Car with blue flashing lights

Sam Kade

I saw a car with blue flashing lights on the Cork Mallow road which doesn't seem to be a Garda car. It's driven by some young fella who seems confused when cars pull in out of his way as he approaches them. Surely it is illegal to have blue flashing lights on a car other than a Garda car.

CNTRLR

as far as i know its illegal,you cannon have blue lights of any description fitted to the front of your car, and you can face prosecution for impersonating a garda if you are taking the mik like the lad on the M50 not so long ago, but i am open to correction on that.

Mikros

Sam Kade wrote: »

I saw a car with blue flashing lights on the Cork Mallow road which doesn't seem to be a Garda car. It's driven by some young fella who seems confused when cars pull in out of his way as he approaches them. Surely it is illegal to have blue flashing lights on a car other than a Garda car.

Yes it is illegal to have any flashing lights regardless of colour on a vehicle except for certain classes of people as set out in the Road Traffic (Lighting of Vehicles) (Blue and Amber Lamps) (Amendment) Regulations 2011 - these would include Garda vehicles, ambulance, fire brigade and few others such as the prison service, coast guard, marked military police vehicles and also vehicles used to collect/transport human organs for transplant.

So there could be any number of legitimate reasons for the car to have blue lights, equally it could be someone taking the piss. if you are concerned a quick phone call to the local Garda station with the vehicle reg will sort it out very quickly.

Sam Kade

Mikros wrote: »

Yes it is illegal to have any flashing lights regardless of colour on a vehicle except for certain classes of people as set out in the Road Traffic (Lighting of Vehicles) (Blue and Amber Lamps) (Amendment) Regulations 2011 - these would include Garda vehicles, ambulance, fire brigade and few others such as the prison service, coast guard, marked military police vehicles and also vehicles used to collect/transport human organs for transplant.

So there could be any number of legitimate reasons for the car to have blue lights, equally it could be someone taking the piss. if you are concerned a quick phone call to the local Garda station with the vehicle reg will sort it out very quickly.

Yeah I spotted him twice in the last few days so I will watch out for him again and get his reg.

kub

Sam Kade wrote: »

Yeah I spotted him twice in the last few days so I will watch out for him again and get his reg.

Do if I remember correctly there was a raid on a cash van in Carrigaline Co Cork about 2 years ago, the raiders took off in a car which looked like an unmarked squad car also with a blue light.
I am sure the Gardai would be very interested in this one alright. Not saying both cases are related of course.

POGAN

It's a confirmed Garda unmarked car from mallow district

kub

POGAN wrote: »

It's a confirmed Garda unmarked car from mallow district

I Thought you might have known something about it alright.

DesertCreat_15

It's Pogans new yoke! :P

POGAN

DesertCreat_15 wrote: »

It's Pogans new yoke! :P

I wish & no one would call me young anymore:(

kub

Pogan is it a Hyundai?

POGAN

kub wrote: »

Pogan is it a Hyundai?

Yes

kub

Perhaps the OP assumed it was some boy racer so based on the fact that it was not a Ford Mondeo with the usual unmarked symbols.

redout

Mikros wrote: »

Yes it is illegal to have any flashing lights regardless of colour on a vehicle except for certain classes of people as set out in the Road Traffic (Lighting of Vehicles) (Blue and Amber Lamps) (Amendment) Regulations 2011 - these would include Garda vehicles, ambulance, fire brigade and few others such as the prison service, coast guard, marked military police vehicles and also vehicles used to collect/transport human organs for transplant.

Some of the Civil Defence vehicles are also allowed to use flashing blue and amber lights.

thesandeman

Sort of off topic but related. There is a motorbike going around Galway in the last few weeks with POLICE written on it. It looks just like a Garda bike, same colouring etc except for the decal (if that's the word). The rider seems to be dressed in the proper gear as well but it is hard to be sure as it is always moving.
Would this be just a member down from NI or something or just a 'normal' person who has painted his bike. If it's the latter, can he do this?

redout

thesandeman wrote: »

Sort of off topic but related. There is a motorbike going around Galway in the last few weeks with POLICE written on it. It looks just like a Garda bike, same colouring etc except for the decal (if that's the word). The rider seems to be dressed in the proper gear as well but it is hard to be sure as it is always moving.
Would this be just a member down from NI or something or just a 'normal' person who has painted his bike. If it's the latter, can he do this?

