Gardai highlighting checking Bank Holidays?

Twickers

Why do the Gardai have to announce when they are highlighting that Checks will be in place e.g. Bank Holiday week-ends.
Don't they do them the rest of the year? Why should extra checks be in place on Bank holidays

Doge

Twickers wrote: »

Why do the Gardai have to announce when they are highlighting that Checks will be in place e.g. Bank Holiday week-ends.
Don't they do them the rest of the year? Why should extra checks be in place on Bank holidays

I reckon it's because people are far more likely to be drink driving on Bank holiday weekends statistically.

There has to be some reasoning behind it.

Aint Eazy Being Cheezy

Twickers wrote: »

Why do the Gardai have to announce when they are highlighting that Checks will be in place e.g. Bank Holiday week-ends.
Don't they do them the rest of the year? Why should extra checks be in place on Bank holidays

Prevention is better than cure.

On bank holidays, especially in summer months, you're going to get more people travelling up and down the country, maybe on unfamiliar roads, they may be driving that bit faster than normal to cut journey time, they may have stopped for dinner and had a pint.

It's just to drum home the message, slow down, don't drink and drive, we'll be out in force this weekend to clamp down, and you will suffer consequences.

No Pants

Publicity and perhaps a bit of a bluff. I rarely notice any difference in Garda road presence on bank holidays. Of course, they could all be avoiding me.

daveohdave

Busywork

TwoShedsJackson

Welcome to Ireland, where the police announce which motor laws they'll be enforcing, and when.

Guy:Incognito

TwoShedsJackson wrote: »

Welcome to Ireland, where the police announce which motor laws they'll be enforcing, and when.

and where people obey none.

Mycroft H

TwoShedsJackson wrote: »

Welcome to Ireland, where the police announce which motor laws they'll be enforcing, and when.

They do the same in the UK too. Prevention rather then catching people out.

Going Forward

Twickers wrote: »

Why do the Gardai have to announce when they are highlighting that Checks will be in place e.g. Bank Holiday week-ends.
Don't they do them the rest of the year? Why should extra checks be in place on Bank holidays

Bank holidays have historically yielded disproportionate road user fatalities compared to ordinary weekends......?

challengemaster

Seems aside from ignoring their work every other day of the year, they've stopped doing it on bank holidays now too. One just gone there was no garda presence locally, town was packed with cars outside all the pubs after 12pm though (none of which is residential parking)

Jesus.

challengemaster wrote: »

Seems aside from ignoring their work every other day of the year, they've stopped doing it on bank holidays now too. One just gone there was no garda presence locally, town was packed with cars outside all the pubs after 12pm though (none of which is residential parking)

Still can't get my head around the fact that people want to come upon a Garda checkpoint (presumably that means speed traps too) and on this Forum of all places.

"More Cops please". I mean WTF??!!

It takes all kinds I suppose :rolleyes:

CiniO

Jesus. wrote: »

Still can't get my head around the fact that people want to come upon a Garda checkpoint (presumably that means speed traps too) and on this Forum of all places.

"More Cops please". I mean WTF??!!

It takes all kinds I suppose :rolleyes:

See the more roadchecks, the more drivers which are drunk, stoned, not licensed, not insured, not ncted, etc will be taken off the road. That will do good for anyone, as no one wants to share road with them, especially car enthusiast from motors forum.

I must say I'm shocked by complete lack of presence of garda roadchecks in this country. I've been driving here for over 7 yeara and barely had any. If I drive abroad for a month or two, I usually have few roadchecks in that period.

And no I don't support gards hiding in shrubs with speed gun on empty roads.
But they don't really do it anyway so I can be speeding in most places where its safe. However more roadchecks for drunk drivers, stoned, unlicensed, not ncted or not insured - I'm definitely for it. I woukd be happy to be pulled over even everyday if that meant others will get caught

Dr.Rieux

Jesus. wrote: »

Still can't get my head around the fact that people want to come upon a Garda checkpoint (presumably that means speed traps too) and on this Forum of all places.

