Warning for Motorists

cgunners

I was driving along the road between Charlesland and Greystones last night and a car came speeding up behind me very fast with blue flashing lights.

Of course, I thought it was the police and they were either going to pull me over, or they would speed past me on their way to whatever. So, I slowed down and pulled over. They overtook me and I saw that it was a car full of youngsters laughing at what they had done. I really wish I'd got their registration number!!!

It didn't bother me too much, until I started thinking what if my wife was on her own. And what if they took it further! It doesn't bear thinking about what could happen.

So, if you are out and a blue flashing light comes up behind you don't assume it is the police. Of course you have to stop for the police, but just don't get out of the car. Let them come up to you and ask them to verify who they are through the locked door.

I'm sure this was just kids messing around, and they obviously havent thought about the potential distress they could cause, or more likely don't care. I know I sound old, but when I was a kid we were too busy doing more interesting things than to annoy people.

Kruk

I don't think you sound old but reasonably. What they do is very dangerous, especially if there are other cars on the road. I drive this road every day so I appreciate your warning. Thanks.

brayblue24

Report this to the Guards in Greystones and make them aware it is happening. It is not unusual and no harm if the fools are caught. I would hate to think my kids would use my car like that.

cormie

Anyone know if there is a limit you are supposed to stop in? I've heard people recommend before that if you are unsure if the car behind is a police car, just drive to the nearest gardai station and stop there. Could be a long drive if you don't know where you are though:o

luapenak

I wish I had thought of that when I was younger and careless.
Sounds hilarious.

NarkyBoots

If it's an actual garda car I think you have to pull over. If it's an "unmarked" car with blue bee bop thing you can ring 999 and ask if there is an unmarked car in your area as there is one behind you and you are unsure whether they are legit. They will contact the car and tell them that you're not running away.

cormie

And then you get points for using a phone

Princess J

A friend of my mother's was driving home on a country road one night when a car came up behind her. It had no blue lights but was flashing it's high beams at her to pull over. She got quite freaked out. She tried slowing down to let it pass and then speeding up to get away but it stayed the same distance from her. After about twenty minutes of this she pulled into a layby and kept the engine running and the doors locked. The car parked behind her and a fella got out - it was a guard, showed his ID and then gave out to her cos one of her backlights wasn't working as well as for not stopping!! He couldn't say much though, when she explained it was an unmarked vehicle and she was driving alone at night.

What those youngsters are doing though is very irresponsible and it bugs me the things teens do for "fun" these days. I don't understand it!

cgunners

luapenak wrote: »

I wish I had thought of that when I was younger and careless.
Sounds hilarious.

I bet you get kicks out of hearing the trauma women go through after being attacked. Anything that initimidates anyone is far from hilarious.

Turner

Unamrked garda cars aswell as blue lights also have sirens.

And alternating flashing headlights.

Not really that hard to tell the difference between a patrol car and some blue light you can buy in lidl stuck on any old car.

luapenak

cgunners wrote: »

I bet you get kicks out of hearing the trauma women go through after being attacked. Anything that initimidates anyone is far from hilarious.

You bet wrong and I would appreciate it if you would not make such ridiculous implications about my personality. Why are you so aggressive?
I did not disagree with anyones comments about being irresponsible or dangerous. From your description it seemed quite obvious it was a joke once you had stopped and presumably your wife, had she been driving alone would have had the same experience.
However this does highlight the possibility that people who were not obviously a bunch of youngsters could pull off being the guards quite easily and put one in a very dangerous situation. I will remember to be aware of this if I am ever pulled over.
I think a lot of young people would find your particular experience very funny though.
However, if it occurred on a country road, I would not have found this the least bit funny as that would be very intimidating.

cgunners

luapenak wrote: »

You bet wrong and I would appreciate it if you would not make such ridiculous implications about my personality. Why are you so aggressive?
I did not disagree with anyones comments about being irresponsible or dangerous. From your description it seemed quite obvious it was a joke once you had stopped and presumably your wife, had she been driving alone would have had the same experience.
However this does highlight the possibility that people who were not obviously a bunch of youngsters could pull off being the guards quite easily and put one in a very dangerous situation. I will remember to be aware of this if I am ever pulled over.
I think a lot of young people would find your particular experience very funny though.
However, if it occurred on a country road, I would not have found this the least bit funny as that would be very intimidating.

