How do gardai check speed?

techguy · 02-01-2007 9:11pm #1

I was driving into town from the country just there now on a main road and was a bit over but not but my too much. Then I noticed a traffic corps landcruiser up ahead with himself out the window..I wasn't pulled over or anything. My question is what methods are used. Did he just read my speed and decide not to stop me or is it all automated and my picture along with speed,fine and points are in the post (in which case im f*****!)
I am expecting some criticism but I would just like to say in advance I was kinda just testing the car cause there was nothing on the road, so I thaught anyway!! and i'm not a regular speeder,i'm not comfortable with it..

Thanks..

dak · 02-01-2007 9:26pm

If the Garda had a Lidar ( Laser Infrared Detection And Ranging )camera trained on you I'd say the fine will be coming in the post - I'm not sure but I think someone told me one time that they have to track you over the limit for a quarter of a mile.

is_that_so · 02-01-2007 9:34pm

There is also an extra tolerance allowed on the speedometer as they are not exactly accurate. AFAIK it may be as high as 15% but I am open to correction on that. I have been clocked at 51 kph in Raheny by that Axa thing while doing 55 kph in the car. So if you were "over" the limit you may not have been.

dak · 02-01-2007 9:41pm

I think the tolerance is more like 5% on the speedo. I have also checked top speed using a sat nav which I read gives a truer reading and it also indicates approx 5% variance

irishpartyboy · 02-01-2007 9:44pm

Some Garda may give you upto 5% discretion. However, they could clock you at +1 km/hr over the limit and do you if he/she was having a bad day.

jimogr · 02-01-2007 9:45pm

Unless its a fixed camera or gatso van they have to pull you over.

02-01-2007 10:53pm

Not to derail this thread, but when I turn the digital speedo on in diagnostic mode on my ford focus the digital read out is always much lower. Approx 5 to 8 mph lower than the dial. My alloys and tyre profile are the same as standard while not being OEM.

I assume the digital read out is the most accurate, if so why does the normal speedo read higher?

techguy · 02-01-2007 10:59pm

jimogr wrote:

Unless its a fixed camera or gatso van they have to pull you over.

He/She was out the window with whatever it was out the window..I noticed afterwards that I had obviously paniced cause I still had my my full lights on the whole time..That must of pissed him/her off!!Is there any way I can get done now or did they have to pull me over on the spot..Maybe he/she wasnt bothered cause when I got into town I took a drive around and after about 5 mins I saw the jeep coming in from the main road and pulling up outside the garda station..
Am I totally in the clear now?(Doubtful) or is depending on what they were using??

CLADA · 02-01-2007 11:04pm

jimogr wrote:

Unless its a fixed camera or gatso van they have to pull you over.

hakko1872003 wrote:

He/She was out the window with whatever it was out the window..Is there any way I can get done now or did they have to pull me over on the spot..Maybe he/she wasnt bothered cause when I got into town I took a drive around and after about 5 mins I saw the jeep coming in from the main road and pulling up outside the garda station..
Am I totally in the clear now?(Doubtful) or is depending on what they were using??

jimogr wrote:

Unless its a fixed camera or gatso van they have to pull you over.

jimogr is correct, go home and sleep easy in the knowledge that your driving licence will not be burdened by incoming penalty points:D

Seth Brundle · 02-01-2007 11:43pm

jimogr wrote:

Unless its a fixed camera or gatso van they have to pull you over.

Not true!
There are a number of mobile patrols and manual checks that can take pics. They do not need to pull you over as te details are already recorded.

CLADA wrote:

jimogr is correct, go home and sleep easy in the knowledge that your driving licence will not be burdened by incoming penalty points:D

See above regarding jimogr's post!

commited · 03-01-2007 9:57pm

kbannon wrote:

Not true!
There are a number of mobile patrols and manual checks that can take pics. They do not need to pull you over as te details are already recorded.

See above regarding jimogr's post!

I have a fear that you are correct.
I saw the guards at Kilmacanogue and they were in the central reservation, so impossible to pull anyone over from there, so I guess they were able to photograph/video whoever was speeding.

jimogr · 03-01-2007 10:59pm

kbannon wrote:

Not true!
There are a number of mobile patrols and manual checks that can take pics. They do not need to pull you over as te details are already recorded.

See above regarding jimogr's post!

My information is from a friend who is a Garda. I don't know if it is true or not, but she told me this in the last week and I have no reason to believe it is untrue.

Seth Brundle · 03-01-2007 11:23pm

as is my info jimogr - I have been very reliably informed that these are most commonly used in the Louth and Laois but can and are used across the entire country.

browneire · 03-01-2007 11:57pm

On the original subject line, does anyone have a definitive list of the speed detection methods. The following is an extract from the auditor generals 2003report...

Detection of speeding offences takes place by means of fixed camera installations, mobile GATSO devices installed in unmarked vans and mobile LASTEC devices (non intercept detections) or alternatively by means of laser devices operated by members of An Garda Síochána (intercept detections).

Are they still able to drive behind you and read off your speed, I didn't think they had video in they're car to give a print out for court.

Gregor Samsa · 04-01-2007 9:56am

browneire wrote:

Are they still able to drive behind you and read off your speed, I didn't think they had video in they're car to give a print out for court.

My understanding is that to do this there has to be two Gardai present to witness the speed reading. Then they can back eachother's story up, and a Judge will accept this as verification. In this case, they don't need video or printouts.

techguy · 07-01-2007 4:33pm

Do the traffic corp jeeps have mount on the driver side door to put in the cam instead of a tripod? Because someone told me if it was only a handheld gun with just a speed reading they have to pull you over..Don't know how true that is..I suppose this week will tell a lot yes???

chrismon · 07-01-2007 11:56pm

guard told me(this is last year btw) that if its the van they have a pic and points on the way,and if its the car they have to stop ya:cool:

Biro · 08-01-2007 12:26pm

So far as I know the speedo is deliberately designed to read slightly over the actual speed for the purpose of being able to drive at the speed limit and not actually be over it.
But in fairness, if a cop pulled you for being 1kmph over the limit, I would say that it's contestable in court, because of the inaccuracy to the speed reading equipment on the car. Surely you can't get penalised for something that can't be measured accurately.
In all electronic equipment there is a margin of error, and there is a standard to which they need to be within. Given that margin, you should not get penalised for breaching the law to a point thats still within the recognised margin of error.

MrPudding · 08-01-2007 1:55pm

chrismon wrote:

guard told me(this is last year btw) that if its the van they have a pic and points on the way,and if its the car they have to stop ya:cool:

Perhaps this is old news?

browneire wrote:

......and mobile LASTEC devices (non intercept detections)...

I have highlighted what I feel is the important part.

MrP

How do gardai check speed?

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