Traffic Blues - RTE1 - May 31st

lehanemore

http://www.herald.ie/entertainment/tv-radio/traffic-blues-1748251.html


By Lorna Nolan


Friday May 22 2009

The bad behaviour of motorists is to be unveiled with a behind-the-scenes look at the Garda Traffic Corps.

Traffic Blues is set to shock viewers when the harsh reality of just how dangerous some drivers are on our roads. The six-part RTE series was shot over the course of six months and shines a light into the life of the Traffic Corps at all levels.

TV cameras will focus on the Garda Traffic Corps' activities across the country, narrowing in on three divisions primarily.

Over the course of the six months, the gardai from the three units were accompanied by the film crew as they went about their daily business.

A representative for Montrose revealed that people tuning in will be shocked by the attitudes and behaviour of a number of Irish drivers.

The series will debut on Sunday, May 31 at 8.30pm on RTE One.

lnolan@herald.ie

ste88m

Tought it was going to be called Traffic Corps. Well, at least we have a date now!!

djtechnics1210

Im gonna be the first one to say that this programme will be completely edited and show nothing like what happens in real life with the traffic corps.

It will be all checkpoints/speed checks, giving out tickets and driving up and down motorways and maybe a fatal road traffic accident put in aswell to give the "shock" factor to the programme.

I bet their not going show the traffic units going to proper calls like they usually do, fights, robberies, public order, chases

I hope im proved wrong

Hooch

djtechnics1210 wrote: »

Im gonna be the first one to say that this programme will be completely edited and show nothing like what happens in real life with the traffic corps.

It will be all checkpoints/speed checks, giving out tickets and driving up and down motorways and maybe a fatal road traffic accident put in aswell to give the "shock" factor to the programme.

I bet their not going show the traffic units going to proper calls like they usually do, fights, robberies, public order, chases

I hope im proved wrong

+1 agreed

pa990

or going for coffee

PCPhoto

hopefully it will mention about the story in tomorrows papers (about the gardai seizing a 200K Porsche - and lying in court.)

ok.... replace "lying" with " providing his version of the truth"

ste88m

PCPhoto wrote: »

hopefully it will mention about the story in tomorrows papers (about the gardai seizing a 200K Porsche - and lying in court.)

ok.... replace "lying" with " providing his version of the truth"

Doubt it. You have to remember that this was recorded over a six month period which started late last year. I think they finished recording in February / March so anything thats happened since then won't be on it.

donvito99

''Traffic Blues''?

That makes it sound all depressing.

rte.ie wrote:

Incidents from their daily business were combined with the relevant footage from ground, mobile and airborne cameras to reveal the situations the traffic division has to deal with and the often shocking attitudes and the behaviour of Irish drivers across the country.

This bit sounds good however.

Terrontress

donvito99 wrote: »

''Traffic Blues''?

That makes it sound all depressing.



This bit sounds good however.

Are there ways for people who can't get RTE to watch it?

ste88m

Terrontress wrote: »

Are there ways for people who can't get RTE to watch it?

It should be available on the RTÉ website, but only if you are in Ireland.

donvito99

Terrontress wrote: »

Are there ways for people who can't get RTE to watch it?

Maybe someone will put it on youtube?

Terrontress

I suppose I can always set it on Sky+ and watch it when I get back. Still, I hate having to rely on that.

King Ludvig

Finally! Thanks OP

http://www.rte.ie/tv/trafficblues/index.html

Traffic Blues RTÉ One, Sunday, 8.30pm

"People are killed on the roads every day. In the first five months of 2009 alone, 100 lives were lost. From speeding, traffic jams, drunk driving, penalty points, fatigue at the wheel, the grind of the daily commute to mobile phone use at the wheel, the potential for danger on our roads is more stark than ever.

A new six-part observational series, Traffic Blues, shines a light into six months of the life of the Traffic Corps at all levels and across the country, but primarily in three divisions - the Dublin Metropolitan division based in Dublin Castle, the Louth division taking in stations in Drogheda and Dundalk and the Donegal division focusing on Burnfoot and Letterkenny.

Over six months, guards from the three units were accompanied by a film crew as they went about their daily business of enforcing the laws of the road throughout the country. Incidents from their daily business were combined with the relevant footage from ground, mobile and airborne cameras to reveal the situations the traffic division has to deal with and the often shocking attitudes and the behaviour of Irish drivers across the country."

