Increase in Garda checkpoints

Our man in Havana

Has anyone noticed a sharp increase in Garda checkpoints lately? I have seen loads in the last month or so. They have been in the same spot in Ballyragget 3 times in the last week. Its only tax etc but they do seem to be much much busier or maybe Ballyragget has very good pickings?

Just wondering if this is a nationwide trend.

numorouno

yea. same in cork. all the new guards that came out of templemore in the last few weeks were put straight into traffic i think so could be that.

John R

Yep, Ive seen at lest one a week now for a while. Had the tax checked a few times and about a month ago there were several checkpoints on the roads around Dalkey one evening got stopped and licence checked at one, on the return trip they were still there so I went another way and got stuck for 10 minutes at another one. They were sticking heads in each car, presumably sniffing for eau-de-beer.

TBH I'd prefer to be inconvenienced by that every so often then sail past them doing tax checks, much more essential police work.

Victor

Check points often work in pairs, so the people who deliberately avoid the one on the main road will get a right grilling on the side road.

Our man in Havana

What if you happen to live on the side road?

Victor

Then your drivin licence will say that, won't it.

Big Nelly

Victor wrote:

Then your drivin licence will say that, won't it.

No, my address on my driving license is for Cavan because when I first started my job was in rental house and was only staying for a few weeks, done my test so no point putting down a rental address so put my Cavan one.

So your saying if I am taking a side road instead of a main one(which I do all the time to miss traffic) I should get a grilling for doing so??

Don't think so, maybe if they spot someone making a sudden turn off before a checkpoint then yes but someone minding there own business going down a backroad should not be attacked for doing so

\m/_(>_<)_\m/

Bond-007 wrote:

Has anyone noticed a sharp increase in Garda checkpoints lately? I have seen loads in the last month or so. They have been in the same spot in Ballyragget 3 times in the last week. Its only tax etc but they do seem to be much much busier or maybe Ballyragget has very good pickings?

Just wondering if this is a nationwide trend.

yep, they are out in cork as well... this is a great thing. we complain when the lads aren't doing their jobs, so for me this is a great sign.

Big Nelly

\m/_(>_<)_\m/ wrote:

yep, they are out in cork as well... this is a great thing. we complain when the lads aren't doing their jobs, so for me this is a great sign.

A nice comment about the Garda, I nearly fell off my seat:D

\m/_(>_<)_\m/

Big Nelly wrote:

A nice comment about the Garda, I nearly fell off my seat:D

now now, a couple of bad apples doesnt constitute throwing out the whole barrel...

Eoin

Bond-007 wrote:

Has anyone noticed a sharp increase in Garda checkpoints lately? I have seen loads in the last month or so. They have been in the same spot in Ballyragget 3 times in the last week. Its only tax etc but they do seem to be much much busier or maybe Ballyragget has very good pickings?

Just wondering if this is a nationwide trend.

Have been stopped at a couple, thank God I finally got my car taxed after changing ownership. Don't think they are are all just tax checkpoints though, as a couple of them had an unmarked car and plain clothes Garda there as well - probably a tip off or something.

Anan1

eoin_s wrote:

Have been stopped at a couple, thank God I finally got my car taxed after changing ownership. Don't think they are are all just tax checkpoints though, as a couple of them had an unmarked car and plain clothes Garda there as well - probably a tip off or something.

There were quite a few of them around Monkstown a few months ago. A cab driver told me that a few major league criminals had moved into the area, for what it's worth.

_Kaiser_

About a month ago at about 12:30 one night, I came across 3 checkpoints between Santry and Finglas, all stopping everyone and checking tax/insurance and licenses whatever was going on.

There's a definite increase in them, as well as speedtraps lately. Wonder how long it'll be till the budget runs out though..

layke

It was a Garda Checkpoint weekend, this was annouced a while ago.

Stephen

Bond - was this just before the factory in Ballyragget? They're there on a regular basis. I've seen them dipping trucks/jeeps for red diesel there too. Got stopped there twice myself when I had just got my new car -- didn't yet have a tax disc as the paperwork hadn't come back from Shannon. First time I was stopped they were grand about it. The second time they stopped me (different garda, 3 days later) I got plenty of aggro and threats, despite having the documentation from the sale of the car and stuff with me, he wasn't having any of it. Wanker.

mikedragon32

Why should they be grilled for taking a side road? Unless a driver made a dangerous or illegal manouver to do so, there's no reason for a grilling so long as tax/insurance etc is in order and the Garda has no reason to believe the driver is DUI.

mikemac

Stephen wrote:

I've seen them dipping trucks/jeeps for red diesel there too.

Down the country we call it green diesel.

I thought it was Customs & Excise who were responsible for monitoring this.
I didn't know the Gardai had to look after this also.

I'm told it's a extremly serious offence.

Anan1

mikedragon32 wrote:

Why should they be grilled for taking a side road? Unless a driver made a dangerous or illegal manouver to do so, there's no reason for a grilling so long as tax/insurance etc is in order and the Garda has no reason to believe the driver is DUI.

