Garda checkpoints

Builderfromhell

I expected the Gardai to be out after the long spell of ice, snow and fog.
Sure enough I have been stopped 3 times in the last few days. On the last occasion I told the Gardai that I was going to collect my daughter at 2.00am as she had rang me and said it was an emergency. The Gardai were not in the least interested and kept me there asking about my out of date tax disc.

I have met many people over the Christmas who have said they are really p****d off with the amount of Gardai time and personell spent checking for tax and insurance and how little seem to be available for keeping our towns and Cities safe.

Arguably we should all have up to date documentation but why are other crimes deemed less important to police. The next time you are being assaulted or your property robbed think how the gardai are too busy at check points to respond.

ELVIS1956

Builderfromhell wrote: »

I expected the Gardai to be out after the long spell of ice, snow and fog.
Sure enough I have been stopped 3 times in the last few days. On the last occasion I told the Gardai that I was going to collect my daughter at 2.00am as she had rang me and said it was an emergency. The Gardai were not in the least interested and kept me there asking about my out of date tax disc.

I have met many people over the Christmas who have said they are really p****d off with the amount of Gardai time and personell spent checking for tax and insurance and how little seem to be available for keeping our towns and Cities safe.

Arguably we should all have up to date documentation but why are other crimes deemed less important to police. The next time you are being assaulted or your property robbed think how the gardai are too busy at check points to respond.

if your tax has expired they have every right to question you, and you are lucky it wasn't seized

challengemaster

This may be news to you, but the traffic corps deal with traffic issues, there are other Gardaí for general garda work.

_Conrad_

what i don't like this latest "forming an opinion" thing they can do in order to get you out of the car to do "tests" for drugs, i don't even take drugs, or drink and drive, ever, but being male, in my 20s, a bit unusual myself, and often driving some unusual vehicles, i feel i get more than average attention, and while i don't fear it as i've nothing to hide, i did find myself being breathlised 5 times in one night on a long trip around when that first came in. That pissed me off as it was really frustrating, now some cranky old gard can decided he wants to test you for drugs just because it's his "opinion" you might have taken them.... i'm all for stopping people driving while on any sort of mind altering subatance.... but i'd liek to to be done fairly, but it won't. anyway, back to tax....


it would take a the tax being out quite a while for the car to be seized anyway, so that statement was a bit much, and sometimes you just cant have it bang up to date, i keep it in line as much as i can, but with things as they are now, sometimes it's going to end up being a month out or something that's just the way it gos.

It is true that you're supposed to have tax and nct up to date but it doesnt always work out that way and i have to agree with builderfromhell that there is a lot of manpower and time spent on tax/speed checks etc and more could/should be spent on keeping ordinary people safe as they go about their business on the streets, or occasionally patrolling areas with high rates of car theft/robberies/people being jumped and things like that. Instead i see many gards standing around at check points but not when you want one to appear when you see some young lad getting kicked around the street or people giving abuse to/threatening staff in shops and fast food places at night, or shouting racist abuse at an elderly muslim gentleman as i saw recently at 7 o'clock on a sunday evening in a "respectable" area

_Conrad_

challengemaster wrote: »

This may be news to you, but the traffic corps deal with traffic issues, there are other Gardaí for general garda work.

If there were less devoted to harassing motorists they could have more of them doing other things.

Turner

God we only had a thread recently that the Gardai were not doing enough checkpoints over Christmas.

Now we have one giving out that they are actually doing checkpoints!!

TheNog

Seriously do ye not realise that people who commit thefts, robberies, burglaries etc use the roads to commit crime or make their escape?????

That is the ultimate reason behind checkpoints. Tax and insurance checks are the least (but still checked) priority.

Also for the poster who is in his 20's and doesnt like "forming opinion", well forming the opinion is in the legislation since before you were born so you might as well get used to it.

Builderfromhell

The point I am making is that while the gardai expend time and resources to catch people driving without tax etc. they do not seem to have the resources or time to tackle on going crime.

This policy seems to be making them more and more unpopular.

I met many people over the Christmas who have had bad experiences when reporting crimes ( no response or very slow response) and then get annoyed when they see loads of Gardai available to enforce traffic laws.

Gary ITR

So what you are saying is you want Gardai to go out and enforce that law once it's not one of the laws you are breaking?

leeroybrown

So what you're saying that you were stopped for non-display of a motor tax disk, proceeded to give them what could have sounded like an excuse and are now pissed off that they didn't just believe you and let you go immediately. Calm down.

