speeding and freedom of information

mondeo

This may or may not be the right section for this, forgive me if it should be else where.

A couple of years ago i was done for speeding in a quiet little wicklow road and have always believed that I had been a victim of an incompetent garda doing the speed check as I knew the area well and never crept over the limit in this particular stretch.
I was caught in a camera van and a photo sent out etc but when I asked to view the original footage of me speeding they refused saying I was not entitled to see it.

Under the freedom of information act would I not have been entitled to get the info I requested? All I wanted to see was if the garda aiming the laser has been holding it straight as this would have all being recorded in the footage. If he had aimed it arseways it would have given an incorrect reading.
I would still be interested to get this footage even though the points are about to expire on my license anyways.

A guy I know well who is a Manager for a major insurance company had only recently being granted to view the footage of himself apparently getting caught speeding and it turned out the laser was not held on the car properly and it was dropped. I am really interested now about this.

Thanks,

Random

is it not photographs they take rather than videos in the white vans?

mondeo

Random wrote: »

is it not photographs they take rather than videos in the white vans?

It is actual video footage, I still have my original photo which they issued me of me speeding and it gives a "frame number" where it was paused printed and sent out to me.

Shane732

I wouldn't have a huge amount of experience in relation to the Freedom of Information Act in respect of requests to the Gardaí but I see no reason why you wouldn't be entitled to the information.

My experience of the Freedom of Information Act would be in relation to making requests to the Revenue Commissioners. Essentially an individual is entitled to receive information relating to himself/herself which is held by public bodies. The information can relate to how the public body in question came to its decision. (i.e. in the case of the Revenue - how basis of the assessment was ascertained)

I see no reason why you wouldn't be entitled to similar information from the Gardaí. There are a number of exceptions whereby a person is non compos mentis or the information would be harmful in the hands of the information etc...

Easiest thing for you to do would be to make a request under the terms of the Act and see how it goes. The relevant Freedom of Information Officer in the Gardaí will have to inform you of whether they feel you are entitled to the information etc... There's an appeals procedure etc...

MagicSean

They may not still have it. I think court would have been the time to request this.

CharlieCroker

Its not a video, the camera takes the time it takes a vehicle to pass between 2 points. If the vehicle reaches the 2nd point too quickly, it takes a photo. It doesnt really matter where the camera is pointing, as long as the vehicle passes between the 2 points.
The Garda inside the van isn't holding the camera, its mounted. He can move it to ensure that any vehicle passing by, goes through the frame properly. The cameras are highly calibrated, it tells the operator the speed, he has no control over it.