"More Cops please". I mean WTF??!!

It takes all kinds I suppose :rolleyes:

I think what people would like is sensible enforcement. So breath checks outside pub car parks at closing tim can only be a good thing.

Of course we could always have "Less Cops please" and then have drink driving, excessive speeding everywhere and even more moronic driving than is already out there. Sounds much better :rolleyes:

djimi

Jesus. wrote: »

Still can't get my head around the fact that people want to come upon a Garda checkpoint (presumably that means speed traps too) and on this Forum of all places.

"More Cops please". I mean WTF??!!

It takes all kinds I suppose :rolleyes:

The more enforcement there is of the laws, the safer the roads become, and at the end of the day that is all that should really matter. Personally Id take increased Garda checkpoints/speed checks if it means the chance of me being wiped out by a drunk/uninsured/speeding driver is reduced.

Going Forward

Jesus. wrote: »

Still can't get my head around the fact that people want to come upon a Garda checkpoint (presumably that means speed traps too) and on this Forum of all places.

"More Cops please". I mean WTF??!!

It takes all kinds I suppose :rolleyes:

The wanting usually stops when they get a couple of points themselves at these checkpoints.

Jesus.

That's pretty simplistic dimj considering the discussion that took place on here only yesterday regarding the farce that is speeding checks in this Country. Only a headcase would think that its about saving lives as opposed to raking in the cash.

Breathchecks outside pubs can only be a good thing? I disagree. Again, I think its an oversimplification and a dangerous road to go down regarding forming a kind of mini police state. Particularly in rural areas, the Guards generally police by common sense and most importantly, consensus. If tonight they started a policy of systematically trying to catch every single individual for offenses which in the real World would probably have little significance ( eg people who may (or may not) have had a drink or two in the middle of nowhere but drive a couple of miles out the road), they'd almost immediately - and correctly - be met with resistance and hostility from the local populace, leading to less co-operation in the long run and ultimately more law breaking and a mindset of "them" and "us".

The less Checkpoints/speed traps I encounter, the better. I have all my tax, insurance, NCT etc up to date and I don't drive fast but barring a few silly manoeuvres from time to time and despite the hysterics I've encountered on here, people by and large are not out of order on the roads and generally stick to the law. If people want to be taken by the hand and treated like children by the State, then by all means strive to have that situation effected. Personally though, as a grown man, I like a level of freedom in my life.

As an aside, I'm still amazed to have heard a chap on here tell us all of the amount of people he rang the Guards on (behind their backs of course) when he worked in a corner shop, when he thought a customer may (or may not) have had drink taken when they came in to give their custom to that business. That kind of cowardly snitching is repulsive to me to be honest and it appears to be, if not rife, certainly noticeable on here from time to time.

That's my opinion anyway lads, make of it what you will. I don't want to say anymore because I don't want to get banned.........again!

wonski

Jesus. wrote: »

Still can't get my head around the fact that people want to come upon a Garda checkpoint (presumably that means speed traps too) and on this Forum of all places.

"More Cops please". I mean WTF??!!

It takes all kinds I suppose :rolleyes:

I would love if they check my tax disc once a year to justify my spendings.

These days you can drive drunk, without an NCT/ Insurance and the chance you get caught is very, very slim.

Fortunately gosafe vans are still in operation so the roads are safe:D

djimi

Jesus. wrote: »

That's pretty simplistic dimj considering the discussion that took place on here only yesterday regarding the farce that is speeding checks in this Country. Only a headcase would think that its about saving lives as opposed to raking in the cash.

The simple fact of checkpoints and speed checks is that if you are not breaking the law then you have absolutely nothing to worry about. Its not simplistic at all; dont speed and you dont have to worry where they park a van/hairdryer.

