Is it pointless reporting bad driving to Gardai?

RATM

Hiya, I drive a 125 Scooter and yesterday I was coming onto the motorway at Balbriggan. I was doing 50mph going down the slip road ( hadnt yet met the 120kmh sign ) and some impatient d1ck behind me decided to undertake me on a section of the slip road that was clearly painted as not to be driven on. It was particulary windy and my bike was taking a fair hammering, every few seconds the wind would jolt me a foot or so to the left of the road. If this had of happened when yer man was undertaking me then I could be in serious trouble now.
Anyway Im getting tired of irresponsible driving, especially as Im on a bike and dont have a cage around me for protection. So if I report these idiots what exactly happens? Do the Gardai set up a checkpoint in an attempt to question them? Or do they just not bother with this type of thing?

brettmirl

I've only reported someone once. The car was swerving all over the place...Thought he was a drunk driver. Turned out he was a really really old guy who shouldn't have been driving at all.

Called the Gardai and they had him pulled over in 10 mins. They followed it up with me too and the Inspector on duty basically said, be sure to call in again if you see anything like that again.

DishonestPikey

But can they take your word for it? The offender could deny it or say it was you who was swerving all over the road a drunk driver. Sounds like a waste of police time tbh.

I think is reasonable to expect them to respond to something like a drunk driver or a speed racer because they have a chance of catching them in the act.

sharkDawg

Don't you have to be prepared to go to court too?

whiskeyman

Would reporting it assist them if someone else reported it too?
Surely it's only effective if the Gardai keep record of such?

serfboard

sharkDawg wrote: »

Don't you have to be prepared to go to court too?

Yep that's what I've been told by the Guards.

There are those who think that [complete_speculation] half the time they say that to you in the belief/hope that you won't take it any further resulting in no further necessary action by them [/complete_speculation]

Tom Dunne

sharkDawg wrote: »

Don't you have to be prepared to go to court too?

Yes, you do.

serfboard wrote: »

Yep that's what I've been told by the Guards.

There are those who think that [complete_speculation] half the time they say that to you in the belief/hope that you won't take it any further resulting in no further necessary action by them [/complete_speculation]

I reported a dangerous driver last year via that 1890 number. I eventually heard from my local Garda station a few weeks back and I really did get the impression that the Garda was doing his best to dissuade me from giving a statement and therefore giving a commitment to go to court.

Ham'nd'egger

Better off reporting it than not reporting it IMO. If you don't report then you know for a fact that it won't be dealt with as distinct to maybe.

serfboard

Hamndegger wrote: »

Better off reporting it than not reporting it IMO. If you don't report then you know for a fact that it won't be dealt with as distinct to maybe.

Agreed - but wouldn't it be better if you knew for a fact that it would be dealt with - or at least investigated?

Run_to_da_hills

It could possibly be recorded on cam. More and more urban motorway junctions are being fitted with traffic flow CCTV. I know the north bound slip roads off the Tallaght junction are in view of CCTV if the cameras are pointing in that direction.

Tom Dunne

serfboard wrote: »

Agreed - but wouldn't it be better if you knew for a fact that it would be dealt with - or at least investigated?

I think with that 1890 number (whatever it is ) they have to investigate it.

stovelid

Has anybody ever gone the full distance with it?

I would have thought that without hard evidence, it would only be your word against theirs?

L1011

1890 205805

Someone on here was asked to go to court for a callin they made, dunno if they did or not though.

Carawaystick

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

It could possibly be recorded on cam. More and more urban motorway junctions are being fitted with traffic flow CCTV. I know the north bound slip roads off the Tallaght junction are in view of CCTV if the cameras are pointing in that direction.

None of the Motorway junctions neat Balbriggan could be described as "Urban" though.

Buffman

Unless a garda witnessed careless/dangerous driving or there was some other evidence (CCTV, other witnesses, etc), the complainant would have to go to court and give evidence. If it did get to court, it would be your word against theirs, but most decent judges would view your evidence favorably as you've nothing to gain by lying or wasting your own time. But then there are other judges who won't accept your word as 'beyond resonable doubt', and will throw it out. Unfortunately its luck of the draw as to where the offence is committed and what court has juristiction.
IMO Your local gardai will generally know offhand if a case such as this will get anywhere in court, or if the DPP will even take it on, so if they don't seem too enthusiastic to deal with it this may be the reason.
Also, I would say that you should always report it, as even if it does'nt result in prosecution, the details will remain on the system and can be used in the future if something similar happens.

whisht

Buffman wrote: »

Also, I would say that you should always report it, as even if it does'nt result in prosecution, the details will remain on the system and can be used in the future if something similar happens.

Agreed. At least if its not followed up, the details are logged

gman2k

Made a complaint a while back about a dangerous driver. After a long time - circa a month - a Garda rang me up to see if I was willing to make a statement and go to court etc. I told the Garda that I didn't have the time for all that now, as I'm based in another part of the country.
The Garda rang me back a while later and asked me to drop into the station anyway, to make a statment saying I wasn't going to make a statement!!!!!!!
Never heard of such logic before, and am therefore reluctant to waste my time on same!
Any thoughts?

bryanmurr

gman2k wrote: »

Made a complaint a while back about a dangerous driver. After a long time - circa a month - a Garda rang me up to see if I was willing to make a statement and go to court etc. I told the Garda that I didn't have the time for all that now, as I'm based in another part of the country.
The Garda rang me back a while later and asked me to drop into the station anyway, to make a statment saying I wasn't going to make a statement!!!!!!!
Never heard of such logic before, and am therefore reluctant to waste my time on same!
Any thoughts?

