Rude Garda at Checkpoint

anewme

I was stopped at a Garda Checkpoint this evening and I feel the Garda was unnecessarily rude to me and my elderly mother in his approach. Basically he spoke to me in a rude, hostile and condescending manner. His stance was extremely aggressive.

Do I have any comeback? I did not get his number or name.

-Corkie-

anewme wrote: »

I was stopped at a Garda Checkpoint this evening and I feel the Garda was unnecessarily rude to me and my elderly mother in his approach. Basically he spoke to me in a rude, hostile and condescending manner.

Do I have any comeback? I did not get his number or name.

How dare he/she....:)

Jimbob 83

anewme wrote: »

I was stopped at a Garda Checkpoint this evening and I feel the Garda was unnecessarily rude to me and my elderly mother in his approach. Basically he spoke to me in a rude, hostile and condescending manner. His stance was extremely aggressive.

Do I have any comeback? I did not get his number or name.

If at any time you ask him for his number he has to supply it to you, probably just a young guard with personal issues and allowing it to spill over into his/her job which isn't very professional

El Inho

anewme wrote: »

I was stopped at a Garda Checkpoint this evening and I feel the Garda was unnecessarily rude to me and my elderly mother in his approach. Basically he spoke to me in a rude, hostile and condescending manner. His stance was extremely aggressive.

Do I have any comeback? I did not get his number or name.

well i would imagine you should prepare yourself for some more rude replies...

its easy say "its easy to be nice" but to be honest i dont believe this should be extended to guards. they do a hard job and deal with people like you all day thinking they should be rolling out the red carpet :P

jeez forget about it like..if this is the worst thing that happens on your drive be a happy person.

Guy:Incognito

anewme wrote: »

Do I have any comeback?

Yes, your entitled to a refund.

mikemac

Poor lamb

Since you don't have the garda's number you can call the local station and work with the sergeant.

CiniO

I don't think it's required by law, that garda has to be pleasant.
It's just there is nothing stopping them from being rude.
If someone is nice - fair play to him, but he doesn't have to be nice.

El Inho

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

Yes, your entitled to a refund.

invoked an immediate laugh in the form of a tsssss from me...well done sir/madam

flyingsnail

Out of curiosity, what did he say to you?

-Corkie-

CiniO wrote: »

I don't think it's required by law, that garda has to be pleasant.
It's just there is nothing stopping them from being rude.
If someone is nice - fair play to him, but he doesn't have to be nice.

I met a very plesant Ban Garda today, I wish I met a rude one because she gave me two points and a fine....:mad:

Oh well I deserved it..

coylemj

Regulations say that the Garda has to show 'due' courtesy to a member of the public. I guess 'due' courtesy means that the Garda doesn't have to be courteous to a complete asshole who is drunk and disorderly or who is throwing shapes.

If the Garda isn't being anything like courteous and you want to report the incident, you need to first make sure that the Garda is finished his/her business with you, you establish this by explicitly asking them - 'Garda, are we done and can I go now?'.

As soon as they say 'yes', ask them for their district number. If they give you sh1t at that stage you need to be very polite but firm, they must give you their name and number.

Jimbob 83

CiniO wrote: »

I don't think it's required by law, that garda has to be pleasant.
It's just there is nothing stopping them from being rude.
If someone is nice - fair play to him, but he doesn't have to be nice.

They do have to be professional however and if they are too focused on being a **** they will miss things it is their job to be aware of rather than lording authority over somebody

dr.fuzzenstein

I bet it's been a while since he had one:

mal1

Sleep on it. I wouldn't bother wasting time doing anything about it. Meet rude people all the time and some gardai are especially good at it.

Wolfe Tone

Next time get their name or number and make a complaint.

El Inho

coylemj wrote: »

For future reference, you need to first make sure that the Garda is finished his/her business with you, you establish this by explicitly asking them - 'Garda, are we done and can I go now?'.

As soon as they say 'yes', ask them for their district number. If they give you sh1t at that stage you need to be very polite but firm, they must give you their name and number.

i totally agree if a guard is out of order....

but i dont encourage any fuss being made in the event of a guard being "rude" and or "condescending"....

silly silliness is what that is!

milehip1

eldwaro wrote: »

its easy say "its easy to be nice" but to be honest i dont believe this should be extended to guards. they do a hard job and deal with people like you all day thinking they should be rolling out the red carpet :P
.

