Unmarked Car - Blue dash light only

YESHUCKSTER

Was on the M7 (just after Carlow exit) heading south last Friday afternoon about 2pm in heavy but moving traffic - it was moving at about 100km due to lorries and the heavy rain etc. I was in the fast lane passing the slower traffic which was travelling at about 90km when next thing this white 'box type' jeep comes flying up behind me flashing the lights like mad. He came to within feet from the back of the car but there was no-where I could go as the traffic in the left lane was constant - think it was a couple of buses actually. Next thing as well as flashing the headlights he turns on what looked like Blue LED lights on the dashboard. There was no other lights such as the hidden ones on the grill or sides or back - just the dashboard light. This continued for about 30/40 seconds until it was safe for me to move into the slow lane and let this guy passed. I did not get reg nor the make but I have serious doubts as to whether this was a Garda or just some chancer? Anyone have an idea?

sparrowcar

Plenty of unusual unmarked Garda cars out there. Not all have the grill lights/aerials etc you expect from the standard unmarked mondeo's.

A better description of the "white box" jeep might help?

YESHUCKSTER

Had a look on carzone and the closest looking that I could find is a 2007 Ford Ranger - basically a flat bed pick-up with a hard-cover box unit over the flat-bed.

I know there are a lot of non-standard unmarked cars in-use but I thought they normally were all kitted out with grill lights / aerials - how else can you tell if they are genuine or not.

Surely anyone could buy a flashing Blue dashboard light so I am pretty sure if he tried to pull me over I would not have stopped.

AltAccount

Do some people not also qualify to use them because of their job - i.e. Fireman/ambulance staff on call using their own vehicle to get to an emergency?

YESHUCKSTER

AltAccount wrote: »

Do some people not also qualify to use them because of their job - i.e. Fireman/ambulance staff on call using their own vehicle to get to an emergency?

was thinking that also - I suppose this could be the case alright

28064212

YESHUCKSTER wrote: »

Surely anyone could buy a flashing Blue dashboard light so I am pretty sure if he tried to pull me over I would not have stopped.

It's illegal to do so. As for pulling over, if you have doubt about the authenticity of the guards, either continue to drive to the next town and pull in at the garda station, or ring the local garda station (mobile use is allowed in emergencies)

rallye150flyer

AltAccount wrote: »

Do some people not also qualify to use them because of their job - i.e. Fireman/ambulance staff on call using their own vehicle to get to an emergency?

Not the case retained firefighters cannot have blue lights on there personal cars and must obay the rules of the road while heading to the station.

AltAccount

Does that just apply to them, or to everyone?

YESHUCKSTER

Am going to enquire with a Garda who lives around the corner to see what his take on it. Seems like this guy was taking a risk if it the blue dashboard light is illegal as I could have been anyone (off duty Garda or even an genuine unmarked car)

Reati

28064212 wrote: »

ring the local garda station (mobile use is allowed in emergencies)

Rather take my chances than try in vain to explain why I was using the phone.

YESHUCKSTER wrote: »

Am going to enquire with a Garda who lives around the corner to see what his take on it. Seems like this guy was taking a risk if it the blue dashboard light is illegal as I could have been anyone (off duty Garda or even an genuine unmarked car)

There is a white Box Ranger in the College. Could have been that one.

Terrontress

28064212 wrote: »

It's illegal to do so. As for pulling over, if you have doubt about the authenticity of the guards, either continue to drive to the next town and pull in at the garda station, or ring the local garda station (mobile use is allowed in emergencies)

How would you know the number of the local station? Is a 112 or 999 call any use?

28064212

Terrontress wrote: »

How would you know the number of the local station? Is a 112 or 999 call any use?

If you felt there was imminent danger, then yes. Otherwise, directory services

Tyron Jara

YESHUCKSTER wrote: »

Was on the M7 (just after Carlow exit) heading south last Friday afternoon about 2pm in heavy but moving traffic - it was moving at about 100km due to lorries and the heavy rain etc. I was in the fast lane passing the slower traffic which was travelling at about 90km when next thing this white 'box type' jeep comes flying up behind me flashing the lights like mad. He came to within feet from the back of the car but there was no-where I could go as the traffic in the left lane was constant - think it was a couple of buses actually. Next thing as well as flashing the headlights he turns on what looked like Blue LED lights on the dashboard. There was no other lights such as the hidden ones on the grill or sides or back - just the dashboard light. This continued for about 30/40 seconds until it was safe for me to move into the slow lane and let this guy passed. I did not get reg nor the make but I have serious doubts as to whether this was a Garda or just some chancer? Anyone have an idea?

Best way to know in my opinion is if a siren starts going off as well. People buy blue lights ya so that can be anyone but a siren inst as common on somebody pretending. So if this car came up behind you did they have a siren on?

cypressg

Same thing happened to me on the m50 about 3 years ago except it was a porche cheyenne jeepy thing!I was in the fast lane overtaking the traffic in the slower lane but not fast enough for the cheyenne's satisfaction so he came up behind me very aggressively and very close.I did nothing and continued on my path and then the next thing there are blue lights flashing from his grill(which is right up behind me) if I recall correctly.
I kept on doing what I was doing and it eventually ended up with me in the slower lane and him taking a slip-road off to the left and pulling alongside me and both of us staring each other out of it,he had a child in the passenger seat with him.Think it was some sort of criminal myself.