Sure what did you think was gonna happen? Unless they are caught in the act by the Guard, a witness to the incident is going to be required to give evidence in order to prosecute.

gman2k

bryanmurr wrote: »

Sure what did you think was gonna happen? Unless they are caught in the act by the Guard, a witness to the incident is going to be required to give evidence in order to prosecute.

The issue here is that they want me to come in to make a statement saying I won't be making a statement........

de breeze

Some years back I reported a lunatic driver on the N4. Within 20 mins the driver was stopped at Kinnegad. I pulled over as well and managed to remonstrate with the driver and the guard took the details. Turned out to be a middle aged woman driving in the company of a small dog....

Some months later I was asked to attend in court to which I agreed. The prosecuting guard got in touch later on to say she had pleaded guilty to a lesser charge and so my attendance wasn't required.

It's always better to report bad behaviour imo at least you're not 'looking the other way'...you're not responsible for lack of action by the guards which I suspect is more the norm in these cases.

LordDorington

whats the situation regarding people who park on footpaths? I have adog who uses a wheelchair (laugh all you want!) but more importantly or human neighbour uses one too It is ridiculous in our estate with people parking on footpaths meaning we have to step out onto the road to get around.
I assume this type of parking is illegal but is it even worth reporting? It has been my experience that a lot of gardai do not take driving or parking issues seriously.

jman0

I had rang the 1890 number once to report a dangerous driver that i'd meet on the road a couple of times a week (same driver doing the same things on the same stretch of road at around the same time during morning rush)
Anyway, about 2 months later i got a call from a gard asking was i prepared to make statement and go to court?
I said YES.
That's the last i heard from them... 2 years have gone by since.
:rolleyes:

Judgement Day

It has been my experience that it's pointless reporting anything to the Gardai as they always appear more interested in you than the person/incident that you're reporting.

TheNog

gman2k wrote: »

The issue here is that they want me to come in to make a statement saying I won't be making a statement........

Its not making a statement saying you wont make a statement. Its a statement saying you made a complaint and wish no further action be taken i.e. not investigated.

Unfortunately these are the times we live in. Once an incident has been reported it goes onto PULSE. There have been cases where people make a report then withdrew it verbally and then came back complaining it was never investigated. This is why a statement from you is needed to withdraw the complaint.

mikemac

Have done it only once.
Working as barman in the only hotel in the town. Strolling (crawling more like after 14 hours on my feet carrying crates and moving kegs ) at 4am to drive home and some old man stalling and jumping and driving his car all over the car park.
And another person probably in a worse state then the driver trying to direct him.
Direct him out of a carpark!

Didn't know the local station number so I called the Trafficwatch. Gardai were down in minutes and driver taken out of the car and a garda parked the car and locked it up. Driver taken up to the station I presume.

I wasn't asked to give a statement but I know the gardai were in the hotel next week looking for CCTV which they were given.
Never did find out what happened, for sure I'd say the driver was convicted

Bluetonic

jman0 wrote: »

That's the last i heard from them... 2 years have gone by since.
:rolleyes:

Well suited to this thread so.

Carawaystick

TheNog wrote: »

PULSE.

Police
Using
Leading - this is where the doubt creeps in
Systems - this was always doubtful
Effectively - make your own mind up

ninalucy1985

:mad:I was just driving on my lunch to a petrol station in limerick, thsi huge van came out of nowhere and nearly went straight into the back of me, i could not see hes headlights in my mirrors thats how close he was, I was genuinely scared, i had to pull in to leave him off.. i had barely pulled in and he nearly hit the back of my car passing me , i took the redge but on the side of the truck it says www.intelfreight.com i went on to try and report to the company but it seems as if its a blank site.
so frustrating,
is there anything i can do?

Cookie_Monster

ninalucy1985 wrote: »

:mad:I was just driving on my lunch to a petrol station in limerick, thsi huge van came out of nowhere and nearly went straight into the back of me, i could not see hes headlights in my mirrors thats how close he was, I was genuinely scared, i had to pull in to leave him off.. i had barely pulled in and he nearly hit the back of my car passing me , i took the redge but on the side of the truck it says www.intelfreight.com i went on to try and report to the company but it seems as if its a blank site.
so frustrating,
is there anything i can do?

gain some more confidence
don't drag up old threads
use your mirrors as I doubt he actually just appeared out of no-where

LordDorington

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

gain some more confidence
don't drag up old threads
use your mirrors as I doubt he actually just appeared out of no-where

trolling is NOT nice.

LordDorington

ninalucy1985 wrote: »

:mad:I was just driving on my lunch to a petrol station in limerick, thsi huge van came out of nowhere and nearly went straight into the back of me, i could not see hes headlights in my mirrors thats how close he was, I was genuinely scared, i had to pull in to leave him off.. i had barely pulled in and he nearly hit the back of my car passing me , i took the redge but on the side of the truck it says www.intelfreight.com i went on to try and report to the company but it seems as if its a blank site.
so frustrating,
is there anything i can do?

First off, ignore the trolls. Second, dont worry about "dragging up old threads" - I get the same thing all the time - there are more people on here OBSESSING about thread dragging than actually willing to offer advice! Third, if you got the reg, report him. He may just get a slap on the wrist or a warning but this type of behaviour is unacceptable.