Dead right you are! they should have used Magnum Force and gone Dirty Harry on the pair of them:rolleyes:

El Inho

milehip1 wrote: »

Dead right you are! they should have used Magnum Force and gone Dirty Harry on the pair of them:rolleyes:

haha feck it why not!

ah no, i just think this whole lark hangs over with me from retail..like people are people and you can catch them on a bad day...and rather than being a fellow person, people just go looking for ways to dig away at them...

man i said people and person a lot to make my point.

mal1

Wolfe Tone wrote: »

Next time get their name or number and make a complaint.

To me it would have to be something especially rude or offensive to justify a complaint. Everyone has a bad day and it's someone career we are talking about here. Being condescending just isn't enough in my opinion. It's a big bad world out there, get over it would be my advice.

bladebrew

as above what did he say??

i always get stopped in the same place at a checkpoint in cork, garda looks at tax, nct, insurance disk, and waves me on,
there is more to this story!

Doublechinlolz

Jimbob 83 wrote: »

probably just a young guard with personal issues and allowing it to spill over into his/her job which isn't very professional

I love how it can automatically be assumed he/she was young and had troubles :rolleyes:

milehip1

[QUOTE=mal1;73929652 Everyone has a bad day and it's someone career we are talking about here. [/QUOTE]

Perhaps if this is a common occurence they are in the wrong career. Plus the're unlikely to get ****canned over one complaint.

anewme

MarkD09 wrote: »

I love how it can automatically be assumed he/she was young and had troubles :rolleyes:

Well, to be honest, as the OP, this is what I thought as I cannot fathom any other reason for his odd approach.

Basically, I approach a checkpoint for tax and insurance.

I have both.

He beckons to me to roll down the window and says something like...."in future when you approach a Garda Checkpoint, do not look to the left or to the right"

It was not what was said but HOW it was said.

He ranted on, but that was the jist of his complaint.

By the way, anyone who thinks it is acceptable to be rude to any member of the public in the course of their daily job is way off the mark and should not be in their job. Treat others as you would like to be treated. To the person that says he comes up against "people like you" I wonder what you mean by that, I have never put a foot wrong in my life and believe respect should go both ways.


Few people I said it to said he did not like to see two women in a "nice" car in a working class area, but I thought we had gone past all that.

Doublechinlolz

anewme wrote: »

Well, to be honest, as the OP, this is what I thought as I cannot fathom any other reason for his odd approach.

Basically, I approach a checkpoint for tax and insurance.

I have both.

He beckons to me to roll down the window and says something like...."in future when you approach a Garda Checkpoint, do not look to the left or to the right"

It was not what was said but HOW it was said.

He ranted on, but that was the jist of his complaint.

By the way, anyone who thinks it is acceptable to be rude to any member of the public in the course of their daily job is way off the mark and should not be in their job. Treat others as you would like to be treated. To the person that says he comes up against "people like you" I wonder what you mean by that, I have never put a foot wrong in my life and believe respect should go both ways.


Few people I said it to said he did not like to see two women in a "nice" car in a working class area, but I thought we had gone past all that.

I guess it's alright for you to think it as you actually saw him, but this guy just assumes it's a young lad straight away? Smh.

mal1

milehip1 wrote: »

Perhaps if this is a common occurence they are in the wrong career. Plus the're unlikely to get ****canned over one complaint.

Perhaps not.

It was the OP's saturday evening off but another day at work for the garda. You never had a bad day at work? I do and it doesn't mean I'm in the wrong career

anewme

Monty. wrote: »

Methinks we are not being given the full story here.

I have no idea why you would think that.. I have put things exactly as they happened.

I said nothing by the way. It was a rather odd exchange.

Also in regard to him being a young lad, he was 30's or 40's, same as myself. But I am inclined to agree with the people who think it was someone having a bad day.

anewme

MarkD09 wrote: »

I guess it's alright for you to think it as you actually saw him, but this guy just assumes it's a young lad straight away? Smh.

