Beeping at Gardai

Niall1234

Had a Garda car who was in the left hand lane leaing onto a roundabout the other day with me in the right hand lane. I was taking the 3rd exit on the right. As I kept going around, so did the Garda. It was obvious that he too was taking the 3rd exit.

To avoid an accident I backed off and left him through the exit first. I was thinking of beeping the horn but I thought this might only lead to me getting a cavity search.

Anyone ever beep the horn at a Garda for bad driving or to potentially avoid an accident due to bad driving by a squad car ?

copacetic

I gave a garda car a good lash of the horn a few years back, was pulled in for a bit of a talking to, but he knew he was well in the wrong. However wasn't worth the delay in being stopped which he knew..

Jimbo

You are of course legally allowed to do it to prevent a crash, Id only do it as a last resort though - not worth the hassle

eringobragh

Probably not worth the hassle to be honest i'm sure they could make up all sorts of stuf to do you on.

mikemac

Not worth it, you're not going to achieve anything other than release frustration.
They do advanced courses afaik, probably more highly trained than most drivers. The gardai on motorcycles are superb

If an accident is likely though, then go ahead.

eringobragh

Oh and make sure your Tax is in order before ye try it

Andrewf20

I flashed at the gardai last week for leaving their high beams on facing me on a back road. Could hardly see a thing.

Jimbo

Shouldn't flash either.
The rules of the road say your not supposed to flash/beep if someone has their high beams on - supposed to pull down your visor and slow down.

cormie

They may be the rules, but I think common sense has to come into play here, it's a lot safer for the culprit with the full beams on to get a quick flash then for him to be blinding a queue of 20 cars on a dark narrow country road. And a visor wont do much when you're up high in a van or especially a truck

galwaytt

a few years ago, a colleague of mine had a near miss because of this maneouvre, and he did blow the horn.

He was pulled over, and berated.

macnab

I overtook a police car that was doing 40 in a 60 zone, he followed me home and accused me of speeding. We traded plesantries for 20 minutes and he finally F'ed off back to stupidville. I know a good few decent cops, but its not worth taking the chance that the one you are dealing with is the power junky type. Grin and bare it.

Wishbone Ash

micmclo wrote: »

If an accident is likely though, then go ahead.

Avoiding an accident would be much more beneficial than sounding the horn. Generally, if you have time to sound the horn, you should have time to avoid an accident.

OP - bear in mind that the Gardai are technically exempt from most of the Road Traffic Regulations while 'on duty'.

I was pulled over and subjected to almost an NCT-like test at the side of the road for overtaking a patrol car which was travelling below the posted speed limit. The Garda seemed disappointed to find everything in order. :rolleyes:

Niall1234

So a Garda is in order to use the wrong lane going onto a roundabout for no reason ? I seriously doubt that. That's just bad driving.

Wishbone Ash

Niall1234 wrote: »

So a Garda is in order to use the wrong lane going onto a roundabout for no reason ? I seriously doubt that

I didn't say it was 'in order' that they do so!

They have a duty of care just like anyone else but I doubt very much whether they could be prosecuted unless someone was seriously injured or killed.

coolmoose

micmclo wrote: »

They do advanced courses afaik, probably more highly trained than most drivers.

fyi a large number of them don't have advanced training done, and are driving on a "supers" - that is written permission of a superintendent once you have a full licence.

Andrewf20

jimbo78 wrote: »

Shouldn't flash either.
The rules of the road say your not supposed to flash/beep if someone has their high beams on - supposed to pull down your visor and slow down.

The car was parked up at the side of the road anyway.

Niall1234

coolmoose wrote: »

fyi a large number of them don't have advanced training done, and are driving on a "supers" - that is written permission of a superintendent once you have a full licence.

That is indeed the case. Its only in the UK that every cop has done the advances driving courses.

Not here.

padi89

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

OP - bear in mind that the Gardai are technically exempt from most of the Road Traffic Regulations while 'on duty'.

So they can drive like impatient knobheads then around roundabouts then bust some idiot for doing the exact same thing..............:mad:

Niall1234

Would be nice for every garda car to be fitted with a device which would log everytime a garda car went over the speed limit with its lights/siren on. Quite possible to do with a sat nav system installed.