I doubt that it is from the North. I do not believe that they are allowed to cross the border and vv.

POGAN

redout wrote: »

I doubt that it is from the North. I do not believe that they are allowed to cross the border and vv.

Could be bike on trial with the driving school

Capri

06 C Lexus parked outside pub on Baggot St with suction W/screen strobe - Ministerial or just Limo trying to impersonate ministerial motor ??

bravestar

Capri wrote: »

06 C Lexus parked outside pub on Baggot St with suction W/screen strobe - Ministerial or just Limo trying to impersonate ministerial motor ??

How do you know it wasn't a yellow strobe and they were involved in road maintainance or some such?

punisher5112

Cop cars aren't always D reg anymore and customs could be in anything at all.

Could be either.

Capri

A lot of the Limo crowd are fitting white strobes - probably legal but Joe Public will pull over anyway :rolleyes:

Mr Simpson

Capri wrote: »

06 C Lexus parked outside pub on Baggot St with suction W/screen strobe - Ministerial or just Limo trying to impersonate ministerial motor ??

I reckon thats ministerial. I've seen a lexus (not sure which year) park outside department of finance a few times

Mr Simpson

Mr Simpson wrote: »

I reckon thats ministerial. I've seen a lexus (not sure which year) park outside department of finance a few times

Finance minister doesn't have a Garda escort. Only a couple of them get it now.

Mr Simpson

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Finance minister doesn't have a Garda escort. Only a couple of them get it now.

No, but they have access to a pool car, no?

Mr Simpson

Mr Simpson wrote: »

No, but they have access to a pool car, no?

No, the taxpayer pay for a driver for them.

Mr Simpson

[Deleted User] wrote: »

No, the taxpayer pay for a driver for them.

Ah, I hadnt realised. Thought that all minister could access pool cars rather than have their own driver

Capri

Mr Simpson wrote: »

I reckon thats ministerial. I've seen a lexus (not sure which year) park outside department of finance a few times

There IS a 0?D GS450h around (with Garda drivers) but are the ministers 'private' drivers able to use blue flasing lights ( shades of Banana republics coming to pass here )

Turner

Capri wrote: »

There IS a 0?D GS450h around (with Garda drivers) but are the ministers 'private' drivers able to use blue flasing lights ( shades of Banana republics coming to pass here )

If a member of the Gardai is on duty it doesn't matter what he is driving or who is driving around, he is exempt from most of the road traffic act.

(Drunk and Dangerous driving not included)

For the use of blue lights and sirens they do not need to be on any emergency call nor have to be in hot pursuit. Its purely at their discretion.

markpb

foreign wrote: »

No, the taxpayer pay for a driver for them.

Mr Simpson wrote: »

Ah, I hadnt realised. Thought that all minister could access pool cars rather than have their own driver

IIRC the car (and driver) which are funded by the state aren't driven by Gardai so aren't exempt from the RTAs and thus aren't allowed have blue lights. This also meant that they also couldn't drive in bus lanes but when they realised that, they quickly changed the law to allow it. After all, we couldn't have members of our parliament stuck in traffic and/or feeling the need to take public transport.

Inconspicuous

Mr Simpson wrote: »

I reckon thats ministerial. I've seen a lexus (not sure which year) park outside department of finance a few times

Have seen a black GS450h there a number of times too. But I think it's actually parked outside the Attorney General's office (next door to the Dept of Finance) and is actually a ministerial (garda) car & driver. If I remember correctly the Attorney General still gets a Garda driver

Capri

markpb wrote: »

IIRC the car (and driver) which are funded by the state aren't driven by Gardai so aren't exempt from the RTAs and thus aren't allowed have blue lights. This also meant that they also couldn't drive in bus lanes but when they realised that, they quickly changed the law to allow it. After all, we couldn't have members of our parliament stuck in traffic and/or feeling the need to take public transport.

Limo with strobes and flagpole fitted -

CharlieCroker

President and I think taoiseach (sp?) have an s-class.

Edit: that has a spsv licence in the rear window so not a state car.

Little CuChulainn

Turner wrote: »

If a member of the Gardai is on duty it doesn't matter what he is driving or who is driving around, he is exempt from most of the road traffic act.

