Got stopped by the Guards

jellybeans

Hiya when I was driving into work this morning the lights were amber and I went through them coz I didn't want to jam on in the snow and sleet. The Guards were behind me and pulled me over to give me a ticket. I disputer the fact by questioning what an amber light was for and been honest it got quite heated. The guard (there were three with one quiet one in the back) that was driving jumped out and checked my car again and saw I had no tax so gave me that too (my fault for not keeping my mounth shut) anyway I know I was in the wrong for not having tax but I couldn't afford to get it over christmas and January so I was getting it now after having been paid on Thursday. I am really pissed off. I work hard and give people as many breaks in life as I can, Im in a position to do so with my job., but I just feel these guards were power tripping. I am broke and can't afford these fines and it's not as if I was speeding up the bus lane or something!!! I work for the government and found out on Friday I could be losing my job and these a$$holes could give people a break. I mean it's siberian conditions and I was afraid of someone going into the back of me. The guard took my details but didn't actually issue me with the ticket, I presume there will be one in the post. Do I get 2 points on my licence also? how much will these fines cost me?

Jo King

If you can't afford to tax a car you should sell it. The laws are supposed to be the same for everybody. Why should you be different? In sllet and snow you should be driving very slowly so there is no excuse for not stopping at an amber light. You should not have been on the road in the first place and arguing with guards who are only doing their job is a waste of valuable police time.

Mr. Incognito

NEVER argue with the guards. If you had apologised initially and admitted you were in the wrong they probably would have let it go. I gunned a red light, apologised, didn't give any lip and got off with a warning.

You were in the wrong mate, put your hand up and say sorry and 99% of people will take that on face value, guards and all.

kmick

You learned a valuable life lesson here. Never get in a fight you cant win. If you had apologised you might have gotten away with it. Instead you ran your mouth and it cost you. Count yourself lucky they didn't impound your car.

seamus

For such a small infraction, your response should be, "Yes Garda, I was in the wrong, I'm very sorry about that."

Pat Mustard

jellybeans wrote: »

lights were amber and I went through them coz I didn't want to jam on in the snow and sleet.

it's siberian conditions and I was afraid of someone going into the back of me.

You are supposed to prepare to stop on an amber light unless it is unsafe to do so. You need to decide whether it is more hassle to take time off work to go to court to fight this, or whether you want to pay the fine and take the points.

As regards the car tax, pay it now and back tax it, and then call to the guards and ask them to drop that aspect of it.

happyhappy

1. going through amber (or red) light = an offence
2. no road tax = offence
3. gardai implement road traffic acts and have the power to do so on behalf of the people of ireland

i simply can't understand when people get caught breaching traffic regulations that they say 'guards were on a power trip' or 'its not like i was speeding up buslanes'. it makes no difference, you were the one that was caught and not someone else! i do agree that if you were less arguementative that you make have gotten a break! and how is speeding up a buslane any less of an offence than going thru an amber or red light. me thinks going thru an amber or red light is more dangerous! :eek:

tomcollins97

jellybeans wrote: »

... I know I was in the wrong for not having tax but I couldn't afford to get it over christmas and January so I was getting it now after having been paid on Thursday. I am really pissed off.

A bit like school uniforms, back to school books, house insurance, TV subscription etc etc … we all know the bills are coming & when so BUDGET! It’s not like the car tax a an unforeseen expense. If you cannot afford it cut back on non essentials or get rid of the car. No excuses and very very little sympathy.

A piece of advice: AIB have an account called a ‘Master Plan’. Take a look, well worth having.
http://www.aib.ie/personal/loans/Masterplan-Account

Loveless

I've a similar question; got stopped at a checkpoint recently and was done for not having my seatbelt on, even though I had put it on while stopped behind traffic at the checkpoint. The building I was supposed to be delivering to was literally 20ft after the checkpoint.

Anyway, the young guard checked my full license, took my details and said I'd get a fine and 2 points- but didn't issue me with any ticket or anything?

GreeBo

Loveless wrote: »

The building I was supposed to be delivering to was literally 20ft after the checkpoint.

Is there anything magical about that 20ft stretch of road that prevents accidents? No? Then you should have your belt on.

HappyHappy wrote:

1. going through amber (or red) light = an offence

No its not.

An amber light means that you must not go beyond the stop line or, if there is no stop line, beyond the light. However, you may go on if you are so close to the line or the light when the amber light first appears that stopping would be dangerous.

Tristram

Mr. Incognito wrote: »

NEVER argue with the guards. If you had apologised initially and admitted you were in the wrong they probably would have let it go. I gunned a red light, apologised, didn't give any lip and got off with a warning.

