Abuse from a Garda member

#1 · 24-01-2014 1:46pm #1

Hi,

I was driving by a crash today and the traffic was really slow. I slowed to let a car out of a lane in front of me so everyone can get by. While doing this I glanced at the crash but I definitely did not hold up the traffic.

A guard then came over to me and said through my window "keep your eyes on the road you ****ing spa"

I parked my car and went back to get his garda number but he had left the accident.

My question is should Guards be allowed to think because they are the law they can get away with stuff like this? Or is there a law about looking at a crashed car if I definitely was not holding up traffic?

cheers

No Pants · 24-01-2014 4:00pm

Get away with what exactly? Being rude?

As the guard said, if you were looking at the car, then you weren't looking at the road.

seamus · 24-01-2014 4:11pm

crossy wrote: »

Or is there a law about looking at a crashed car if I definitely was not holding up traffic?

Failure to drive with due care or attention. If you're looking at an accident, you are by definition not paying attention to your driving.

Gambas · 24-01-2014 4:12pm

His language was inappropriate. Sounds like you deserved a bollocking for rubbernecking, all the same

crossy · 24-01-2014 4:14pm

seamus wrote: »

Failure to drive with due care or attention. If you're looking at an accident, you are by definition not paying attention to your driving.

I wasnt looking at it. I had to drive around it. How could I not see it. And the traffic was stopped. He said it as I was moving off

dpofloinn · 24-01-2014 4:14pm

Would you get over yourself.Gardai at the scene of an accident have enough to be dealing with, least of all being pleasent to rubberneckers.If you had got his number what would your complaint have been? He gave you a legal order to keep your eyes on the road ,fair enough he shouldnt have added the 'you spa' at the end but do you know what its like to have to attend the scene of an accident and the stress that comes with that

Birdie Num Num · 24-01-2014 4:21pm

El_Triboy wrote: »

If everything is to be believed, the guards are having a tough time with cuts etc and I have nothing but the utmost respect for the law but those kind of comments are not expected.

A lot of us are having a tough time of it but if someone in that position said those words they can only expect disrespect from the public. Not a very professional way of doing one's job.

rubberdiddies · 24-01-2014 4:22pm

regardless of whether the OP was in the right or wrong and we cannot judge but only go by what we have been told, the Guard should not ever say what he said to anyone. If he wants to do that in his own personal time then by all means do, but to say that to a member of the public is just shocking and yes it is abuse no matter what way you try to dress it up.

I would say make a complaint at least to have it on record, and maybe, just maybe the guard in question will be given a talking to and at the very least it might make him think twice about it.

Nothing will actually happen to the guard, and I believe nothing should apart from his superior just gently reminding him how to talk to people.

One of my very good friends is a guard and of course he says there are a lot of very ignorant guards out there, as there are in every profession, but thankfully they are in the minority.

Guards do a fantastic and difficult job but there really is no need for that level of abuse when a simple "please move on" would suffice.

Arbiter of Good Taste · 24-01-2014 4:27pm

Normally I would say get over it, but if the facts are as you presented them, then there is no need for that type of language. Even if the Garda misread the situation, all he had to say was move on. How can the Gardai expect respect if this is how they are allowing their members to act.

coylemj · 24-01-2014 4:28pm

crossy wrote: »

While doing this I glanced at the crash but I definitely did not hold up the traffic.

That's what they all say, the fact of the matter is that whether you're prepared to admit it or not, you slowed down to get a look. The cumulative effect of this is that traffic gets backed up for miles behind every stoppage on the motorways, no matter how trivial the event.

Look at it from the Garda's perspective, he's trying to keep the traffic moving and after watching 1,001 cars slowing down to get a look, I can perfectly understand why he'd blow his stop at yet another rubbernecker.

Not the kind of language you'd expect from a pubic servant but you're sitting there bored stiff in your car, he's standing there in the wet and cold trying to keep things moving so cut him some slack.

To answer your question: The Garda on the face of it would be guilty of the disciplinary offence of 'failing to show due courtesy to a member of the public' though in your case, if the word 'due' was applied literally, some people might say that you were due zero courtesy and he was right to give you a bollicking!

No Pants · 24-01-2014 4:30pm

You don't know who the guard is and you have no Garda number, but you should make a complaint anyway. In cases like this, you write a letter of complaint to the Garda Commissioner to express your outrage and explain how offended you were by the guard's behaviour. He'll then arrange for every guard in the country to stop what they're doing and line up. You can then walk down the line, inspecting each guard until you find the one responsible. Here's an example from 1961 after a member of the public complaining about being called "an ignorant, four-eyed bollix":

More recent examples can also be found. This one ended amicably when the offended party accepted that the phrase "Dundalk prick", although inappropriate, was more fact than insult. They agreed to shake hands and leave it at that.

