Is an off duty garda allowed to flash his badge at me from his car ?

Kristok

Had what I can only discribe as a complete idiot behind me driving up my ass and pulling back flashing his lights over and over on the m1. I was in overtaking lane getting past trucks etc on m1 going 120km. When theres finally somewhere to pull in before I even get a chance he undertakes and starts staring me out of it which I chose to ignore. He then rallys off into the distance, im still going 120 so he was breaking the speed limit by a fair bit. Less than a min later I see him again only going real slow cause im passing him on inside and he then pulls up beside me and starts flashing a garda badge at me while hes shouting out his window god knows what (hard to hear with my window closed going 120) This guy was in plain cloths, yellow t shirt etc and a woman in a dress neither of them looked like a plain clothes garda at all.

I have no idea exactly what him flashing his badge at me was suppose to suggest cause he was not in any rush to get anywhere otherwise he wouldnt be wasting so much time with me. I was in the car with my mother and found the whole situation very threatening and this was only made worse by the fact that it was a garda who I would have assumed would have more cop on than to be getting road rage.

My big question is are they allowed to flash their badge like this. Surly an off duty garda is not allowed to use his job to threaten members of the public like this. Is there anyone I can make a complaint to, assuming it will not be just ignored.

Sorry if its wrong section but not sure where else to be asking.

ballooba

Was there gaps more than 15 seconds between any of the trucks?

McSandwich

Kristok wrote:

My big question is are they allowed to flash their badge like this.

I believe that Gardai are not only allowed to do this, but it expected of them. This is also why they get free bus travel when off duty.

Vikings

Would you have reported this kind of behaviour to the Gardai had the person not have flashed his badge at you?

You see this kind of thing everyday on the motorway, just because it was a Garda, doesn't mean its any worse than any other driver doing it. If he is off-duty then who cares what his occupation is.

ballooba

I'm also presuming most people know that the limit now is 76mph and not 70mph.

(Oh yeah, and the cop sounds like had little to do, but you must have done something to piss him off, sorry for probing)

smartypants

id have given him the w*nker gesture, but then the pig would probably have called one of his garda mates on duty to pull you over for a "routine check"

Mr. Presentable

I didn't know they had badges

In any case, if he wasn't pulling you over what was the point.

A Garda is always on duty.

ballooba

Kristok wrote:

ballooba the whole point is he brought his occupation into the mix thats where I have the problem hes using his position as a garda to try to frighten me.

Oh, I know. You might not have seen my edit on my above post.

Traffic was terrible this evening Northbound with overtaking lane hoggers. Huge gaps that they wouldn't pull into.

Esel

How did you know he was off duty? Because he wasn't in uniform?

coolmoose

to simply answer your question, yes he is allowed to flash the badge at you...you can debate whether he SHOULD have or not.

seamus

Could very easily have been some little scumbag and not a Garda.

drdre

McSandwich wrote:

I believe that Gardai are not only allowed to do this, but it expected of them. This is also why they get free bus travel when off duty.

Yeah but 2 undercover guards have flash me before once in a c/e class merc cant remember now as it was 3 years ago and it was in donny brook.

cast_iron

drdre wrote:

Yeah but 2 undercover guards have flash me before once in a c/e class merc cant remember now as it was 3 years ago and it was in donny brook.

That reply doesn't make any sense.

sdanseo

ballooba wrote:

I'm also presuming most people know that the limit now is 76mph and not 70mph.

(Oh yeah, and the cop sounds like had little to do, but you must have done something to piss him off, sorry for probing)

75 tbp - just in case anyone gets caught by a very nasty Garda :rolleyes:

Car Mad

seamus wrote:

Could very easily have been some little scumbag and not a Garda.

I would also go with this option.I hear there has been a lot of people impersonateing Gards as of late:( Just because they flash a badge dosnt mean they are a member of the Gards

eamon234

it's great for getting into nightclubs too!

