Traffic Blues - RTE 1

keefg

Not sure if this is a new series or a chance to see the re-runs if you missed it first time around but Traffic Blues is on RTE1 tonight at 8.30.

For those not familiar with the show it is basically an Irish version of Sky One's Road Wars.

It was quite the topic of discussion in here when it was last screened (which is why I didn't post in the TV forum).

mike65

Looks like a new series. I wonder if the cops are a little more "hardline" after reaction to the first series.

slimjimmc

Last week's episode was a repeat, it's still availabe on RTE Player.

Mr. Presentable

`Tonights is a repeat, so I guess not a new series.........

Joey the lips

Beep... as above its a repeat... they must not have their finger on the pulse....;)

-Corkie-

I thought the whole series is a load of tripe. It makes the gardai and the irish look like fools compared to road wars. I think if yorkie and dixie seen it they would have some laugh at it. I think a lot of gardai would agree with me too.

Mc Love

I thought it was pretty good. They acted all tough to scare the women and then they just left them off - how stupid did they sound

unkel

malcox wrote: »

I thought the whole series is a load of tripe. It makes the gardai and the irish look like fools compared to road wars.

That's harshly put, but I agree the Gardai should take some lessons in professionalism from the UK / NI Police.

Creamy Goodness

I stopped watching as soon as i heard "...he's fairly tipping on there now boss!"

bladebrew

there are some characters on that show,

driving around in an uninsured car,while drunk,with cans of bulmers on the seat and a slashhook,and outstanding warrants,and having the cheek to say "i did nothin` wrong, it actually makes me feel sorry for the gardai that they have to deal with idiots like this,
gardai should be getting a payrise!

testarossa40

I nearly broke the telly when the clearly fibbing Czech biker was let off on his unregistered, uninsured way. And the Merc ML-driving trollop stopped doing 82 in a 50 zone...

Garda "I'm-on-TV-Now-Aren't-I-Great": "Any particular reason for doing that speed, madam? What? You got LIGHT-HEADED you say??! Are you ok now? Are you sure now? Are you ok to drive at all? Do you want me to call someone for you? No? Ok so - well we'll have to post an aul fine to you... G'wan now and we'll say no more about it..."

Sorry Unkle, this muppetry warrants every harshness... :mad:

But I did approve of the lunatic overtaking driver being arrested and so taken off the roads - even if they only did it because they couldn't verify his (Northern) address..

Turner

It is not a true and accurate example of the job of the Gardai.

It shows carefully selected duties of the Traffic Corps. Not regular members of the Gardai.

I can guarantee you that everything that goes on in Road Wars happens every day in Ireland.

In one of the Traffic Blues episodes there is a realistic car chase.

http://www.rte.ie/player/#v=1066980 18:30secs

These type of car chases happen daily on Ireland. Sometimes 10+ chases per day..

If only they would make an unsensored version of the job the Gardai do.

People have no idea.

Stoolbend

Chief--- wrote: »

It is not a true and accurate example of the job of the Gardai.

It shows carefully selected duties of the Traffic Corps. Not regular members of the Gardai.

I can guarantee you that everything that goes on in Road Wars happens every day in Ireland.

In one of the Traffic Blues episodes there is a realistic car chase.

http://www.rte.ie/player/#v=1066980 18:30secs

These type of car chases happen daily on Ireland. Sometimes 10+ chases per day..

If only they would make an unsensored version of the job the Gardai do.

People have no idea.

I'd watch that version!

slimjimmc

testarossa40 wrote: »

I nearly broke the telly when the clearly fibbing Czech biker was let off on his unregistered, uninsured way.

Yeah, it still annoyed me to see that again

testarossa40 wrote: »

And the Merc ML-driving trollop stopped doing 82 in a 50 zone...

Garda "I'm-on-TV-Now-Aren't-I-Great": "Any particular reason for doing that speed, madam? What? You got LIGHT-HEADED you say??! Are you ok now? Are you sure now? Are you ok to drive at all? Do you want me to call someone for you? No? Ok so - well we'll have to post an aul fine to you... G'wan now and we'll say no more about it..."

Sorry Unkle, this muppetry warrants every harshness... :mad:

The lady driver of the NI SUV said she felt light headed as an excuse for doing 82 in a 50kph zone so he rightly quizzed her about her fitness to drive. When she claimed to be ok, appeared ok and declined assistance he had no grounds to say otherwise since he's not medically qualified. Afaik the law does not give him the authority to detain her unless he has stronger evidence than just something she blurted out in a moment of panic. I thought his closing advice sounded more like "pay the fixed penalty and we'll say no more about it..."
Where's the muppetry in that? I thought he came across quite well.

testarossa40 wrote: »

But I did approve of the lunatic overtaking driver being arrested and so taken off the roads - even if they only did it because they couldn't verify his (Northern) address..