TheNog

Yellowblackbird wrote: »

Your the gob%%te that pays all the taxes.

The guy that """lives""" in andora and just drove his porshe in to the country two hours before any checkpoint he might be stopped at and pays no income tax, capital gains tax or vrt tax in this country is also getting a further chunk of your money from the court that awarded him damages paid by the tax payer.
Heres a good version of the truth your the tosser that supports someone stealing your money.

language please

timmywex

Just saw an ad there now, looks good!

ste88m

Just seen the ad myself. I think we may all be pleasantly suprised!! The Ad shows footage of a chase from the dash cam, RTÉ camera and the helicopter.It also shows the ANPR system in use, & a crash scene. So maybe it's not as filled with Road Safety Propaganda as tought. Looking forward to seeing it on Sunday!

Local-womanizer

I was wondering why there was camera crews in the back of the cop cars around here.Should be interesting.

jpfahy

Disappointing to see a member on the ad accusing some motorist of having a smell of 'drink' off him. I presume she was about to breathalise and/or arrest him. 'Drink' isn't mentioned in legislation - it's 'alcohol' or 'intoxicating liquor'. (everything from water to coffee etc is 'drink') Properly argued, that would get him off in court. Obviously the footage didn't have to be approved by Garda legal people before being shown........

sdanseo

jpfahy wrote: »

Disappointing to see a member on the ad accusing some motorist of having a smell of 'drink' off him. I presume she was about to breathalise and/or arrest him. 'Drink' isn't mentioned in legislation - it's 'alcohol' or 'intoxicating liquor'. (everything from water to coffee etc is 'drink') Properly argued, that would get him off in court. Obviously the footage didn't have to be approved by Garda legal people before being shown........

PC gone mad...

Sure you hear the same on all the shows over in the UK daily. I'm sure they didn't get off as a result and to be honest if you did, the judge needs to be flogged.

source

jpfahy wrote: »

Disappointing to see a member on the ad accusing some motorist of having a smell of 'drink' off him. I presume she was about to breathalise and/or arrest him. 'Drink' isn't mentioned in legislation - it's 'alcohol' or 'intoxicating liquor'. (everything from water to coffee etc is 'drink') Properly argued, that would get him off in court. Obviously the footage didn't have to be approved by Garda legal people before being shown........

There is a requirement to inform an arrested person in plain language as to the reason why they are being arrested, so saying "drink" is perfectly acceptable.

A regular joe soap wouldn't know what Section 49 of the Road Traffic Act 1961 to 2006 is, I know it as driving while intoxicated, or Drunk driving, hence the need to talk in plain language.

the locust

jpfahy wrote: »

Disappointing to see a member on the ad accusing some motorist of having a smell of 'drink' off him. I presume she was about to breathalise and/or arrest him. 'Drink' isn't mentioned in legislation - it's 'alcohol' or 'intoxicating liquor'. (everything from water to coffee etc is 'drink') Properly argued, that would get him off in court. Obviously the footage didn't have to be approved by Garda legal people before being shown........

wow.
i think the motorist knew well what he meant. Obviously the motorist would be tested later for by an apparatus for indicating the presence of alcohol, and thats what will be used in evidence.

Not so much the chit chat before the man was arrested. Thats the guard forming his opinion and observing the mans responses.

I've never heard of a case thrown out over 'Is that a smell of drink off your breath?' 'Yeah i've had a few jars alright, 10 pints'
could be ten pints of milk!
But its the opinion of the guard and the evidence that will convict.

ps - its part of the police's job to detect, ACCUSE, charge and prosecute

apologies for sidetracking the thread

Calverton

I know one thing. In the equivalent UK programmes, the cops come across as a load of buffons. What with their "nicknames", childish humour, love of power and giddyness over getting to drive a fast car.

Since when was every car driver a criminal in need of catching????

TheNog

Calverton wrote: »

I know one thing. In the equivalent UK programmes, the cops come across as a load of buffons. What with their "nicknames", childish humour, love of power and giddyness over getting to drive a fast car.

I think you are confusing:

nicknames with friendliness
childish humour with a bit of banter
love of power with assertiveness and
giddyness over getting to drive a fast car with adrenaline

Since when was every car driver a criminal in need of catching????

Over simplification if Im honest. Every criminal will blend themselves into the general populus as much as they can to avoid detection. Some criminals are very good at that.

