Garda not to issue penalty points or fixed charges on Tuesday

Lads, stop and think for one minute. Read the posts from members of An Garda Siochana clearly. NO ONE will be ignoring idiots on the road. If we believe that you are driving dangerously then expect to be summonsed. What the GRA have called for is for members not to issue FCPS notices. And for the poster talking about not giving a fine on one day and then giving one the next, I've stopped two cars in a row for the same offence and only given one an FCPS. That is called using my descretion.

And asking why public servents didn't go into the private sector is a bit stupid. We all had the choice of working there but decided that we wanted to something that helped people / offered something a little different / had security. If you all think that public servents are so well paid and protected why didn't you join the public service instead of the private sector? I joined at the height of the boom from a job where I earned more than I am currently on because I was looking at the long term and not the short term grab the money while it is going.

herya

segaBOY wrote: »

I wonder if there'll be a spike in road traffic collisions that day and an increase in mortalities if speeding is such a killer that we're all lead to believe.

I hope the head of the GRA will have a clear conscience if there is.

The papers may make interesting reading on Wednesday. If there is anything wrong that can be attributed to the strike it won't help the case at all. The strike as such won't help it either but it's very easy to lose public sympathy completely over an unnecessary death or two.

nesf

Paulzx wrote: »

With all due respect the spirit of the law is violated every day in the courts of this land by the legal profession finding and taking advantage of loopholes for the benifet of their clients. They are paid tp represent their clients so are in fact doing their job. As has been said already Gardai have discretion within the spirit of the law and applying these offences

Indeed, however legal professions do not enforce our law and cannot be held up in comparison to our Gardaí whose duty is to do such. Discretion is there so that law can be applied fairly not so strike action can be brought in through the back door.

Rantan

foreign wrote: »

Lads, stop and think for one minute. Read the posts from members of An Garda Siochana clearly. NO ONE will be ignoring idiots on the road. If we believe that you are driving dangerously then expect to be summonsed. What the GRA have called for is for members not to issue FCPS notices. And for the poster talking about not giving a fine on one day and then giving one the next, I've stopped two cars in a row for the same offence and only given one an FCPS. That is called using my descretion.

And asking why public servents didn't go into the private sector is a bit stupid. We all had the choice of working there but decided that we wanted to something that helped people / offered something a little different / had security. If you all think that public servents are so well paid and protected why didn't you join the public service instead of the private sector? I joined at the height of the boom from a job where I earned more than I am currently on because I was looking at the long term and not the short term grab the money while it is going.

Let me get this straight - by your insinuation any private sector worker is a money grabber, only interested in making money in teh short term, yet ye are the ones striking over potential cuts to your pay? Seems a little hypocritical to be honest. If you were so concerned about helping people, why dont you hep us all by not striking, accepting any paycuts as being for the public good and accept that in a few years when things pick up you will again benefit from another benchmarking programme, like the last one.

dresden8

Rantan wrote: »

when things pick up you will again benefit from another benchmarking programme, like the last one.

That's funny.

Riskymove

Originally Posted by Rantan
when things pick up you will again benefit from another benchmarking programme, like the last one.

dresden8 wrote: »

That's funny.

funny indeed, further evidence of the selective memory and biais encountered around here

djtechnics1210

we didnt get paid our last 2 benchmarkings that we were supposed to get.

and do you honestly think that in a few years when/if the country recovers, the government are going to turn around and say, thanks a million to all the public/private sector workers that took every cut we could think of,

but now we're going to scrap all those cuts and let ye make a proper wage again because the country is grand again.................... they will in my ****,

they'll see the money their making from income levies, prsi, second homes, the cuts in childrens allowance, social welfare etc etc and they'll keep them for good.

jhegarty

segaBOY wrote: »

I wonder if there'll be a spike in road traffic collisions that day and an increase in mortalities if speeding is such a killer that we're all lead to believe.

I hope the head of the GRA will have a clear conscience if there is.

On the other hand I bet Gay will be rightly confused if there isn't 100's of young male drivers killed that day.

neil_purdy

I presume by not taking fines on tuesday they will be hurting the government, it is a means of income that will not be collected..

Wonder what kind of money is raised on a daily basis through fines??

djtechnics1210

neil_purdy wrote: »

I presume by not taking fines on tuesday they will be hurting the government, it is a means of income that will not be collected..

Wonder what kind of money is raised on a daily basis through fines??

id say traffic wardens and clampers make the most money for the state/county council everyday

Rantan

djtechnics1210 wrote: »

we didnt get paid our last 2 benchmarkings that we were supposed to get.

and do you honestly think that in a few years when/if the country recovers, the government are going to turn around and say, thanks a million to all the public/private sector workers that took every cut we could think of,

but now we're going to scrap all those cuts and let ye make a proper wage again because the country is grand again.................... they will in my ****,

they'll see the money their making from income levies, prsi, second homes, the cuts in childrens allowance, social welfare etc etc and they'll keep them for good.

no I dont really bellieve that to be honest but I do believe that when things pick up and we see some way out of the current mire, which will happen, eventually, the public sector will again look to the private sector and say something like:
"hey these guys are creaming it, how dare they! we took massive paycuts during the recession and demand that we are compensated for it and we will strike until we get what we want..." and the unions will be up in arms and this whole cycyle of s**te will start again.

sdanseo

Folks it's called discretion, every Garda has it and can use it as each situation is different. They'll allegedly just be choosing to use it very very carefully. In theory anyway.

djtechnics1210

Rantan wrote: »

no I dont really bellieve that to be honest but I do believe that when things pick up and we see some way out of the current mire, which will happen, eventually, the public sector will again look to the private sector and say something like:
"hey these guys are creaming it, how dare they! we took massive paycuts during the recession and demand that we are compensated for it and we will strike until we get what we want..." and the unions will be up in arms and this whole cycyle of s**te will start again.

well not every public sector service can strike, so you cant include everyone in that statement

Rantan

djtechnics1210 wrote: »

well not every public sector service can strike, so you cant include everyone in that statement

yes but can they not use their "discretion" as to what duties they will or will not perform??

starbelgrade

It's a myth that the entire private sector took a pay hit in the last 18 months - some had pay increases, some had promotions & some private sector bosses took the "recession" as a good excuse to get rid of some deadweight.