You were in the wrong mate, put your hand up and say sorry and 99% of people will take that on face value, guards and all.

+ 1

jellybeans

Tristram wrote: »

+ 1

not this guard I can tell you that out of uniform this guard was the type of person who would speed up when your trying to over take him or wouldn't let you in infront of him when two lanes are merging to one!!!! He was an a$$hole. It was an icy day I was hit from behine little over ayear ago and Ive been in chronic pain ever since and have countless amounts of physio. I didn't feel it was safe to stop suddenly with the icy conditions so made a snap decision to continue driving. I think with the roads the way they were this morning anyone could understand that. Also having seen a guard the other day driving around while on his mobile I thought Jesus it's obvious what I was trying to do today, I wasn't intentionaly breaking the law of disrespecting it by as I said 'driving up a bus lane'. I think they could have given me a warning instead of jumping out of the cra glleming at been able to give someone a ticket!!!!!

Tristram

You dislike Gardaí, big whoop, stop whining about getting punished for being in the wrong. If you dont want to get punished avoid being in the wrong in future.

Mr. Incognito

not this guard I can tell you that out of uniform this guard was the type of person who would speed up when your trying to over take him or wouldn't let you in infront of him when two lanes are merging to one!!!! He was an a$$hole. It was an icy day I was hit from behine little over ayear ago and Ive been in chronic pain ever since and have countless amounts of physio. I didn't feel it was safe to stop suddenly with the icy conditions so made a snap decision to continue driving. I think with the roads the way they were this morning anyone could understand that. Also having seen a guard the other day driving around while on his mobile I thought Jesus it's obvious what I was trying to do today, I wasn't intentionaly breaking the law of disrespecting it by as I said 'driving up a bus lane'. I think they could have given me a warning instead of jumping out of the cra glleming at been able to give someone a ticket!!!!!

I can see you've learned you lesson.

If you had any semblence of intelligence you'd realise that if you are right in your "jumped up little prick" assertions, which may be true, the only way to deal with them is by killing them with kindness, telling them what they want to hear and giving them two fingers AFTER you've driven off with your apology bribed warning in tow.

Your narcasistic rant above shows that you are still unwilling to accept the fact you were wrong. You had no tax- is that the fault of the social welfare spongers, no it's YOURS and they would not have noticed if you kept your trap shut. How do you not get how this works. It's the same with bouncers, your boss, your parents and every authority figure you are likely to encounter for the rest of your life.

So instead of the dribble above that reads "ME ME ME ME ME". Try this at home in front of the mirror. "I was wrong, I'm sorry".

You would be SHOCKED how accomodating people are when they hear that.

Mena

jellybeans wrote: »

not this guard I can tell you that out of uniform this guard was the type of person who would speed up when your trying to over take him or wouldn't let you in infront of him when two lanes are merging to one!!!!

You're only guessing here, it has no relevance.

jellybeans wrote: »

He was an a$$hole. It was an icy day I was hit from behine little over ayear ago and Ive been in chronic pain ever since and have countless amounts of physio. I didn't feel it was safe to stop suddenly with the icy conditions so made a snap decision to continue driving. I think with the roads the way they were this morning anyone could understand that.

Maybe you were right, it's your view against his. If you feel strongly about it, contest it in court.

jellybeans wrote: »

Also having seen a guard the other day driving around while on his mobile I thought Jesus it's obvious what I was trying to do today,

No relevance, the Guards are allowed to use mobile phones while driving.

jellybeans wrote: »

I wasn't intentionaly breaking the law of disrespecting it by as I said 'driving up a bus lane'. I think they could have given me a warning instead of jumping out of the cra glleming at been able to give someone a ticket!!!!!

You said it got heated. You needed to nip it in the bud before then. As has been said, arguing on the side of the road will get you exactly what you got. If you had played dumb and apologised (not easy to do I know), you probably would have got that warning.

MagicMarker

Count yourself lucky your car wasn't taken off you.

Plus if it was a case of being too dangerous to stop in time then I doubt the gards would have pulled you over.

jellybeans

Tristram wrote: »

You dislike Gardaí, big whoop, stop whining about getting punished for being in the wrong. If you dont want to get punished avoid being in the wrong in future.

righto so thats your contribution. Ok thanks. I shall be making my point and 'whining' in this thread if you don't like it don't read it, Im not asking you too. I am entitled to discuss this. Maybe you too are the type of person who would speed up so as not to allow someone pull in in front of you but I on the other hand am not. I have come accross guards before who use their common sense in situations and who are are reasonable and fair this guy was an idiot. Full stop. He was power tripping and yes I was in the wrong for not having tax that I am not disputing but the amber light is rediculous.

delly

Mr. Incognito wrote: »

I gunned a red light, apologised, didn't give any lip and got off with a warning.