Calverton

TheNog wrote: »

I think you are confusing:

nicknames with friendliness
childish humour with a bit of banter
love of power with assertiveness and
giddyness over getting to drive a fast car with adrenaline.

Tizzy, Dixie, Judders...... And it is the commentator who uses the nicknames. I suppose they want us to "bond" with the cops, feel part of the team. I don't know about anyone else, but these programmes make me much more hostile to traffic cops.

It is obvious to all discerning viewers that these cops are on a power trip of massive proportions.

I don't think adrenaline has any place in a police car.

Tell me this, which is more dangerous. A person driving down the road 5mph in excess of the speed limit, of a cop car tearing after the "criminal" from a standing start, using the blues and twos to force other cars out of the way, before having the person pulling over to what I consider an unsafe position while a ticket is given out.

TheNog wrote: »

Over simplification if Im honest. Every criminal will blend themselves into the general populus as much as they can to avoid detection. Some criminals are very good at that.

You are proving my point. So everyone is gulity until proven innocent by a copper who has used his "senses". Not a fan of this mentality.

TheNog

Calverton wrote: »

Tizzy, Dixie, Judders...... And it is the commentator who uses the nicknames. I suppose they want us to "bond" with the cops, feel part of the team. I don't know about anyone else, but these programmes make me much more hostile to traffic cops.

Or possibly the use of nicknames is to show people that Police officers are human as well, have the faults of humans and are not robotic, clinical thinking people whose only goal is to prosecute people.

It is obvious to all discerning viewers that these cops are on a power trip of massive proportions.

If all people thought the same as you then surely the programme wouldnt be still on TV. No it would be cancelled cos it wouldn't be generating revenue. I like the programme cos I see how the British Cops do their job and utilise some of their techniques.

I don't think adrenaline has any place in a police car.

Adrenaline does have a part in the car as it heightens the senses and increases reaction time while all the time the adrenaline is used in a controlled way so as not to cause harm to the officers or civilians.

Tell me this, which is more dangerous. A person driving down the road 5mph in excess of the speed limit,

If you can provide me an example of this fabled violation, I will believe you.

of a cop car tearing after the "criminal" from a standing start, using the blues and twos to force other cars out of the way, before having the person pulling over to what I consider an unsafe position while a ticket is given out.

OK so all Police, Ambulance and Fire vehicles should abandon the lights and sirens because they are forcing their way through traffic which some people dont like. Come on out of that will ye. Lights and sirens are used to alert drivers of an Emergency service vehicle needing to get through traffic as quickly and safely as possible.

As for traffic stops, well some are extremely dangerous alright but are done with the risks minimised as much as possible. Stops are very much a part of policing.

You are proving my point. So everyone is gulity until proven innocent by a copper who has used his "senses".

Certainly not and thats not what I implied at all. Where is the harm with talking to a driver? If that driver is shown to be a criminal isnt that the whole point of Policing?

Not a fan of this mentality.

There is no mentality and there is no conspiracy.

Calverton

TheNog wrote: »

Or possibly the use of nicknames is to show people that Police officers are human as well, have the faults of humans and are not robotic, clinical thinking people whose only goal is to prosecute people..

Yeah, that is my opinion. Those targets have to be met if promotion is to be an option......

TheNog wrote: »

If all people thought the same as you then surely the programme wouldnt be still on TV. No it would be cancelled cos it wouldn't be generating revenue. I like the programme cos I see how the British Cops do their job and utilise some of their techniques..

A lot of people watch shows because they dislike the topic concerned.

TheNog wrote: »

Adrenaline does have a part in the car as it heightens the senses and increases reaction time while all the time the adrenaline is used in a controlled way so as not to cause harm to the officers or civilians.
.

I agree. However from what I seen on the show itself, how much adrenaline is needed to pull over an ordinary "speeder"?

TheNog wrote: »

If you can provide me an example of this fabled violation, I will believe you..

My oul fella. Coming out of the port tunnel, just where the speed limit drops for no reason outside the tunnel. This is a popular spot for the gardai. So much so that it was on the Joe Duffy show on the day after he was given 3 penalty points and a fine for going a crazy 5kmph over the limit.

TheNog wrote: »

OK so all Police, Ambulance and Fire vehicles should abandon the lights and sirens because they are forcing their way through traffic which some people dont like. Come on out of that will ye. Lights and sirens are used to alert drivers of an Emergency service vehicle needing to get through traffic as quickly and safely as possible. .

