Stopped by Garda car for speeding

araic88

I'm suitably embarassed, I was stopped today on the motorway for speeding, the whole thing was quite cringeworthy, I really felt like a bold child
He showed me the blowdryer thing and I was a good bit over the limit so deserved to be caught, but I'm not sure what'll happen...

He said in a few weeks I'll get an €80 fine in the post and to "just pay and have it done with" or I'd get a heftier fine, maybe court summons etc. But he never mentioned penalty points, do I assume they come with it, or does him not mentioning them mean I don't get them

Also, he asked for my insurance certificate, I reached for the insurance disc (which is valid etc) as he hadn't seemed to look at that and he said "no the certificate that comes with the disc" - I have it at home somewhere but didn't know you're supposed to carry it?! He said to present it to a Garda station "of your choice" within 10 days - seemed strange?!!

ABajaninCork

Not at all!

Essentially what's happened is:

1. You've been stopped for speeding.
2. Looks as though you'll be given a fixed penalty fine. I would suggest you just pay it. What the Gard probably meant was this: If you challenge it in court and you lose, then the fine may very well increase.
3. Likely three points on your licence. Insurance premium will increase.
4. You've been given a producer. You need to go to a Garda Station and show your insurance cert within 10 days. AFAIK, it is not a requirement to carry the cert. But you do need to display the disc.

Yawns

Nothing strange about the insurance certificate request. Just drop into your local station with it. Best to get it written down that you presented it, as it sometimes you could still get into trouble later for not producing, even tho you did. You'll get 2 points with the €80 fine. You seem to be accepting it, so best thing to do is pay the fine and the points will be added to your licence.

2 points is nothing to worry over. Most insurance companies won't even blink at up to 4 points when it comes to renewing.

mickdw

araic88 wrote: »

I'm suitably embarassed, I was stopped today on the motorway for speeding, the whole thing was quite cringeworthy, I really felt like a bold child
He showed me the blowdryer thing and I was a good bit over the limit so deserved to be caught, but I'm not sure what'll happen...

He said in a few weeks I'll get an €80 fine in the post and to "just pay and have it done with" or I'd get a heftier fine, maybe court summons etc. But he never mentioned penalty points, do I assume they come with it, or does him not mentioning them mean I don't get them

Also, he asked for my insurance certificate, I reached for the insurance disc (which is valid etc) as he hadn't seemed to look at that and he said "no the certificate that comes with the disc" - I have it at home somewhere but didn't know you're supposed to carry it?! He said to present it to a Garda station "of your choice" within 10 days - seemed strange?!!

Nothing strange about request to produce insurance. The disc doesnt tell garda who is insured.
And yes, you will get 2 points unless you challenge it in court.

S28382

Yeah you will get two points along with the fine, him asking for your insurance cert is normal. Regarding the fine you will get 28 days to pay it from the date you get the letter. Pay it in a post office and accept the points and your sorted there will be no more about it.

araic88

Okay, glad it's not unusual about the certificate thing, thanks for the replies!

robbie99

As a matter of interest, by how much over the limit were you?

araic88

robbie99 wrote: »

As a matter of interest, by how much over the limit were you?

142km so 22km over ...

fiverfriday

By the way, when you produce, bring along your driving licence, nct cert and insurance, as them putting it all on the system will have your vehicle up to date on their system, so when your scanned via anpr, all is hunky dory!

rocky

araic88 wrote: »

142km so 22km over ...

Must have been an indicated 150+ ? Monster !

coylemj

Yawns wrote: »

Nothing strange about the insurance certificate request. Just drop into your local station with it. Best to get it written down that you presented it, as it sometimes you could still get into trouble later for not producing, even tho you did.

In the unlikely event that you produce the cert. and are then summonsed for no insurance and failing to produce, all you have to do is turn up in court with a cert. that shows you were you were insured on the day, hop into the witness box, swear the oath and tell the judge that did produce it within 10 days in the Garda station you nominated, that will be accepted by the judge so you don't need it in writing.

