garda policy

spiggotpaddy

every bike chase you read obout or everyone you hear about seem to end in the same way.is it garda policy to ram a biker who refuses to stop.or did all of them really loose control of the high powered motorcycle.

seamus

What are you talking about? Links, stories, etc?

Garibaldi

While I wouldn't say it's policy to ram bikes, I've run afoul of the law in an unnecessarily dramatic fashion. Gather round, childers, whilst I tell ye a Winter's tale....

I was headed down Nassau Street on the way home one Winter's evening, when the light at the bottom of Grafton Street started to turn to red. I was close enough, so I gave it the berries and got through on the amber. A few seconds later, a car has screamed up the road and pulled alongside me, and is pushing me towards the kerb. I gave it the berries, once again, to get away from the fool. Next thing I know, they've screamed past me again, switched on the siren and lights, and simultaneously skidded across in front of me so they're nose-to-kerb, and I'm practically doing an endo to avoid hitting either them or the kerb myself. Neither of the boys in blue were actually in blue either.

So, unmarked car, no warning, no uniforms tries to run me off the road, very nearly does on the second attempt, and only identifies itself as a Garda car during that second attempt. All because I ran an amber light. They ended up just giving me some vague warning about traffic laws. If the light had actually been red, I'd probably have been shot. Somebody on an Aprilia must've robbed a bank a few minutes beforehand.

Anyway, somebody refusing to stop must have good reason to do so. If you don't force them to stop in any way you can, they're just going to get away. I'd rather have them actually stopping criminals than letting the little ****s away with it. I guess cold, wet, and tired part-time students heading home from a night course can look like criminals from time to time.

I learned some important lessons that night: Lord loves a workin' man; don't trust whitey; see a doctor and get rid of it.

MrPudding

Garibaldi wrote:

I learned some important lessons that night: Lord loves a workin' man; don't trust whitey; see a doctor and get rid of it.

Did you learn to stop on amber?

MrP

Biker.ie

You should have outran them, went cross country or whatever it takes, I mean, what if they was yobs out ta rob your bike for a bank job ?

Garibaldi

MrPudding wrote:

Did you learn to stop on amber?

MrP

Sigh....:rolleyes:

Drax

MrPudding wrote:

Did you learn to stop on amber?

Lads, a brigade member seems to have snuck into the Motorbikes forum.

Away with you pest!!.

Garibaldi

Aw ****! They obviously read this forum in the Phoenix Park, my house is surrounded! Curse you, Traffic Corps!! You'll never take me alive!! :P

saobh_ie

Man... I so would have been shot in that instance because as soon as I stopped the bike I would have lost the plot and attacked...

The Gardai don't know how to do pursuit driving, the first time I was chased I though there was a normal car behind me flashing its lights at me. I was on an unfamilar bike so I assumed something had gone wrong with it so I indicated, lifesaver, into the nearside lane... WHOOOSH!!!!

Flashing headlights and sierns a big mondeo or something steams past me...

...I continue to brake gently to a halt as they skitter down the road doing a big ABS job. They ended up half a kilometer away down the dual carraigeway. So I put the bike back in gear and set off towards them.

As I get close a marked car arrives in the other direction and swings across the road to block me. Luckily I wasn't attempting to get away. I stopped a bit further back then planned cause they looked pissed, two huge lads just ran at me screaming 'GET OFF THE BIKE GET OFF THE BIKE!!!'

Man I though I was in trouble. Turns out I'd (stupidly) undertaken an unmarked squad car on a roundabout at twice the speed limit and then opened it up... the only shaggin car about for miles on big wide 2+2 road.

Garibaldi

I trust you made a citizen's arrest and gave them all penalty points for dangerous driving?

saobh_ie wrote:

two huge lads just ran at me screaming 'GET OFF THE BIKE GET OFF THE BIKE!!!'

The image this has put in my head will keep me laughing for the rest of the day.

saobh_ie

Garibaldi wrote:

I trust you made a citizen's arrest and gave them all penalty points for dangerous driving?

In all fairness, they probaly had to do 250kmh to catch me (they were standing when I passed) and stopping a Mondeo in 500m from that speed is actually pretty impressive and shows a lot of control... but god help me had I not moved to the nearside lane.

They were pretty cool about it, we had a nice talk about safety, and my shiney new bike. Been stopped I think four times since, once for a speed trap and twice I was pulled over for random checks. Every time the Gaurds were civil and professional with thier driving, conduct and conversation.

I messed up on the speeding though, I so could of charmed my way out of it had I not held a finger up to a gaurd to get him to shut up talking to me while I have my lid on with Metallica hammering away in there.

Although Karma demanded that I got messed up having run away across the border from the PSNI and getting away with coming around a sweeper at 160 into a Garda checkpoint.

stipey

In the week coming up to Christmas about 2 years ago I dropped the better half up to The Square to do her last bit of shopping. It was about 8am and the carpark was more or less deserted except for a few cars. Dropped her off at Argos and she went in and then i took off fairly sharpish because I was due in for a meeting and was running a touch late.

I had barely pulled out of the carpark when I heard a siren behind me - quick lifesaver, saw the flashing light on the dash and pulled over out of the way. Only they stopped and 2 HUGE lads got out of the car screaming "GET OFF THE BIKE, GET OFF THE BIKE".

One stood on the far side of the bike and the other lad was up in my face on this side of the bike - both with guns on their belts. They start asking who i was, where i was from, where i was going and who i had dropped off. Turned out they had been tipped off that somebody was going to hit Argos in the week up to the Christmas and the missus had walked into the shop with her lid still on!!!

Well they were all smiles when they realised what was going on. They said if i had ignored the siren and carried out onto the road they would have rammed the bike.

Must have thought i was the worlds worst getaway driver - leaving without my accomplice or the loot. Missed the meeting in the end - was a bit shaken afterwards and had to stop for a coffee (and some valium).

saobh_ie

stipey wrote:

"GET OFF THE BIKE, GET OFF THE BIKE".

They must teach that in Templemore... =D

Guy:Incognito

saobh_ie wrote:

They must teach that in Templemore... =D

`
Thet're hardly going to calmy request you to "please dismount the horse" now are they? In fairness they thought he was an armed robber.

saobh_ie

Yeah but when they did it to be I was a kid on my way home from work and they had the place blocked up with two sqaud cars...

faceman

OP im pretty shocked by your story. Gerry Ryan would have a field day with this i reckon. He always rings the garda press office when any matters involving the gardai arise!

Fortunately for me (touch wood) all my encounters with the gardai have been pleasant when ive been stopped. Mind you i havent tried ripping off argos yet!! lol It seems to be down to biker attitude. They tend to respect a biker her doesnt have an attitude and is dressed in the appropriate gear more so than the bloke on his moped with the helmut "courier style" on his head (as opposed to over his head) with the silky tracksuit on!

i wont mention the time i was read "my rights" by a garda during operation freeflow when she was giving me a caution for driving in the bus lane! Its the biker behind me who was stopped and asked her what was wrong with driving in the bus lane that i feel sorry for! LOL

echomadman

I think the stats may seem skewed because the cops dont talk about the bikers that get away, for fear of encouraging others to try it.

NiSmO

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saobh_ie

NiSmO wrote:

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Yes. I carry my VRT, Insurance Documents for all my vechiles, all my tax disks for bikes and my licenses. When stopped for doing something I am still asked to present them to a Garda station.

seamus

NiSmO wrote:

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Yeah. By law, you're not required to carry proof of insurance when driving a motorcycle (though it does help if stopped by the Gardai), so it's perfectly reasonable for them to ask you to present it without reason.

NiSmO

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