Lorax

Anyone know where to get these "fake" badges? I want authoritha..

Pherekydes

ballooba wrote:

I'm also presuming most people know that the limit now is 76mph and not 70mph.

The limit is 120km/hr. Surely everyone knows that? :rolleyes:

gyppo

Car Mad wrote:

I hear there has been a lot of people impersonateing Gards as of late:(

Some of them even crop up here, now and again:eek:

gyppo

Lorax wrote:

Anyone know where to get these "fake" badges? I want authoritha..

Come in very handy when doing your time trials;)

ballooba

Slow coach wrote:

The limit is 120km/hr. Surely everyone knows that? :rolleyes:

You would think that. Some appear not to have got the memo.

Some appear to be still on old money.

cormie

Maybe the guy behind was using a GPS to read his speed and your odometer is just way off:)

I saw 3 guys in a car dressed in suits having a gay oul time coming up to the toll bridge laughing and talking and the driver just showed the toll assistant something in a wallet and the barrier lifted and away they went. I guessed they were detectives or something!

jesus_thats_gre

Afaik, they are obliged to keep their badge on them at all time and act if some is doing something illegal even when off duty. He obviously done it to scare you in to no undertaking again.

digitally-yours

May be he was trying to impress his new Girlfriend in the car

You never know

_Kaiser_

Assuming this guy was a cop, it's yet another example of the arrogant clowns that we call a police force in this country.

Personally I wouldn't give a damn either way, and I'd have been onto 999 there and then to report a muppet tailgating, speeding and behaving in an intimidating manner. I'd also then follow it up with an email to the new ombudsman.

Unless the average member of the public starts reporting these things, these tossers will continue to behave like Dirty Harry or something just because they have a badge. They're there to serve the public - not the other way around - which is something far too many of them seem to need reminding of from time to time.

whippet

if the situation is as the OP describes .. then it seems it is just a power happy copper that sleeps with his badge ... but maybe, and just maybe the OP has a type of rose tinted memory of his driving on that occassion and was indeed hogging the overtaking lane and at a later point trying to undertake someone, whereby the guard (on or off duty) was correct in pointing out the errors in his driving.

MercMad

Whatever about him driving behind you and flashing his lights, he obviously felt you had room to move over, but if he was on official police business and wanted to exceed the limit he should have his siren & lights on.

However you mention that he slowed down and you were about to undertake him, you do realise that is dangerous and illegal ? Maybe thats what pissed him off !

Either way you could report him for nthreatening behaviour, did you get his reg number ?

Personally I would ignore any gesture that anyone made from within a vehicle !

eth0_

IncredibleBulk wrote:

You see this kind of thing everyday on the motorway, just because it was a Garda, doesn't mean its any worse than any other driver doing it. If he is off-duty then who cares what his occupation is.

Exactly. The OP by the sounds of it wasn't doing anything wrong. The "Guard" was behaving in a threatening manner and engaging in dangerous driving too, by the sounds of it.

Tony Danza

ballooba wrote:

I'm also presuming most people know that the limit now is 76mph and not 70mph.

Hopefully they don't since it's 74.5 in miles.

Owen

Lorax wrote:

Anyone know where to get these "fake" badges? I want authoritha..

Will we have to respect your authorita?

timmywex

you ever been in a pound shop?? it could be one of them cheap badges you can buy!! im sure you didnt get a great look at it when doing 120, your eyes should be on the road, espically at that speed

Wossack

Tony Danza wrote:

Hopefully they don't since it's 74.5 in miles.

74.6*

GTC

A Garda is always on duty. He has authority as a Garda when and where he identifies himself to be such. TBH, if you were acting the muppet, I'd still be hesitant to show my ID, unless you were driving dangerously. But some people are in the job who shouldn't be, as is the case in most career paths, so I guess you must have met a bad egg.

Marcus.Aurelius

GTC wrote:

A Garda is always on duty. He has authority as a Garda when and where he identifies himself to be such.