Bandara

You should do what I do, I make sure that I have taxed my car, done my nct and have my insurance disk.

Then if I do come to a checkpoint I just get waved through, or at worst spoken to for 5 seconds.

WildOscar

_Conrad_ wrote: »

what i don't like this latest "forming an opinion" thing they can do in order to get you out of the car to do "tests" for drugs, i don't even take drugs, or drink and drive, ever, but being male, in my 20s, a bit unusual myself, and often driving some unusual vehicles, i feel i get more than average attention, and while i don't fear it as i've nothing to hide, i did find myself being breathlised 5 times in one night on a long trip around when that first came in. That pissed me off as it was really frustrating, now some cranky old gard can decided he wants to test you for drugs just because it's his "opinion" you might have taken them.... i'm all for stopping people driving while on any sort of mind altering subatance.... but i'd liek to to be done fairly, but it won't. anyway, back to tax....


it would take a the tax being out quite a while for the car to be seized anyway, so that statement was a bit much, and sometimes you just cant have it bang up to date, i keep it in line as much as i can, but with things as they are now, sometimes it's going to end up being a month out or something that's just the way it gos.

It is true that you're supposed to have tax and nct up to date but it doesnt always work out that way and i have to agree with builderfromhell that there is a lot of manpower and time spent on tax/speed checks etc and more could/should be spent on keeping ordinary people safe as they go about their business on the streets, or occasionally patrolling areas with high rates of car theft/robberies/people being jumped and things like that. Instead i see many gards standing around at check points but not when you want one to appear when you see some young lad getting kicked around the street or people giving abuse to/threatening staff in shops and fast food places at night, or shouting racist abuse at an elderly muslim gentleman as i saw recently at 7 o'clock on a sunday evening in a "respectable" area

why not tax and nct your car like we all have to do or else do not have it on the road. Or is there one law for you and one for the rest of us?

Builderfromhell

Builderfromhell wrote: »

On the last occasion I told the Gardai that I was going to collect my daughter at 2.00am as she had rang me and said it was an emergency. The Gardai were not in the least interested and kept me there asking about my out of date tax disc. .

Was it a genuine emergency ? If so she should have rang 999 not you.

langdang

Hammertime wrote: »

You should do what I do, I make sure that I have taxed my car, done my nct and have my insurance disk.

And try not to look like you're on drugs, or on your way to buy or sell drugs

Hammertime wrote: »

Then if I do come to a checkpoint I just get waved through, or at worst spoken to for 5 seconds.

stevenmu

Builderfromhell wrote: »

The next time you are being assaulted or your property robbed think how the gardai are too busy at check points to respond.

Builderfromhell wrote: »

The point I am making is that while the gardai expend time and resources to catch people driving without tax etc. they do not seem to have the resources or time to tackle on going crime.

If people didn't drive without tax, insurance and NCTs then the Gardaí wouldn't need to spend any time and resources tackling them. Maybe you should consider this next time you decide to not tax your car.

tobsey

I disagree with the OP in that the Guards should be checking for insurance and to a lesser extent tax on as many vehicles as possible. I'd expect them to allow a few weeks grace on tax but I'd feel a lot safer on the roads if uninsured drivers were pulled straight out of their cars as soon as they were seen.

In saying that I found it laughable that the guards released a statement saying that speeding and drink driving were down over the holiday period. I didn't see a single check point or speed trap over the Christmas break. I know that the weather played a big factor in that the traffic corps had other things to deal with and they didn't want to add to the carnage with checkpoints, but to try to say that the reduction in numbers caught was down to a change in attitudes rather than a lack of police presence is a joke.

conorby

Builderfromhell wrote: »

I expected the Gardai to be out after the long spell of ice, snow and fog.
Sure enough I have been stopped 3 times in the last few days. On the last occasion I told the Gardai that I was going to collect my daughter at 2.00am as she had rang me and said it was an emergency. The Gardai were not in the least interested and kept me there asking about my out of date tax disc.

I have met many people over the Christmas who have said they are really p****d off with the amount of Gardai time and personell spent checking for tax and insurance and how little seem to be available for keeping our towns and Cities safe.

Arguably we should all have up to date documentation but why are other crimes deemed less important to police. The next time you are being assaulted or your property robbed think how the gardai are too busy at check points to respond.