An emergency, I have no problem. Chasing like lunatics to catch someone marginaly over the speed limit is what I mainly encounter.

TheNog wrote: »

As for traffic stops, well some are extremely dangerous alright but are done with the risks minimised as much as possible. Stops are very much a part of policing. .

Well, I have seen cops pull cars over to positions semi on the kerb/road to issue tickets to mothers with a car load of children. Strikes me as defeating the purpose of the stop.

TheNog wrote: »

Certainly not and thats not what I implied at all. Where is the harm with talking to a driver? If that driver is shown to be a criminal isnt that the whole point of Policing?
.

I like to go about my daily activities without any dealings with the police.

Calverton

Tell me this, why does the job of a traffic officer need to be glamorized?

source

Calverton wrote: »

Tell me this, why does the job of a traffic officer need to be glamorized?

Isn't this show being produced with the assistance of the Road Saftey Authority??? It's not glamourising the job of a traffic officer, it's highlighting the crazy, irresponsible and reckless driving that is seen by traffic officers every day on our roads, and conveying it in a way that is both informative and enjoyable to watch.

"Educational" programming doesn't have to be boring and sedate, so what if a few mules from traffic become somewhat recognisable from it.

SV

Have it in the Sky Planner, should be interesting anyway.

Our man in Havana

foinse wrote: »

Isn't this show being produced with the assistance of the Road Saftey Authority??? It's not glamourising the job of a traffic officer, it's highlighting the crazy, irresponsible and reckless driving that is seen by traffic officers every day on our roads, and conveying it in a way that is both informative and enjoyable to watch.

"Educational" programming doesn't have to be boring and sedate, so what if a few mules from traffic become somewhat recognisable from it.

+1

Has Road Wars caused Thames Valley or Devon and Cornwall police any problems?

ScubaDave

Well if it did cause any problems, it last six series ( i think) before it was cancelled!

Our man in Havana

It was not cancelled at all. They now are with Devon and Cornwall police.

Whitewater-AGS

Calverton wrote: »

Yeah, that is my opinion. Those targets have to be met if promotion is to be an option......






A lot of people watch shows because they dislike the topic concerned.




I agree. However from what I seen on the show itself, how much adrenaline is needed to pull over an ordinary "speeder"?




My oul fella. Coming out of the port tunnel, just where the speed limit drops for no reason outside the tunnel. This is a popular spot for the gardai. So much so that it was on the Joe Duffy show on the day after he was given 3 penalty points and a fine for going a crazy 5kmph over the limit.




An emergency, I have no problem. Chasing like lunatics to catch someone marginaly over the speed limit is what I mainly encounter.



Well, I have seen cops pull cars over to positions semi on the kerb/road to issue tickets to mothers with a car load of children. Strikes me as defeating the purpose of the stop.





I like to go about my daily activities without any dealings with the police.

We really shouldn't be feeding these lads, Thankfully he was given a weeks holiday.

Hooch

Calverton wrote: »

I agree. However from what I seen on the show itself, how much adrenaline is needed to pull over an ordinary "speeder"?




My oul fella. Coming out of the port tunnel, just where the speed limit drops for no reason outside the tunnel. This is a popular spot for the gardai. So much so that it was on the Joe Duffy show on the day after he was given 3 penalty points and a fine for going a crazy 5kmph over the limit.

Firsty adrenaine is needed to drive an ES vehicle under lights and sirens. Stupid things happen when people see blues. You need to be able to react. Also what is an ordinary speeder?? Is there a difference between an ordinary one and an extra ordinary one?? Is speeding not speeding?? Do they not have to be stopped as quickly and safely as possible??


Secondly, you say your father was stopped for 5kmph over the limit and got 3 points??? Jesus I always thought it was 2 for FCPS or 4 for court appearance........think someone is trolling, but thats not my place to say. Im not a mod.

Hooch

Whitewater-AGS wrote: »

We really shouldn't be feeding these lads, Thankfully he was given a weeks holiday.

Opps only saw this now:o. My rant above is in vain!! And here I was all proud of myself!!:pac:

ScubaDave

Bond-007 wrote: »

It was not cancelled at all. They now are with Devon and Cornwall police.

The reason it changed was not because it had caused any problems for officers but the Thames Valley Chief Constables thought that the PC's were coming off badly in the programme.

Ill try and find the link!

ste88m

ScubaDave wrote: »

The reason it changed was not because it had caused any problems for officers but the Thames Valley Chief Constables thought that the PC's were coming off badly in the programme.