If the public sector did the same, then we'd be a lot better off. Problem is, that there is no incentive to do so, from any level.

Still, they have the right to protest. Pity they don't have the same rights to be judged on performance.

oldyouth

Sorry if I'm in the wrong place but are traffic wardens working today?

gurramok

So its open season on the bus lane today. Won't make a blind of a difference as where i travel, i've never seen a cop once keeping an eye on the bus lane or pulled anyone in for driving in it.

starbelgrade

starbelgrade wrote: »

It's a myth that the entire private sector took a pay hit in the last 18 months - some had pay increases, some had promotions & some private sector bosses took the "recession" as a good excuse to get rid of some deadweight.

If the public sector did the same, then we'd be a lot better off. Problem is, that there is no incentive to do so, from any level.

Still, they have the right to protest. Pity they don't have the same rights to be judged on performance.

I would love to see reform of the public sector. Now would be the perfect time to implement a review of how things are run from the top down in every department.

The fact that there is still things like banking time and shopping days still available is a joke and belong in a time gone by.

And remember the protest is about fairness. The public sector have taken a pay cut already with the pension levy. We just want fairness in cuts this time around. And I don't believe the protest will make a difference to Lenihan's decision to make cuts but people have to make their feelings known.

djtechnics1210

foreign wrote: »

The fact that there is still things like banking time and shopping days still available is a joke and belong in a time gone by.

do some people actually get this in work, or are you messing????
(please tell me your messing and that this sort of thing doesnt actually go on)

Dr Galen

banking days and shopping days are lagacy benefits, a hangover from years and years gone by. It's not as simple as just cutting them out unfortunately. They're not common across all the PS and afaik have been phased out for new entrants for some time now

Sizzler

Didnt see one garda on my way into work today, bus lanes being used at will and traffic flowing like a dream. Any chance they can take a few more days off? We seem to be managing just fine without them.

djtechnics1210

djtechnics1210 wrote: »

do some people actually get this in work, or are you messing????
(please tell me your messing and that this sort of thing doesnt actually go on)

Mystik Monkey wrote: »

banking days and shopping days are lagacy benefits, a hangover from years and years gone by. It's not as simple as just cutting them out unfortunately. They're not common across all the PS and afaik have been phased out for new entrants for some time now

As Mystik said they are legacy benifits for some sections, but there would still be a lot of people entitled to them.

Sizzler wrote: »

Didnt see one garda on my way into work today, bus lanes being used at will and traffic flowing like a dream. Any chance they can take a few more days off? We seem to be managing just fine without them.

How many days ot the week do you see a garda when travelling to work? How often do people use the same bus lane? Where I an stationed people use the bus lanes even though there is always a presence because they believe that that can get away with it. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. And Gardai aren't on strike today as they are not legally entitled to strike.

gurramok

foreign wrote: »

How many days ot the week do you see a garda when travelling to work?

For me, never in peak hours. That is actually patrolling bus lanes. Think peak hour traffic might affect this as they would rely on bikes to get around.

foreign wrote: »

How often do people use the same bus lane? Where I an stationed people use the bus lanes even though there is always a presence because they believe that that can get away with it. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. And Gardai aren't on strike today as they are not legally entitled to strike.

Actually, you may find traffic using bus lanes is useful in some instances as some bus lanes as laid out wrongly.
Especially where traffic is turning left at any junction in the city centre where green man pedestrian lights(no-one pressed a button) hold up traffic turning left by allowing a straight arrow for straight ahead traffic only and only other alternative is for traffic to hold up the straight ahead lane indicating left as an over zealous garda might target them.

gerire

Sizzler wrote: »

Didnt see one garda on my way into work today, bus lanes being used at will and traffic flowing like a dream. Any chance they can take a few more days off? We seem to be managing just fine without them.

You must be looking forward to operation go slow freeflow from next week so

And on the point of Gardaí doing nothing today; Im looking out my window here at a main road and there are traffic corps cars with a car each pulled over on different sides of the dual carriage way; So if anyone want's to go out and be an idiot behind the wheel go ahead, the fact that gardaí have been asked not to issue FCPS notices should not cahnge how you drive

Sizzler

foreign wrote: »

How many days ot the week do you see a garda when travelling to work? How often do people use the same bus lane? Where I an stationed people use the bus lanes even though there is always a presence because they believe that that can get away with it. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. And Gardai aren't on strike today as they are not legally entitled to strike.

Honestly? I see at least (on average) 3-5 Garda everyday on my way to work. Im on a QBC route and you can be guaranteed there will be at least 2 Garda somewhere along the route to snare the opportunists.

gerire wrote: »

the fact that gardaí have been asked not to issue FCPS notices should not cahnge how you drive

I agree

Its poor form that they are not doing what they are essentially still being paid for today. If you dont like the conditions of the job lads, take your chances in the jobs market, its simple.

astrofool

How many "days off" do we need to give them to reduce our deficit by €4bn?