(Drunk and Dangerous driving not included)

For the use of blue lights and sirens they do not need to be on any emergency call nor have to be in hot pursuit. Its purely at their discretion.

AFAIK It's even wider than that. It has to be in the performance of their duties, so a Garda need not even be officially on duty.

Preset No.3

M50 on Friday. '04 3 series BMW. Blue lights in the grille, wig wags, strobes in the rear and siren as well. At first didn't strike me as legit. Anyone know if it is?

bravestar

Preset No.3 wrote: »

M50 on Friday. '04 3 series BMW. Blue lights in the grille, wig wags, strobes in the rear and siren as well. At first didn't strike me as legit. Anyone know if it is?

If you are concerned contact your local garda station with the reg and let them do their job. They will know in about 5 seconds if it's legit. I don't think having a thread that helps people ID obscure unmarked vehicles is a particularly good idea.

ted1

redout wrote: »

I doubt that it is from the North. I do not believe that they are allowed to cross the border and vv.

Its PSNI in the north. Could it be airport or harbour police

punisher5112

bravestar wrote: »

If you are concerned contact your local garda station with the reg and let them do their job. They will know in about 5 seconds if it's legit. I don't think having a thread that helps people ID obscure unmarked vehicles is a particularly good idea.

They have a load of BMW's

Boaty

punisher5112 wrote: »

They have a load of BMW's

No they dont? A dozen if even

Mister Jingles

Boaty wrote: »

No they dont? A dozen if even

They've more then you would think, DMR traffic have at least one. Also seen a silver/blue one of blues last week. Wasn't even a D reg.

Capri

Regarding the BMW's, there's one or 3-series around (Anthracite /Black AFIR ).
Saw a 07 grey Octavia with dark glass and blues on Friday

Quote:
Originally Posted by Turner
If a member of the Gardai is on duty it doesn't matter what he is driving or who is driving around, he is exempt from most of the road traffic act.

(Drunk and Dangerous driving not included)

For the use of blue lights and sirens they do not need to be on any emergency call nor have to be in hot pursuit. Its purely at their discretion.

AFAIK It's even wider than that. It has to be in the performance of their duties, so a Garda need not even be officially on duty

Here's another angle - if the above is true, then are they not exempt from tax/insurance etc also

Bit like the HPD, blue lights on 'personal' vehicles

Some departments will assign a dedicated vehicle to an individual officer, and a few will allow the officer to take the vehicle home with him. Of the departments that assign vehicles to individual officers, some departments may allow the officer latitude in selecting the make, color and options, providing it is a police package vehicle.
In some of the Hawaiian Islands, however, some officers own their own cars, others run entirely fleet vehicles, and some are a mixture of fleet and personally owned vehicles. The use of a personally owned vehicle is a unique program. How does the program work? Why do some officers drive marked cars while others drive the cool unmarked cars or SUVs? Who pays for the gas, oil and maintenance? What about repairs? And who bears liability if the vehicle is damaged or involved in a collision? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each concept?

While some jurisdictions require police vehicles to be distinctly marked, Hawaii Revised Statutes allow unmarked vehicles of any color to enforce traffic laws. The Honolulu Police Department has utilized subsidized or personally owned vehicles since 1932, a program which was modeled after a similar program in effect in Berkeley, CA.

Subsidized vehicles are privately owned or leased by the officers and are unmarked, save for a blue strobe light which is mounted on the roof while the officer is on duty. The officers are paid a monthly stipend to cover the operating costs of the vehicle. The first marked police vehicle appeared in 1939 when a Honolulu Police captain affixed POLICE signs on the sides and rear of his subsidized vehicle.

Little CuChulainn

Capri wrote: »

Regarding the BMW's, there's one or 3-series around (Anthracite /Black AFIR ).
Saw a 07 grey Octavia with dark glass and blues on Friday



Here's another angle - if the above is true, then are they not exempt from tax/insurance etc also

Bit like the HPD, blue lights on 'personal' vehicles

Tax is a finance issue and doesn't come under the exemption except that the car cannot be seized. As for insurance, as long as they are in the performance of their duty they'd have a legal exemption but may be liable for any civil claim.

kub

ted1 wrote: »

Its PSNI in the north. Could it be airport or harbour police

Neither would be allowed to be on blues on a public road AFAIK.