Garda Speed Lasers - do they have to pull you over?

axer

Hi,

I came across this the other day. There were two motor bike gardai on the side of the road. One was using a speed laser gun and the other was stood beside him.

I am not sure what the speed limit was at the time but I could have been doing 70km/hr in a 60km/hr zone.

My question is do they take photographs with that speed detector (I presume they didnt because there was no flash)? or do they have to pull you over in order for you to be caught?

Thanks.

Saruman

They have to pull you. And 70 in a 60 limit would probably not register, for one thing if your speedo says 70 you were probably only doing 63 or 64kph so they would not bother.

Johnboy Mac

Saruman wrote: »

They have to pull you. And 70 in a 60 limit would probably not register, for one thing if your speedo says 70 you were probably only doing 63 or 64kph so they would not bother.

Hope your correct.

Yesterday I was in a 60kph zone which I did'nt realise at the time as it was a straight country road for a mile!, and came up behind a car & trailer which was going very slow, so I over took and there for all to see was an unmarked cop car parked up with a speed gun pointed at me while I was overtaking, suspect I was doing 75kph. I was sure I was going to get pulled but I was'nt. So am safe to presume I won't be getting a ticket in the post?

Drummerboy08

I think (not 100%) that the Gardai that operate the laser guns need to pull you over to issue the ticket.

The speed vans and fixed cameras are the ones you should be worried about.

Cuddlesworth

Johnboy Mac wrote: »

Hope your correct.

Yesterday I was in a 60kph zone which I did'nt realise at the time as it was a straight country road for a mile!, and came up behind a car & trailer which was going very slow, so I over took and there for all to see was an unmarked cop car parked up with a speed gun pointed at me while I was overtaking, suspect I was doing 75kph. I was sure I was going to get pulled but I was'nt. So am safe to presume I won't be getting a ticket in the post?

Away from popular opinion, if a cop spotted you exceeding the limit while overtaking in a safe spot most would let it slide. Its common sense that the faster you pass the safer it is. Plus cops only do checks on safe stretches of roads.

Johnboy Mac

Hope your right, if so that would great - already have two bloody points, again for braking the speed limit in a 60kph zone and it also was a decent straight road.

TomMc

Don't worry about it. If they were on motorbikes, well then it kind of figures that they have them solely to catch up with speeding motorists quickly (easy enough) and then pull them in. Apart from Gatso (radar) fixed speed cameras or mobile vans or Garda vehicles where (laser) speed guns are on a tripod and hooked up to other software in the vehicle, you can more or less take it that they would have to pull you in. Definitely the case where any hand held device is been used.

Ronanom

If they have a radar gun they have to pull you over (unless they got your reg)

If it's on a tripod (laser) they have a photo of you

Esel

Cuddlesworth wrote: »

Away from popular opinion, if a cop spotted you exceeding the limit while overtaking in a safe spot most would let it slide. Its common sense that the faster you pass the safer it is. Plus cops only do checks on safe stretches of roads.

Depends how much you are exceeding the limit by. And by your logic, passing a car travelling at 60kph while doing 200kph is safer than passing at 80kph...

green-blood

esel wrote: »

Depends how much you are exceeding the limit by. And by your logic, passing a car travelling at 60kph while doing 200kph is safer than passing at 80kph...

yikers I want one of these cars that goes from 60k to 200k in the space of an overtake...

esel

esel wrote: »

Depends how much you are exceeding the limit by. And by your logic, passing a car travelling at 60kph while doing 200kph is safer than passing at 80kph...

come on, no need to take what he said out of context. i'm sure he meant it's safer to pass a car that is doing 60kph if you're doing 80kph rather than 70kph.

Saruman

Ronanom wrote: »

If it's on a tripod (laser) they have a photo of you

You sure about that? I do not think they have a camera built in so it would require a camera hooked up to it. Thats what they use in vans i thought.

TomMc

On a tripod it could be one or the other. Some just record the speed with a digital numeric display, while others are like a digital camera with a screen etc. You would have to be behind it to know which is in use. Generally though you would get a vibe from the personnel, whether they were taking snaps or instead measuring speed with colleagues on hand to pull you in. Remember also, that some traffic corps cars (unmarked ones anyway) have built in cameras like you would see on Traffic Cops or Police Camera Action. They do not need to point anything at you.

mickoneill30

I saw them on the way up to Newry one time. Just as I was passing they started running to the car. I was in the process of going "oh shiiii....." when a car just behind me pulled in and they stopped running and went to him. So it seems they need to catch you alright with the hand mounted devices.

Podgemcd

Good morning people.

I would like some advice on something that happened to me this morning while driving to work.

I was driving behind a minibus for about 5 miles which was doing approx 75-80km/h, which I agree with, (too many drivers speed with kids in the busses). After we got to a safer location, there was a straight for approx 800m in front of me so I indicated and moved out to overtake him.

I pulled back in and I noticed a Garda waving me over to one side. I stopped and he informed me that I was doing 102km/h in front of the bus.

I thought that it was ok to speed up to overtake, (once it's safe), so as to minimise your time overtaking, once you slow back down when you get back in. I was actually slowing back down to 80km/h as I do not speed myself.

Can anyone tell me if what I dis was wrong in the eyes of the law. I thought I was doing the correct thing??

Thanks,
P

Mena

Podgemcd wrote: »

Good morning people.

I would like some advice on something that happened to me this morning while driving to work.

I was driving behind a minibus for about 5 miles which was doing approx 75-80km/h, which I agree with, (too many drivers speed with kids in the busses). After we got to a safer location, there was a straight for approx 800m in front of me so I indicated and moved out to overtake him.

