Garda Damaged My Car

pioter2k

Hello,

I've been stopped on the road by Gardai on Wednesday night and transported to the Garda station for questioning, my car was left taken by Gardai. After one hour i was released and they gave my car back. When I got into my car I smelled a burned brakes or something like that, but after a while I've noticed that clutch has been burned by those lads. I have this car since May and I can't imagine how it's possible to burn the clutch on 1.5km distance [my home and garda station]. So the question is: Why they drove my car without permission and what should I do now? I can't drive normally now. I went to the Garda station yesterday and I said what has happen to guy at the reception, he said: person who looked after me a day before will ring me today regarding that situation. Should I contact a solicitior to solve that issue straight away or wait for an answer from Gardai first?

cyrusdvirus

Hmmm....

Time to subscribe methinks.....this should be fun

Catxscotch

I'd say get onto solicitor straight away, or else Guards will just push you around..

Tigger

where was your car that it needed to be moved?
what car is it.
what is your normal boards name

corktina

1.5 km to the gard station and you were released after an hour?
I'd doubt it was possible to wear out the clutch in that time unless it was hanging by a thread when they stopped you.

DirtyBollox

In the line of normal duty a member of an Gardaì Siochana is well within his rights to drive any vehicle (car, van, truck, and as long as he can do so safely) so if they are transporting you to the station and your car is being left behind they can move it, especially if it is going to or does already cause an obstruction to the public.

Right 1st Time

Was the smell like take away food? They may have used your car for the "food run" Can't see you winning this one OP

pioter2k

When I was stopped my car was in front of a gate but to repark it it's just a 10meters to pull it to the side. so i have no idea why they were driving it. I presume they saw a sports car and they did it in purpose to make me drive slower. but actually they went to far now its not safe to drive at all. i can't accelerate on 2th gear and 3th gear - revs are rising up and I'm driving slowly, rest of the gears are bad too.

Atomic Pineapple

Clutch had to be on the way out before the Gardai drove it. It's common practice for the Gardai to take cars to the station or local impound lot if they are arresting the driver I think.

Anan1

pioter2k wrote: »

I presume they saw a sports car and they did it in purpose to make me drive slower.

With respect, this makes no sense at all.

Bandara

Was it a female Garda that drove your car by any chance........... ?

pioter2k

Clutch was in very good condition and after their ride it's a piece of s*** - all i can say. whoever drove my car damaged it badly. As they said before he is obliged to drive the car but safely - now the cost of the clutch and replace it will be at least 500e.

pioter2k

I think only lads were there no female at all. because the pulled the seats to the back more than my adjustment and I'm 1.80 height. so those guys were like at least 185-190

EPM

I'm finding this very far fetched right now. It's most likely your clutch was on the way out anyway.

What type of car is it out of interest?

Jesus Shaves

Moral of the story, Don't be driving too fast.

Motorist

Usually very hard driving will burn out a clutch. What kind of car is it?

tallaghtmick

Why where you brought in for questioning?

MugMugs

Oooooooo

Have we found another good use for a Dash Cam ???

pioter2k

Celica. It wasn't on the way out, if yes how it's possible, when they gave my car the smell of burned clutch was everywhere and still is. Actually I look after my car very well and on Tuesday I was on a suspension service in the garage and he said few things about my car. If the clutch was about to gone - like you said, I know he would said to me for sure. The smell for the last 2days is unbelievable inside and outside even i parked overnight in my garage. So that's a serious matter.

MugMugs

Well if you are very serious about this and looking for some form of redress against The Gardai, I would suggest having your vehicle independently inspected and attention noted to the clutch as well as any findings they may have with respect to the same and then make a formal complaint on the matter.

The longer you wait to do that, the less weight it has as an argument.

Ultimately, I can't see you getting anywhere on this one but if you want to try, give that a go.

pioter2k

Motorist wrote: »

Usually very hard driving will burn out a clutch. What kind of car is it?

Hard driving you mean doing donuts or something like that. i don't do that kind of things. FWD pointless to do it.

kildare.17hmr

My car got taken off me when i was about 19, cheaky pr!ck of a guard who was always giving us ****. anyway he was on a bike so called his buddies who came in a car to take mine, this fella hops in smiling at me and does a big burn out pulling off:mad: straight to the station i went and spoke to the desk sgt and said i wanted to make a complaint. ended up gettin the car back for free without having to tax it first.

