Does Garda have to pull me over?

Upc23

Hi, I was driving earlier on in the bus lane, I saw a Garda on the footpath beside the road, he stepped out closer to the road when he seen me and stared at the car, I immediately moved into the normal lane, when I checked my mirror he was looking at the rear of the car, and probably seen my reg, however I wasn't pulled over as he was on foot and I was travelling about 50 km/hr, can I expect a notice in the post, or does he have to pull me over if I am to receive it? All feedback appreciated, thanks.

kildare.17hmr

you broke the law and ask if the gards have the right to stop you??? that would be a yes in most countries:rolleyes: just stay out of bus lanes unless your driving a bus!*



*or a taxi

GavMan

Upc23 wrote: »

Hi, I was driving earlier on in the bus lane, I saw a Garda on the footpath beside the road, he stepped out closer to the road when he seen me and stared at the car, I immediately moved into the normal lane, when I checked my mirror he was looking at the rear of the car, and probably seen my reg, however I wasn't pulled over as he was on foot and I was travelling about 50 km/hr, can I expect a notice in the post, or does he have to pull me over if I am to receive it? All feedback appreciated, thanks.

I'd imagine he has to prove you were in the bus lane. Unless it was recorded by a traffic cam somewhere, I don't think you can be done for it

Our man in Havana

Uh no!

The Garda's verbal evidence is enough.

Stevie Dakota

Upc23 wrote: »

All feedback appreciated, thanks.

Here you go, people like you piss me off. In the bus lane, then pulling back into the proper lane when think you're going to get busted. And before you start trying to explain why you were in the bus lane I'm not interested.

28064212

kildare.17hmr wrote: »

you broke the law and ask if the gards have the right to stop you???

Ehhh no, that's not what they asked at all

OP, as far as I know, no, you don't have to be pulled over, you could still get the fine in the post

kildare.17hmr

28064212 wrote: »

Ehhh no, that's not what they asked at all

OP, as far as I know, no, you don't have to be pulled over, you could still get the fine in the post

ah i had to read it again sorry!!

Still stand by the rest of my post, stay out of the bus lanes!!

Oral Surgeon

Lads, take it easy on him, he didn't murder anyone...
Op, I think he can write you up without stopping you- just depends on if he has the time to do all the paperwork or if there is something more important to do...
Don't be bold again.;)

bmstuff

Our man in Havana wrote: »

Uh no!

The Garda's verbal evidence is enough.

Usually yes but you would be surprised at the number of cases stroke out of court because the Gardai failed to provide enough evidence.
I have seen a lot of cases being stroke out, like a guy reading a newspaper while driving. Plus it was a fixed penalty anyway and the Gardai did not know that. Shocking.

K nacker

Upc23 wrote: »

Hi, I was driving earlier on in the bus lane, I saw a Garda on the footpath beside the road, he stepped out closer to the road when he seen me and stared at the car, I immediately moved into the normal lane, when I checked my mirror he was looking at the rear of the car, and probably seen my reg, however I wasn't pulled over as he was on foot and I was travelling about 50 km/hr, can I expect a notice in the post, or does he have to pull me over if I am to receive it? All feedback appreciated, thanks.

Upc23, your Michael O'leary are ya?

phill106

Upc23 wrote: »

Hi, I was driving earlier on in the bus lane, I saw a Garda on the footpath beside the road, he stepped out closer to the road when he seen me and stared at the car, I immediately moved into the normal lane, when I checked my mirror he was looking at the rear of the car, and probably seen my reg, however I wasn't pulled over as he was on foot and I was travelling about 50 km/hr, can I expect a notice in the post, or does he have to pull me over if I am to receive it? All feedback appreciated, thanks.

No you will be perfectly fine.
As long as you were driving a bus.

keithclancy

Was the bus lane even in operation at the time.

Its great around cork, nobody realises alot of them aren't 24 hours

tfitzgerald

You don't have to be stopped he can still send you a summons in the post but I would say for something like that you should be ok

NuMarvel

OP, most bus lanes operate from 7am to 7pm, and some operate on a 24 hour basis. However, there are also some that have much shorter operating hours, e.g. 7am to 10am and 4pm to 7pm. The times vary around the country, but outside of the listed times, the bus lane is a normal lane and can be used by all traffic.

Next time you're in the area, have a look at the sign at the start of the bus lane to see what times are listed, because you might actually have been okay to use the lane.

As others have said, you don't need to be pulled over to be issued with a ticket. One thing that's peculiar is that he doesn't seem to have actually made a motion to stop you. I know that stepping out in front of a car isn't exactly an invitation to keep going either, but it's odd that he didn't raise his hand, or beckon for you to pull over once you entered the other lane.

In any case, it could be worse. I've seen a Garda trying to stop a young driver (L plate on the car) who was using a bus lane, and the Garda had to jump back onto the footpath or get mown down. Who knows what that driver was written up for .

Upc23

Thanks it was a 7 to 7 lane he didn't beckon me to pull over as he only seen me at the last second but looked like he was on the verge of doing so...

biko

Sometimes they just stare at you sternly hoping that you won't do it again.

needadvi

kildare.17hmr wrote: »

you broke the law and ask if the gards have the right to stop you??? that would be a yes in most countries:rolleyes: just stay out of bus lanes unless your driving a bus!*



*or a taxi

I thought bus lanes were for taxis and buses? Isn't that in the theory book?

Also it depends on what time you were driving in the bus lane at, some bus lanes are free to be driven on at certain times.

I'd say your just worrying about nothing, just know the rules of the road in future so you don't end up panicking.

Mar4ix

He saw that you pull in to proper line, and he understood that you were frightened enough to learn from your mistakes.
Garda is not punishing instance, there are for guiding and teaching drivers, not to catch and fine. (at least professional and experienced Garda)
In my native country police officers have to show paperwork to bosses of number fined drivers every day, which show high working efforts,... and i think that's not right.
I like how Garda is working in Ireland, and I found it effective.

si_guru

keithclancy wrote: »

Was the bus lane even in operation at the time.

Its great around cork, nobody realises alot of them aren't 24 hours

I always use the one coming down from the airport - the hours are tiny on it but nobody ever uses it.

Even if you legally use a bus lane it is often marked by a solid line - you cannot cross that - so OP, you broke two laws!

Marcusm

I'm surprised that no one has pointed out that not only can you drive in the bus lane outside the operating hours but that you can get penalty points and a fine unless you drive in the bus lane! Outside the operating hours it's the left lane and you must use it! I regularly arrive from the airport to Whitehall Church at 7pm on a Friday evening and the evil stares I get from people queued in lane 2 are unbelievable. Most of them don't realise that they are the ones breaking the law not me!

corktina

si_guru wrote: »

I always use the one coming down from the airport - the hours are tiny on it but nobody ever uses it.

Even if you legally use a bus lane it is often marked by a solid line - you cannot cross that - so OP, you broke two laws!

that particular solid white line is not a solid white line in the way you mean. Its just marking the bus lane when it IS a bus lane as defined by the plates.At all other times its a normal lane (with no solid line)

YouTookMyName

biko wrote: »

Sometimes they just stare at you sternly hoping that you won't do it again.

I don't know why, i really don't, but reading that reminded me of this.

Jp900

ive recently being pulled over by the gardai in an unmarked car for being over the speed limit but they did not take my name, details or details off my driving licence. he just told me to slow down. is there any chance i can be fined and given penalty points/

Our man in Havana

No. Now slow down.