Would certainly put a lot of cops in order who don't seem to give a **** about their own driving.

DavidKay

Howabout a ' do you like my driving' sticker with Freephone No on the back of their cars so we could phone in our comments without the likelyhood of a roadside strip search

Sully

I had an incident similar before with a Garda van, and I gave a light tap of the horn. More to point out what was done was stupid.

To be fair, if we did it - they would have us pulled over.

Ronanom

jimbo78 wrote: »

You are of course legally allowed to do it to prevent a crash, Id only do it as a last resort though - not worth the hassle

I know a guy who beeped at a lady who was about to pull out in front of him...he beeped and then let her in...the guy was seen beeping by 2 gardai on bikes and he got 80euro fine and 2 points for "aggressive driving"

ballooba

micmclo wrote: »

They do advanced courses afaik, probably more highly trained than most drivers.

Given that up until very recently a lot of them were on 'supers' that is laughable.

GTC

ballooba wrote: »

Given that up until very recently a lot of them were on provisional licences that is laughable.

Given that driving offences are mostly tackled by the Traffic Corps, and the fact that all Traffic Corps members must have the full advanced course certificate, I somehow doubt that "a lot of them were on provisional licenses". No full license, no driving of PSVs, period. The actual amount driving on Superintendent's permission is tiny, and only in extreme circumstances, where there are no other qualified drivers.

If you think for one second that a Garda would let himself be driven by an unqualified colleague, its a bit of an insult, to be frank.

Kimbot

I've done it a few times. Once a copper was driving on the wrong side of the road with no lights on. I beeped and flashed! I got pulled in, he started yapping on about how he was a gaurd etc etc. I stopped him mid-sentance and just said "Sorry..... If I done what you just did then I would be pulled in and hassled and slapped with fines and court appearances. Now I can call your super and inform him of why you pulled me in or just politley tell you to **** off. Its your choice." He just got in his car and left. He knew I done nothing wrong so I just let rip. Although for a few weeks the car was stopped every night for any sort of reason!!

coolmoose

GTC wrote: »

The actual amount driving on Superintendent's permission is tiny, and only in extreme circumstances, where there are no other qualified drivers.

ah come on now, there are quite a few on supers! and i'm not talking about the traffic corps here, we are discussing garda driving in general. in fairness, the traffic corps members know their stuff. i know the prob of getting a place on driving course is being addressed neway. whoever said anything about provisionals is totally wrong though, that doesn't happen and isn't allowed!

ballooba

GTC wrote: »

Given that driving offences are mostly tackled by the Traffic Corps, and the fact that all Traffic Corps members must have the full advanced course certificate, I somehow doubt that "a lot of them were on provisional licenses".

I corrected my mistake. I meant 'supers' not provisionals.

We're not talking about Traffic Corps.

Croc

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Avoiding an accident would be much more beneficial than sounding the horn. Generally, if you have time to sound the horn, you should have time to avoid an accident.

OP - bear in mind that the Gardai are technically exempt from most of the Road Traffic Regulations while 'on duty'.

I was pulled over and subjected to almost an NCT-like test at the side of the road for overtaking a patrol car which was travelling below the posted speed limit. The Garda seemed disappointed to find everything in order. :rolleyes:

No Quite Correct Wishbone, they are exempt Most By Laws e.g. Speed Limits Stop Signs Red Light etc but only in the case of an emergency and in the event of an accident if they can't justify what they are doing they could be prosecuted or disciplined.

Croc

GTC wrote: »

Given that driving offences are mostly tackled by the Traffic Corps, and the fact that all Traffic Corps members must have the full advanced course certificate, I somehow doubt that "a lot of them were on provisional licenses". No full license, no driving of PSVs, period. The actual amount driving on Superintendent's permission is tiny, and only in extreme circumstances, where there are no other qualified drivers.

If you think for one second that a Garda would let himself be driven by an unqualified colleague, its a bit of an insult, to be frank.

