So got stopped by the gardai today ................

x in the city

CoalBucket wrote: »

As the title says I got stopped by the Gardai today whilst driving a work van. The van doesn't have any advertising on it and is a 10 reg transit. This is how the conversation went.

Garda: Can I see your Licence.

Me: No problem (handing Garda licence)

Garda: Why were you on the phone while driving ?

Me: No I wasn't

Garda: Are you calling me a liar ?

Me: what ? No I'm telling you I wasn't on the phone

Garda: Are you saying I'm seeing things ? I saw you with the phone up to your ear.

Me: I don't know what you saw but I wasn't on the phone.

Garda: (Looking into the van) Well then whats that in the passanger seat ?

Me: A phone.

Garda: So you were on the phone and put it down when you say me coming

Me: I have a car kit (pointing to the parrot) There would be no point with me having the phone up to my ear as the sound comes through the speakers and I speak into the mic (pointing to the mic above my head )

Garda: Right (Proceeds to walk around the van, first checking the tax and insurance were up to date and then checking all the tyres. Walks around again to the driver window throws in the licence and says "Go on" and walks away in disgust.

Is this just a revenue raising attempt ? Did he think I was a traveller and just giving me a hard time? Or just an di**head ?

another guarda on his high horse

usless f***er

Dunjohn

You have a parrot kit in your car?

So why was the phone on the passenger seat?

RobTheLad

the parrot kits work through bluetooth so it can be anywere in the van

zenno

bonerm wrote: »

Pigs may lie.

and pigs can fly, i.e the garda helicopter.

CoalBucket

Dunjohn wrote: »

You have a parrot kit in your car?

So why was the phone on the passenger seat?

Its a van and the glove compartment is well out of reach. I'm in and out of the van all day so I keep the phone close for when I'm getting out.

karlog

Probably thought you were a traveller. Everyone hates a traveller, especially guards.

Ronin247

They have private contractors doing the speed cameras so they have to look busy somehow,cannot all hide in dunkin donuts.

gizmo

CoalBucket wrote: »

Garda: Why were you on the phone while driving ?

Me: No I wasn't

Regardless of whether people were or weren't on the phone, that is probably the most popular reply given by motorists. The Garda probably thought he saw you on the phone and decided to push you to see if you'd admit to it, especially after seeing the phone on the passenger seat. Given the fact that you had a hands-free kit, there was obviously no chance you would have been on the phone so he dropped it and left. While it would have been nice if he had been more civil once he realised this it's hardly worth getting ones knickers in a twist.

User Friendly

karlog wrote: »

Probably thought you were a traveller. Everyone hates a traveller, especially guards.

he is a traveller.

so OP were you scratching your head or what?the cop said he saw you holding a phone to your ear,so he saw your hand to your ear i presume:D


someone is telling porkies.......:):):);)

CoalBucket

gizmo wrote: »

While it would have been nice if he had been more civil once he realised this it's hardly worth getting ones knickers in a twist.

No knickers in a twist just thought he was a bit of a dick

rainbowdrop

zenno wrote: »

and pigs can fly, i.e the garda helicopter.

A pork chopper!!

CoalBucket

User Friendly wrote: »

he is a traveller.

so OP were you scratching your head or what?the cop said he saw you holding a phone to your ear,so he saw your hand to your ear i presume:D


someone is telling porkies.......:):):);)

The garda is

User Friendly

CoalBucket wrote: »

The garda is

thought that.

geespot

majority of gardai are thick as a plank i drive for a living and admit i often use the phone and nearly every second time i meet the gardai the driver is on the phone one law for them and all that

drunkmonkey

rainbowdrop wrote: »

A pork chopper!!

I think you've just created a new Joke, legend:D

ebbsy

Tip on down to the ombudsman my friend. See how smart he will be with a complaint against his name.

BostonB

CoalBucket wrote: »

...
Garda: Are you calling me a liar ?...

...are you saying I called you a liar...


Much as I feel they have a hard job. Some of them have a real attitude problem, do themselves no favours. Never take the bait. They are just waiting for that.

geespot

dont worry about rising to the bait every time they stop me i give them as much abus as i can and have to say it usally goes like this they give me abuse i give them abuse and they make some ideal threat and walk away and i get of scott free

looksee

Then there was the driver of the artic I saw earlier this week, negotiating a roundabout with one hand holding a phone to his ear.

In fact, judging by the number of drivers of commercial vehicles, including buses, you see using mobiles as they drive, maybe it should be compulsory for hands-free sets to be installed in the cabs.

PCPhoto

BostonB wrote: »

...are you saying I called you a liar...