As far as I know it's now entered into PULSE so it's unlikely to go 'missing' like the €6,000 that recently disappeared in Balbriggan Garda station!

But if you want to be really covered, make a note of the district number (on his/her epaulettes) of the Garda who's on the counter in the station when you produce the cert.

araic88

rocky wrote: »

Must have been an indicated 150+ ? Monster !

No point half doin it! :P
I was actually surprised when he showed it to me, I'd better pay more attention to the dial I guess!

fiverfriday

coylemj wrote: »

In the unlikely event that you produce the cert. and are then summonsed for no insurance and failing to produce, all you have to do is turn up in court with a cert. that shows you were you were insured on the day, hop into the witness box, swear the oath and tell the judge that did produce it within 10 days in the Garda station you nominated, that will be accepted by the judge so you don't need it in writing.

As far as I know it's now entered into PULSE so it's unlikely to go 'missing' like the €6,000 that recently disappeared in Balbriggan Garda station!

But if you want to be really covered, make a note of the district number (on his/her epaulettes) of the Garda who's on the counter in the station when you produce the cert.

Or just request a production receipt, and that will cover allow the above!

Suasdaguna1

You were clipping along alright, pay the fine and be done with it....no biggie if your on low points. I had 8 at one stage, none now....swings and roundabouts...

Zcott

I saw someone pulled over on the M1 around 2pm...wonder if it was the OP?

Jimdagym

coylemj wrote: »

In the unlikely event that you produce the cert. and are then summonsed for no insurance and failing to produce, all you have to do is turn up in court with a cert. that shows you were you were insured on the day, hop into the witness box, swear the oath and tell the judge that did produce it within 10 days in the Garda station you nominated, that will be accepted by the judge so you don't need it in writing.

As far as I know it's now entered into PULSE so it's unlikely to go 'missing' like the €6,000 that recently disappeared in Balbriggan Garda station!

But if you want to be really covered, make a note of the district number (on his/her epaulettes) of the Garda who's on the counter in the station when you produce the cert.

Get your facts straight , it was 9 grand

araic88

Zcott wrote: »

I saw someone pulled over on the M1 around 2pm...wonder if it was the OP?

Nope, the M9 I guess maybe there are more Gardaí out with the bank holiday weekend?

mathepac

S28382 wrote: »

... Regarding the fine you will get 28 days to pay it from the date you get the letter. ...

No, 28 days from the date the letter is issued.

S28382 wrote: »

... Pay it in a post office and accept the points and your sorted there will be no more about it.

Painless part, speaking from very recent experience.

mathepac

Jimdagym wrote: »

Get your facts straight , it was 9 grand

Daaah, da dan dan - Just the facts ma'am, just the facts

Cedrus

2 Points for three years in addition to the fine. If you dispute it, go to court and lose, the points double, not sure about the fine.
The last couple of times I was shopping around for insurance, only one (FBD) had any interest in less than 6 points.
The points won't be applied for about two months, to allow for appeals etc. which can feel handy at this end of the 3 years but a bit irritating at the 3 years and two months point.

The Royal Scam

araic88 wrote: »

Nope, the M9 I guess maybe there are more Gardaí out with the bank holiday weekend?

where on the M9 , I'd bet it was on the service road near the priory restaurant? Seen them hiding there loads of times.

Del2005

Cedrus wrote: »

The points won't be applied for about two months, to allow for appeals etc. which can feel handy at this end of the 3 years but a bit irritating at the 3 years and two months point.

Once you pay the penalty notice there is no appeal. The points will be issued to you once you paid the fine, our great civil service is the reason it takes a few months to process it onto your record.

sailordog13

I thought you couldn't be pulled over on a motorway, that you had to be brought on to a side road ?

I also thought that you had to have a picture taken to prove you were the car that was clocked over the speed limit ?