Santa Cruz · 24-01-2014 4:45pm

"Father Maguire, you will address me by my proper title, you little bollix"

mordeith · 24-01-2014 5:05pm

Santa Cruz wrote: »

"Father Maguire, you will address me by my proper title, you little bollix"

Sorry Len

crossy · 24-01-2014 5:10pm

Cant believe there is so many people on this saying I was at fault.

Number one.
I am not stating that I am angry with him for moving me on.
I am clearly stating that using that language towards a member of the public is not on.

Number two.
How can you call it rubber necking when there was 3 lanes of traffic being merged into one and I had to stop to wait and let a guy from an inside lane out in front of me.

Rubber necking or not he shouldnt talk to anyone like that.

Forgot to mention the fact that maybe because I was driving a hi-performance modified car that he singled me out among the 100's of others that passed.

No Pants · 24-01-2014 5:12pm

crossy wrote: »

hi-performance modified car

What is it?

mikom · 24-01-2014 5:15pm

crossy wrote: »

Forgot to mention the fact that maybe because I was driving a hi-performance modified car that he singled me out among the 100's of others that passed.

It was probably the smell of rich mahogany and many leather bound books that annoyed him.

mathepac · 24-01-2014 5:18pm

There can never be any reason or excuse for a Garda member to abuse a member of the public. Pity you couldn't get a badge number OP. He sounds like very definition of an ignorant pig.

intospace · 24-01-2014 5:28pm

if there's one thing i hate, it's chronic rubbernecking!

Kristopherus · 24-01-2014 5:47pm

crossy wrote: »

Forgot to mention the fact that maybe because I was driving a hi-performance modified car that he singled me out among the 100's of others that passed.

That may well be, and if he found that your insurance was not for same spec of car, you then would be in right sh**e.;)

brilou23 · 24-01-2014 5:54pm

mathepac wrote: »

There can never be any reason or excuse for a Garda member to abuse a member of the public. Pity you couldn't get a badge number OP. He sounds like very definition of an ignorant pig.

dont let garda fan boys see what you wrote they get all upset

RebelSoul · 24-01-2014 5:57pm

No Pants wrote: »

What is it?

Toyota Glanza

aujopimur · 24-01-2014 6:01pm

RebelSoul wrote: »

Toyota Glanza

:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

mathepac · 24-01-2014 6:03pm

brilou23 wrote: »

dont let garda fan boys see what you wrote they get all upset

If certain members are not sufficiently disciplined or so badly trained that they can't carry out their duties without swearing at passing motorists, then they need to find work more suited to their ill-mannered, provocative temperaments.

crossy · 24-01-2014 6:07pm

No Pants wrote: »

What is it?

A 3 litre m spec bmw.

mathepac · 24-01-2014 6:13pm

crossy wrote: »

A 3 litre m spec bmw.

Not even an M3 or M5? No wonder he wanted you to move

Santa Cruz · 24-01-2014 6:23pm

crossy wrote: »

Cant believe there is so many people on this saying I was at fault.

Number one.
I am not stating that I am angry with him for moving me on.
I am clearly stating that using that language towards a member of the public is not on.

Number two.
How can you call it rubber necking when there was 3 lanes of traffic being merged into one and I had to stop to wait and let a guy from an inside lane out in front of me.

Rubber necking or not he shouldnt talk to anyone like that.

Forgot to mention the fact that maybe because I was driving a hi-performance modified car that he singled me out among the 100's of others that passed.

"hi-performance modified car" definitely a spa

crossy · 24-01-2014 6:54pm

Santa Cruz wrote: »

"hi-performance modified car" definitely a spa

Ok when you know the spec of my car you can start calling me that. U probably know nothing about hi performance or modified cars

Vision of Disorder · 24-01-2014 7:01pm

crossy wrote: »

Cant believe there is so many people on this saying I was at fault.

I know right? What's the world coming to where people dare to have an opinion different to your own?

Galwayguy35 · 24-01-2014 7:10pm

No Pants wrote: »

You don't know who the guard is and you have no Garda number, but you should make a complaint anyway. In cases like this, you write a letter of complaint to the Garda Commissioner to express your outrage and explain how offended you were by the guard's behaviour. He'll then arrange for every guard in the country to stop what they're doing and line up. You can then walk down the line, inspecting each guard until you find the one responsible. Here's an example from 1961 after a member of the public complaining about being called "an ignorant, four-eyed bollix":

More recent examples can also be found. This one ended amicably when the offended party accepted that the phrase "Dundalk prick", although inappropriate, was more fact than insult. They agreed to shake hands and leave it at that.

Have to say this is the funniest post I've read since joining Boards.

Nonoperational · 24-01-2014 7:20pm

FFS man, forget about it.