No was not a young lad....late 30's early 40's, same as myself, but definintely not in good form and nothing to do with me.:)

By the way, whether a Garda works Saturday or not, is totally irrelevant, if I work Saturday, I get a day off during the week, not sure why anyone would think if you work Saturday, you hav toe more reasons accost members of the public over nothing!

mal1

anewme wrote: »

By the way, anyone who thinks it is acceptable to be rude to any member of the public in the course of their daily job is way off the mark and should not be in their job. Treat others as you would like to be treated.

You're missing the argument. Nobody is saying it is acceptable or unacceptable. It's clearly wrong and i don't think there's a post here that says otherwise. You just have to give give it a little perspective.

staker

Am I within my rights to tell the Garda at a checkpoint that I'm recording the conversation and activate the recording on my phone then?

If I didn't ask,would my recording be held as "evidence"?

El Inho

MarkD09 wrote: »

I love how it can automatically be assumed he/she was young and had troubles :rolleyes:

I like to imagine the scenario of the OP rolling up to a checkpoint smoking while throwing bottles of whiskey out the window, driving over the guards toe, before vomiting on him and being let on their way...

OP then wakes up hours later hung over, remembers ordeal and posts here.

-Chris-

Can we try and restrict this thread to responding to the OP's request - does she have comeback without name and number, and how does she make a complaint (presuming she still wants to make one and hasn't moved on from the incident)?

General Garda-bashing won't be tolerated.

El Inho

staker wrote: »

Am I within my rights to tell the Garda at a checkpoint that I'm recording the conversation and activate the recording on my phone then?

If I didn't ask,would my recording be held as "evidence"?

i hope you joking or ive lost all hope!

to the OP, welcome to the big bad world where people wont always be nice...im in uni...the admin often get a good bitch from me...but i do understand there dealin with **** all day an im just another piece!

big bad world!

niceoneted

Slightly off topic but as you are talking about dealing with the public and keeping a level head so to speak, I must add to it.
I work with the public meeting hundreds of people every day. there are signs where I work to say that no mobile phones are to be used. The amount of people that are chatting away on them when they are dealign with me it unreal. totally rude if you ask me. Also there is a queue system and the amount of people that are queue beyond where they should and invade other peoples space is unreal. If you challenge them or ask them to step back most take offense. It's just pure rude. If I raise my voice to ask them - because it is the 20th time I had to do it all day - I'm accused of overreacting! Go figure.

anewme

eldwaro wrote: »

I like to imagine the scenario of the OP rolling up to a checkpoint smoking while throwing bottles of whiskey out the window, driving over the guards toe, before vomiting on him and being let on their way...

OP then wakes up hours later hung over, remembers ordeal and posts here.

Yes, Eldwaro, maybe that is your ideal scenario. You like to imagine, best of luck to you. I have never smoked a day in my life and have never drank whisky, (only the odd Chardonnay) and would NEVER drink and drive!!! The Gardai dont even know I exist!

Perhaps it is easier than accepting that a member of the Gardai was unnecessarily rude to two women who happenened to be stopped at a checkpoint while I was doing the good deed for the week (taking my pensioner Mum shopping)!!! Really deserved a good talking to!

Anyway, thanks to those of you who offered a real perspective.

More annoyed that he upset my Mum than anything else. Love my Mum and try to do my best for her. Any of you who have wives or Mum in Laws would understand I am sure!

Still say no need for rudeness but perhaps I am a bit old fashioned! More I think about it - rise above it is the way to go. Life's too short.

Merch

eldwaro wrote: »

i hope you joking or ive lost all hope!

to the OP, welcome to the big bad world where people wont always be nice...im in uni...the admin often get a good bitch from me...but i do understand there dealin with **** all day an im just another piece!

big bad world!

why? you're a Garda? that didnt answer the question that person posed either,
there is no need for Gardai to be rude to people, they needc to be professional and courteous, people respond to that better than being barked at or spoken down to.

staker

eldwaro wrote: »

i hope you joking or ive lost all hope!

I'm interested in the legal stance on recordings, I've been in the same predicament as the OP and while I've met many courteous polite Garda,there was one who in my view was downright rude and arrogant through no provocation of mine.
I did take his shoulder number and wrote it down on a piece of paper in his full view.Never followed up on it though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPISMWa0SMU

it's all down to the training - "Lose the hatithude"!

anewme

eldwaro wrote: »

i hope you joking or ive lost all hope!

to the OP, welcome to the big bad world where people wont always be nice...im in uni...the admin often get a good bitch from me...but i do understand there dealin with **** all day an im just another piece!

big bad world!