And as you were on your way to collect your daughter at 2.00 am is it possible the Guard was stopping people going the other direction with the intention of breaking into people like yours homes??

Dempo1

Interesting Thread all the more by what i perceive as a disappearance act by the traffic corps since the intro of these ludicrous speed detection vans. During the cold spell i could not help but notice zero presence, in fact to my amazement, i observed a number of traffic corps vehicles nicely parked up, snug as rugs at Tullamore Garda station. The light covering of snow on said vehicles suggested these vehicles had not been used or moved in quite a while. They remained parked up over the Christmas and then low and behold, there all over the place this week albeit two bizarre sitings this week.

Just outside Kinnitty in offaly, i came across one car parked up in a ditch, its occupants relaxing with seats back and enjoying a well deserved fag.

This morning on the M4, i thought i was seeing things, a Garda Car parked up on its designated ramp, on driving past, i had to look twice! No one in the car and certainly no Garda away from the car. I was dropping someone to the airport, it was quite early so on the way back in full day light i decided to look again from the opposite side of the road and low an behold, no Garda in or around the car. This was at least a two hour window and i thought have they now resorted to parking up empty cars on the motorways. Jesus i can just see the head lines, abandoned Garda car set alight by mindless thugs. I was almost going to report the car stolen!

Its a complete Joke and you can almost time the corps to be out doing check points, namely the start of the month or if the weather is good, god bless them!

conorby

conorby wrote: »

is it possible the Guard was stopping people going the other direction with the intention of breaking into people like yours homes??

Highly unlikely really

man.about.town

Builderfromhell wrote: »

I met many people over the Christmas who have had bad experiences when reporting crimes ( no response or very slow response) and then get annoyed when they see loads of Gardai available to enforce traffic laws.

you need to get a life mate, when i meet friends/loved ones over christmas, the last thing i talk about is the gardai.. i much rather converse in how there doing and catch up

if they didnt enforce the traffic laws, there would be far more road deaths/drink drivers etc... at a checkpoint, i ersume there not just checking tax but everything aswell

conorby

RoverJames wrote: »

Highly unlikely really

I can't see how it is unlikely. The gurriers need transport to travel so are you saying that a car of thieves will be waved through and someone else with their tax out of date by a few weeks will get the third degree.? Nonsense.

amiable

conorby wrote: »

I can't see how it is unlikely. The gurriers need transport to travel so are you saying that a car of thieves will be waved through and someone else with their tax out of date by a few weeks will get the third degree.? Nonsense.

I think the point that poster was making unsurprisingly went right over your head

conorby

conorby wrote: »

I can't see how it is unlikely. The gurriers need transport to travel so are you saying that a car of thieves will be waved through and someone else with their tax out of date by a few weeks will get the third degree.? Nonsense.

A car full of "thieves" looks a lot like a car full of non "thieves", they won't be crusing around wearing ballys If they have tax, insurance etc that is all fine there is no reason why they wouldn't be waved on compared to a chap that has expired tax. If they are asked where they are going etc a polite reply saying they are out for a lash of fast food would no dount suffice.

As somone else pointed out, you completely missed the point :pac:

MaryDub

They seem to be all over since the New Year. Making up for lost time with the bad weather.

conorby

amiable wrote: »

I think the point that poster was making unsurprisingly went right over your head

I was replying to the ridiculous statement quoted, not the original post.

TwoShedsJackson

MaryDub wrote: »

They seem to be all over since the New Year. Making up for lost time with the bad weather.

Which is pretty understandable, no?

Dempo1

TwoShedsJackson wrote: »

Which is pretty understandable, no?

Yes, no doubt those cash revenue quota's are way down!

BlackWizard

I got flashed by a Van today. 2 points and 80 euro fine

I was driving on Chapelizod Rd. when I had to overtake someone doing 50kph. I sped up to about 85kph and while over taking I see the Garda van through my right window

I finished overtaking and got flashed.

The Garda van was actually facing me. So the front of the van must have a speed detector on it? I actually thought only the back of them vans had it.

conorby

conorby wrote: »

I was replying to the ridiculous statement quoted, not the original post.

My statement was ridiculous ? Class, coming from someone who reckons car full of thieves are somehow distinguishable by the Gardai :pac:

gofaster_s13

RoverJames wrote: »

My statement was ridiculous ? Class, coming from someone who reckons car full of thieves are somehow distinguishable by the Gardai :pac:

A lot of the Gaurds would be familiar with the "likely lads" in an area so in that respect they are somewhat distinguishable.