Big Nelly wrote:

So your saying if I am taking a side road instead of a main one(which I do all the time to miss traffic) I should get a grilling for doing so??

Victor actually said "so the people who deliberately avoid the one on the main road will get a right grilling on the side road.

Traffic

custom and execise carry out the work but i think they need the presence of the gardai to stop vehicles

and yes they often use the checkpoints on smaller roads in case people have been tipped off as to their presence on the main raod and people take the back road to aviod the main checkpoint
they call them 'super checkpoints' or something

super eh!

Savman

layke wrote:

It was a Garda Checkpoint weekend, this was annouced a while ago.

sounds like a new summer festival :D

numorouno

Savman wrote:

sounds like a new summer festival

rotfl where do i get the "tickets" for this festival!?

5500

Havnt noticed any increase in normal checkpoints in the west dublin area but the operation Anvil ones seem to have stepped back up again.Passed 3 of them in neilstown and clondalkin in recent days.

Also are the guys who generally have a red bib/vest standing at the sides of the roads normally armed?

Turner

Yes they are local detectives from the local stations. Have either a handgun or an uzi.

kikel

Yeah, it's the summer weather alright. Got stopped 3 times in the space of an hour one night last week. My tax was out of date by 2 months. I think the weather puts them in good mood. They just had a laugh at me and waved me on. They must be human, Who couldn't smile in last weeks weather!!!!

Seanie M

To be honest, I can't remember the last time I have come across a Garda checkpoint... seriously... and I drive about 5 days a week. Its been over 2 years methinks. I live down in Offaly, AND 2 doors dow from the local Garda station!

Seanie.

Sparky

A few poped up around my area over the last week.
Do they not understand that there is no DOE window disc.

vector

Sparky-s wrote:

...Do they not understand that there is no DOE window disc.

No, and they also don't understand the concept of trade plates (the green number plates that garages use)

Our man in Havana

Stephen wrote:

Bond - was this just before the factory in Ballyragget? They're there on a regular basis. I've seen them dipping trucks/jeeps for red diesel there too. Got stopped there twice myself when I had just got my new car -- didn't yet have a tax disc as the paperwork hadn't come back from Shannon. First time I was stopped they were grand about it. The second time they stopped me (different garda, 3 days later) I got plenty of aggro and threats, despite having the documentation from the sale of the car and stuff with me, he wasn't having any of it. Wanker.

Yep, they always seem to be there. I have established that most of them are operating out of Thurles which is a fair bit off their patch.

Prehaps they are after the Kerry Pimpernel
http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=9&si=1636487&issue_id=14227

Fugitive Kerry Pimpernel sought by hapless gardai
"BY ANY chance, you wouldn't be the convict who escaped," a garda asked a man who was looking for somewhere to stay. The man just laughed out loud.

The problem for the gardai is that the man was indeed the convict whom police have been seeking here and there: the elusive Kerry Pimpernel.

And gardai are still looking for the cheeky fugitive who gave them the slip.

Michael Harty, originally from Listowel, Co Kerry, has been on the run since breaking out of the Portlaoise courthouse through a toilet window last month.

He was jailed in February on a number of criminal charges, including assault, criminal damage and road traffic offences and was serving a two-year sentence.

But he decided he had had enough of his new home at Limerick Prison and absconded from the courthouse during a court appearance.

He has been taunting gardai ever since. In an interview with 'The Kerryman' newspaper, the cheeky criminal rang up to set the record straight about a recent article it ran claiming he was visiting his wife and children in Co Tipperary, after he did a live interview on Radio Kerry in which children could be heard in the background.

Not only would his wife no longer have him because "she didn't think she was marrying someone who'd be in and out of trouble like me", he was nowhere near Tipperary, he told the newspaper.

But he did admit to travelling to Dublin and Co Kildare where he encountered a pair of hapless gardai who unwittingly let him slip through their fingers just days after his prison break.

He said: "I was up in Naas where I had a few drinks and I was walking down the street when I met two gardai. I said: 'Officers where would be the best place to get a hotel room for the night?' One of them asked me where I was from and I mustn't have been thinking right because I said 'Kerry'," he told the newspaper.

"I just started laughing and then he did too and I walked on. That was pretty hairy all right," he said.

He refused to divulge his present whereabouts but admitted that a change of scenery outside Ireland is on the cards, noting that he has no shortage of money from "before" and his chances of being captured are slim.

Allison Bray

Stephen

Thurles? Jesus, that's a bit out of their way. You'd think they'd be from Castlecomer, Durrow or maybe even Abbeyleix.

Stimpyone

On and off armed checkpoints on Blunden Drive outside O'Tooles in Ayrfield recently. They are actually checking driving licences, pulling people over checking boots and looking under bonnets:eek: ( which I've never seen before ).

Nice to see the Guards out and about but it's causing tailbacks onto the Malahide Road. ( never happy I suppose )

Q: If they are looking for Preps. whats the point of having check points on the same road several days in a row. Surely you'd avoid the location if you were up to no good. Deniability of access maybe???

MikeHunt

Apparently they anticipate a lot more drink driving to be going on around World Cup time, so presumably that's part of the reason (for the increase in checkpoints).