Much as I feel they have a hard job. Some of them have a real attitude problem, do themselves no favours. Never take the bait. They are just waiting for that.

totally agree with this ...... I had a similar experience several months ago.

I was driving in the bus lane at 6.30pm (I know I know.... get up there on yer high horse) .... pulled into the traffic (I was in the filter lane and continued up the bus lane to try get back into the traffic - 2 normal lanes merge into a normal lane and a bus lane)

Anyway - back to my story about me....
few secs after I get back into traffic a garda car pulls up alongside me .... tells me to pull over

I ask where and was told into the loading bay up ahead (where the road widens) ....anyway...I pull over do the whole licence thing.....and the garda then starts telling me I was on my phone - I deny and give him my phone to check ...he checks and then tells me that I nearly knocked over a cyclist too - I asked when and he tells me when I was pulling into the loading bay, I told him there was no cyclist and he started asking me more questions....

seems like the gardai seem to want to throw out anything and hope you admit to something ...how feckin lazy are they getting !!!

Sierra Oscar

geespot wrote: »

majority of gardai are thick as a plank i drive for a living and admit i often use the phone and nearly every second time i meet the gardai the driver is on the phone one law for them and all that

Time for you to read up on the actual law - especially if you are a professional driver.

(2) Subsection (1) does not apply to a member of the Garda Síochána, an ambulance service or a fire brigade of a fire authority (within the meaning of the Fire Services Act 1981 ) who is acting in the course of his or her duties and holding a mobile phone in relation to the performance of his or her duties.

ROAD TRAFFIC ACT 2006

Same law. Just exemptions are made for Gardai.

galwayrush

If you admit to something, the Garda does not have to prove anything and has to charge you. Makes their revenue collecting easier.

geespot

i wasnt speaking in terms of the law as i already stated i use the phone when driving it either affects your driving or it doesnt so we can take it that its alright for a garda driver or ambulance driver to put other drivers in danger

PCPhoto

Sierra Oscar wrote: »

Time for you to read up on the actual law - especially if you are a professional driver.



ROAD TRAFFIC ACT 2006

Same law. Just exemptions are made for Gardai.

just like the politicians ... one law for them and one law for the rest of us !!

How many times do members of the Gardai use their mobiles for personal use while on duty ? (I dare say there's plenty)

Don't get me wrong - there are a LOT of drivers out there who use their mobiles while driving (even cyclists...texting and talking - while cycling) ....and the gardai need to enforce the law - the issue here is the gardai ACCUSING the driver of being on his/her phone....in this case (according to the OP) falsely accusing him/her of being on their mobile.

Bosco boy

ebbsy wrote: »

Tip on down to the ombudsman my friend. See how smart he will be with a complaint against his name.

I'd say he'll lose his job over that one alright! Pathetic!

cc-offe

i'm gonna run with yes it is a revenue making scheme, my computer got seized around 8 months ago, just found out today they have 'mislaid' it.....oh but "my rights are still intact" I bet that guard that stopped you is the same one who's sitting at home with my laptop

MonaghanPenguin

cc-offe wrote: »

i'm gonna run with yes it is a revenue making scheme, my computer got seized around 8 months ago, just found out today they have 'mislaid' it.....oh but "my rights are still intact" I bet that guard that stopped you is the same one who's sitting at home with my laptop

Why was your laptop seized?

Bosco boy

PCPhoto wrote: »

just like the politicians ... one law for them and one law for the rest of us !!

How many times do members of the Gardai use their mobiles for personal use while on duty ? (I dare say there's plenty)

Don't get me wrong - there are a LOT of drivers out there who use their mobiles while driving (even cyclists...texting and talking - while cycling) ....and the gardai need to enforce the law - the issue here is the gardai ACCUSING the driver of being on his/her phone....in this case (according to the OP) falsely accusing him/her of being on their mobile.

there's an exemption for emergency services so they can take calls to go to accidents/incidents involving in many cases fools like yourself!

PCPhoto

Bosco boy wrote: »

I'd say he'll lose his job over that one alright! Pathetic!

maybe not - but if it happens often enough it SHOULD warrant investigation.

I do think that "some" members abuse their position and use their understanding of the law to intimidate ordinary members of the public.

I have come across some members during my working day who clearly should not be permitted to interact with the public, from lack of personal skills to ignorance of the highest order.

knowing the law does not give you* a right to abuse it

*= you in this case meaning any person in general.

cc-offe

MonaghanPenguin wrote: »

Why was your laptop seized?

Ongoing investigation, bit of a case of wrong place at wrong time, in fairness the detective was nice enough about it because he knew i had nothing to do with it but said they had to seize the laptop anyway, now they've lost it so ill have to try to claim compensation for it