I pulled back in and I noticed a Garda waving me over to one side. I stopped and he informed me that I was doing 102km/h in front of the bus.

I thought that it was ok to speed up to overtake, (once it's safe), so as to minimise your time overtaking, once you slow back down when you get back in. I was actually slowing back down to 80km/h as I do not speed myself.

Can anyone tell me if what I dis was wrong in the eyes of the law. I thought I was doing the correct thing??

Thanks,
P

You were doing the correct thing, however it's not the correct thing "in the eyes of the law" I am afraid.

Podgemcd

Mena wrote: »

You were doing the correct thing, however it's not the correct thing "in the eyes of the law" I am afraid.

I kinda thought that after the Garda walked away. i know he was only doing his job but that is yet another example where the Irish Rules of the Road get "hairy". I tried to minimise my tim overtaking, got out past a slow moving vehicle which was obstructing my view, and (In the opinion of this young Garda), I was speeding, even though I had slowed down after the manouvre.

I just don't get the logic....... seems as though it's a revenue thing. They need to increase revenue any way they can.

Not sure if I'll argue it or not because as you say "In the eyes of the law, it was not the correct thing".

_Kaiser_

Personally I'd agree that, assuming it was clear and safe to do so, you were right to overtake - and do so as quickly as possible so as to minimise the time you spent on the wrong side of the road. I'd have done the same thing as I'd see the bus as a obstruction to my view of the road ahead and best behind me than in front of me.

Unfortunately though, as with everything in this country, it depends who you get on the day. While I'm sure most Gardai would view this scenario in a similar manner, you will get the ones that are:

- new and thus haven't learned yet to apply a little common sense (likely in this case as you mention he was young and so his head is still swimming with all the Rules he learned)

- have targets to meet (despite the protests here to the contrary that will no doubt follow, I regularly see the local Gardai ticketing cars for parking on double yellows at the post station across from their barracks - but only near the end of the month!)

- are just assholes with a badge and think they're Dirty Harry or something, and unfortunately you'll get THOSE sort in every walk of life!

ArphaRima

he informed me that I was doing 102km/h in front of the bus.

But did he say that he was going to charge you with a speeding offence?

And you were 100% right to accelerate to a good margin above the vehicle being overtaken. Just as has been said its not 100% legal. But for every fairminded person it is correct.

Podgemcd

fluffer wrote: »

But did he say that he was going to charge you with a speeding offence?

And you were 100% right to accelerate to a good margin above the vehicle being overtaken. Just as has been said its not 100% legal. But for every fairminded person it is correct.

Yes he said I was getting an 80 euro fine and 2 points for speeding. He said I was clocked at 102km/h overtaking and the bus was clocked at 82km/h. I would have thought that any Garda would let common sense take over here and have clocked me when I had rejoined the correct lane and had settled back to 80km/h??

I'd be very interested to see what any other Gardai would say.

I agree with the post: that you get "all kinds" of diffrent people in every job. And unfortunately I got a guy that falls into that category!!

axer

Podgemcd wrote: »

Yes he said I was getting an 80 euro fine and 2 points for speeding. He said I was clocked at 102km/h overtaking and the bus was clocked at 82km/h. I would have thought that any Garda would let common sense take over here and have clocked me when I had rejoined the correct lane and had settled back to 80km/h??

I'd be very interested to see what any other Gardai would say.

I agree with the post: that you get "all kinds" of diffrent people in every job. And unfortunately I got a guy that falls into that category!!

I think the garda's point (whether right or wrong) was that he has clocked the bus doing 82km/hr thus in his eyes you could only have been over taking to stay above the speed limit afterwards i.e. you could not have gone back to 80km/hr if the bus was doing 82km/hr. The garda had only a very narrow view time-wise thus came to that conclusion.

Podgemcd

axer wrote: »

I think the garda's point (whether right or wrong) was that he has clocked the bus doing 82km/hr thus in his eyes you could only have been over taking to stay above the speed limit afterwards i.e. you could not have gone back to 80km/hr if the bus was doing 82km/hr. The garda had only a very narrow view time-wise thus came to that conclusion.

I agree but I will be argueing this to the end! He was arrogant and had absolutely no knowledge of the actual traffic acts when I questioned him. But then maybe....... I will just pay it and forget it!!

voodoochile

TomMc wrote: »

On a tripod it could be one or the other. Some just record the speed with a digital numeric display, while others are like a digital camera with a screen etc. You would have to be behind it to know which is in use. Generally though you would get a vibe from the personnel, whether they were taking snaps or instead measuring speed with colleagues on hand to pull you in. Remember also, that some traffic corps cars (unmarked ones anyway) have built in cameras like you would see on Traffic Cops or Police Camera Action. They do not need to point anything at you.

Sorry for digging up this old thread but I couldn't find anything more recent that was relevant.

There was a tripod mounted device operated by 2 guards on the N3 at blanch today, in an 80kph zone. I'm not sure what speed I was doing when approaching it, but probably a 85-90ish.

When I saw them however, none of the guards were looking into the device and I slowed down to 65-70ish by the time one of them got back to the tripod.

I know the tripod based guns can take pictures, but does anyone know if someone has to be operating them or do they work automatically?

I think it was just the 2 guards and they weren't pulling anyone over as far as I can tell.

tarahill

can anyone tell me who drives the new speed vans on our roads. is it gardai or was this not contracted out to a private company and if so where were or do the jobs be advertised

smash

Speed Lasers?

Pew Pew