+1

Chief--- wrote: »

In one of the Traffic Blues episodes there is a realistic car chase.
http://www.rte.ie/player/#v=1066980 18:30secs

These type of car chases happen daily on Ireland. Sometimes 10+ chases per day..
If only they would make an unsensored version of the job the Gardai do.
People have no idea.

I was shocked when I saw that last year. What shocked me wasn't so much the baddie driving the wrong way around the roundabout and the DC but the fact the squad car followed him. The reason given was to warn other traffic but lights and sirens are not much warning when they're 100m behind the main danger; 2 cars going the wrong way is even more dangerous than one. I hope the Gardaí generally have a higher standard than that especially if such chases are common.

Voodoomelon

Last time round, everyone on here had a serious problem with the amount of times the Gardaí let people off for various offences over the series.
It was a joke, the worst case being that nigerian woman with a car full of kids with no belts and no tax/insurance/licence (at least two of them).

daveharnett

slimjimmc wrote: »

I was shocked when I saw that last year. What shocked me wasn't so much the baddie driving the wrong way around the roundabout and the DC but the fact the squad car followed him. The reason given was to warn other traffic but lights and sirens are not much warning when they're 100m behind the main danger; 2 cars going the wrong way is even more dangerous than one. I hope the Gardaí generally have a higher standard than that especially if such chases are common.

I don't particularly agree in this instance, but I take your point. I do wonder is there a point at which the best course of action is to abandon pursuit in the interest of public (and "the suspect's") safety? In this case it could simply be a case of dropping back out of sight and waiting until the chopper sees him leave the car.

I'm also curious as to why the dread of him crossing 'the border'? NI isn't exactly a non-extradition state. Can't police pursue somebody across and 'assist the PSNI' in making an arrest?

Also thought it was pretty disappointing that a TC car policing a rally was hard pressed to keep pace at 120mph. Surely the capacity to outpace the scoobies and evos would be one of the first priorities in picking a suitable motor?

Wishbone Ash

daveharnett wrote: »

Can't police pursue somebody across and 'assist the PSNI' in making an arrest?

No the Gardai are not permitted to enter another juristiction and vice versa for the PSNI. If a marked Garda car is travelling to Co Donegal, it must go via Sligo/Leitrim to avoid crossing the border. Even when the Garda Commissioner travels north, he must be in plain clothes.

Guy:Incognito

Chief--- wrote: »

It shows carefully selected duties of the Traffic Corps. Not regular members of the Gardai..

The problem is though they carefully selected clips that give the impression to the public that you can more or less do as you please and get little more than a slap on the wrist.

Mc Love

When they were stopped on the M50 for the two ladies, they said that the speed limit is 120kmh but isnt it mostly 100kmh.

donvito99

daveharnett wrote: »

Also thought it was pretty disappointing that a TC car policing a rally was hard pressed to keep pace at 120mph. Surely the capacity to outpace the scoobies and evos would be one of the first priorities in picking a suitable motor?

ha

daveharnett

donvito99 wrote: »

ha

For the hard of understanding, would you care to elaborate?

Hooch

As Chief as....it does not in anyway reflect the job of any member of AGS.....including Traffic Corps. The series was totally unrealistic.

Both RTE and AGS got enough complaints that I cant see them making the same editing mistake again. The new series is due to start filming next month......heres hoping that they film in busy areas, travel with pro active Gardaí and forget the silly editing!!!

testarossa40

slimjimmc wrote: »

The lady driver of the NI SUV said she felt light headed as an excuse for doing 82 in a 50kph zone so he rightly quizzed her about her fitness to drive. When she claimed to be ok, appeared ok and declined assistance he had no grounds to say otherwise since he's not medically qualified. Afaik the law does not give him the authority to detain her unless he has stronger evidence than just something she blurted out in a moment of panic. I thought his closing advice sounded more like "pay the fixed penalty and we'll say no more about it..."
Where's the muppetry in that? I thought he came across quite well.