JerCotter7

Hammertime wrote: »

You should do what I do, I make sure that I have taxed my car, done my nct and have my insurance disk.

Then if I do come to a checkpoint I just get waved through, or at worst spoken to for 5 seconds.

Wouldn't stop them. They still find something to complain about. Even with my insurance policy on me I still got asked to hand that and my licence into my local garda station.

gofaster_s13

I'd hate to think how many people would risk driving a car uninsured if there were no checkpoints considering how many people drive uninsured when there is a small risk of being stopped.

SC024

Them there some hiiiigggggghhhhhhh horses....

Brabus

BlackWizard wrote: »

I got flashed by a Van today. 2 points and 80 euro fine

I was driving on Chapelizod Rd. when I had to overtake someone doing 50kph. I sped up to about 85kph and while over taking I see the Garda van through my right window

I finished overtaking and got flashed.

The Garda van was actually facing me.
So the front of the van must have a speed detector on it?
I actually thought only the back of them vans had it.

Depends on where they are positioned, if on a relatively straight stretch of road they can read from both directions.

Or what could happen is to time it in such a way so that if the speed van is on the opposite side of the road, then as you pass use an oncoming car as a shield, so that it can't read you're reg. number.

However, if you're under the speed limit then there's nothing to worry about.

ardmacha

However, if you're under the speed limit then there's nothing to worry about.

The poster wasn't though. He had to overtake, apparently.

slimjimmc

BlackWizard wrote: »

I got flashed by a Van today. 2 points and 80 euro fine

I was driving on Chapelizod Rd. when I had to overtake someone doing 50kph. I sped up to about 85kph and while over taking I see the Garda van through my right window

I finished overtaking and got flashed.

The Garda van was actually facing me. So the front of the van must have a speed detector on it? I actually thought only the back of them vans had it.

There's probably only a rearward facing detector in the back but it sounds like you were still doing well over the speed limit (50kph/60kph?) when you passed the back of the van and that would have triggered the camera (assuming it measures speed in either direction).

Rodin

tobsey wrote: »

I disagree with the OP in that the Guards should be checking for insurance and to a lesser extent tax on as many vehicles as possible. I'd expect them to allow a few weeks grace on tax but I'd feel a lot safer on the roads if uninsured drivers were pulled straight out of their cars as soon as they were seen.

In saying that I found it laughable that the guards released a statement saying that speeding and drink driving were down over the holiday period. I didn't see a single check point or speed trap over the Christmas break. I know that the weather played a big factor in that the traffic corps had other things to deal with and they didn't want to add to the carnage with checkpoints, but to try to say that the reduction in numbers caught was down to a change in attitudes rather than a lack of police presence is a joke.

A few weeks grace? You get a year.

Berty

This thread is a disaster. It screams of people having a rant about what the Gardai do or should be doing.

This is surely not the correct pulpit or forum for this rant.

-Corkie-

Berty wrote: »

This thread is a disaster. It screams of people having a rant about what the Gardai do or should be doing.

This is surely not the correct pulpit or forum for this rant.

Exactly R&R or Emergency services..

brightspark

JerCotter7 wrote: »

Wouldn't stop them. They still find something to complain about. Even with my insurance policy on me I still got asked to hand that and my licence into my local garda station.

Isn't it an offence not to carry your licence now?

JerCotter7

brightspark wrote: »

Isn't it an offence not to carry your licence now?

No idea. I had that too. Always do. But needing to have your insurance policy is a joke when you have a disc.

brightspark

The sooner we have an ANPR system similar to the UK the better, that way they could just scan the numberplates as the cars pass and automatically check that tax and insurance are up to date.

Also the UK system of automatically issuing a fine for late payment of tax, followed by confiscation of the car would encourage prompt renewals

Berty

We have the ANPR system in Ireland for quite a while now. Many Traffic Corps vehicles have it and its fairly noticable on the rear shelf of the boot.

Crann na Beatha

This post has been deleted.

Obaraten

Obaraten wrote: »

another Garda bashing thread....how original

Funny think is all they did was question a chap about his expired tax despite his so called emergency (which I would guess was f all of an emergency really). I like a good Garda bashing thread myself but only when there is a bit of justification.

Gary ITR

And on that note I'm gonna lock this thread up