But I've been wrong before.

mathepac

sailordog13 wrote: »

I... But I've been wrong before.

Congratulations!! You've done it again!

L1011

ABajaninCork wrote: »

[*]Likely three points on your licence. Insurance premium will increase.

2 points, and extremely unlikely.

fiverfriday wrote: »

By the way, when you produce, bring along your driving licence, nct cert and insurance, as them putting it all on the system will have your vehicle up to date on their system, so when your scanned via anpr, all is hunky dory!

There is zero need to do any of this, nor will they enter anything else, nor do they even need to. Driving licences aren't tied to vehicles and they have the NCT data from the NVDF.

MugMugs

coylemj wrote: »

As far as I know it's now entered into PULSE so it's unlikely to go 'missing' like the €6,000 that recently disappeared in Balbriggan Garda station!

What's that got to do with the price of cabbage?

araic88

sailordog13 wrote: »

I thought you couldn't be pulled over on a motorway, that you had to be brought on to a side road ?

I also thought that you had to have a picture taken to prove you were the car that was clocked over the speed limit ?

But I've been wrong before.

WELL! I was wondering that too... he ended up following me for a while lol because first when I noticed he was behind me, I didn't realise he wanted me to pull over (I had a quick glance at speed dial and was actually grand at this stage but I don't doubt I had been speeding a little earlier.)
Then, after he flashed his headlights I started wondering where exactly to pull over, and was thinking maybe I should wait to get to a side road / lay by but then he flashed his lights again :pac:

Royal Scam: Not sure where that restaurant is tbh, it was a bit past Kilkenny, heading for Waterford.

CiniO

araic88 wrote: »

WELL! I was wondering that too... he ended up following me for a while lol because first when I noticed he was behind me, I didn't realise he wanted me to pull over (I had a quick glance at speed dial and was actually grand at this stage but I don't doubt I had been speeding a little earlier.)
Then, after he flashed his headlights I started wondering where exactly to pull over, and was thinking maybe I should wait to get to a side road / lay by but then he flashed his lights again :pac:

Was it marked Garda car or umarked vehicle?
Did he flash the blue lights with siren or just a headlights?

CiniO

araic88 wrote: »

He showed me the blowdryer thing and I was a good bit over the limit so deserved to be caught, but I'm not sure what'll happen...

araic88 wrote: »

142km so 22km over ...

142 in 120 zone is just 18% over the limit. Doesn't sound like that much, especially on the motorway.

araic88

CiniO wrote: »

Was it marked Garda car or umarked vehicle?
Did he flash the blue lights with siren or just a headlights?

Marked Garda car, he flashed the blue lights & then headlights, didn't use siren luckily :P

PeteK*

Yawns wrote: »

2 points is nothing to worry over. Most insurance companies won't even blink at up to 4 points when it comes to renewing.

I had six at one stage, it didn't do anything to my insurance. Phew!

born2bwild

CiniO wrote: »

142 in 120 zone is just 18% over the limit. Doesn't sound like that much, especially on the motorway.

You should not have been stopped at all - nothing unsafe about 142 on a motorway - it's not like you were plodding along doing 90km - now that would be dangerous driving.

wonski

born2bwild wrote: »

You should not have been stopped at all - nothing unsafe about 142 on a motorway - it's not like you were plodding along doing 90km - now that would be dangerous driving.

Unsafe or not, even OP knows they had right to stop him. If he was doing 122 i would totally agree with you, but 22 over - police in every country i know would stop you.
90km/h on motorway? - there is nothing wrong with that as long as you keep to the left. Ask truck/trailer drivers.

ABajaninCork

born2bwild wrote: »

You should not have been stopped at all - nothing unsafe about 142 on a motorway - it's not like you were plodding along doing 90km - now that would be dangerous driving.

Um. Actually there is. The law says driving at 142kph is unsafe. Doesn't matter what you think.