Disclaimer-I amn't somebody that hogs the fast lane

YESHUCKSTER

Tyron Jara wrote: »

Best way to know in my opinion is if a siren starts going off as well. People buy blue lights ya so that can be anyone but a siren inst as common on somebody pretending. So if this car came up behind you did they have a siren on?

No siren or anything else like that - only the blue light on the dash

POGAN

I know a unit that use one of these but if you wish call any station they will check it out,siren aren't allows used they may need to get somewhere without making big song and dance. not drawing attention to themselves

hope it answers your question

Terrontress

28064212 wrote: »

If you felt there was imminent danger, then yes. Otherwise, directory services

Does the legislation allowing a driver to call the Gardai extend to calling 11811 to reach the Gardai?

If a Garda sees you on the phone, you claim it was to the local station but there is no record of their number in your phone, because 11811 put you through, you could be in trouble.

As the op was on the motorway network it is not unreasonable to consider that he might not know the number, or even location, of the nearest station.

Sorry for going off topic but it is an interesting issue to consider.

POGAN

Terrontress wrote: »

Does the legislation allowing a driver to call the Gardai extend to calling 11811 to reach the Gardai?

If a Garda sees you on the phone, you claim it was to the local station but there is no record of their number in your phone, because 11811 put you through, you could be in trouble.

As the op was on the motorway network it is not unreasonable to consider that he might not know the number, or even location, of the nearest station.

Sorry for going off topic but it is an interesting issue to consider.

emergency numbers as in 999 or 112 is exempt from the rta to best of my knowledge

Terrontress wrote: »

Does the legislation allowing a driver to call the Gardai extend to calling 11811 to reach the Gardai?

If a Garda sees you on the phone, you claim it was to the local station but there is no record of their number in your phone, because 11811 put you through, you could be in trouble.

As the op was on the motorway network it is not unreasonable to consider that he might not know the number, or even location, of the nearest station.

Sorry for going off topic but it is an interesting issue to consider.

Because the garda wouldn't believe you and check with the station that you called. And sure you get a text with the number you are looking for.

POGAN

foreign wrote: »

Because the garda wouldn't believe you and check with the station that you called. And sure you get a text with the number you are looking for.

Well if u ran in to foreign he def wouldnt believe anyone

stoneill

Coast Guard responders are allowed have blue lights on personal cars.
Might have been one of those lads.

Leo Demidov

stoneill wrote: »

Coast Guard responders are allowed have blue lights on personal cars.
Might have been one of those lads.

The Coastguard in Carlow rarely respond with blues on!

goldie fish

Customs?

stoneill

wexfjord wrote: »

The Coastguard in Carlow rarely respond with blues on!

They are still responsible for inland waterway rescue.

flazio

From the OP's post, it does seem suspicious, there is no mention of any audio sirens accompanying the vehicle, which you would expect any ES vehicle, primary or secondary, to have on board, also the blues only came on when behind our OP, if they were responding to an emergency, shouldn't they been on the whole time?

Pataman

stoneill wrote: »

Coast Guard responders are allowed have blue lights on personal cars.
Might have been one of those lads.

No They are not.
The list of allowed vehicles is very short

Here is the list:http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2011/en/si/0695.html

source

flazio wrote: »

From the OP's post, it does seem suspicious, there is no mention of any audiot sirens accompanying the vehicle, which you would expect any ES vehicle, primary or secondary, to have on board, also the blues only came on when behind our OP, if they were responding to an emergency, shouldn't they been on the whole time?

Not necessarily, Gardai are often tasked with jobs that do not require full use of emergency lighting and siren, but may still need to get there quickly. In such an occasion, Gardai will continue to their call without lights or sirens and if they need to pass slow moving traffic, will activate the lights to make drivers aware of their presence while passing.

Locust

Sometimes guys might just go with blue lights and no siren or neither. (Presuming it was Gardai) Common sense dictates that they might not want to activate the siren if they were responding to a call nearby where they obviously didn't want the culprits to know they were close (i.e. intruders etc you can hear a siren from a good ways off).
Although you say this happened on the motorway, which is unusual. Then again the siren could have been faulty or broken which has happened before!

Barry Barry

28064212 wrote: »

It's illegal to do so. As for pulling over, if you have doubt about the authenticity of the guards, either continue to drive to the next town and pull in at the garda station, or ring the local garda station (mobile use is allowed in emergencies)

What do you do if this happens but the guards mistake it for a vehicle failing to stop?

Fiery mutant

There has been a couple of instances this Christmas of store managers around the city, being pulled over by flashing blue lights on their way home from work, only to find its criminals who tell them to return to store and empty the safe.

I've be very wary of just lights, and will only pull over if a siren wails.