Ill try and find the link!

Here's the link ScubaDave is looking for -

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/oct/19/police-television-sky-road-wars

donvito99

Road Wars followed 14 members of the Thames Valley police road crime unit, known as the 'Tango Vultures'

...Were they not known as Tango Victors?

Our man in Havana

That was their callsign.

TheNog

donvito99 wrote: »

...Were they not known as Tango Victors?

I dont know about the Tango Vultures, maybe thats their official title but TV or Tango Victor is radio speak

SV

TheNog wrote: »

I dont know about the Tango Vultures, maybe thats their official title but TV or Tango Victor is radio speak

Here's something..

known within the force as "Tango Vulture" - taken from their callsign prefix TV (Tango Victor) and the joke that they swoop to steal arrests from other officers) while they carried out their duties.

Source.

Yes I realise it's wikipedia but I couldn't find anything else :P

jpfahy

jpfahy wrote: »

Disappointing to see a member on the ad accusing some motorist of having a smell of 'drink' off him. I presume she was about to breathalise and/or arrest him. 'Drink' isn't mentioned in legislation - it's 'alcohol' or 'intoxicating liquor'. (everything from water to coffee etc is 'drink') Properly argued, that would get him off in court. Obviously the footage didn't have to be approved by Garda legal people before being shown........

JP, what is your legal/policing background to come out with that statement? That just sounds like she was forming her opinion before arresting the person. As long as she tells the person in legal terms and plain english why they are being arrested and then cautions the person it won't be getting thrown out of court for saying that.

King Ludvig

Two of the Gaurds from the show were on Radio One yesterday (thursday):
http://www.rte.ie/radio1/player_av.html?0,null,200,http://dynamic.rte.ie/quickaxs/209-rte-todaywithpatkenny-Thursday.smil

Starts at approx 26min 30sec.

Dissapointing really, only about two questions asked about the show itself the rest was people txting in about stuff this garda did and that garda did. :rolleyes:

shakin

the ads look good i cant wait,ill have to sky+ that one,its only feckin 6 episodes though!

donvito99

King Ludvig wrote: »

Two of the Gaurds from the show were on Radio One yesterday (thursday):
http://www.rte.ie/radio1/player_av.html?0,null,200,http://dynamic.rte.ie/quickaxs/209-rte-todaywithpatkenny-Thursday.smil

Starts at approx 26min 30sec.

Dissapointing really, only about two questions asked about the show itself the rest was people txting in about stuff this garda did and that garda did. :rolleyes:

You got a sense that the guards featured in the interview were very tentative answering the questions, particularly about the GATSO van. They know what theyre there for, yet they only pointed to the Garda website for the collsion prone areas. Seems to me that they are puppets for the G Management.

djtechnics1210

Same as this show. its a promotion stunt for some member of AGS management.

johnnyskeleton

jpfahy wrote: »

Disappointing to see a member on the ad accusing some motorist of having a smell of 'drink' off him. I presume she was about to breathalise and/or arrest him. 'Drink' isn't mentioned in legislation - it's 'alcohol' or 'intoxicating liquor'. (everything from water to coffee etc is 'drink') Properly argued, that would get him off in court. Obviously the footage didn't have to be approved by Garda legal people before being shown........

No, because gardai are required to inform someone in technical legal language when they are exercising their statutory powers, but they are also required to inform someone in ordinary language of what they are doing and why.

So to arrest they would say "I am arresting you for an offence under s.49 (1), (2), (3) or (4) of the Road Traffic Act 1961 (they rarely say as amended though)" and then say "because you were swerving around and when I spoke to you your speech was slurred and I could smell drink".

johnnyskeleton

johnnyskeleton wrote: »

No, because gardai are required to inform someone in technical legal language when they are exercising their statutory powers, but they are also required to inform someone in ordinary language of what they are doing and why.

So to arrest they would say "I am arresting you for an offence under s.49 (1), (2), (3) or (4) of the Road Traffic Act 1961 (they rarely say as amended though)" and then say "because you were swerving around and when I spoke to you your speech was slurred and I could smell drink".

Sorry johnny, we finish with "in other words i'm arresting you for drink / drug driving".

Our man in Havana

I don't think the "as amended" is critical though.

FGR

I know it's a little OT but has anyone observed/made an arrest using simply the simplicitor and not going down the road of testing?

djtechnics1210

Ya and convicted them.