No Pants · 24-01-2014 7:21pm

mathepac wrote: »

Not even an M3 or M5? No wonder he wanted you to move

Probably a diesel to boot.

mathepac · 24-01-2014 7:28pm

No Pants wrote: »

Probably a diesel to boot.

My next car will be an M6 diesel coz' I wrote to Herr Santa at BMW HQ. :cool:

crossy · 24-01-2014 8:01pm

whatever yee say lads.
Started off just asking a totally different question and you started on about cars which you have no clue about

No Pants · 24-01-2014 8:04pm

crossy wrote: »

you started on about cars which you have no clue about

There are a few people here from the motors forum who might have a idea or two.

crossy · 24-01-2014 8:09pm

No Pants wrote: »

There are a few people here from the motors forum who might have a idea or two.

This post wasnt about cars. If I wanted to have a discussion about cars I would do it in the motors section not in a post about something else

TCP/IP · 24-01-2014 8:10pm

crossy wrote: »

A 3 litre m spec bmw.

An msport BMW is not high performance my friend. So it's a 330 is it certainly not high performance.

red john · 24-01-2014 8:12pm

I think both you and the guard should be horse whipped

red john · 24-01-2014 8:12pm

I think both you and the guard should be horse whipped

Vision of Disorder · 24-01-2014 8:16pm

red john wrote: »

I think both you and the guard should be horse whipped

Twice apparently.

Frank Black · 24-01-2014 8:17pm

OP, his use of the word 'spa', most likely places him in the 35-45 age bracket, as this word would have peaked in popularity in playgrounds of the early to mid '80's.
I hope this helps in the search for him.

crossy · 24-01-2014 8:17pm

TCP/IP wrote: »

An msport BMW is not high performance my friend. So it's a 330 is it certainly not high performance.

More high performance than a 90% of the cars that were around me. Its a 530.

usernamegoes · 24-01-2014 8:18pm

Regardless of the rights and wrongs of what the OP did, the police should conduct themselves professionally. If a police officer made a minor mistake and I told him to stop being a ****ing spa, would he let that pass as easy and would people support me on these forums?

While being called a ****ing spa isn't the end of the world and I certainly would have brushed it off, by allowing it we engender a culture that they are above us and we should just take it. Much like the Commissioner's attitude in the PAC the other day

No Pants · 24-01-2014 8:18pm

crossy wrote: »

Its a 530.

I think I just might have to sit down.

Boskowski · 24-01-2014 8:20pm

Honestly there's nothing that will or even should come out of it but the guard shouldn't have done that. Its unprofessional and uncalled for.
Case closed move on (you spa

)

crossy · 24-01-2014 8:22pm

No Pants wrote: »

I think I just might have to sit down.

Lucky I wasnt driving my other cars so haha

crossy · 24-01-2014 8:24pm

Boskowski wrote: »

Honestly there's nothing that will or even should come out of it but the guard shouldn't have done that. Its unprofessional and uncalled for.
Case closed move on (you spa )

Im willing to move on

was just a topic of discussion for boards haha:o

mooseknunkle · 24-01-2014 8:26pm

crossy wrote: »

More high performance than a 90% of the cars that were around me. Its a 530.

530D or i ?

Ive a 530i and i put alloys on it so maybe you could class it as modified,but one thing for sure is id never call it a high performance car,quick yes,but come on its only a 3ltr.

crossy · 24-01-2014 8:30pm

mooseknunkle wrote: »

530D or i ?

Ive a 530i and i put alloys on it so maybe you could class it as modified,but one thing for sure is id never call it a high performance car,quick yes,but come on its only a 3ltr.

Remapped 530d

Beelzeboss · 24-01-2014 8:31pm

No Pants wrote: »

You don't know who the guard is and you have no Garda number, but you should make a complaint anyway. In cases like this, you write a letter of complaint to the Garda Commissioner to express your outrage and explain how offended you were by the guard's behaviour. He'll then arrange for every guard in the country to stop what they're doing and line up. You can then walk down the line, inspecting each guard until you find the one responsible. Here's an example from 1961 after a member of the public complaining about being called "an ignorant, four-eyed bollix":

More recent examples can also be found. This one ended amicably when the offended party accepted that the phrase "Dundalk prick", although inappropriate, was more fact than insult. They agreed to shake hands and leave it at that.

I concur: this is the funniest ever. An award is in order.

mooseknunkle · 24-01-2014 8:34pm

crossy wrote: »

Remapped 530d

So its not a high performance car then.

But back on topic,i do agree that the guard should not of spoke to you like that but i doubt it was because of the car you were driving

TCP/IP · 24-01-2014 8:39pm

crossy wrote: »

Remapped 530d

Oh please stop this is getting embarrassing the words 530 diesel tractor should never be mentioned in the high performance. Please stop your killing you own credibility.

Abuse from a Garda member

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