That would be my understanding of it also. A shame that he didn't use good judgement in showing it in the manner described.

Marcus.Aurelius

Kristok wrote:

Had what I can only discribe as a complete idiot behind me driving up my ass and pulling back flashing his lights over and over on the m1. I was in overtaking lane getting past trucks etc on m1 going 120km. When theres finally somewhere to pull in before I even get a chance he undertakes and starts staring me out of it which I chose to ignore.

Not trying to justify his actions (classic road rage) but it sounds to me as though you had plenty of opportunity to let him by, but you remained in the overtaking lane. The overtaking lane is only for overtaking y'know?

If there was a good gap between the trucks you should have let traffic by, as the rule is (but not legally enforced) keep left unless overtaking. I'm not saying you did or didn't, but you may be partially responsible for his rage if you drive like an old man.

_Kaiser_

GTC wrote:

A Garda is always on duty. He has authority as a Garda when and where he identifies himself to be such. TBH, if you were acting the muppet, I'd still be hesitant to show my ID, unless you were driving dangerously. But some people are in the job who shouldn't be, as is the case in most career paths, so I guess you must have met a bad egg.

From the first post though it seems it was the cop acting the muppet, not the OP

pa990

The law does not recognise the difference between a Garda On or Off Duty, A Garda is a person issued with certain powers.. End of story ..

Was the OP driving in the Overtaking lane while NOT overtaking??


You are suppose to drive on the left.. and if some idiot Garda or Otherwise wants to speed past.. well thats up to them , and it's up to camera's, speed traps to deal with it, or alternatively, someone to phone traffic watch and follow the matter up with a written statement of complaint .

testicle

Tony Danza wrote:

Hopefully they don't since it's 74.5 in miles.

Actually it isn't, it's 74.5645431mph

Turner

It could have been any badge yer man was flashing at you.

He could have been a prison officer, fireman, security guard, or wannabe cop

They all (apart from wannabe cop) have badges as far as i know.

Forget about it.


As for a garda acting while off duty. They have the same powers off duty as they do on duty.

If they act while off duty they simply mark on duty with their station and receive the same as if they were on duty (pay, medical and insurance cover etc)

boomer_ie

pa990 wrote:

You are suppose to drive on the left.. and if some idiot Garda or Otherwise wants to speed past.. well thats up to them , and it's up to camera's, speed traps to deal with it, or alternatively, someone to phone traffic watch and follow the matter up with a written statement of complaint .

I have filled in one such report about a Garda acting the bollix while driving. I didnt realise that it was a guard until I saw the report that the questioning guarda had and managed to read it upside down to see it say that it was an official vehicle :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

smash

reoprt him

Rowley Birkin QC

Biggest use of garda badges I see is getting into Coppers free.

Turner

bigkev49 wrote:

Biggest use of garda badges I see is getting into Coppers free.

And whats wrong with that.

_Kaiser_

Chief--- wrote:

And whats wrong with that.

Umm. Abuse of authority/Garda powers?

Turner

The owner of the nightclub is an ex Garda, im sure he doesnt mind letting his old colleagues and friends in for free.

By god do they drink their monies worth once they get in.

Random

If this guy was driving dangerously then report him.

Esel

No reply from the OP yet?

oleras

bigkev49 wrote:

Biggest use of garda badges I see is getting into Coppers free.

............ And every other club in the state, and every toll gate is opened once the warrent card is flashed.......... jealous ? not at all, no tolls down here yet .......

pa990

the disco pass doesn't work on the fermoy by-pass.... or so i've been told

alphanine

I have seen cops getting in free to places everywhere and most notably skipping large queues as if they were vips. Even student gardai with student cards don't pay tolls, get in free and skip queues. I'l admit it, I am jealous but doubt I would ever be one.

jimmycrackcorm

Didn't the op specifically say that the Garda showed his badge after the op began illegally undertaking?