Anyone else noticing a big increase in Garda checkpoints?

Darragh29

This came up in conversation yesterday in the pub, I seem to be driving into a checkpoint now at the rate of two a week, where in the past, I wouldn't have seen one for months... It would seem there has been a renewed focus on tax, insurance, NCT enforcement on the part of the Gardai, any else noticing more checkpoints lately? Maybe it's just around the D12/24 area that I move around in, one of my mates has a theory that with so many people losing jobs, etc, that Gardai have increased enforcement as more people will be driving around without tax, insurance, etc...

Drummerboy08

I think its the fact that there's a new bunch of kids fresh out of the college. But yeah, I've noticed a big increase in it too.

Saab Ed

Nah its only because loads of them will be on holidays soon so thats exactly the mindset they want you in. Its like a bank holiday weekend. In the run up to one you always here that there will be a large force out and about for the weekend but it never happens....sure they're all gone " down home" aswell

beggars_bush

tax would be up on lot of cars as of start of July so yeah (7th month of year) so of course they are going to be out

the NCT thing - most Gardai don't even look for that unless its an old enough car you have. Its a joke anyway

SV

Noticed it myself alright, been seeing plenty lately..

Mena

In ten years in Ireland, I've seen or be stopped at 2 checkpoints. Sometimes I wonder if they really exist...

_Kaiser_

beggars_bush wrote: »

tax would be up on lot of cars as of start of July so yeah (7th month of year) so of course they are going to be out

the NCT thing - most Gardai don't even look for that unless its an old enough car you have. Its a joke anyway

Waste of resources too as you have till the end of the month to renew it anyway (ie: so if it's up at the start of July, the letter will say it can be renewed anytime up till the end of that month).

BillyGoatGruff

Mena wrote: »

In ten years in Ireland, I've seen or be stopped at 2 checkpoints. Sometimes I wonder if they really exist...

But they do exist. You were stopped at 2 of them

DublinWriter

Noticed it myself around the Meath area a couple of weeks ago.

I was stopped twice in the same day at two different checkpoints and waved through, even though my tax disc was expired.

Looks like 'Operation Revenue' is in full swing.

Berty

I have noticed quite a lot recently, so much so that I had a conversation with somebody about the amount of them. I do drive for a living so bump into more checkpoints than many other people.

I am glad to see checkpoints everywhere I go. I obey the law(except the speeding laws) so Im glad when the catch farmers with dangerous loads, no tax people, no insurance people, no nct people, no seat belt people and so on.

It may be a money gathering excersise to some people but the fine itself is supposed to be a deterant to disobeying the law.

Avoiding Work

Definitely yeah. I'm driving two years now and was stopped for the first time this weekend; then stopped twice more the following day in a different place.

Clare_Guy

DublinWriter wrote: »

Looks like 'Operation Revenue' is in full swing.

i think it's related to the country being in such a poor financial position too, the gardai have been told to get out there and "bring in some cash"!

Heroditas

There's constantly bicycle Gardai on the outer ring road near the Penny Hill checking tax, insurance etc during the daytime.

Radharc na Sleibhte

In the North West? No.
I haven't seen a checkpoint or a speed trap in about 18 months, and I drive for a living. I saw a customs checkpoint a few days ago.

Mena

BillyGoatGruff wrote: »

But they do exist. You were stopped at 2 of them

That's more an After Hours response no? Because lets face it, you knew exactly what I meant.

MikeySligo wrote: »

In the North West? No.
I haven't seen a checkpoint or a speed trap in about 18 months, and I drive for a living. I saw a customs checkpoint a few days ago.

I've seen two customs checkpoints in Kildare in the past 6 months as well. First time in 10 years to.

Yakult

Havent seen a checkpoint down in kerry for atleast 2 months now. Tho Im not driving alot lately so thats probably the reason.

ascend

I have come across alot of checkpoints in my time, but not recently. It all depends where your are driving and at what time.

Last year I was randomly breath-tested about 8-10 times. 1 of those times was in Harold's cross in Dublin the rest in the Limerick city area :O

Seanieke

I've seen two customs checkpoints in Kildare in the past 6 months as well. First time in 10 years to.[/quote]

Customs in Kildare.. Bo**ox, where??

Mena

Seanieke wrote: »

Customs in Kildare.. Bo**ox, where??

Outside Newbridge on the Naas DC.

guerito

I've only seen one checkpoint recently, at the last bank holiday, but there have been two speed traps on the N32 lately. One a couple of weeks ago and another yesterday.

mike65

They peak and trough through the month, the last week will see an upswing in roadside checking esp if the weather is half decent. A wet winters day at the start of a month is the least likely time to run into a checkpoint*.



*running into a checkpoint is best avoided

BigZack

Heard some stats on the radio this morning. The guards were bragging that incidents of those failing breath tests was down from 1 in 80 last year to 1 in 200 this year. No mention of how many tests the numbers were run against though.

Sounds like someone in an Garda Siochana has been taking lessons from 'The Wire' on how to cook the books!

Voodoomelon

BillyGoatGruff wrote: »

But they do exist. You were stopped at 2 of them

This made me laugh.

McGrath5

I've been driving around D14/D16 and I haven't ran into a single one for so far this year, though it's probably the luck of the draw really.

L1011

When everyone says theres none, I get stopped by loads and now that I've done 4,000km in 10 days I've not seen one!

DublinWriter

Berty wrote: »

I obey the law(except the speeding laws) so Im glad when the catch farmers with dangerous loads, no tax people, no insurance people, no nct people, no seat belt people and so on.

Good for you...we all know how much having out of date tax or NCT disc greatly increases the chance of being involved in an accident...