Jesus. wrote: »

Breathchecks outside pubs can only be a good thing? I disagree. Again, I think its an oversimplification and a dangerous road to go down regarding forming a kind of mini police state. Particularly in rural areas, the Guards generally police by common sense and most importantly, consensus. If tonight they started a policy of systematically trying to catch every single individual for offenses which in the real World would probably have little significance ( eg people who may (or may not) have had a drink or two in the middle of nowhere but drive a couple of miles out the road), they'd almost immediately - and correctly - be met with resistance and hostility from the local populace, leading to less co-operation in the long run and ultimately more law breaking and a mindset of "them" and "us".

There is nothing common sense about turning a blind eye to drink driving. Again, if youre not breaking the law and driving home drunk from the pub then you have nothing to worry about. If you are driving drunk then quite frankly you deserve to get caught and taken off the road. Simple really.

Jesus. wrote: »

The less Checkpoints/speed traps I encounter, the better. I have all my tax, insurance, NCT etc up to date and I don't drive fast but barring a few silly manoeuvres from time to time and despite the hysterics I've encountered on here, people by and large are not out of order on the roads and generally stick to the law. If people want to be taken by the hand and treated like children by the State, then by all means strive to have that situation effected. Personally though, as a grown man, I like a level of freedom in my life.

The problem with this country is that there is absolutely zero enforcement of any laws, bar the marginal enforcement of speeding (largely through a third party company) and the occasional PR exercise around drink driving at bank holidays etc. As it stands, I could neck a bottle of whisky, drive my untaxed and uninsured car half way across the country without a drivers license with my phone stuck to one ear, and provided I kept it between the ditches the worst that is likely to happen to me is that I might get a speeding ticket if I encounter a van along the way. Its utter nonsense how little the laws of driving are enforced in this country. Nobody wants to see a nanny state, but there has to be a middle ground. Right now the law is flaunted daily by a huge number of drivers simply because they know there is virtually no chance of being caught, and even if you are caught chances are it will only be a slap on the wrist and a blind eye turned.

Jesus. wrote: »

As an aside, I'm still amazed to have heard a chap on here tell us all of the amount of people he rang the Guards on (behind their backs of course) when he worked in a corner shop, when he thought a customer may (or may not) have had drink taken when they came in to give their custom to that business. That kind of cowardly snitching is repulsive to me to be honest and it appears to be, if not rife, certainly noticeable on here from time to time.

That's my opinion anyway lads, make of it what you will. I don't want to say anymore because I don't want to get banned.........again!

Im fairly sure that I was one of the people in that thread, and I would do it again every day of the week if needs be. You wouldnt be calling it cowardly snitching if that drunk wiped out your family on his way home from the shop. There are few things that rile me up as much as drunk driving.

markpb

djimi wrote: »

Im fairly sure that I was one of the people in that thread, and I would do it again every day of the week if needs be. You wouldnt be calling it cowardly snitching if that drunk wiped out your family on his way home from the shop. There are few things that rile me up as much as drunk driving.

+1

challengemaster

Jesus. wrote: »

Breathchecks outside pubs can only be a good thing? I disagree. Again, I think its an oversimplification and a dangerous road to go down regarding forming a kind of mini police state. Particularly in rural areas, the Guards generally police by common sense and most importantly, consensus. If tonight they started a policy of systematically trying to catch every single individual for offenses which in the real World would probably have little significance ( eg people who may (or may not) have had a drink or two in the middle of nowhere but drive a couple of miles out the road), they'd almost immediately - and correctly - be met with resistance and hostility from the local populace, leading to less co-operation in the long run and ultimately more law breaking and a mindset of "them" and "us".

djimi has already said it, but I'll say it too. Ignoring drink driving just because the country as a whole has an alcohol problem is not "common sense" policing, it's just stupidity.

Jesus.

challengemaster wrote: »

Ignoring drink driving just because the country as a whole has an alcohol problem is not "common sense" policing, it's just stupidity.

I just have to come back in there. For God's sake, whoever said such a thing?

I said a common sense approach is required which to be fair to the Guards, I think they're doing right now. They know that they have to use their heads in order to Police areas correctly and not act like a mini Gestapo.

Every location is different. Every scenario is different.

djimi

In what way is it "Gestapo" to enforce the law?