I have done the same as well as making an illegal right turn between 7AM and 10AM and driving in a bus lane. On all three occasions I apologised straight off the bat and looked sheepish. On all three occasions I was let on my way.

Its common sense not to get lippy with a Garda.

drunkmonkey

happyhappy wrote: »

1. going through amber (or red) light = an offence
:eek:

I disagree, when I learned to drive you stopped at an amber if it was safe to do so, The OP was driving in bad weather and it may have been more dangerous to stop suddenly (skid to a halt)

Considering road conditions this morning his story is entirley fesiable, what i'm wondering is did the Garda car drive through the red light to tell the OP he had went through an amber light....:rolleyes:

Local-womanizer

I take it you wouldent argue with your boss if he was an a-hole?Even if he was wrong.

Do people moan about you doing your job right?

This case the Gardai where right,you talked yourself into trouble.You drove an untaxed car.You knew you where breaking the law.Get over it and pay the fine.

jellybeans

MagicMarker wrote: »

Count yourself lucky your car wasn't taken off you.

Plus if it was a case of being too dangerous to stop in time then I doubt the gards would have pulled you over.

well with the ice I didn't wan't to risk it. God I never realised Irish people were so lacking in understanding. I know a barrage of insults and abuse will follow this post but really either people change their personalities when online or I just don't mix with the same people are on here. I'm betting if I was a colleague of any of you in work today and if I had come with this story not very many of you would be saying 'stop whining' and 'get over it'!! Amazing what anonymity brings!

jellybeans

Local-womanizer wrote: »

I take it you wouldent argue with your boss if he was an a-hole?Even if he was wrong.

Do people moan about you doing your job right?

This case the Gardai where right,you talked yourself into trouble.You drove an untaxed car.You knew you where breaking the law.Get over it and pay the fine.

Loaclwomanizer? nice name. I will pay the fine, I am not disputing the tax I am disputing the amber light.

MagicMarker

jellybeans wrote: »

well with the ice I didn't wan't to risk it. God I never realised Irish people were so lacking in understanding. I know a barrage of insults and abuse will follow this post but really either people change their personalities when online or I just don't mix with the same people are on here. I'm betting if I was a colleague of any of you in work today and if I had come with this story not very many of you would be saying 'stop whining' and 'get over it'!! Amazing what anonymity brings!

I would have kept my mouth shut, because telling someone in work they're a fúcking retard is probably not the smartest thing to do. But you probably wouldn't ''get'' that, seeing as you thought it was a good idea to argue with the garda.

pipsqueak

You were wrong both counts, take yer medicine . Do ya know wha i meen jelly bean???:D

Mr. Incognito

well with the ice I didn't wan't to risk it. God I never realised Irish people were so lacking in understanding. I know a barrage of insults and abuse will follow this post but really either people change their personalities when online or I just don't mix with the same people are on here. I'm betting if I was a colleague of any of you in work today and if I had come with this story not very many of you would be saying 'stop whining' and 'get over it'!! Amazing what anonymity brings!

Lacking in Understanding. You are lacking in common sense. If you were my work mate I'd offer the same advice. "Why didn't you keep your trap shut you muppet!"

If you want to find someone to say, oh, you were right to gun an amber light, give lip to the guard and not have your tax paid I suggest you take a stroll to the nearest restroom and have a chat with the mirror cus that's the only place you're going to find someone to agree with you.

As for anonimity, pm me for my number- I'll call you an eijit in person if you want.

Tristram

jellybeans wrote: »

righto so thats your contribution. Ok thanks. I shall be making my point and 'whining' in this thread if you don't like it don't read it, Im not asking you too. I am entitled to discuss this. Maybe you too are the type of person who would speed up so as not to allow someone pull in in front of you but I on the other hand am not. I have come accross guards before who use their common sense in situations and who are are reasonable and fair this guy was an idiot. Full stop. He was power tripping and yes I was in the wrong for not having tax that I am not disputing but the amber light is rediculous.

Please don't stop posting on my account. If nothing else this thread will serve as a lesson in how not to behave when a) driving b) dealing with the Gardaí. Also, you know nothing about what kind of person I am nor how I drive. On the other hand I do know that you are the kind of person who breaks lights, drives without tax, gives 'attitude' to Gardaí, complains about being punished for being in the wrong.

Have a nice day.

seamus

Unlike the OP, there's no amber light here. We know where this thread is going.