Checkpoints?

Einstein

Was driving home from work the other night, and came across a severely poorly lit checkpoint.
This road has no streetlights whatsoever and has 100km speed limit. Its a fine wide road so was tipping away at about that, when all of a sudden i saw this crappy orange dim glowing torch waving at me.

The Garda asks did I not see him, and when I said no he got snotty as hell. I pointed out that the patrol car was at the side of the road, with no lights on and the "torch" he had was far to dim on a road with no streetligts.
Plus the fact that the jacket he was wearing wouldn't have reflected the batsignal it was so old (I din't say quite those words!).

I think it's great that there are active checkpoints and all, but surely that was a hazard in itself?!?

TheNog

Bloody hell that was stupid. The hi-viz as it turns out is not that hi-viz in the dark after all. Our super has directed us to wear it at all times even when in the patrol car.

Fyr.Fytr

Had this once before, but the streetlights and row of brake lights ahead of me was a give away.

Normally they have atleast the car lights going and more often then not those supe bright blue led's on the road and check point signs.

Sully

Happened to me the last two nights. Was heading home from New Ross into Waterford, and even on a fairly bright road I didnt spot the guard doing a checkpoint until he flashed his touch at me. Didnt stop me, but nobody in the car spotted him until the last min.

Last night, a truck was stopped and there were two cars in front of me. The first one overtook, the second one waited. I assumed the truck had broken down so overtook to spot a Guard chatting to someone in a car in front of the truck. Wouldnt supprise me if it was a Guarda car (unmarked) as they often stop and have chats with each other on the road during checkpoints.

Eru

TheNog wrote: »

Bloody hell that was stupid. The hi-viz as it turns out is not that hi-viz in the dark after all. Our super has directed us to wear it at all times even when in the patrol car.

Ours too for some reason. Why not just make it the bloody uniform then????

As for the OP, look at this post then look at all the people asking why Gardai dont do checkpoints on blind corners, at night and in the rain :rolleyes:

Fyr.Fytr

is it cause your a bunch of pansys??

The thing with hi-vis is they've lost thier effect, with guards wearing them all the time along with ever man and his dog they just dont get noticed.

The only thing i find handy is the blue on top half makes it easier to distingush from the crowds, same we have red on ours etc.


TheNog named those circular blue led's before and i cant remember the name, what are they called

Random

They should have those blue LEDs at all the checkpoints .. I know sometimes going down the quays in Dublin you have only 1 Garda car and 2 cars but they could have 5 or 6 of those little blue light things on the ground .. you notice the checkpoint and there's no chance of you knocking down a Garda.

One night coming down the quays there was 2 garda on bicycles doing a checkpoint. They had nothing other than their hands waving in the road. nearly didn't see them!

More checkpoints = good, but they need more visibility in them too.

pa990

Fyr.Fytr wrote: »

circular blue led's ....... what are they called

Mepro-Lites




in by-gone years we had to wear the hi-viz all the time, on the direction of Pat Byrne .. anyone remember that .. or did anyone comply with that

Phibsboro

Remember this happened to me years ago up North. Was coming back from a business trip and came round a corner outside Newry. There no more than 50 yards in front of me was an RUC man waving an oragne cone thingy, similar to an aircraft guide man's wand. I only spotted him at the last minute (dark, no street lights) and it frightened the life out of me. This was the era when you got a bullet in the head if you ran a checkpoint. Sure enough when I did manage to stop just in front of him there were gun toting soldiers on either side, crouched in the brushes.

C

Fyr.Fytr

Much obliged pa,

As for hi-vis that was the start of it now look, bet you get people coming up "oh are you a guard"

Weraing mine at gigs etc "eh do you work here" pillocks!

CLADA

Phibsboro wrote: »

Remember this happened to me years ago up North. Was coming back from a business trip and came round a corner outside Newry. There no more than 50 yards in front of me was an RUC man waving an oragne cone thingy, similar to an aircraft guide man's wand. I only spotted him at the last minute (dark, no street lights) and it frightened the life out of me. This was the era when you got a bullet in the head if you ran a checkpoint. Sure enough when I did manage to stop just in front of him there were gun toting soldiers on either side, crouched in the brushes.

C

In fairness, I suppose a well lit up checkpoint would have only made things easy for snipers etc.

FGR

Having more access to Mepro lights would be fantastic..as regards the uniform I think it would be ideal to make that hi vis 'ad on' used by the bicycle unit part of the standard operational kit. It looks smart and adds the hi vis without losing the waterproof aspect of the uniform.

Fyr.Fytr

I like the gortex bomber hi-vis jackets the uk cops get, they work too, not like the long sleeve vest you guys get