Please Kill Me

araic88 wrote: »

142km so 22km over ...

Is that all?? They've little to be moaning about FFS!!! Not like you were doing 200kph or something stupid.

Still, €80 fine and 2 points is nothing. Just be careful next time.

Max Power1

ABajaninCork wrote: »

Um. Actually there is. The law says driving at 142kph is unsafe. Doesn't matter what you think.

NO it doesnt.

The law states that to drive in excess of the posted speed limit is illegal, no mention of safety.

Don't listen to the likes of Gaybo and the RSA. 80-90 kph on a motorway is much more likely to cause an accident than 140kph

CiniO

Max Power1 wrote: »

Don't listen to the likes of Gaybo and the RSA. 80-90 kph on a motorway is much more likely to cause an accident than 140kph

IMHO both shouldn't be any problem.
90km/h is kinda normal speed on inside lane when all trucks travel.
140 should be perfectly safe as well, assuming surface is dry and traffic is light.

ABajaninCork

Max Power1 wrote: »

NO it doesnt.

The law states that to drive in excess of the posted speed limit is illegal, no mention of safety.

Don't listen to the likes of Gaybo and the RSA. 80-90 kph on a motorway is much more likely to cause an accident than 140kph

I disagree. If the law says to drive at excess speed is illegal, then by inference, the law thinks it's unsafe I would assume.

120kph is the speed limit on some major roads. Most show a speed limit of 100kph. So - either the OP was 22kph over the limit or 42kph over. I don't know and he doesn't say what the speed limit was on the road where he was stopped.

We can write what we like from a keyboard. The fact of the matter is that the OP was stopped for driving over the prescribed speed limit.

wonski

ABajaninCork wrote: »

I disagree. If the law says to drive at excess speed is illegal, then by inference, the law thinks it's unsafe I would assume.

120kph is the speed limit on some major roads. Most show a speed limit of 100kph. So - either the OP was 22kph over the limit or 42kph over. I don't know and he doesn't say what the speed limit was on the road where he was stopped.

We can write what we like from a keyboard. The fact of the matter is that the OP was stopped for driving over the prescribed speed limit.

OP mentioned M9, and 120km/h posted limit. And 120 km/h isn't the speed limit on some major roads! It is regular speed limit on motorways in Ireland.
Major (national road) have limit 100 km/h.

corktina

wonski wrote: »

OP mentioned M9, and 120km/h posted limit. And 120 km/h isn't the speed limit on some major roads! It is regular speed limit on motorways in Ireland.
Major (national road) have limit 100 km/h.

not all of them, some N roads have 120 limits, in Cork especiallyThe M50 fro insyance doesn't have a 120 limit on it, so you can't generalise.

It isn't the crime of the century, I've done much worse...move on OP, forget it (once you've paid of course)

P_1

Ah come on now lads, the OP surely knows he stuffed up, is holding his hands up and is just asking for advise on how to pay the fine in peace.

No need for the moralising tbh

L1011

wonski wrote: »

OP mentioned M9, and 120km/h posted limit.

Add to that that the M9 is the emptiest motorway in the entire country, particularly south of Carlow...

wonski

corktina wrote: »

not all of them, some N roads have 120 limits, in Cork especiallyThe M50 fro insyance doesn't have a 120 limit on it, so you can't generalise.

It isn't the crime of the century, I've done much worse...move on OP, forget it (once you've paid of course)

You are right but (generally) motrways-120, N roads-100, and R roads-80.
There are some exceptions of course.
Never seen N road with 120 - might want to visit Cork soon. It is probably as good as motorway, but few junctions, or short exits/entrances made it unsuitable to call it motorway.

Lots of checkpoints and speedtraps around Kildare in last 2 days btw. I bet it is the same everywhere so be careful out there everyone.

CiniO

ABajaninCork wrote: »

I disagree. If the law says to drive at excess speed is illegal, then by inference, the law thinks it's unsafe I would assume.