Simply this - I didn't believe her for a moment. She had quite a nerve to pull that fib and the Guard knew it. However, rather than feign concern he could have taken her "word" for it and informed her that therefore (a) she was not fit to drive and he was not permitting her to either, (b) she was to call her hubby or mammy to come and collect her and her SUV. If she then changed her story slap on a summons too and let the Judge give her the lecture the Guard didn't want to...

And therein lies the "muppetry" - I remember there were plenty other instances in the series when it seemed the Guards couldn't apologise enough for the poor offenders' troubles. "I terribly sorry but there'll be a fine I'm afraid - sure not to worry it's not much". Etc etc... Eg the overweight truck and the chased, roundabout-ripping, speeding motorway driver come to mind. And then there are the truly mind blowing "decisions"; the "light-headed" speeder, the uninsured biker, and then the uninsured, unlicensed woman in Blanch voodoomelon mentioned with 5+ unbelted kids in a completely fogged-up Micra LET DRIVE AWAY. UNBELIEVABLE! No wonder there is such an unhealthy disregarded for traffic law enforcement in this country when when if you're stopped having committed a dangerous offence you'll be offered apologies and hard-luck. The Traffic Guard that issues a fine/summons AND a bollocking (a la M50 petrol women) for lane-weaving & chopping on the M50 at 160kmh+ has a better clue about his job role & function in law enforcement AND is more likely to change a behaviour.

franksm

Kinda scary seeing the Gardai in 'standard' cars taking on car chases, at least in the UK (and NI) the police get some proper spec cars (Evo, fast Fords and the like.

Anyway, Traffic cars should really have push-bars like those on US cars, then at least they could push or latch on to a fleeing vehicle. Although... while I would have no qualms about seeing joyriders spun off into a ditch (and worse), their solicitors would probably have a field day

Mc Love

According to detective mate of mine, the Gar-dee have some high powered motors (though i'd say he was probably talking about special branch) but they do have some nice undercover cars. There is a BMW that patrols the three lane N7

talla10

that was a terrible tv show so cringeworthy looking at people caught speeding and gettin tickets!!In road wars they follow pro active units, drug units, burglary patrols etc so of course its much more interesting than the narrator saying 'a car is speeding through carlow town. Gardai on patrol spot this heinous crime and decide to take action'. at least in road wars they tell it like it is '2am in slough and some muppet takes off in s stolen motor'...if they do it again they should follow and record more interesting units

donvito99

daveharnett wrote: »

For the hard of understanding, would you care to elaborate?

I found it funny as the Garda's track record on getting anything remotely practical is pretty dismal.

guil

in the second video where they were lookin for a drunk driver in dundalk, they said an off duty guard heard the call and stopped him before the squad car got there

how would an off duty guard hear the call

donvito99

guil wrote: »

in the second video where they were lookin for a drunk driver in dundalk, they said an off duty guard heard the call and stopped him before the squad car got there

how would an off duty guard hear the call

Take home radio?

slimjimmc

testarossa40 wrote: »

Simply this - I didn't believe her for a moment. She had quite a nerve to pull that fib and the Guard knew it. However, rather than feign concern he could have taken her "word" for it and informed her that therefore (a) she was not fit to drive and he was not permitting her to either, (b) she was to call her hubby or mammy to come and collect her and her SUV. If she then changed her story slap on a summons too and let the Judge give her the lecture the Guard didn't want to...

And therein lies the "muppetry" - I remember there were plenty other instances in the series when it seemed the Guards couldn't apologise enough for the poor offenders' troubles. "I terribly sorry but there'll be a fine I'm afraid - sure not to worry it's not much". Etc etc... Eg the overweight truck and the chased, roundabout-ripping, speeding motorway driver come to mind. And then there are the truly mind blowing "decisions"; the "light-headed" speeder, the uninsured biker, and then the uninsured, unlicensed woman in Blanch voodoomelon mentioned with 5+ unbelted kids in a completely fogged-up Micra LET DRIVE AWAY. UNBELIEVABLE! No wonder there is such an unhealthy disregarded for traffic law enforcement in this country when when if you're stopped having committed a dangerous offence you'll be offered apologies and hard-luck. The Traffic Guard that issues a fine/summons AND a bollocking (a la M50 petrol women) for lane-weaving & chopping on the M50 at 160kmh+ has a better clue about his job role & function in law enforcement AND is more likely to change a behaviour.

What people expect the Gardaí to do and what the law empowers them to do are all too often very different. It was discussed on previous threads when the series was first aired last year that for many traffic offences Gardaí have no legal authority to prevent an accused driving away. It's the law that needs to change.