cars out to regular units for last 3 years

New rosters with extra unit have taken a lot off traffic around the country.

It's going to effect the road deaths

[kub]

I suppose the bottom line so is, whats cheaper? A depleted traffic corp or peoples lives.

It is so obvious now to any motorist, the fact that the traffic corp are no longer around, therefore old habits are back.

[cocoshovel]

Originally Posted by kub

I suppose the bottom line so is, whats cheaper? A depleted traffic corp or peoples lives.

It is so obvious now to any motorist, the fact that the traffic corp are no longer around, therefore old habits are back.

I actually see the traffic corps quite a good bit. I know of at least 3 different cars covering 2 stations 15km from each other, and there is probably more than that. One of these stations is the one that made the news last year over having "0" vehicles for the traffic corps officers

[POGAN]

Originally Posted by cocoshovel

I actually see the traffic corps quite a good bit. I know of at least 3 different cars covering 2 stations 15km from each other, and there is probably more than that. One of these stations is the one that made the news last year over having "0" vehicles for the traffic corps officers

Mallow ?

[kub]

Originally Posted by cocoshovel

I actually see the traffic corps quite a good bit. I know of at least 3 different cars covering 2 stations 15km from each other, and there is probably more than that. One of these stations is the one that made the news last year over having "0" vehicles for the traffic corps officers

Are you sure that the officers driving these traffic cars are actual traffic corp members?
Just my local station inherited a traffic car, it is now used as a regular patrol car, i can just imagine the mileage on it.

Ps My own opinion is based on daily driving around 3 different divisional areas on a daily basis. I have also noticed quite a lot of TC cars parked up in the yard behind my own divisional HQ, it does not seem to be at any particular time, on average it is both day and night, just goes to prove the officers are no longer available to drive them.

[Helix]

Originally Posted by POGAN

Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan said a speed limit is not a target.

is the speed limit not the speed determined by the state as the maximum safe driving speed on a given stretch of road? surely that in itself would suggest that it's a perfectly safe speed to be driving at in good conditions?

[cocoshovel]

Mallow ?

Nope

Originally Posted by kub

Are you sure that the officers driving these traffic cars are actual traffic corp members?
Just my local station inherited a traffic car, it is now used as a regular patrol car, i can just imagine the mileage on it.

Well that is possible as Ive seen them on a few backroads, but most of the time they're manning checkpoints or doing something involved with the road. 1 of these vehicles is the utility jeep, the other being the ford Galaxy, and the third I know of is just a regular ford or toyota, not sure which one.

[wicklaman83]

Originally Posted by POGAN

Mallow ?

It was Thomastown. Dont know why you couldn't say it in post above

[cocoshovel]

Saw another one today, so that makes it at least 4. Silver toyota.

Originally Posted by wicklaman83

It was Thomastown. Dont know why you couldn't say it in post above

It was. I dont really feel like directly giving out my location on here, but its pretty obvious if one is willing to search. Between Thomastown and Kilkenny city station there seems to be a moderate enough sized traffic corps, and I know for sure they'll be out tomorrow all over.

[Rawhead]

There is definitely a greatly reduced traffic corp presence on the roads these days. I notice that they seem to spend an inordinate amount of time transporting people to prison if anything.

One of the big mitigating factor that is keeping RTA's low is that the amount of cars on the road is so few compared to a few years ago.

[kub]

Originally Posted by Rawhead

There is definitely a greatly reduced traffic corp presence on the roads these days. I notice that they seem to spend an inordinate amount of time transporting people to prison if anything.

One of the big mitigating factor that is keeping RTA's low is that the amount of cars on the road is so few compared to a few years ago.

Excellent post, bang on. So it will be all hands on deck at 7am, now I wonder, by the time Monday morning comes around, how many new patrol cars will the lads be able to afford with all those extra €50 notes?

I have also noticed as well that the Traffic cars are also involved in the cash escorts. Something I know used to be done by the regular 'spare' patrol car, obviously a thing of the past.