I had no intention of sounding aggressive, but if I did it was probably because I was trying to post a serious warning about the potential of people being fooled into pulling over by flashing blue lights and you found it funny.

Yes, this time I was in the car with my wife, and yes it was just a teenage prank. Next time my wife could be on her own and things could go further. I think it was worth warning people.

I personally believe that my wife, myself and other people should be able to drive around without having to feel any kind of intimidation or threat.

fishdog

I have seen alot of cars around with small blue lights on the bonnet. At times this can be very confusing. Some "boy racer" types with "modified" cars think it looks cool. I wish they would stop doing it!! Then they might have more money for insurance!!!:)

Hammiepeters

The Garda have taken to using portable battery op blue flashers on the road at checkpoints. Sometimes they strech for 100 metres or more. I'd say these clowns have pinched a couple and stuck them on the dash. I have to say that young or old; its not funny at all. In fact given that breakdown vehicles, etc use orange or different light colours to blue, I would imagine that there are serious penalties for pretending to be an emerergency vehicle. Get a reg. next time and get these clowns off the road.

mikedragon32

Luapenak, I think cgunners took exception to your post because the sarcasm of your first post doesn't carry over.

I'm inclined to agree. Tone it down and perhaps strangers won't be making "implications" about you.

SickCert

Seen a car in Kilcoole with Blue flashing screen wash jets about 10 days ago.
Hatchback type.

Slow down and let it pull alongside you, then if a spotty git keep going.

micandre

I got this email from a friend who's passed it on to every man and his dog. You might want to take it with a bucket of salt but it does have some good advice...
Lauren was 19 yrs old and in college. This story takes place over the Christmas/New Year's holiday break. It was the Saturday before New Year and it was about 1.00pm in the afternoon, and Lauren was driving to visit a friend, when an UNMARKED police car pulled up behind her and put its lights on.
Lauren's parents have always told her never to pull over for an unmarked car on the side of the road, but rather wait until she gets to a service station, etc.
So Lauren remembered her parents' advice, and telephoned 112 from her mobile phone. This connected her to the police dispatcher. She told the dispatcher that there was an unmarked police car with a flashing red light on his rooftop behind her and that she would not pull over right away but wait until she was in a service station or busy area.
The dispatcher checked to see if there was a police car where she was and there wasn't. He told her to keep driving, remain calm and that he had back-up already on the way.
10 minutes later 4 police cars surrounded her and the unmarked car behind her. One policeman went to her side and the others surrounded the car behind. They pulled the guy from the car and tackled him to the ground...... ..the man was a convicted rapist and wanted for other crimes.
I never knew that bit of advice but, especially for a woman alone in a car, you do not have to pull over for an UNMARKED car.
Apparently police have to respect your right to keep going to a 'safe' place. You obviously need to make some signals that you acknowledge them (i.e., put on your hazard lights) or call 112 like Lauren did.
Too bad the mobile phone companies don't give you this little bit of wonderful information. So now it's your turn to let your friends know about 112 (112 is an emergency number on your mobile that takes you straight to the police because 999 does not work if you have no signal).

ian_m

I think the email you received Micandre may originate from the US. Slightly extreme I reckon.

I don't believe anyone around Greystones has much to worry about. People are wise now. If they keep flashing their blue lights, they will get caught.

Cheeky Chops

I saw this car last week and this morning - driving very fast. I rang the Garda station and they said nobody else had called. I wasn't able to give a decent description. If anyone is able to they would be interested in hearing it.

I nearly drove into a ditch on the Delgany turn off because they were driving so fast and this morning everyone was pulling over on the N11. It's an accident waiting to happen as they get more and more cocky.

Alun

micandre wrote: »

Lauren was 19 yrs old and in college. blah, blah, blah

Probable urban legend ...

http://www.breakthechain.org/exclusives/policestop.html

hon79

yeah, heard about that Lauren chain letter on the Ray D'Arcy show yesterday. He said that they got in touch with the Gardai after receiving the email themselves and the Gardai said that it wasn't true and that if you call 112, you don't get put straight through to the dispatcher, you get put through to the same area where they take 999 calls.
It's a bit different from the story from the original poster and i don't want to take away from his story.
However, in relation to Lauren in her car before New Years, it's definitely a chain letter

Hammiepeters

Did she have a bump on her face full of baby spiders?