Elwaro, ....if you think you are a piece of ****, then you might as well forget about it.

I'm not and dont allow anyone to treat me like I am.

Even though I never went to uni, I've lived in the big bad world for 41 years now, I've survived 2 recessions (this one being the worst) and I am grateful every day that I have a good job and pay my mortgage. I work hard and deal with members of the public, some of whom are nice and some of whom are not so nice.

I dont want to fight with people. On a Saturday, I want to take my Mum shopping and make sure she is set up for the week. I dont want people to be rude to me for no reason.

Am a big believer in "paying it forward" - ie treat others with respect and it will come back at you.

Has worked for me so far and have no reason to change.

anewme

staker wrote: »

I'm interested in the legal stance on recordings, I've been in the same predicament as the OP and while I've met many courteous polite Garda,there was one who in my view was downright rude and arrogant through no provocation of mine.
I did take his shoulder number and wrote it down on a piece of paper in his full view.Never followed up on it though.

Staker, this is exactly how I feel, though I am not interested in recording anyone, etc.

Have met many lovely Gardai, but this one was not. My question is can I report him, even though I have not got his number.

I am annoyed that I did not take his number.

Spoke to my Mum this evening and she's upset. That's annoyed me more than anything.

Also, people thinking there is more to the incident than was said. I've said everything that happened. It was very odd.

I think the best advice I have go is to leave it go and just put him down as a bit of a crank. Says more about him.

My fault for not taking the number, but will be more alert the next time. I just did not expect someone to be rude for no reason and got a bit of a shock I suppose.

Nonoperational

Every so often I read things that really make me question how peoples' minds operate.

It's not nice that the guard was a bit rude to you that's fair enough. Personally I'd forget about it and move on. It's not nice, professional or necessary but sometimes it happens.
But the mentality of someone approaching a check point and activating a recorder so they can have evidence of the guards bad manners is sickening. If I was the guard I'd be sure to do you for using a phone while driving first and I'd have no problem with you recording me telling you the fine and points you'll receive. Are we loosing all perspective on things altogether?

staker

gpf101 wrote: »

But the mentality of someone approaching a check point and activating a recorder so they can have evidence of the guards bad manners is sickening. If I was the guard I'd be sure to do you for using a phone while driving first and I'd have no problem with you recording me telling you the fine and points you'll receive. Are we loosing all perspective on things altogether?

You need to read my post again.
If you were a Garda you could not "do" me as my car would be stationary.

anewme

gpf101 wrote: »

Every so often I read things that really make me question how peoples' minds operate.

It's not nice that the guard was a bit rude to you that's fair enough. Personally I'd forget about it and move on. It's not nice, professional or necessary but sometimes it happens.
But the mentality of someone approaching a check point and activating a recorder so they can have evidence of the guards bad manners is sickening. If I was the guard I'd be sure to do you for using a phone while driving first and I'd have no problem with you recording me telling you the fine and points you'll receive. Are we loosing all perspective on things altogether?

Hi, I've never said I was interested in recording anyone. I have a busy job and busy weekend and just want to enjoy my time off and not fight with anyone.

My only question is - this person was unnecessarily rude to me and my Mum. He was unprofessional in his role and I feel even now that he was abusing his authority for no reason. I had done nothing that warranted him speaking to me like that.

I have two options, either forget about it and put him down as a narky individual or report him.

My only question isl

Is there anything I can do about this, given that I do not have his name or number?

That is the only question I am asking!

Cicero

anewme wrote: »

I did not get his number or name.

as Steely Dan used to say "Ricky don't lose that number"....:(

anewme

Cicero wrote: »

as Steely Dan used to say "Ricky don't lose that number"....:(

And maybe that's the crux of it....:):)

staker

anewme wrote: »

And maybe that's the crux of it....:):)

Unfortunately so anewme. Hope your mother isn't too upset,put it down to experience imo.

BostonB

gpf101 wrote: »

Every so often I read things that really make me question how peoples' minds operate.