That's wrong logic IMHO.
Law says you can't exceed speed limit, but it doesn't say why.

If someone assumes you can't exceed speed limit because it's unsafe, there is big probability that this person will assume that driving within speed limit is safe.

While in fact, "speed limit" and "safe speed" don't go together.
Often safe speed will be well below speed limit, while in other case it might be well above speed limit.
It all depends on weather conditions, type of road, car, driver, driver skills and his state of being, traffic, and million other factors which every good driver should consider when choosing a speed he is doing.

Driving within speed limit is one thing, and nearly everyone can do that if they want.
Driving with safe speed is completely different thing and generally it's a ability you learn with time. The more experience the better.

wonski

CiniO wrote: »

That's wrong logic IMHO.
Law says you can't exceed speed limit, but it doesn't say why.

If someone assumes you can't exceed speed limit because it's unsafe, there is big probability that this person will assume that driving within speed limit is safe.

While in fact, "speed limit" and "safe speed" don't go together.
Often safe speed will be well below speed limit, while in other case it might be well above speed limit.
It all depends on weather conditions, type of road, car, driver, driver skills and his state of being, traffic, and million other factors which every good driver should consider when choosing a speed he is doing.

Driving within speed limit is one thing, and nearly everyone can do that if they want.
Driving with safe speed is completely different thing and generally it's a ability you learn with time. The more experience the better.

Correct.
There are many R roads with posted speed limit of 80km/h. On some of these 80 is a suicide, and would be considered as dangerous driving.
Thing is, you drive at speed you are comfortable with, if it happens to be over the speed limit, you know you can be fined and get penalty points. Simple as that.
And finally, if being over posted limit would be considered unsafe, then instead of fines and points, every driver would have to attend court to explain his/her dangerous behaviour on road.

And to the OP - pay fine, accept points, and forget about this. Speeding is probably most common offence on the road, everyone get caught at some point.

corktina

yes but conversly again there are R roads with 100 km/h limits (Cork again , being progressive...The short route from Bantry back towards the city is one example). It's a good R road but n ot exceptional and it beggars the question why more R roads don;t have 100 km/h limits, especially former N roads

wonski

corktina wrote: »

yes but conversly again there are R roads with 100 km/h limits (Cork again , being progressive...The short route from Bantry back towards the city is one example). It's a good R road but n ot exceptional and it beggars the question why more R roads don;t have 100 km/h limits, especially former N roads

And now we are getting to the point that most of the roads (at least in Kildare) have wrong speed limits on them. You really wouldn't like to see 100 limit on some of them. Don't get me wrong - i rather have 80 km/h limit and drive 60 around them, and floor it where it is safe, than 60km/h and watching out for speed vans. But some of these signs are a joke. We had few threads about this, and i am going to find google picture of one particular road (one with bridge, sheeps and horses, where the 80km/h limit starts as soon as the road narrows to one lane).
Makes no sense, but like i said i rather have higher limit i can't even reach, than silly 50 km/h on dual carriageway.

CiniO

wonski wrote: »

And to the OP - pay fine, accept points, and forget about this. Speeding is probably most common offence on the road, everyone get caught at some point.

I got caught speeding recently first time after nearly 8 years. Last speeding fine was from early 2005. It's big success it was that long, as I'm quite often over the limit.

This was 72 in 50 zone.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dG0xuzUEc5I

rocky

were there no flashes from oncoming traffic to warn of the speed trap?

smcgiff

When the guards take their time to pull in directly behind you, as in the op's case they might be hoping the driver risks making a run for it.

The last time i got caught for speeding it took them ages to pull in along side me and kept well back. Bored guard looking for a bit of excitement i imagine - we're all human.

smcgiff

rocky wrote: »

were there no flashes from oncoming traffic to warn of the speed trap?

A lot less likely in a motorway.