A friend a few years ago had a skyline taken off him and it was crashed on the way to the station, on a straight road:rolleyes:

Fight it op, if genuinly your car was fine and the clutch was not slipping fight it

corktina

pioter2k wrote: »

Hard driving you mean doing donuts or something like that. i don't do that kind of things. FWD pointless to do it.

FWD? I thought it was a sports car.:)

pioter2k

I went to mechanic, he said: " its unbelievable i know this car and clutch is burned to ashes" from there i went to the solicitor straight away. she we'll look after me.

Jazzzman

Preemptive trolling arrest?

Mr.Mariozas

the lesson is - add secret killswitch so no guard or anybody but you can drive your car, other than that guards will just use recovery truck, but at least your car is in the same nick as they taken it from ya

pioter2k

Mr.Mariozas wrote: »

the lesson is - add secret killswitch so no guard or anybody but you can drive your car, other than that guards will just use recovery truck, but at least your car is in the same nick as they taken it from ya

Good Idea, but when they stopped me i didn't have even time to switch off the engine.

Where To

What does a burnt out clutch smell like?

kildare.17hmr

where do i go from here wrote: »

What does a burnt out clutch smell like?

Go drive the rag out of your car there and you will know

dar83

where do i go from here wrote: »

What does a burnt out clutch smell like?

Awful. It smells like awful.

Where To

dar83 wrote: »

Awful. It smells like awful.

Exactly

ironclaw

MugMugs wrote: »

Oooooooo

Have we found another good use for a Dash Cam ???

Interestingly, I've been told its against the law to film a Garda in the course of their duties without permission. In fact if you were stopped, you'd probably have to tell them, and even if you did or didn't tell them, it would be inadmissible in court regardless.

If anyone can contest that or tell me different, I'd be interested to hear.

So the Dashcam is grand for insurance etc but I'm pretty sure its useless in anything involving An Garda.

scholar007

pioter2k wrote: »

Celica

Ah so - Now me understand! Garda give celli welly! :pac:

ants09

ironclaw wrote: »

Interestingly, I've been told its against the law to film a Garda in the course of their duties without permission. In fact if you were stopped, you'd probably have to tell them, and even if you did or didn't tell them, it would be inadmissible in court regardless.

If anyone can contest that or tell me different, I'd be interested to hear.

So the Dashcam is grand for insurance etc but I'm pretty sure its useless in anything involving An Garda.

who told you that btw ?

A court has upheld the right of a private citizen to film gardaí. A judge found the person filming to acting lawfully and within his rights, and fined the two members of the Garda Siochána who assaulted him to prevent him filming to have acted illegally.

http://www.herald.ie/news/gardai-assaulted-man-who-filmed-their-raid-1966471.html

fasttalkerchat

Bit of a stab in the dark here... but, if your hand break was jammed on it would give the same symptoms - burning smell and high revs at low speed. They probably took it for a spin around a car park and pulled a few handbreak turns. If you're going to follow up with a solicitor it would need to be something that would get them sacked otherwise they will constantly harass you for it. Don't see the point in pursuing this beyond getting the prick to pay up.

EDIT: Just read that you got it checked out.
If they stop me and ask to drive my car I will "lose" the keys after hearing your story.

Marcusm

When I picked up my first car I drove it 10 miles or so to a car park where I was meeting a mate who was supposed to be at the initial pick up (I had never previously driven alone nor in a car without dual controls). When I got in the car park I stalled the car and tried to restart about 30 times before I realised I was still in 3rd (anxious and not used to the gear box). THe burning smell from the clutch stayed around for a week although it was still fine. Any chance of something similar, iei are 1st and 3rd close together (or am I just a unique idiot)?

padd b1975

Marcusm wrote: »

When I picked up my first car I drove it 10 miles or so to a car park where I was meeting a mate who was supposed to be at the initial pick up (I had never previously driven alone nor in a car without dual controls). When I got in the car park I stalled the car and tried to restart about 30 times before I realised I was still in 3rd (anxious and not used to the gear box). THe burning smell from the clutch stayed around for a week although it was still fine. Any chance of something similar, iei are 1st and 3rd close together (or am I just a unique idiot)?

