Dangerous Driving

horsebox1977

Hi All,

This evening I broke a red light and possibly another..(it was amber at the time) anyway the garda pulled me over and are about to charge me for dangerous driving and breaking a red light.
Any idea of what will happen?
A fine, penalty points or even a ban.
Any thoughts?

reitoei

I think you should probably learn how to drive properly.

horsebox1977

14 years driving and no penalty points (yet)..

Seth Brundle

If they told you that they were going to charge you then expect a summons. Should you get one then talk to a solicitor!

Incidentally, what speed were you doing and where?

horsebox1977

They cant prove I was speeding but I did break a light and possibly another and in his opinion driving dangeroulsy..

Drummerboy08

I think dangerous driving is a bannable offence is it not? Breaking a red light is two points.

/EDIT/ Just seen your other post. Here's a number - 1850-solicitor.

Seth Brundle

horsebox1977 wrote: »

They cant prove I was speeding but I did break a light and possibly another and in his opinion driving dangeroulsy..

Think again! They don't need to prove anything. IIRC two gardai can offer their view that you were exceeding the speed limit.

the_syco

horsebox1977 wrote: »

They cant prove I was speeding but I did break a light and possibly another and in his opinion driving dangeroulsy..

You went through two red lights. And why do you assume that they don't know what speed you were going at when they pulled you over?

Guy:Incognito

horsebox1977 wrote: »

14 years driving and havent been caught up till now

FYP.


What difference does it make how long you've been driving without incident before you do soemthing bad? You dont build up credit to take off future convictions .

Berty

You will get a fine and points but you wont get a ban unless you drop your pants in court and wave your bits around.

Kingser

horsebox1977 wrote: »

Hi All,

This evening I broke a red light and possibly another..(it was amber at the time) anyway the garda pulled me over and are about to charge me for dangerous driving and breaking a red light.
Any idea of what will happen?
A fine, penalty points or even a ban.
Any thoughts?

Where abouts did you brake the lights

Whitewater-AGS

Berty wrote: »

You will get a fine and points but you wont get a ban unless you drop your pants in court and wave your bits around.

Thats not a entirely true, if your brought to court you could very well face a ban and a fine for D/driving, it will depend of course on where you broke the lights,time of day,road conditions,lighting, number of other roads users ect ect ect

braking one light was two was just stupid!

david

Same happened to me (amber). It's 2 points and €80 Fixed Penalty. This was last June and I have yet to receive them. (Log book was still at Shannon though)

Nforce

If you are convicted of Dangerous Driving you face a fine,points and your license will be endorsed too.

-Chris-

kbannon wrote: »

Incidentally, what speed were you doing and where?

horsebox1977 wrote: »

They cant prove I was speeding but...

That doesn't seem to answer the question OP - any idea what speed you were doing?

WHITE_P

Aside from breaking the red lights, what are they alleging was dangerous about your driving.

Every driver should bear this in mind, in most district courts in Ireland, a garda's word is gospel, no matter how ridiculous his / her version of events are. I know this from personal experience.

Saruman

People break red lights, it happens and sometimes through no fault of your own.. such as driving through a large junction and the car in front slows down for some unknown reason so you end up completing the junction on Red even though it was still green when you started it. It happens to everyone and i will believe no one who says it has never happened to them..

However if you break two red lights in a row and the Gardai see it, and it looks to them that you are going too fast then i can understand why they would think you are driving dangerously, especially if the lights are red and a pedestrian light is green as you fly through.

ssmith6287

gards tried to fine my dad for undertaking rthem on the motorway, they were in the right lane doing about 55mph. dad took em to court and won so wasnt too bad, lucky for him he had an accident/safety camera fixed in the car, if that wasnt the case id say he wouldnt have a leg to stand on

Alun

Saruman wrote: »

People break red lights, it happens and sometimes through no fault of your own.. such as driving through a large junction and the car in front slows down for some unknown reason so you end up completing the junction on Red even though it was still green when you started it.

But what you describe there ISN'T breaking a red light. The only light of any relevance here is the one at the entrance to the junction itself, i.e. the one controlling the junction. The lights on the other side of the junction are merely a convenience for the sake of visibility. Other countries adopt the (in my opinion better) alternative of having small repeater lights at eye level on the same pole as the main light.

Saruman

You are correct Alun, my point was that people can break red lights through no fault of their own.
I did also say that it did not sound like the original poster just made two innocent mistakes.

unregged.

Nforce wrote: »

If you are convicted of Dangerous Driving you face a fine,points and your license will be endorsed too.

Oh Phew that sounds alright instead of a ban.

pipsqueak

ssmith6287 wrote: »

gards tried to fine my dad for undertaking rthem on the motorway, they were in the right lane doing about 55mph. dad took em to court and won so wasnt too bad, lucky for him he had an accident/safety camera fixed in the car, if that wasnt the case id say he wouldnt have a leg to stand on

How did he (your da) "take em to court"?
D

klaus23

TheNog

unregged. wrote: »

Oh Phew that sounds alright instead of a ban.

Sorry to bring you right down but dangerous driving can carry a disqualification, fine and/or imprisonment. If you get a summons or are charged with dangerous driving, seek legal advice from a solicitor.

B11gt00e

klaus23 wrote: »

That's some funny sh*t Klaus!!

horsebox1977

Still no summons in the post yet!
how long could this possibly take?

Anan1

They must apply to the court for a hearing within 6 months of the offence, AFAIK.

Whitewater-AGS

horsebox1977 wrote: »

Still no summons in the post yet!
how long could this possibly take?

Summons must be applied for within six months of the date of the offence, once thats done you could be waiting anthing up to a year sometimes more for a court date.

sam34

AFAIK, a summons has to be served on you within 18 months of the offence.
thats for a non-indictable offence, btw.

craichoe

Alun wrote: »

But what you describe there ISN'T breaking a red light. The only light of any relevance here is the one at the entrance to the junction itself, i.e. the one controlling the junction. The lights on the other side of the junction are merely a convenience for the sake of visibility. Other countries adopt the (in my opinion better) alternative of having small repeater lights at eye level on the same pole as the main light.

They're for pedestrians at the lights for turn right on green, its green for pedestrian also, its up to the car turning right to yield to people/bicycles/motorcycles under 50cc crossing the road.

cianclarke

Nforce wrote: »

If you are convicted of Dangerous Driving you face a fine,points and your license will be endorsed too.

Actually yeah, what does an "endorsement" mean? Is it some kind of comment on your license, what's the significance? Do penalty points count as one?
I see it in some job adverts...

WHITE_P

cianclarke wrote: »

Actually yeah, what does an "endorsement" mean? Is it some kind of comment on your license, what's the significance? Do penalty points count as one?
I see it in some job adverts...

You have to submit your licence to the court and it is stamped on the back under the "ENDORSEMENTS" heading.

Penalty points are not the same.