It's not nice that the guard was a bit rude to you that's fair enough. Personally I'd forget about it and move on. It's not nice, professional or necessary but sometimes it happens.

Letting things slide can become a bad habit. Something we do too much in this country. We don't complain half enough, and then not in the correct way. That said I've not had an experience where it was worthwhile complaining about these kinda things.

gpf101 wrote: »

But the mentality of someone approaching a check point and activating a recorder so they can have evidence of the guards bad manners is sickening. ...

I don't really get why its sickening. It a bit like personal CCTV. Perhaps if you've never had any problems, or the desire to have some backup in the even of a dispute, you might think its overkill, but sickening?

Monty.

anewme wrote: »

He beckons to me to roll down the window and says something like...."in future when you approach a Garda Checkpoint, do not look to the left or to the right"

He ranted on, but that was the jist of his complaint.

1. Why were you looking around you when driving towards him ?
2. You say he "ranted on" - rather than a “jist”, what else did he actually say ?

El Inho

im not a guard no....but i respect them and the job they do to protect us...

they see a side of ireland and everyday people noone else does, and they have to witness horrible crime scenes and often have to deal with this for years...

sure its their job...and they signed up for it, but ill allow them the freedom to abuse the ****e outta me if it means we live in a safer place...

im just tired of snooty people coming on here thinking...that guard was rude to me...i shall have his/her badge revoked!

they dont work in a damn shop, they arent giving you your shirts or your underwear....they are protecting you. and i would believe much more likely that your approach to the checkpoint was incorrect...ie dont look left or right as you could run the copper over as they inspect your veh-hickle.

so...the next time you see a copper in the street doing their job..even just patrolling...how about you go up and say thanks...

you were quick enough to bitch about them 'doing their job wrong' here.

END RANT

anewme

Monty. wrote: »

1. Why were you looking around you when driving towards him ?
2. You say he "ranted on" - rather than a “jist”, what else did he actually say ?

I was not looking anywhere, I was getting ready to turn left into an Estate....a route that I have taken many times over the years to drop my mam home.

You will have to excuse me, but I dont remember exactly the words he said, as the whole incident was out of the blue, and i did not have a recorder but his opener was "dont look left and right or around you coming up to a checkpoint. In future, you need to know this. Right? That seemed to be his issue. Also, I mentioned, his tone of voice was very aggressive.

I did not think it was illegal to look left or right. I always look in my mirrors before stopping. Will also say that I am driving almost 20 years and have not had any accidents, thank God.

He had his sunglasses on and was facing into sun as did I and how he could see where I was looking is beyond me.

Monty.

anewme wrote: »

You will have to excuse me, but I dont remember exactly the words he said, as the whole incident was out of the blue, and i did not have a recorder but his opener was "dont look left and right or around you coming up to a checkpoint. In future, you need to know this. Right? That seemed to be his issue. Also, I mentioned, his tone of voice was very aggressive.

Then I don't blame him one bit for being annoyed with you.
He's standing in the middle of the road and you're driving a 1.5 ton vehicle towards him, yet your looking around you instead of straight ahead. Do you get it yet ?

anewme

eldwaro wrote: »

im not a guard no....but i respect them and the job they do to protect us...

they see a side of ireland and everyday people noone else does, and they have to witness horrible crime scenes and often have to deal with this for years...

sure its their job...and they signed up for it, but ill allow them the freedom to abuse the ****e outta me if it means we live in a safer place...

im just tired of snooty people coming on here thinking...that guard was rude to me...i shall have his/her badge revoked!

they dont work in a damn shop, they arent giving you your shirts or your underwear....they are protecting you. and i would believe much more likely that your approach to the checkpoint was incorrect...ie dont look left or right as you could run the copper over as they inspect your veh-hickle.

so...the next time you see a copper in the street doing their job..even just patrolling...how about you go up and say thanks...

you were quick enough to bitch about them 'doing their job wrong' here.

END RANT

Hi, you have basically accused me of being snooty and lying about what happened and its not on, sorry!

I've never said I wanted anyone's badge revoked, I've said that someone was rude to me in the capacity of their profession, which is unacceptable and asked if there is anything I can do about it,

I dont allow anyone to "abuse the **** out of me", and perhaps you should not either!