Think you answered your own question there.

MugMugs

ironclaw wrote: »

MugMugs wrote: »

Oooooooo

Have we found another good use for a Dash Cam ???

Interestingly, I've been told its against the law to film a Garda in the course of their duties without permission. In fact if you were stopped, you'd probably have to tell them, and even if you did or didn't tell them, it would be inadmissible in court regardless.

If anyone can contest that or tell me different, I'd be interested to hear.

So the Dashcam is grand for insurance etc but I'm pretty sure its useless in anything involving An Garda.

Wee fact for you. The media cannot capture the image of CAB officials.... They can however do so to the Gardai beside the CAB officials.... As already pointed out, you've been misinformed.... Also, you'd be film the Gardas driving.... Not them.

pioter2k

bump

Jesus Shaves

pioter2k wrote: »

bump

so how'd you get on with your complaint?

pioter2k

darokane wrote: »

so how'd you get on with your complaint?

Today at 14.00 I went to Garda station looking for that sergant but they told me he starts his duty at 8pm so i came around 11pm but another girl told me he is off duty tonight. so that was strange. She said he will start his shift on monday 8pm. so i have to catch him then.

couldntthink

Mr.Mariozas wrote: »

the lesson is - add secret killswitch so no guard or anybody but you can drive your car, other than that guards will just use recovery truck, but at least your car is in the same nick as they taken it from ya

You've obviously never been in an impound.

An Ri rua

darokane wrote: »

Moral of the story, Don't be driving too fast.

Nah, the moral is drive faster. Only stopped cars get impounded.

An Ri rua

MugMugs wrote: »

Wee fact for you. The media cannot capture the image of CAB officials.... They can however do so to the Gardai beside the CAB officials.... As already pointed out, you've been misinformed.... Also, you'd be film the Gardas driving.... Not them.

Correct, you can film the Gardai performing their duties. Or else that recent documentary on the travellers' bloodlines has committed illegal acts. They were clearly filming 'the bise' and behaving very civilly to them for camera too, I might add. It was all very heartwarming civilian-cops interaction.

tvercetti

where do i go from here wrote: »

What does a burnt out clutch smell like?

Bacon, according to the OP

kippy

An Ri rua wrote: »

Correct, you can film the Gardai performing their duties. Or else that recent documentary on the travellers' bloodlines has committed illegal acts. They were clearly filming 'the bise' and behaving very civilly to them for camera too, I might add. It was all very heartwarming civilian-cops interaction.

I assume there would have been some level of pre-recording consent given however and a clear understanding from all involved that they were on camera.

johnthemull

OP. Walk away and get your clutch fixed. Not a good idea to go down and dirty with the feds. you will loose. believe me!

LoanShark

So, Why did they take you to the station? If you were driving fast then, that would be a ticket and dealt with on the side of the road unless you were excessively speeding....

Our man in Havana

pioter2k wrote: »

Today at 14.00 I went to Garda station looking for that sergant but they told me he starts his duty at 8pm so i came around 11pm but another girl told me he is off duty tonight. so that was strange. She said he will start his shift on monday 8pm. so i have to catch him then.

What part of Garda Ombudsman don't you understand? You need to deal with them not the locals who will close ranks.

PCPhoto

pioter2k wrote: »

Celica. It wasn't on the way out, if yes how it's possible, when they gave my car the smell of burned clutch was everywhere and still is. Actually I look after my car very well and on Tuesday I was on a suspension service in the garage and he said few things about my car. If the clutch was about to gone - like you said, I know he would said to me for sure. The smell for the last 2days is unbelievable inside and outside even i parked overnight in my garage. So that's a serious matter.

I'm sorry - but what does "burned clutch" smell of ?

I've had a clutch replaced last year and never noticed a smell beforehand

dan hibiki

my mechanical skills only extend as far as bulb changing, but, shy of going at it with a hammer, could they really have done that much damage over such a small distance? ADR op, but I think you should let it go.