Unfortunately you are not correct either GTC

cornbb

I was on a roundabout in Limerick once and had to brake hard to avoid being broadsided by a large black Merc about to cut me off. As it passed I saw Willie O'Dea in the passenger seat. Was sorely tempted to honk the horn and give him the finger but thought better of it.

watchinpaintdry

I recently beeped a guard who on traffic duty, standing at a roundabout due to a concert being on nearby. He clearly wasn't controlling the flow of traffic properly, causing a massive tail back. He was none too impressed, especially when I beeped a second time :rolleyes: Nothing happend though, probably since he was on his own.

Oilrig

There is a certain amount of intimidation involved when a Garda pulls you over,

Witnessed an accident between a patrol car and a motorbike once - was immediately behind when patrol car turned right with no signal and collected the biker. Gardai called the recovery truck to take the bike away, gave the biker the third degree, my passenger was a solicitor, copped what was happening, talked to the biker, Q'd the cops re what act etc they were taking his bike, cops backed down, recovery truck sent away empty handed, biker got compo eventually.

Now, if that was just Johnny Public on his own? And they wonder why we don't trust them with a national DNA database? as the saying goes, Some done, much to do.

Still not trusted.;)

Niall1234

Interesting. If a Garda is arresting you or fining you for any offense on the road, do they have to back up why they are prosecuting you and under which Act ?

Gardai use intimidation an awful lot regarding traffic on our roads. Its time people know their rights and give it right back to the Gardai within the constraints of the law.

Mr.Boots

Im afraid ive come across more stupid gardas than good ones...dunno the reason, poor training?? poor selection process??
As for the driving....they drive like joyriders compared to waht i have seen abroad where i guess they get better training, also they have a poor choice of cars here.
I would have no problem "beeping" a garda, they only human, they make mistakes to, if they cant admit that then they shouldnt be in the force and can be reported to garda complaints commision.
At the end of the day its a public service they are providing so the public need to treat it as just that and commend the good ones and report the bad ones, we well all benifit from this.

yayamark

Just to clear up a few things

Its know as "Chiefs" not Supers. Its the permission of the Chief Superintendent that allow Gardai to drive without having the driving course done.

To drive a Patrol car u must have a full licence.

There are currently approx 2500 Gardai driving on Chiefs permission.

Traffic Corps memnbers do not have to have any car course done but usually do it after joining the Corps.

Blitzkrieger

macnab wrote: »

bare it.

That's probably not a good idea.........

Jumpy

jonny24ie wrote: »

I've done it a few times. Once a copper was driving on the wrong side of the road with no lights on. I beeped and flashed! I got pulled in, he started yapping on about how he was a gaurd etc etc. I stopped him mid-sentance and just said "Sorry..... If I done what you just did then I would be pulled in and hassled and slapped with fines and court appearances. Now I can call your super and inform him of why you pulled me in or just politley tell you to **** off. Its your choice." He just got in his car and left. He knew I done nothing wrong so I just let rip. Although for a few weeks the car was stopped every night for any sort of reason!!

Why do people post bull****? Its not like it impresses anyone, especially when noone actually believes it.

seamus

In the strictest sense of the word, flashing your lights means "I am here", and your horn should only be used to alert other road users to your presence, or to avoid an accident (if it's after 11pm).

So if you use either for any other purpose, the Gardai are technically correct to pull you over, whether or not they were also in the wrong.

I too would be of the opinion that if you have time to beep the horn "to avoid an accident", then that time should be spent avoiding the accident, not using your horn.

Gregor Samsa

seamus wrote: »

I too would be of the opinion that if you have time to beep the horn "to avoid an accident", then that time should be spent avoiding the accident, not using your horn.

Avoiding an accident and sounding the horn are not mutually exclusive. Most people should be able to brake, steer and press the horn at the same time.

seamus

phutyle wrote: »

Avoiding an accident and sounding the horn are not mutually exclusive. Most people should be able to brake, steer and press the horn at the same time.

Pressing the horn on many vehicles requires removing one hand from the steering wheel, reducing your steering abilty. Beeping should be your last action, unless there is no way to avoid the accident - e.g. if someone is drifting into your lane and all you have beside you is a barrier.